Gudjohnsen boost for Addicks clash

Matt Hughes|Leo Spall13 April 2012

Striker Eidur Gudjohnsen has given Chelsea an early season lift by claiming he is fit to play in tomorrow's game at Charlton.

The Icelandic forward has not played in any of the pre-season matches because of a knee injury but he told Standard Sport today: "The knee's fine. I feel good and I am fit for selection.

"I've trained with the squad for two weeks now and did some running before that. It's just my sharpness that has to improve. I don't expect to start the game, but it would be nice to be involved and maybe get a few minutes."

Charlton's derby record was second only to Arsenal's last season, winning five out of 10 games, and Chelsea have not beaten them since March 1999.

Gudjohnsen, 23, said: "Charlton will be a big test. I've never beaten them since I came to Chelsea and we've lost the last four games. It'd be nice to have three points going into the Manchester United game at home next Friday, but it's a very tough task."

Chelsea have set a new club season ticket sales record, despite speculation that the club will be forced to part with at least one of their prize playing assets because of financial problems.

This is the final year of a three-year freeze on Chelsea season ticket prices and chairman Ken Bates said today: "We've sold just 200 short of 20,000 season tickets for the season and that is a significant four per cent improvement on a year ago.

"Executive ticket sales are up by 20 per cent and we sold 120 premium seats in one day this week."

Charlton striker Jonatan Johansson, meanwhile, says he has never thought of leaving the club despite spending half of last season on the sidelines.

The £3.75million Finland international was a hit in his first season with Alan Curbishley's team when he finished top scorer with 14 goals but last term competition for places kept him out of the team for long periods.

He admits he became demotivated in the reserves and lost his physical sharpness as Kevin Lisbie and Jason Euell became Charlton's first-choice pairing.

But after a good pre-season, the 27-year-old believes he is coming back to his best and is determined to show the team's fans that he has not lost his scoring touch.

Johansson, who is in the squad for tomorrow's game, said: "I want to put last year behind me but I never thought about leaving. I had a good summer and got away for a few weeks and I have come back thinking about what went wrong and how I can change. I think everybody gets a fresh start for the new season and a chance to show the manager what they can do again.

"I feel more prepared for the season than I did a year ago. You know in yourself when you are sharp and that is how I am feeling. I am looking forward to the season starting."

Johansson is halfway through a four-year contract with Charlton and unlike some players, did not react to making only 12 starts last term by asking for a move.

The Finn admits he had a bad time but was not ready to give up and says he has no regrets about joining the club from Scottish side Rangers two years ago.

He said: "There were a lot of reasons for what happened to me last season and one of them was the form of Kevin Lisbie, who had a good year and kept me out of the team.

"It is difficult in reserve games when the conditions are not so good to have the right motivation sometimes and I lost a bit of form and maybe confidence, which is very important for a striker.

"I want to put that behind me now. Football has its ups and downs and I think it is about working hard and getting back to where I was.

"I don't want to make any promises, but I am feeling good and think that last season was probably a good learning experience for me."

Midfielder Scott Parker is the only new doubt for Charlton because of an ankle problem but defender Mark Fish and striker Shaun Bartlett are not yet back to full fitness.

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