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Charlton v Southampton U23s | Tue 30 Aug | 7:45pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Charlton Athletic v Southampton U23s
Tuesday 30th August 2016 … 7:45pm Kick-Off
Football League Trophy

Introduction

When the referee blew his full time whistle on the 7th May he didn’t just bring an end to an end, our match against Burnley. He also signalled the end of our stay in the Championship and thus relegating us back to the third tier of English Football, back to League One and back into a competition we’d hope that we’d never have to face again: the Football League Trophy. I could say that much has changed since our last outing in this competition (a 3-0 loss to Brentford) yet I’d be lying as any changes come into effect from right now:

As with our first opponents, Academy sides from category one clubs have entered the competition (many top Premier League sides refused the invitation so a handful of Championship sides have been included)… There are now sixteen groups of regionalised (I say that word loosely) teams, the top two will qualify for the knockout stage which unlike the old format, won’t be regionalised and if that doesn’t get you excited, any match that ends in a draw will go to a penalty shootout with the winners being awarded an extra point.

In the coming months we’ll find ourselves up against Colchester and Crawley, and just like the World Cup… Fail to lose your first game and you run the risk of having to endure more games in the competition later in the season.

The Opposition
Name: Southampton U23s
Division: U21 Premier League, Division One

When you look at your academy you have to ask the question: What makes it a successful one? – Is it Chelsea that have the best, hoarding all the young players, winning all the youth competitions yet never creating a star for their first team… Or is it Southampton, they don’t win much but when you look at their recent history of creating not just first team players, but stars (Bale / Shaw / Chamberlain / Lallana to name a few) then you have to consider that our first game back in this competition is against one of the hardest youth teams in the tournament!!

image

Of course under new rules, Southampton must play at least six players under U21 yet are also allowed to play a number of first-team players and with a handful of players not going on International Duty this could be an opportunity for the likes of Charlie Austin or Jay Rodriguez to get some much needed playing time… From the academy: Jake Hesketh and Ryan Seager are two names who have each made their debuts for the First Team.

Charlton Team News
Of course, Southampton must play six U21 players, whilst Charlton on the other hand must play a minimum of five first team players and with Russell Slade announcing that Dillon Phillips will be making his debut, which technically means five players from the Bolton team on Saturday will have to appear this evening.

Naturally: Josh Magennis / Ademola Lookman and Jordan Botaka are all now on International Duty so we shouldn’t expect to see them whilst Chris Solly / Johnnie Jackson and Ezri Konsa will no doubt be given a rest… Nicky Ajose is still struggling to find the net so may well be given a run out for his confidence, Patrick Bauer will surely be given more minutes as he steps up his fitness from long term injury whilst expect to see fan favourite: Roger Johnson back on the pitch!!

Phillips
Foley … Bauer … Johnson … Fox
Charles-Cook … Muldoon … Crofts … Holmes
Ajose … Hanlan

Substitutes Bench: I’m not even going to try and guess (No this isn’t this new creative midfielder)


Prediction
Tonight’s result will completely depend on how seriously Russell Slade wants to take the competition, if you go by the League Cup result, you’d expect us to exit at this round so that we can concentrate on more important matters like the League.

As Charlton have found out in the Kent Senior Cup, (i.e. Dartford) isn’t as straight forward as it sounds so Southampton shouldn’t expect an easy run out… I’d be surprised if it isn’t a draw with someone winning on penalties.

Cheer up… We’re off to Wember-ley lads!!
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Comments

  • How Empty Is My Valley.
  • Is anyone doing a live match thread for this one?
  • Genuinely keep forgetting this match is happening
  • Seriously, fuck every last second of this Football League Trophy nonsense. If England win the World Cup in 10 years and it's the direct result of sensational English talent being unearthed by being given minutes against League One reserve teams in some tinpot then I will personally apologise to the FA. As it is, I would have quite liked to progress in the JPT - it always rankled a little bit that we could set a points record in L1 but went out at the first opportunity in the JPT under Powell (especially as I'd hoped we'd never be in it again) - but this new trophy is a total nonsense. The fact that they're forcing small teams to still play five first teamers against Premier League academies is even more annoying. Sod it, I hope Phillips has a good game and I'd like to see RCC get a run out if he's on the road to recovery. Other than that I genuinely don't care. This is a friendly.
  • What we need is for the final at wembley to be Southampton B vs Stoke B. It would make a mockery of the tournament.
  • dickplumb said:

    You have got to play five first teamers that started Saturday's game, I believe. I would play, Foley, Fox, Konsa, Croft and Ajose. I would also play Phillips, Johnson, Charles- Cook, Muldoon, Hanlon, Ahearne- Grant. What a waste of time this game is.

    Elsewhere I saw this about the rules
    here are two types of clubs involved - League One and Two clubs, who must play at least five players who either played in their last fixture or who will play in their next fixture, and then ‘Invited’ clubs with Category One Academies.

    There are 16 of these, including Everton, Chelsea and West Ham, and they must select six players who are Under-21 on June 30.

    According to Football League Chief Executive Shaun Harvey, the remaining five players will come “from what they would deem their full-strength side” - but we’re pretty certain we’re not going to be seeing five players who faced Stoke on Saturday, playing at the Macron Stadium.
    So bizarrely we could include as our 5 first team players, someone who will play in the next fixture! In 11 days time...
  • classed as a first team game, silly as that is, so any debuts will count towards the Valiant 800

    Other than that I have no more interest than for a reserve game other than will the attendance be a record low ie under 817?

    I say no, it won't. 1031 there.
  • dickplumb said:

    You have got to play five first teamers that started Saturday's game, I believe. I would play, Foley, Fox, Konsa, Croft and Ajose. I would also play Phillips, Johnson, Charles- Cook, Muldoon, Hanlon, Ahearne- Grant. What a waste of time this game is.

    Elsewhere I saw this about the rules
    here are two types of clubs involved - League One and Two clubs, who must play at least five players who either played in their last fixture or who will play in their next fixture, and then ‘Invited’ clubs with Category One Academies.

    There are 16 of these, including Everton, Chelsea and West Ham, and they must select six players who are Under-21 on June 30.

    According to Football League Chief Executive Shaun Harvey, the remaining five players will come “from what they would deem their full-strength side” - but we’re pretty certain we’re not going to be seeing five players who faced Stoke on Saturday, playing at the Macron Stadium.
    So bizarrely we could include as our 5 first team players, someone who will play in the next fixture! In 11 days time...

    This was the rules last time as well, so if you play 11 youth players you back yourself into a corner
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  • Phillips
    Foley Johnson Konsa Fox
    Charles-Cook Muldoon Crofts
    Hanlan Ajose KAG

    Rudd, Bauer, Lennon, Solly, Holmes, Umerah, Novak
  • The daft thing is that the easiest way of getting a first teamer through the game is by picking Rudd as the GK

    If Chicksen signs in time, perhaps he will play. It will give him some match time at least
  • I think we should do what Sheffield Wednesday did once a few years ago when their match was televised.

    They started with their five first teamers but three of them were subbed for an U21 player within five minutes of the start... No rules to stop us from doing that and not getting a fine is there?

    No rules against, but no way to change lineup, or replace injured players
  • sam3110 said:

    I think we should do what Sheffield Wednesday did once a few years ago when their match was televised.

    They started with their five first teamers but three of them were subbed for an U21 player within five minutes of the start... No rules to stop us from doing that and not getting a fine is there?

    No rules against, but no way to change lineup, or replace injured players
    That would be a concern if you cared about the competition!
  • edited August 2016
    Goole vs Bamber Bridge has more appeal then this.
  • Can I ask? Is this cup comp a replacement for the Jpt?
  • Under 1000 present, reported as 6821, congrats to those going but sadly 1-3 despite a decent game.
  • Couldn't care less about the game and hopefully neither will Slade

    Southampton U23s at 7/2, will be having a slice
  • uie2 said:

    Can I ask? Is this cup comp a replacement for the Jpt?

    Its the same competition... Just a change of Sponsor along with inclusion of new teams and a new format
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  • stupid competition. let's boycott!
  • Phillips
    Foley Johnson Bauer Fox
    RCC Crofts Muldoon Holmes
    Ajose Hanlan

    Sub out Crofts, Holmes, Ajose in the first five minutes.
  • edited August 2016
    In addition if any kind of player gets a niggle, take them off immediately. Even if we finish the game with eight players and Roger Johnson in goal.
  • I'd fondly imagined that the preview would consist solely of "Meh...."
  • Nicholas said:

    Goole vs Bamber Bridge has more appeal then this.

    It really isn't.
  • In addition if any kind of player gets a niggle, sub them immediately. Even if we finish the game with eight players and Roger Johnson in goal.

    Just leave Johnson on the pitch by himself, swearing to himself as he has no-one else to moan at
  • Richard Cawley ‏@RichCawleySLP 3h3 hours ago England, United Kingdom
    If it whets the appetite, sounds as if #saints set to have entirely U23 squad at #cafc tonight - can play five over-age players.

    Richard Cawley ‏@RichCawleySLP 3h3 hours ago England, United Kingdom
    Pool dwindled further by Josh Magennis away on international duty and Jackson injured. Likely Ajose + Crofts both have to play.
  • Anyone else find it almost humiliating that we are forced into playing our first team (well a majority or half+ of it), in an official Cup, however bad, against a Southamptons youth side.

    I know Southampton are leagues above us now, but it's a bit degrading.

    Southampton U23 played just Sunday and lost 3-0 up at Sunderland, same squad so will be tired.
  • Anyone else find it almost humiliating that we are forced into playing our first team (well a majority or half+ of it), in an official Cup, however bad, against a Southamptons youth side.

    I know Southampton are leagues above us now, but it's a bit degrading.

    Southampton U23 played just Sunday and lost 3-0 up at Sunderland, same squad so will be tired.

    Yet Southampton First-Team never entered the competition... It was only ever open to the Cat.One Youth Teams
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