If a team is to challenge for the title, then this is exactly the sort of game that has to be won. It's a game that looked tricky on paper, but away from I'd fancy us to beat anybody right now. Even without the world best defender, Sami Hyypia (in a week in which certain people have been
running their mouths making ridiculously exaggerated claims about their players, it seems only right that I should point out one of the Premiership players who actually IS the worlds best in his position), the defence looked good throughout, and despite the occasional set piece related fright, they coped fairly comfortably with the home side.
Jamie Carragher was immense, as was the ever reliable Stephane Henchoz. In front of them Didi Hamann was in typically destructive form, breaking up countless attacks, and also starting many of the reds best moves. Didi made one goal for Michael, and also produced another great defence splitting pass from which Mickey was wrongly adjudged to have been offside. Someone obviously needs to explain to the offending linesman that you can't be offside in your own half.
The Valley is a dump, and the locals are your typical small time, lower division mentality areholes (you know, the type who'll chant 'red army' continuously for about ten miutes). In many ways they reminded me of the Crystal Palace fans we encountered last season, ironic really considering the Charlton fans were at one point singing "if you all hate Palace..." There was a group of Charlton fans in the section next to us who, in between the usual 'Sign On' bollocks, were singing about Gerard. Really classy that lads. Hope you're proud of yourselves.
As for the travelling reds, we were in fine form. The atmosphere in the away section was superb, and the repertoire of songs impressive. "The Fields of Anfield Road" was given a few excellent renditions, and of course the "Riise" song was also heard on several occasions. The lad must think he's an absolute legend the amount of times his name is sung, and he only has to win a tackle or take a throw in for it to start up. The fact is that as popular as he is, it's purely the catchy nature of the tune that is responsible for the amount of times it's sang during a game.
Still, John Arne must get a massive thrill from it. In fact, at one point he looked over at the away section and was nodding his head in tune with the fans, with a big grin on his face. A great moment that was. The Charlton keeper was also the focus of a few chants, after the bastard deliberately ignored the warm round of applause he was affored by our generous selves as he took his place in goal at the start of the second half.
"Kiely show us your eye" "He's only got one eye" and "There's only one Andy Todd" were among the offerings served up by some of the wags in the away section. Kiely of course, was sporting a bit of a shiner after being lamped by team-mate Andy Todd in a training ground fracas earlier in the week. Maybe next time he'll acknowledge our applause instead of being such a prick.
Away games with the reds seem to be getting better all the time. Not just the performances on the pitch, but off it too. The atmosphere created by the travelling fans is so much better than it is at Anfield. There's many reasons for this, but now isn't the time or place to go into all that.
The performance was patchy. The first half was excellent, the second awful. Thommo's "Caviar and Cabbage" assessment was a good one, and one which Le Boss himself would have been proud of! The team selection was almost exactly what I would have done. I'd have probably rested Murphy and brought in Paddy, but we don't know yet whether Paddy is ready for ninety minutes, and Danny is in good form at the moment so I could understand that decision.
Speaking of Danny though, I have to mention Thommo's comments about him in the press. Apparently Thommo reckons that on current form Danny is up there with Gerrard and Scholes, and he reportedly even described him as "our David Beckham"! Now I like Danny, but come on? The fact he went on to have one of his poorer games of the season only highlighted how far off the mark Thommo was with that. Still, it was funny to hear a couple of lads chanting "There's only two David Beckham's" after Danny had played a decent pass!
It was great to see Jamie and Jari both given starts, and they both did well. I was made up to see Jamie get a goal, and all I want now is for the club to get their finger out and give him a new contract. In a little over two months time Jamie could sign a pre-contract with a foreign club. Not that he would, as he desperately wants to stay here, but the club need to let him know that he's wanted. I'm sure they will though.
Jamie was very influential in the early stages, and took his goal brilliantly, but as the game wore on he faded. He wasn't the only one. Stevie G had possibly the worst game I've ever seen him have. He didn't get into the game at all, and with Murphy also not having the best of days, it was Hamann who held the midfield together.
Charlton offered little or no threat in the first half, and the one clear chance they did have wouldn't have counted anyway, as Johannsson had been given offside (not that the TV mentioned that though, as they had to try and show that we had some lucky escapes).
I had wondered how the lay off would effect Owen's mental state, and thought he may ease himself back in without going flat out. I needn't have worried, as the little fella was electric right from the start. The injury isn't playing on his mind if this performance is anything to go by. The goal was pure Owen, and had it not been for an incompetant linesman he would surely have had a hat-trick. Welcome back Michael.
The second half was something of a non event. We stopped playing, and spent the entire 45 minutes dealing with long balls and set pieces from the home team. Charlton have a reputation for playing good football. Where that comes from I don't know, but this was like watching Wimbledon or Everton. Maybe they changed their tactics knowing that Sami wasn't there, but it didn't work, as Carra didn't miss a thing all day. You've got to love Jamie. Wherever he's asked to play he does a great job, and he is surely the most under-rated defender in the country. No-one ever gets the better of him, yet he's kept out of the England side by two full backs who can't defend, and one of them can't really attack either. Maybe if Carra was best mates with the captain he'd get a game then?
Charlton had a few promising moments, and even hit the post, but the claim from Bartlett the following day that they deserved at least a draw was laughable. We were comfortable, and our away record this season is very impressive indeed. All wins except for the hiccup at Bolton. If we win our game in hand we will go top, and considering the fact that we've lost our manager and inspiration for the forseeable future, that's a fine achievement.
The talk on the way home was can we go on and win the league? Put it this way, there's no reason why we can't. The Mancs can't defend, and look vulnerable every time they go away from home. Arsenal are much the same, and also have to contend with Wenger's contract stalling. Leeds look like they could go close (even if I don't rate them, and probably never will. They could win the title by 20 points and I'd still say they're average, I just seem to have a blind spot where they're concerned), and I reckon the only thing that can stop us is ourselves.
Our home form will be the key. If we can be more positive and really start to take the game to the opposition at Anfield, then we can finish top. Whether we can do that I don't know, but we have the players to do it. We have had to cope without Owen and Gerrard for spells this season, and we've also now had to manage without Sami. We've done so, and the squad looks strong. Of course we can still strengthen it, and there is a lot of talk about Chris Riggot coming in. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but even without any additions, we should be strong enough.
The likes of Gregory Vignal and Stephen Wright (excellent again in this game, and slightly unlucky to be sent off) have come in and showed that they are good enough, so who's to say the likes of Partridge and Navarro wouldn't do equally as well if given the chance? The line up today was extremley strong, and how many other teams could field a subs bench of the calibre of Fowler, Heskey, Berger, Smicer and Kirkland? Not to mention the likes of McAllister, Barmby, Biscan, Babbel and Hyppia who weren't even involved.
It's too early to get carried away, but the next league game will be crucial. If we beat the mancs, and win our game in hand, we'd be seven points clear of them. That's quite a gap. We showed at the end of last season that we can handle it when the pressure is on, so we have every reason to feel confident. The only worry is that a performance like that at Bolton or against Villa could be just around the corner. We have to make sure that slip ups like that are few and far between. Will we be able to do that? We'll find out soon enough I suppose.
TEAM: Jerzy Dudek; Stephen Wright, Jamie Carragher, Stephane Henchoz, John Arne Riise; Steven Gerrard, Jamie Redknapp (Patrik Berger), Didi Hamann, Danny Murphy; Michael Owen (Robbie Fowler), Jari Litmanen (Emile Heskey):
