Okocha inspires perfect start

"It's just like watching Brazil," they chanted ... and that was after just 19 minutes with Charlton already being run ragged.

At the end, the sound of Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" hit boomed out in celebration of Jay-Jay Okocha's 31st -- and there could not have been a more appropriate selection.

The talismanic Reebok hero kicked off the new season with a wonderful display, getting Wanderers off to a flying start with a wonder goal and influencing one of the most impressive of team performances.

Stunned but not silenced after seeing his players overwhelmed, Curbishley simply had to admit: "Okocha's first goal set the place alight but I don't think Sam would swap one of his players for any one of mine. That's how much on top they were."

So emphatic was the victory that it is tempting to suggest that Charlton were there for the taking. But Curbishley, for all his misgivings, was having none of that.

"Bolton had a perfect day," he acknowledged. "If they'd been playing anyone else and got on top the way they did against us, they'd probably have won that game too. If we'd turned up here for a race with Bolton, we'd have lost it by a furlong."

Coming from a man who, along with Allardyce, is considered one of the most respected of all England managers -- both are regarded as potential successors to Sven Goran Eriksson -- Curbishley's assessment is a glowing testimony to the quality and character of a team that, with one or two adjustments, has carried on where it left off last season as one of the most confident and competent teams in the country.

There had been hints in pre-season that Allardyce was considering a fresh approach -- possibly adopting a three centre-back formation or a more conventional 4-4-2 system -- but he stuck with the tried and trusted formula that has served Wanderers so well in recent years and it worked to perfection.

His big concern had been the lack of a natural finisher and, quite understandably, begged his players to improve their conversion rate.

In the end he must have felt like the captain of the Titanic after asking for more ice in his gin and tonic as Okocha and Henrik Pedersen scored two apiece in breathtaking fashion.

On top from the start, all Wanderers needed was a kick-start ... and what a kick it was! Paul Konchesky did his best to line up the wall as Okocha shaped up to take a free kick after Jon Fortune had been penalised for handball, but nothing could stop the powerful right-footer that speared like an Exocet across Dean Kiely and into the far corner.

"Only a player like Jay-Jay could produce a goal like that," said a duly impressed and highly-impressive Gary Speed, who was only fractionally behind his new skipper and fellow midfielder in the man-of-the-match stakes.

Okocha proceeded to run the show, inspiring his team-mates, prompting attacks and teasing and tantalising Charlton mercilessly. His return pass for Pedersen 19 minutes later -- inch-perfect from halfway to the edge of the penalty box -- deserved a goal in itself. And the dashing Dane obliged with a finish to match.

You have to take your hat off to Pedersen. Once again under pressure as the man most likely to make way for new front-line recruits, he has responded magnificently, relishing the chance to perform the "peacock" celebration he worked out with some Danish pals while on holiday in Ayia Napa, Cyprus.

And he was celebrating again 18 minutes from time after firing in his second and Wanderers' fourth to wrap up an outstanding personal performance.

Charlton had managed to nick a goal back with Kevin Lisbie heading home Danny Murphy's inswinging corner but Okocha had already doubled up, tricking Konchesky and firing a low shot that beat Kiely's desperate dive.

Can it get any better? Wanderers are unlikely to come up against another Premiership side as embarrassingly toothless as this. But they will be formidable opponents for any team in the division, if they play with such confident -- positive, perfectly organised and hard working with a solid back line, awesome midfield trio and a front three that Curbishley predicts will put any defence under pressure.

It is easy to get carried away and Allardyce admits his biggest task this week -- apart from putting the final touches to a couple more transfer deals -- will be to keep everyone's feet on the ground.

But the signs could not be more encouraging.

The likes of Bruno N'Gotty, Ivan Campo, Kevin Davies and Kevin Nolan have all slipped neatly into the confident stride they were in last season and it is heartening to see Ricardo Gardner producing the form he was showing at left back before he was injured in February.

And Allardyce could not have asked for better debuts from Speed or Julio Cesar.

Speed was everywhere, doing that box-to-box work for which he was famed at Leeds and Newcastle -- efficient, tireless and looking every inch the Premiership expert. Wanderers fans have mourned the passing of Per Frandsen and Youri Djorkaeff but first impressions of Speed are that he can do the work of two men.

In comparison, Cesar is a novice in the English game but the much-travelled Brazilian, still only 25, has gathered a wealth of experience in Europe and has the class and composure to become one of the best free transfers of the summer. Big Sam strikes again.

Never under-estimate this man's talent. He has learned what it takes to compete at Premiership level and, despite not having the funds of many of his rivals, he is a shrewd operator, recruits well and has developed a playing style that is as entertaining as it is functional.

And the fact that three of his summer signings -- Fernando Hierro, Radhi Jaidi and Michael Bridges -- did not even make the subs bench illustrated that, regardless of reputation, it takes a special player to compete in arguably the most demanding league in the world.

"I've been concerned about the introduction of new players in the past and I wanted 11 players on the field who knew about the Premiership, having had two seasons of woe by playing people who hadn't played in the Premiership before," he said. "I got it to 10 (Cesar was the other) and I thought that was very important for us."

Collectively, Wanderers set a standard for themselves which will be difficult, but not impossible, to live up to.

Can it get any better than this? You would like to think so.