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My over confidence that Daggers were going to come out of the blocks at Fratton Park all guns blazing, has now been replaced by my original feeling that we will start this season slowly.  As I wasn’t present for the game against Portsmouth I can only comment from the commentary I heard on Daggers player and the extended highlights I watched on the same platform.  I was hoping we would go into this game and get in the League 2 favourites face and although it sounded as if we put in a hard working shift in the first half, it always sounded as if we were going to concede to the ever increasing pressure that was building throughout the game from the home side.  In parts it actually sounded and looked as if we defended not badly and Nyron Nosworthy’s experience was starting to tell in the game.  I have heard a few disgruntled noises about Nosworthy’s performance but I think it is a bit unfair as for me although he doesn’t have the pace his decision making can more than make up for it this season.

Portsmouth are a decent team and have spent loads of money, they have better players then us all over the pitch, the fact that we created a few chances and managed to keep them at 0-0 up to the break is certainly a positive Wayne Burnett can take from this game.

Tuesday night saw us take on Championship Charlton at the Valley in the League cup, for me this was a freebie of a game and I would have liked to see us have more of a go.  I learnt a lot about us in this game, Matt McClure for me really struggled up front on his own, in the whole time he was on the pitch he didn’t manage to keep the ball and lay it off for another supporting player.  I like McClure and I think he has the potential to score goals this season but as a lone front man I don’t see it working, I was hoping we would have played Doidge up front with either another striker or Ferdinand or Chambers playing behind.  When Doidge and Hemmings came on in the second half I was very pleased with the performance, they completely changed the game.  What I have seen of Doidge so far in his Dagenham  career is plenty of endeavour, good movement and an eye for goal.  I don’t blame Wayne for his selection at the Valley on Tuesday night as with the slimline squad that we have I realise he had to shuffle the pack, I also think if you are going to lose 4-1 it may as well be in a cup competition that we have no chance of winning against a very decent Championship side.  It is a shame we lost heavily and it is a shame we still haven’t got past the first round of this competition but I am sure that even the most positive of supporter’s like myself, went to to the game with less than high expectations of a positive result.

If one thing has come out of this game it is the performance of Doidge who showed himself capable of causing even the best defences considerable problems, also it was good to see our new signing Clevid Dikamona, the young Frenchman showed he has composure and against a lot of League 2 forward’s he could be the perfect foil alongside Nyron at the back.

Starlet Jodi Jones put in a good shift for the Daggers and his constant running and attacking threat would have impressed the home fans, who’s team are very vocally expressing their wishes in making the 17 year old one of their players before this transfer window is closed.  I have already resigned myself to losing Jodi, I pretty much knew he was going when I saw him score that wonder goal for us against Concord in the Essex Senior cup, players who do that at the age of 16 are going to go far in the game.  The new thing we are hearing is that Charlton will offer us last season’s loanee Ayo Obileye and money for our exciting attacker, that is all well and good but unless Charlton can subsidise his wages for a year as part of the deal he isn’t going to join our club because we can’t justify his wages.

Wayne Burnett has brought Jones through the youth system at Victoria Road and is probably a bit of a Father figure to him and I am sure Jodi trusts him and his advice.  If Charlton do sign him he isn’t going to play many games and after Tuesday night he is not even eligible to play in the League cup so other than going out on loan the only other game time is going to be in the reserves, that for me will stifle his career and ruin the good work the club have done with him.  If Charlton want him that much and if the rumours are true other teams want him as well, then why can’t we sell him for the best money we can and tell that club that they have to loan him back to us for the remainder of the season, that way everybody wins, Jodi gets first team football, we get to keep an exciting player who can help us for-fill our targets for the season, the club gets some much needed cash and Charlton or whoever buy him get a player with more experience, more confidence and who is further along in his development.  This for me is a win, win for all concerned.

The thing is I have been watching football for too long now to believe this will be the outcome, what will happen is that we will take far less money than the player is worth and Jodi Jones will become another player who never reaches his potential due to not getting enough football during his development as a player.  Yet another young English player with bags of talent that will rot in the reserves, and the FA wonder why not enough young talent comes through the ranks.  The answer to that question is money talks and too many big clubs with the cash have to have what they want and when they want it not only that but they couldn’t care less about the person who is most important in all of this, the player.  It’s hardly surprising though when people like Raheem Sterling, who is probably seen as a role model to some of these players gets his big move because he just stamps his feet like a spoilt little girl, that young players think they can do the same.  Don’t get me wrong I am not saying that our very own Jodi Jones is like that, as what I have seen of him on and off the pitch, he strikes me as a very humble, hard working kid, who wants to what is best for his career.  This will run and run but I really hope that the young kid makes the right decision, but either way good luck Jodi it has been a pleasure to see you as a Daggers player.

Anyway with or without Jodi we take on Leyton Orient this Saturday at home, through the years we have met our London rivals quite few times and it is always a loud derby-like atmosphere, this weekend will be no different and I hope Wayne, Darren and Warren can lift the boys for what could be a very exciting and very close contest.  Orient come into this game after a opening day victory against new boys Barnet and only a narrow defeat in the league cup against Championship side MK Dons.  In derby games like this any form goes out the window and Daggers if they get it right could take the spoils in this match.  Doidge has to start for me and as we are at home I would play Cureton alongside him.  I am going for a Daggers win although it will be very close.

We have only ever played Leyton Orient in the league on two occasions and they came in our only season in League 1 in the 2010/11 season.  A 1-1 draw at Brisbane Road was salvaged by the O’s after a last minute penalty by Scott McGleish had cancelled out Danny Green’s 12 minute strike.  Former Daggers favourite Femi Ilesanmi  was red carded for his part in the penalty incident.   Earlier on the season Daggers beat their London rivals with a 2-0 victory courtesy of 2 goals from French midfielder Romain Vincelot.  In the game away at Brisbane Road a young Harry Kane formed part of the Orient attack.

I wonder if it will be De Ja Vu for the Daggers and could it be another Frenchman that makes the headlines, I would take a last minute winner from the head of Clevid Dikamona right now!!

Up the Daggers!!