Seven goals and two clean sheets. It was an ideal start for Charlton manager Alan Pardew as the club’s pre-season campaign got going on Wednesday night.
The Addicks split down to two sides for the friendlies at Welling United and Tooting & Mitcham. Pardew took charge of a side containing new faces at Park View Road and assistant boss Phil Parkinson took a more experienced squad to Imperial Fields.
Five strikers hit the target during 180 minutes on Wednesday, and it all added up to a promising start to 2007/08.
After watching Luke Varney and Chris Dickson score one each, to see off Welling 2-0, a satisfied Pardew said: ‘I thought for the first game there were more positives than negatives, and overall I was pleased with the clean sheet and two goals.”
Shortly after there was good news from Surrey – as Parkinson’s side had won 5-0 with Chris Iwelumo (2), Marcus Bent, Andy Reid and James Walker on the score sheet.
‘I suppose that makes him a better manager than me’, joked Pards.
‘It’s been a good night for us with seven goals and two clean sheets spread across two difficult teams to play against.”
‘There were players finding their feet. You don’t want to get a serious injury that keeps someone out for a length of time and that was our first priority.
‘The second priority was that the team worked hard, and the subs as well, and I thought a few young players showed their stuff.”
Pardew was also delighted with French youngster Yassin Moutaouakil, the summer signing from Chatearoux slotting in seamlessly at right-back and impressing defensively.
Alan added: ‘Yassin is feeling his way in to the right-back role and I thought he did particularly well and together with Souleymane [Diawara] was probably the highlight of the team. Luke Varney also looked very sharp.
‘It’s always tough to play against non-League sides who are raring to go. I thought Neil’s (Smith’s) team acquitted themselves well and in all honesty perhaps should have scored prior to our second goal, but we got a bit of luck there.”
The nest pre season match is today at Chelsea’s training ground as Pard’s boys take on the reserve side in a behind doors friendly.
Alan Pardew was talking to the clubs official website www.cafc.co.uk
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Thoroughly enjoyed Welling at least Pards took it seriously unlike that div Dowie
Varney was like a young Mendonca on Wed, that can only be good news.
What about Dickson’s goal. Was superb. He will be the one to watch next year.
how ironic it would be if charlton were promoted and west ham went down. these things do tend to happen in football.
I would love to see that happen. Some how with the money Curbs has spent its not likely at all.