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Saturday, February 24, 2007

Half-time update: Charlton heaping misery on Eggert!

Its unusual to write at half-time about a match but in one of the most decisive matches of the season so far nineteenth-placed Charlton are three-nil up on eighteenth-placed West Ham. I have nothing against West Ham but I wrote at the time that I didn't respect the haste that their new Icelandic owners removed the progressive Alan Pardew and see it now as some sort of poetic justice that Pardew's new team has had a great first half.

With Charlton now looking well on their way to a win West Ham's plight at the bottom of the table is looking as bad as ever and I can't help but think that Eggert (with his customary head-shaking) and Co had it coming. With the new Premiership TV money coming into effect next season the financial ramifications of relegation from the top flight are more marked than usual which just makes the decision to dismiss Pardew look even more costly. The second half has just begun... can West Ham somehow turn it around?? I simply don't see it.

2 Comments:

Blogger RedsMan said...

Well, we didn't get to see it. I await the highlights on MOTD but my word, how harrowing was it?! Alan Curbishley returning to The Valley and featuring a side that appears to have offered little in resistance and more of their own flesh. You want your team to go down fighting right to the very last breath, last drop of blood, to possibly accept defeat. No disrespect to Charlton, some will say (T included) that they have had the spirit to bounce back up the table from time but for some slack playing and a lack of cohesion. The same can be said of West Ham, perhaps the bottom four clubs in total, but Pardew has shown clearly that while the muck hits the fan, he does not bottle, fear or repulse from the tough.

West Ham held out Man Utd and Arsenal at home to their credit but otherwise appear to be sinking with every gallery hit from their opponents. Where has that fighting resolve gone to from last season? It is puzzling and I concur on T's words that the new owners now look very hasty in dismissing Pardew. T and I said the dismissal seemed very premature given that a new horizon with the takeover was done with and business could be thoroughly focused onto the pitch and now The Hammers are very, very shaky.

If Charlton are to avoid relegation, you would look at Wigan replacing them. Watford have left it too late, West Ham I've discussed, and Wigan are fighting to secure some survival. I said to T Charlton will not make it, so the next three months are going to be pivotal to see at the bottom.


RedsMan.

2/24/2007 5:35 pm

 
Blogger T said...

Great stuff Redsman! Charlton play Wigan at the Valley in the next fortnight- and it goes without saying that it will be a critical encounter.

You know that I have gone for Charlton and the Pardew factor - and as you point out only time will tell if they can haul themselves out of the relgation places.

3/01/2007 9:44 pm

 

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