Amazing days. Superb. I want the ground filled out like that again. I wish I was going to that game again tomorrow...
I remember discussing this with people at the time, but for a long while we had arguably the strongest central midfield in the premiership bar none, such that our midfield consisted of 4 central midfielders and no wingers. This was the case for this Chelsea game and we didn't even have Jensen involved!
it is an interesting question to be fair. Parker was immense that day, but so too were many others around him. It was the perfect team performance. On Parker's side, he was competing against Makalele and Lampard, world class level opponents, and though memory emphasises the positives, he gave them the run around.
Mendonca pulled together in his game the perfect performance from his perspective; three classic Mendonca goals on the biggest of stages.
Very hard to compare to be honest. I don't feel guilty highlighting Mendonca for the Wembley game because i actually don't think too many others players stood out with excelled performances. It was the occassion and the way the game panned out which was memorable, not the other individual performances. For the Chelsea game, it wasn't just about Parker, it was the whole 11, so in comparison i say Mendonca wins this one.
[cite]Posted By: ValleyGary[/cite]good debate enjoyed that
Haha sorry but Mendonca was superb and it is highly unlikely we would have got anything from that game without him. That third goal at Wembley was just ridiculous.
The Chelsea game was more of a team performance and I have to say, Di Canio was also excellent that day.
Wow, that feels like a lifetime ago. Cant believe I had 10 yrs of season tickets upto that point and since then 2 seasons of refusing to even look at the scores... followed by a renewed love started by Chris Powell.
My best mate had just died a month or so earlier, it was my first game back after his passing. I've never experienced a bigger range of emotions than on that day. Football seemed so futile in comparison, but then that game happened, and it was a bizarre feeling of elation during a dark, dark winter. Will never forget it.
If leaving the valley was the nadir of modern day Charlton, this was the peak after 20 years of recovery. If we ever get back there, may we never forget ourselves as many fans did in the months and seasons after this.
Best thing about that game was the goal when our 35 year old (or so) Di Canio easily turned the apparent best defender in the PL John Terry, to put a ball in for JJ so he could tap into an empty net.
It was a magical time - we had sat in the top 4 for several weeks. However, Chelsea's reaction was swift and brutal - they tapped up and bought our best player and stuck him in the stands to contemplate and cream himself over his bank balance. Meanwhile they ensured they got that champions league spot at our expense
Probably the greatest performance by a Charlton team ever. 4 2 flattered them big time. A great team performance with the best midfield player in the country at that time at his best. What a shame that in a few weeks time greed would effectively make him a nobody.
Thinking back to that day brings tears to my eyes when I consider how our fortunes have changed in the intervening 12 years. That was a team with the true Charlton spirit playing for their manager until they dropped. If only we had a time machine....
Comments
I remember discussing this with people at the time, but for a long while we had arguably the strongest central midfield in the premiership bar none, such that our midfield consisted of 4 central midfielders and no wingers. This was the case for this Chelsea game and we didn't even have Jensen involved!
was parkers performance in this game better then mendonca's all round performance in the play-off final?
it is an interesting question to be fair. Parker was immense that day, but so too were many others around him. It was the perfect team performance. On Parker's side, he was competing against Makalele and Lampard, world class level opponents, and though memory emphasises the positives, he gave them the run around.
Mendonca pulled together in his game the perfect performance from his perspective; three classic Mendonca goals on the biggest of stages.
Very hard to compare to be honest. I don't feel guilty highlighting Mendonca for the Wembley game because i actually don't think too many others players stood out with excelled performances. It was the occassion and the way the game panned out which was memorable, not the other individual performances. For the Chelsea game, it wasn't just about Parker, it was the whole 11, so in comparison i say Mendonca wins this one.
That's brilliant - well played!
Haha sorry but Mendonca was superb and it is highly unlikely we would have got anything from that game without him. That third goal at Wembley was just ridiculous.
The Chelsea game was more of a team performance and I have to say, Di Canio was also excellent that day.
Maybe.
Well I can dream can't I?
We deserved more thabf a 2 goal win
If leaving the valley was the nadir of modern day Charlton, this was the peak after 20 years of recovery. If we ever get back there, may we never forget ourselves as many fans did in the months and seasons after this.
Class.
Defiantly one of my favourite Charlton games.
However, Chelsea's reaction was swift and brutal - they tapped up and bought our best player and stuck him in the stands to contemplate and cream himself over his bank balance.
Meanwhile they ensured they got that champions league spot at our expense
Thinking back to that day brings tears to my eyes when I consider how our fortunes have changed in the intervening 12 years. That was a team with the true Charlton spirit playing for their manager until they dropped. If only we had a time machine....