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Crisis beckons if Addicks slip up

from Bloomberg:

Charlton's worst start to a Premiership season will surely hit crisis point if
they are beaten by Carlisle in tonight's Carling Cup second-round clash at The
Valley.

The competition has become a graveyard for struggling top-flight clubs
confronted by feisty minnows and while promoted Carlisle have climbed to sixth
place in League One after Saturday's goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, Dowie's
Addicks have lost four out of five - and are crippled by injuries.
New signings Souleymane Diawara, Andy Reid, Djimi Traore and Cory Gibbs are
among eight senior players nursing injuries. They are ruled out tonight, along
with key defender Hermann Hreidarsson, who completes a three-match ban.

Centre-back Jon Fortune played with a broken toe after coming on as a
second-half substitute against new Premiership leaders Portsmouth on Saturday.
But skipper Luke Young, who has been forced by £2million Traore's absence to
switch from right-back to the opposite flank, is staying positive.
Young said: ``Carlisle is a real chance for us to kick-start our season.
``The injuries are disappointing. The manager has come in and bought players
and get everybody playing in the system and get settled down. We just haven't
had the chance to do it.
``He's been in there trying to rally the troops and now we have another home
game. We are in the business of winning matches and momentum is a big thing at
this club.
``When we have gone on a winning streak it has run and run but the same is
true vice-versa and confidence can get low. We are trying to stop that
happening.''

Dowie, who engineered Charlton's early exit from the Carling Cup two years ago
when he fielded virtually a reserve Crystal Palace side at The Valley, may have
to field youngsters such as 19-year-old defender Nathan Ashton as he faces a
Carlisle side managed by his former Selhurst Park assistant Neil McDonald.
Dowie, whose team have been beaten by West Ham, Manchester United, Chelsea and
Portsmouth, and have secured just one win over Bolton, faces Premiership tests
against Aston Villa and Arsenal next.
He said: ``We've had a lot of injuries and a few more niggles after the
Portsmouth game but we still have enough players to win games and I'm going to
field a strong side capable of winning - a mixture of youth and experience.''

Comments

  • Had forgotten that tonight would count as HH's 3rd game.

    That's a result - thought he would have missed Villa.

    No reason why we can't get a result up there - they were lucky not to get beaten by Watford on Saturday.
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