So Close, But No Cognac (This Time)

Can’t really say we’d been waiting for this one for years as it would have been far preferable for us to get back to the Championship and find that Millwall had gone down to replace us. But that aside, this was obviously a big one, for us especially. In prosaic terms a win and we would be left with two wins, a draw and two defeats from the first five games, an entirely acceptable return given the tough fixtures; obviously lose or draw and the picture would be different. Most of all, however, we simply craved a win, in whatever fashion, to end a very unwanted series and to start to reverse a truly dire record against them.

And we came close, so very close. We led from the 40th minute to the 86th and until Ramsay’s sending off on 74 minutes had looked likely to be able to see out the game, perhaps nick a second. That said we were already tiring and Millwall would have thrown everything at us in any event and always carried a threat with their height advantage. So nobody should be laying the blame on Ramsay, but no doubt his dismissal changed the nature of the contest. Although we were deservedly ahead and, despite having less possession than them had clearly the better of things in a game of very few actual chances, you have to admit that if the game had gone on another 10 minutes we would probably have lost it. So we can claim the moral high ground (never difficult against them) but not all the points.

The team showed one change from QPR, with Kelman starting up front ahead of Leaburn, who moved to the bench. Presumably Jones the Boss was impressed with what he saw on the training ground and had a plan in mind, which was fair enough. The assumption was always that Leaburn would be introduced sooner or later (with obvious thoughts before the game of him coming on to score the winner, as his father had scored in our previous league win against them). On the bench he was joined by loan signing Bree, with Mwamba missing out (and with Anderson still serving his suspension).

Through the first half we looked the brighter of the sides with the greater threat, especially with Campbell lively and clearly having the beating of his marker for pace and with Apter promising on the other flank. Millwall understandably looked to exploit him defensively but only managed to get their bigger guy on that side past him once or twice.

What chances there were fell to us, especially in the build-up to the goal. On 35 minutes a Kelman cross was knocked out to Apter but his shot was blocked, then Apter worked a good position but put in a poor shot when there seemed to be other options. On 38 minutes Apter opted to cut inside, got a little lucky with the ball and avoided a challenge, and put in a shot. This one took a wicked deflection and looped up and over their keeper, not quite dipping in time to go into the next but hitting the crossbar.

No matter. From the resulting corner Coventry sent the ball in and their keeper punched it away but only to the edge of the area where Carey was positioned. He controlled it well with a first touch, then sent in a hard low shot. I’d guess more often than not it would have been blocked, but with a Charlton player in the mix letting it go it went through everyone and into the net. Cue pandemonium, at The Valley and various other places. As usual Steve Brown in the CATV commentary box (thanks to VPN - and no thanks to Sky - I actually got to watch this game) had called it right. He pointed out that high balls into their area we were always going to be second-favourite to win and that we needed to be alert to benefit from the second ball. Carey was.

We saw out the rest of the half with no alarms and although the stats at the break showed they had enjoyed 54% possession, the telling one was that they have no efforts on target (just before the break their centre-half might have done better with a header from a corner). All we had to do was repeat that in the second.

The second half continued in the same vein, the only difference was that the ref did start taking his card out of his pocket. On 53 minutes a Millwall player was given a yellow for taking out Campbell, then on 54 a Millwall guy on their left was brought down by a combination of Coventry and Ramsay. The ref decided the latter had got there first and he was given the yellow. Might have gone the other way, which would have been significant as it turned out. And on 63 minutes Jones went into the book for a late tackle.

In between, Jones the Boss made a couple of quite early changes with Leaburn replacing Kelman, who had a decent game and was instrumental in stretching them, and Bree on for Apter, presumably to tighten up defensively on our right side. And for a spell we threatened to get the second which surely would have been decisive. On 66 minutes Carey was played in on the left side in the penalty area and his shot-come-cross was palmed out by their keeper, but not into Leaburn’s path, then just after Leaburn had the ball inside their area with his back to goal but his shot on the turn was smothered.

After that Millwall did have a couple of shots blocked and our defending was starting to look a little desperate. And on 73 minutes the game turned. A ball forward down their left side and Ramsay put in an excellent challenge to dispossess their guy. Unfortunately the ball didn’t go out of play and that guy was the first to get up to collect it. He moved inside and Ramsay, perhaps still a little disorientated, put in a sliding tackle from the side. He didn’t get the ball and everyone watching, and Ramsay himself, knew what was coming next. Second yellow and off, with no cause for complaint (other than that the ref might have booked Coventry instead of Ramsay first time around).

Millwall’s play had been patient (but largely predictable) before and now with the extra man they were able to pin us back. We had around 20 minutes to hold out and we did for 14 of them. We even had a breakaway chance as Leaburn did well to hold the ball around the halfway line and poked it forward for Campbell to run through in the clear. On his own with defenders converging he had little option but to take on the shot from outside the box and sent it over the bar.

Millwall thought they had their equaliser on 81 minutes as their substitute hammered a loose ball into the net, but he had clearly used his hand to control it. But they did get it on 87 minutes, after Burke had replaced Campbell. They advanced again down their left and a ball inside picked out a guy with a well-timed run forward. His shot was saved by Kaminski but crucially this parry dropped to that same sub, who sent it back into the net.

With five minutes of stoppage time it added up to eight minutes to see out and we managed to do that to get at least something out of the game. Not the historic victory we hoped for and which had for so long been on the cards, but at least a point. We take it and move on.

I’d only add that I thought Jones the Boss might have used more substitutes to bring on fresh legs in the closing stages, most obviously Olaofe or Rankin-Costello. There were some very tired players out there in the final 20 minutes as once again each had given his all. And a rare one, to say that I thought the ref had a very good game. He made no obviously bad calls, was consistent in what he allowed (and he did let some go, including some challenges on Jones which should have been penalised) and did not allow, and seemed in control throughout. Just wish he’d booked Coventry instead of Ramsay.

Work On Details, No Panic; Like Father Like Son In Two Weeks?

Clearly two consecutive defeats (forget Cambridge, it is irrelevant) are capable of turning into a very poor run, if we continue to emerge on the wrong side of games decided by narrow margins. But there is no reason to panic, rather IMO a case for looking at details and seeing what can be done to improve. We knew we had a tough start on paper, with three games against teams expected to be around the top and to that was added a fourth against a team smarting from a humiliation and bolstered by new signings (one of the problems of getting your business done early is that we forget how many we’ve signed as the flow of news is all about who others are bringing in).

If someone had offered us a win, two draws and a defeat in our first four before the season started we would probably have settled for that – and that would have been the least we deserved. On another day with a different ref, and VAR (and those criticising it really should take a good look at games without it), we might easily have come away from Loftus Road with three points. Kone’s challenge on Jones after he’d headed the ball away was reckless and worthy of more than a yellow (which he incredibly did not get), Campbell didn’t go down after a challenge from behind in the box (if he did and the ref decided it was a penalty I’m not sure what the rules are about their guy being sent off), and Kelman was pulled back from behind just outside the box in a goalscoring situation. Surely that one had to be a red card. And everyone said we were unlucky to lose against Leicester.

That’s not to ignore the reality of the results and other factors behind them. But it does point to the fact that all four of our games have been tight affairs with three decided by the odd goal and one draw. The way we are set up doesn’t work in favour of us taking teams apart and the chances are that most of our games this season will end up being close. Let’s get used to that and embrace it. The last thing we need now is players getting used to narrow defeats.

So what might be some lessons? First, we started quite slowly against Bristol City and especially yesterday, when the game could have been over in the first 20 minutes. We are giving the impression that we are working things out on the pitch in response to the opposition’s set-up and tactics. So are we doing enough homework on the opposition before the games begin? Or is it a mental issue, that we are happy to keep things tight early on, handing the initiative to the other team? I can’t possibly know, but we can’t afford to continue to start games so tentatively and slowly.

Second, this standard of opposition is new to many of the players. In League One you benefit from the mistakes of others, the press is easier to be effective. QPR, like Leicester and Bristol City, were far more assured in dealing with pressure and playing their way out of trouble, gave the ball away far fewer times than teams last season. I’d suggest we simply have to work harder by looking at what works for us and what does not and adjust accordingly.

Third, look at individual players and how they can improve. Last season our attack worked well with Godden and Berry, because Campbell was left to do his real work out wide, Godden was outnumbered but still made a nuisance of himself, and Berry knew that a big part of his job was to get into the box in support of Godden and score goals. Kelman hasn’t hit the ground running and might benefit from watching a few recordings of how Godden played the thankless task of being up against two centre-backs (and now better ones). Godden won more than his fair share of balls in the air, through movement and timing, as well as being on the end of balls into the box. Equally, when Berry was absent late last season we struggled for goals. Carey and Knibbs have been brought in for that position and the former at least, given that he is starting games, may need to adjust a little to put more emphasis on getting into the box.

It is worrying that Campbell can easily get crowded out when receiving the ball with his back to goal and in a more central position. When the ball’s played up to the forwards it’s natural for the midfield three to be moving advancing, so if the ball’s lost they can be wrong-footed. It happened yesterday for QPR’s second, with Saito able to run unchallenged until he got to around the area. He should have been stopped/held up well before then, equally Campbell cannot afford to lose the ball cheaply – or if he does make sure it doesn’t lead to a quick counter, by fouling if necessary. QPR committed enough professional fouls yesterday.

On the positive side, Bell has slotted in very well alongside Jones and Ramsay, even if it is tough on Gillesphey, and Kaminski looks assured (even if this is tough on Mannion in particular), while Apter even leaving aside his fluke goal has been excellent going forward. But yesterday we had a reminder that he is really a winger, not a wing-back, that if he plays as a wing-back we are taking a risk defensively, which other teams will be well aware of. It wasn’t just their first goal yesterday but also a mismatch when it came to a high ball into our box from a set piece. It is early days for Leaburn, Campbell, Kelman, Olaofe, plus when ready Godden and Mbick, to get it sorted out up front.

So plenty to be working on I’d suggest, but no case for wholesale changes. Two weeks on the training ground to be ready for the visit of Millwall. I did check our record against them, just to remind myself: played 76, won 12 (including the first two ever and doing the double over them in 1995/96), drew 27, lost 27. People remember Kim Grant’s brace on a snow-covered Den pitch, but that was followed by a 2-0 win at The Valley with goals from Bowyer and … Leaburn – the dad of course. What a celebration there will be if Leaburn Senior scoring the final goal in our last victory over Millwall for almost 30 years was to be followed by Leaburn Junior this time around!

Finally, belated condolences to the family and friends of Steve Thompson. As others have pointed out, he proved he was capable of playing in the top division, having been bought by Lennie Lawrence from Lincoln City in 1985. My favourite memory of him on the pitch was him landing on the somewhat skinnier Naill Quinn playing for Arsenal at Highbury and almost (accidentally) snapping him in two. RIP Thommo.

Fine Margins Again

Both teams today were looking to bounce back, in QPR’s case after a 7-1 humiliation. It was the occasion for Jones and Kone to renew their acquaintance, with the former having completely shut out the latter in the four games against Wycombe last season, perhaps the chance for Kelman to open his account for us against his former club. In any event, it looked likely to be a close affair, which it proved to be.

We were unchanged again, Leaburn keeping his place ahead of Kelman, but with a couple of changes on the bench. With Anderson suspended Mwamba was given a place, while the apparently now fit Burke replaced Mitchell.

Whether or not stung by last weekend, QPR came out of the traps fast and left us floundering in the first 20 minutes or so, appearing vulnerable to their movement and unable to hold the ball in any meaningful area or put them under pressure. Jones started the game with a crunching tackle on Kone, but on seven minutes we were behind, to a goal well worked from their end and soft from ours. We had only just been opened up after the ref – not for the last time in an inconsistent performance – failed to award us a free-kick for a clear foul. A one-two and their guy was in, only to make a hash of his shot from close range. Then there seemed special danger as one of their guys advanced down their right, but his low ball across the box was very well dummied by Kone and Smyth had read the situation and moved ahead of Apter to get onto it, slotting it past Kaminski. Apter was proving to be our main attacking threat, but QPR had done their homework and were to exploit his defensive shortcomings through the first half.

In that spell we could well have fallen further behind and effectively game-over. After a Ramsay mistake their guy advanced and Coventry touched him from behind and he went over, a free-kick central inside the D and a yellow for Coventry. Kaminski saved well to his left and the rebound was headed over. But we did at least keep it to one and as the game progressed we came much more into it. The rest of the first half was a pretty even affair, in terms of possession we were now edging it. And we did come close to equalising on 26 minutes as an Edwards ball in reached the far post and Leaburn met it. It was a tough one to keep down but he almost managed it, the shot coming back off the crossbar.

Campbell started to see more of the ball. He cut inside and had a shot blocked, then having beaten his marker and was advancing into the box had his shorts pulled in a cynical foul. But from the free-kick just outside the box on the left Carney overhit the ball in – and through the afternoon our deliveries into the box, from set pieces and in open play, from different players – were not good enough. Carney was pulled down (no yellow this time) and this time Apter played a poor ball in, then Carey’s cross from a free-kick for a foul on Leaburn had too much on it. But just before the break we were close to conceding a second as from a free-kick of their own the ball was delivered to where Apter had to challenge someone much bigger than him. The header back across was met by another, which came back off the foot of the post (although Kaminski might have got to it if it had been going in).

At the break we were at least a little cheered that we had picked up after that poor start and still looked capable of getting something from the game, although I thought there was a case for switching to a back-four, having Campbell and Apter the wide men in a four-man midfield, and bringing Kelman on to give us two up front. It would have meant sacrificing Carey I guess.

In any event, although QPR had a chance early in the second half, as an Edwards clearance cannoned off someone and dropped to one of theirs, the game changed as we equalised on 53 minutes. Campbell sent in a cross from the left which went across the box to Apter. He took it on the volley and sent his effort into the ground. He couldn’t have planned it better as it bounced up and over the defender and left their keeper stranded, going into the far corner. It was a fluke but gave us the momentum.

QPR responded by bringing on, among others, Saito, just back at the club apparently. From the start he looked a menace, drawing free-kicks and wrongfooting defenders. But overall the game was swinging very much in our favour, we were enjoying most of the possession and when put under pressure QPR’s back line looked vulnerable. Shortly after we equalised Kone was very lucky to escape without even a yellow a late challenge on Jones, who headed clear only to be taken out. It was at least a yellow and, if Kone had led with his elbow, a case for a red.

We had a decent chance to take the lead on 56 minutes as Campbell got goalside in the box. There was a challenge and contact but he stumbled, didn’t go down. If he had perhaps it was a penalty and a red card, perhaps not, it wasn’t cast-iron. He ended up taking the shot from a narrow angle, which was pushed behind for a corner, when he might have squared it for an incoming Leaburn.

We made our first changes on 68 minutes, with Kelman and Knibbs replacing Apter and Carey, prompting Campbell to move to the right side. On 79 minutes we were almost in again as a ball forward found Kelman and he was taken out just outside the box, only for Edwards to badly overhit the ball in from the free-kick.

We were dominant, but QPR still carried a threat in a contest which might have gone either way. And it proved to be their day. Campbell failed to protect the ball around the centre-circle and Saito emerged with it, just inside his own half. He advanced unchallenged, wrongfooted Jones around the edge of the box, and just as others were converging on him managed to tuck it beyond Kaminski into the net. Another poor goal from our perspective, but they will laud a solo run from the half-way line and a calm finish.

As the minutes ticked away we understandably became increasingly desperate. Olaofe replaced Docherty on 87 minutes and then in six extra minutes Rankin-Costello and Fullah came on for Coventry and Leaburn, with Jones now staying up front. There was nothing to lose, but the risk was obvious. A ball forward was flicked on and Kone was through on his own to plant the ball past Kaminski, to give a very unfair scoreline.

What do we take from the game? No points obviously. We know, if we didn’t before, that playing Apter as a wing-back carries a defensive risk. We should know that we can’t begin a game like we did today, tentative and uncertain. We could easily have been two down before we pulled ourselves up. On the positive side, having equalised we were the more likely to get the win, only to fall foul of one player producing a moment (the third goal was irrelevant). There’s no need for pressing the panic button, it’s small margins and lessons on detail. Each of our four games this season has been decided by the odd goal or finished even, and the chances are that will be the case more often than not. We’re not going to blow teams away but can outbattle some. We know what’s next up, time to rip up the history book and start setting the records straight (and there is a long way to go on that front).

France A Blank For Leicester Game

We’d done ourselves proud in the first two games of a tough start to the season, could we round it off with another good result? For sure on paper the challenge looked daunting, against a team relegated from the Premiership. At the same time, we know as well as anyone how difficult it can be to adjust after dropping down from the top flight, with the squad having to be reorientated; and Leicester had needed a late goal to see off troubled Sheffield Wednesday at home before losing their second fixture at Preston (albeit also to a late goal, laid on apparently by a certain Small). So there were grounds for cautious optimism.

It wasn’t to be, at least in terms of the result. It would be good to give a report on the game, but that’s not possible, because I couldn’t watch it. Not because I wasn’t set up and ready to go, being a subscriber to Charlton TV. But because the game was on Sky and this time around Sky decided it would be shown via their partners in France, so for us waiting access was blocked.

Nobody blames the club for not being able to stream the game. That’s out of their hands - and notice was given on the club site that it would be unavailable in most European countries, I hadn’t checked. But for an overseas Addick in a country which at its discretion Sky decides it will block access via Charlton TV, the first option is to subscribe to EFL’s broadcast partner in the country (not always possible and often not if you want access for just a day), second might be to find a bar showing the game (but get real, an English second division game for early afternoon Saturday, you’d have to find an outright sports bar somewhere close to hand), the third is of course VPN, which can work out (it didn’t for me yesterday) and of course adds to the cost.

I’m no longer sure of the current price of an annual subscription to the Charlton Live service, including streaming of games, as my sub runs from December to December – and the club site doesn’t show the option of subscribing annually. It does say that a monthly pass costs £35, which if you assume that the season runs for 10 months (August-May) adds up to £350. Charlton season tickets are priced at between £375 (£295 and less for selected groups) and £695 (£550 and less). I don’t think anyone would argue that going to the game is a more valuable experience. Just how much more the cost of a matchday ticket versus a Charlton TV live stream should be is a matter of opinion. But when making comparisons add in the following.

Someone buying a Charlton season ticket is making a commitment to the club. So are International Addicks taking out an annual stream subscription; they can do no more as it’s plainly daft to buy a season ticket, unless you want to spend a fortune in travel costs. But the former – for good reason - get certain perks, such as privileged access to certain match tickets (including the play-offs). The latter do not. If you are a season ticket holder and cannot get to the match, you accept that as part of the package (you may give your pass to a friend, let’s not pretend it doesn’t happen). But you don’t get told that some games you simply are not allowed to go to because Sky says so – and you may only get told this a day or two before the game. And if an International Addick travels for a game at The Valley, not only do they incur the travel costs involved, they buy a matchday ticket for a game they have already paid to access via the stream.

None of us question that the club’s priority is - and should be - to fill The Valley. We all want to see that. I assume that the club also places some value on having a thriving community of international supporters. They are a mix of ex-pats like me and others who have decided, for whatever reason, that Charlton is for them. We fly the flag, spread the word, help to raise the profile of the club wherever and whenever we can.

We’ve already seen the quality of the Charlton TV service seriously lowered. It was excellent before the new Sky deal, with a pre-match show, half-time discussion, and post-match analysis, usually including an interview with the manager. (It’s accepted that those living in the UK and not able to get to The Valley have suffered a worse fate, having to subscribe to Sky.) The monthly shows are entertaining but not a substitute for what went before. Now we are being slapped in the face by not being able to view games that we have paid to see. How many more games this season will go the same way as yesterday?

I’m aware that there are ongoing discussions concerning these issues between international supporters’ representatives and the club. So this isn’t a diatribe against the club, hopefully just a nudge in the right direction. Being able to watch Charlton games is the lifeline for those of us living overseas and the club itself now gets a great deal more from the EFL’s TV deal than it used to. I hope it will take these things into account.

Simply Magnificent Effort And Deserved Point

Despite the glorious start to the campaign – which I managed to watch on a mobile en route from Lyon to around Montpelier, with Plan A having gone out of the window curtesy of a two-hour bouchon around Millau, almost causing an accident with a yelp of delight as Knibbs buried it – for obvious reasons we went into today’s contest very much as the underdogs. An end-of-holidays drive back from Gaillac to Lyon enabled me to watch the match in a more comfortable setting but the end-result was very much the same. Great deal of satisfaction to take from a magnificent effort, one which at the least merited the point we take back with us. Another win would not have flattered us.

With no fresh injury concerns, but also no sign yet of Godden being available for selection, to nobody’s surprise the team was unchanged – and the only change to the matchday squad was Maynard-Brewer coming in for Mannion as the reserve keeper.

Bristol City did begin the game much the brighter, although Apter almost got an opening at the start. In the first 10 minutes first Edwards was caught out by a ball over his head which ended up with a shot blocked for a corner, then another guy cut inside and sent a shot from outside the box just wide. They seemed to be coping easily enough with our press and when the sprang forward were adept at short passing to create space. It looked like it was going to be a very tough afternoon.

However, as the half progressed we seemed to get more of a grip on them, without creating much. Apter continued to look like he had the beating of them on the right, Campbell got more into the game, and simple hard work and good organisation pushed them back. Our best moment – aside from a back pass which the Bristol defender left and almost caught the keeper unawares - came on 17 minutes when Campbell moved across the line with the ball and found Carey on the right, but his cross/shot was too strong for Kelman to get on the end of and wide of the far post. Shortly before the break Campbell played a one-two to get into space but his clipped cross was easily gathered.

The half-time stats showed that Bristol had enjoyed 60% possession and had eight shots to our two – but most tellingly none on target. Blocks from Ramsay and Jones in particular had been effective to keep them at bay. No question that Jones the Boss will have been happier than his counterpart – and I guess like many Addicks I was merely thinking that if we can keep a clean sheet it would be a very good afternoon’s work.

That clean sheet looked a long way off as it took some last-ditch defending from the kick off to keep them out. That proved to be the first of a flurry of chances. On 50 minutes a great ball inside found Apter in space. His shot was parried by their keeper and unfortunately dropped for a defender to put behind. That seemed to sting them into upping it and next it was their turn as we unluckily lost possession in our own half, a shot was blocked but the rebound went to another inside the box. He was able to turn and shoot from a tight angle and his effort crashed off the top of the bar.

In terms of chances we were up next. Apter again the fulcrum and his ball in hit a defender and looked set to end in their net, only for their keeper to adjust well to get down to turn it onto the post. Then Carey was set up well but shot badly wide, and from a corner Ramsay headed over when Jones coming in behind him was better placed. To almost square things up, after Leaburn had replaced Kelman, a poor Campbell pass put us in trouble and it took Ramsay (again) to sort it out.

More changes came, with on 80 minutes Knibbs and Alaofe coming on for Carey and Campbell, while Bristol brought on a couple of big guys up front, and at the end of normal time, with Edwards going down injured, Gillesphey and Anderson for Edwards and Docherty. With seven minutes of stoppage time flagged we almost took the lead as Apter played a delightful ball in and Knibbs very nearly got on the end of it. But to be fair it took a fantastic block from Jones to keep the scoresheet blank just before the final whistle, before being clattered to the ground by the Bristol big guy (laughingly the Bristol fans seemed to see nothing wrong – although the ref had given soft free kicks to both sides).

With Ramsay struggling with cramp the final whistle was probably overall welcome for us, especially as Bristol had one final free kick to loft into the box after an Apter foul. There were many tired bodies out there, but it had all been in a very good cause. The final stats showed their possession down to 57.5% and of their 14 shots only one was on target (an easy gather for Kaminski), although they did have the one which crashed off the bar. We ended with eight shots and two on target, plus hitting the post.

It would be unfair to single out individuals in what was a tremendous team effort, us going head-to-toe with one of the best sides in the division away from home. But Jones and Ramsay in particular were superb, while Apter is a joy to watch. The level of commitment was exemplary, throughout the team (sure Kelman struggled to influence the game, but largely on his own against three assured centre-backs was a thankless task). Nothing but satisfaction as we look back on that one, we can only ask for more.

Much To Applaud, Still Plenty Of Imponderables

All current news and speculation is of course overshadowed by the tragic death of Ethan Ade-Oduwale. In tandem with everyone else, my thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends, and team-mates.

The absence of a stream means I can’t comment on or draw any conclusions regarding last night’s clash with Ipswich. From Jones’ post-match comments it sounded like a mixed bag, minutes into legs etc but not much in the way of pointers to how we will line up against Watford, with now only one game left with which to experiment or firm up plans.

On the positive front, however you slice and dice it, and accept that nothing is guaranteed, the signing of Kelman is great news for us and has raised further everyone’s spirits. Post-Wembley I thought that if we could get either Kone or Kelman it would be good; getting Kelman and Olaofe is just excellent. After the signing of Apter I thought that perhaps the best way would be for us to bring in a young forward on loan from a Premiership club (and there were rumours regarding one from Spurs) to provide both the competition and the cover for Godden. Signing Kelman is a good deal better than that. Even the owners are getting plaudits for providing the cash to support Jones. Now that’s been a while.

On the negative/cautionary front, we’ve now only a little over a week and one game in anger to go before the campaign begins and there’s no clear idea of the structure or composition of the starting XI, the Plan A if you like. That’s for sure a plus in terms of having options, less so if it’s going to take a while for the new team to gel. And formations do matter. There’s no perfect one, just the one that gets the best out of the resources available and which the players get attuned to, so that play with the ball quickens, players know their jobs and understand who is likely to do what. Fluency doesn’t just happen because the players are good.

If you sat down now and wrote down the names of those who, if fit and available, are a shoo-in to start games, you’d I think end up with just Kaminski, Jones and Ramsay, probably Edwards and Coventry too. With Godden and Berry absent to date, plus Mannion (and Taylor), what can be said?

If we stick to at least starting games with a back 3/5 – and all the evidence from the friendlies points that way – the two questions to be worked through are will we repeat the central three of Wembley and how will the wing-backs work out? On the former I’d be comfortable if we did, with Bell, Burke and the two Mitchells (barring sales or loans) providing the competition.

The wing-backs are less clear (to me). Small’s departure is a big loss. Neither Asiimwe (who is heading off to Wimbledon on loan) nor the Wolves trialist really nailed down the spot on the right, Apter is a winger and if played in the role would add a very welcome attacking threat but surely would be a risk defensively. Would Jones choose to move Ramsay to the wider role, if Burke is fit? It’s an option, but Ramsay was working so well where he was. On the right side, the only issue with Edwards – who slotted in so well from day one - is that what worked so well last season was Campbell playing as a winger/forward and occupying the space on the left flank. If Cambell starts, fine. If not, and if it’s not a front three, the onus may be on him to power forward more often.

The midfield choices are in many ways determined by the formation and who plays up front. If it’s Campbell and Godden/Kelman, the place is available for the attacking midfielder to support in the box, as Berry did to great effect. It would I guess be a choice between Berry, Carey and – if he does arrive – Knibbs, also – if he does not go on loan - Dixon. If we adopt a more traditional front two (Godden, Kelman, Campbell or Kanu, plus Olaofe, Leaburn or Mbick, assuming Ahadme is to be moved on) the same could apply. But if Jones opts for a front three you would need two battlers/ball-winners in the central midfield spots. Then two from Docherty, Coventry, Rankin-Costello and Anderson surely get the nod, leaving no place at least under Plan A for Carey or Knibbs.

Thankfully none of this is going to be news to Jones and his team. He must, by now, have the framework at least and most of the choices for the 11 to run out against Watford in his head. The choices for Southend on Saturday will surely provide the clues.

With Sheffield Wednesday going through all sorts of problems, it appears the bookies have installed them as favourites for relegation. We still feature in the anticipated bottom three (if the betting in a thin market is a fair reflection). We do, for good reasons, expect better, while accepting that not going back down would count as a successful season (not going down and no serious relegation struggle would be the next goal, then top-half finish, finally a play-off place, an idea which is fanciful at this stage but not beyond the range of possibilities).

The Championship is significantly more compact than League One. One measure of this is if you look at the points spread between the final play-off place (ie sixth) and the final relegation spot (ie third from bottom). Last season that spread was just 19 points in the Championship and 35 in League One. That is influenced by the fact that the top four accumulated so many points, but if you go back to the two previous seasons it was 23 points against 33 and 25 and 33, so the evidence is there.

The point from this is, I think, that outside of the promotion places the Championship is a very tight league, which in turn means that the outcome can be down to fine margins. Teams do sometimes fall apart, but like last season it can all go to the wire. Every team can look back on a season and highlight points dropped when they shouldn’t have been. We really need to minimise these. For us, I’d suggest this emphasises the need to hit the ground running and to avoid periods of the season when we might slacken off, drift a bit. Jones won’t put up with that as and when it happens. At least we have the squad to ensure that we are much better covered against injuries than last season (they were very instrumental in the relegation-form spell before Christmas).

For myself, this is France, so like the world and his dog I’ll be heading off on holiday come the weekend, trying to avoid the motorway bouchons. I hope to be able to watch the first two league games, at least on a mobile/ipad. Watford, Bristol City and Leicester is undoubtedly a very tough start, up against three teams which will all be expecting to be competing at the top of the division. But we are an unknown quantity for them (of course they will have done their homework but are probably as much in the dark as us as to how we will look to play). Take it to Watford at a packed Valley, dominate them in the way we did against strong opposition last season, and set the tone for the games to follow. COYA.

All Good Signings, Perhaps Another Piece To Fill

With confirmation this morning of the signing of Apter we’re up to seven new players for the coming season. And, while probably not all of them will really work out, I don’t think any of us are quibbling about any of the additions. They all appear to be strong additions, ones ready to go straight into the team/squad. From Jones’ comments it’s reasonable to assume we’re not finished yet (and some permanent or loan departures are no doubt on the cards). But the issue now is surely how to make the best pieces fit for key areas, what system/formation is to be Plan A.

We deserved to get promoted, no question. Equally, we got lucky, in terms of injuries/suspensions in the final months (having been equally unlucky on that front in late 2024). We began last season with something like a plan, seemingly based around Ahadme and Godden striking up a partnership (which they failed to do), Leaburn featuring prominently (which unfortunately didn’t happen), Mitchell(A) leading the back line (which he did for a while), and Edwards and Small competing on the left side, possibly one supplanting Gillesphey (which thanks to his improvement didn’t happen). We were progressively transformed as Small found his role on the right side, Jones stepped up in defence and Ramsey returned from injury, while the Godden was finally given a run in the team and forged a way of playing as Campbell did his work out wide and Berry provided the necessary support for Godden in/around the box.

Point is, while injuries undoubtedly played their part, it took a good while into last season before we hit on a formation which really got the best out of the component parts. Then we got lucky as the key elements remained available through the run-in. The threat we had down both flanks – I’ve seen it said Jones was frustrated with Small some times and brought him off early, but that was usually down to Campbell being contained on the left and things not working, the only solution being to sacrifice Small, move Campbell to wide right, and introduce Aneke – meant we could operate without much in the way of midfield creativity (which is a polite way of saying yes, at times it was pretty basic).

So how do we shape up now? I’ll confess ignorance over exactly where some of the new signings are likely to end up being used, just what team structure Jones has in mind. With that proviso, and subject to fresh comings and goings, let’s have a stab.

It’s reasonable to assume that, barring injury or some mishap, Kaminski will wear the gloves. Just how Mannion and Maynard-Brewer react is up to them. If they both stay so much the better, would be a strong line-up, but if one decides to look for pastures new to be first choice they would go with all best wishes.

At the back, will it be the 3/5 of last season or a back four? No way to tell as yet, might depend on whether Apter or Rankin-Costello are viewed as a wing-back to replace Small. We would I think be happy starting the season with the same Ramsay, Jones, Gillesphey central combination, with Edwards on the left side. But obviously Bell and Burke now come into the equation, along with current standbys Mitchell(A), Mitchell(Z) and the returning Asiimwe. I’m inclined to assume that Bell will be a (valuable) squad player, as back-up for either Gillesphey or Edwards, but happy to be proven wrong. If everyone stays it looks like another season on loan for Mitchell(Z) and some reflection on the part of Mitchell(A). He was the defensive lynchpin early last season but once he lost his place, and was sometimes pushed further down the pecking order by McIntyre, it did seem to hurt his confidence. He may want to/need to be somewhere getting regular football, but if he stays we are stronger for it and it’s up to him to make his case for inclusion.

The midfield options (including wingers) are Docherty, Berry, Coventry and Anderson from last season, plus Rankin-Costello, Carey, and now Apter, and on the fringes Dixon (who may be on the club site as a forward but I’d assume would look to play a number 10 role, as he did at Dartford), Rylah, Mwamba and Enslin, if none of them are loaned out. Taylor is back but I believe out injured, so we’ll leave him aside for now. For me it’s less about numbers and more about the formation and roles. If Carey is viewed as a younger Berry, he has to provide the goals that the latter did last season. If Docherty or Coventry are to be supplanted those coming in will need to work bloody hard to justify a change, and if Rankin-Costello and/or Apter are to be accommodated perhaps the formation has to change.

There’s still regular talk of a need to bring in a creative midfielder; but I’m in the camp that assumes Jones doesn’t feel a particular need for a playmaker, unless he is a workhorse to boot. Gilbert came in last season due to Berry’s injury, but we really didn’t play in a fashion which allowed him to shine. I’d say that another midfielder would be great, but not the pressing need.

It's up front where I think we can still strengthen. We have to hand now Olaofe, Leaburn, Ahadme, Mbick, Godden, Campbell and Kanu. Clearly there will be no tears if Ahadme departs (if he stays I hope there’s a new beginning), Leaburn is really the wildcard factor (if he stays fit he is capable of moments of magic but improvement is still needed if he is to regularly lead the line), Kanu we don’t know will have more of an impact than last season, and Mbick is still developing. So in some respects the list is not as extensive as it looks. Olaofe we rightly have high hopes for, Godden is proven and just has to repeat last season’s form, Campbell is a potential match-winner but isn’t a poacher and still does his best work from a wide position.

In short, unless Kanu is not loaned out and comes to the fore I can’t see an obvious back-up or alternative for Godden, our most likely regular source of goals. And I think there is a possible solution. We could go out and blow a lot of money (that is the nature of the beast), but while we know Jones doesn’t like loan signings, for good reason, there always have to be exceptions that prove the rule. Surely there is out there a Premiership young forward, eager to develop, one we could not hope to buy, to bring in on loan. Might work, might not, worth the risk for the cost I’d suggest.

As things stand, although the bookies haven’t yet got to offering odds on relegation from the Championship (and the market is probably so thin as to be meaningless), given that only Oxford are currently considered greater outsiders than us for promotion there is a message. We are expected to struggle. That may be a reflection of being the third promoted club rather than the extent of the strengthening of the squad, perhaps the amounts being paid by some others for new players are well over the top. Fact is three teams will end up going down, however good they are. Just how competitive we will prove to be is simply impossible to say with any confidence. We will outwork most (if not all), Jones will demand nothing less. It's a challenge, one we've been craving for years. Bring it on!

Finally just to add to the long list of those wishing Tracey Leaburn every success and happiness in the future following the news she is to leave the club. I’ve no doubt she will be remembered with great affection not just for her work in the cause of prostate cancer detection, for which I’m personally especially grateful, but also for being the life and soul of the club for many years.