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Northampton v Charlton | Good Friday | 3pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Northampton Town v Charlton Athletic
Good Friday … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey)

Introduction

And so we come to the last big hurdle in the Football Season, the Easter Weekend!!… This Good Friday will mark the first of two games in four days for Charlton as they make a last minute dash for the Play-Offs. Last Saturday saw Lee Bowyer take charge for the first time and in impression fashion, a 2-0 win over Plymouth putting the Addicks firmly back into contention… This Friday, our Caretaker Manager will take the squad to Northampton, another three points and the chance of prolonging our season into May would please many a fan!!

The Opposition
Name: Northampton Town | Manager: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Ground: Sixfields

For our opponents its been a difficult season… Two years ago; Chris Wilder and Ricky Holmes led the Cobblers to the League Two title, both men would leave that summer for pastures new, yet Northampton would give a good account of themselves at this level. Finishing 16th and never in danger of relegation, the Cobblers would take four points from the Addicks last season, including a 2-1 win at the Sixfields.

This season has been a case of second season syndrome though and Northampton have struggled… Justin Edinburgh would be sacked (two weeks after losing 4-1 at the Valley) with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink taking charge. Results havent improved and the Northampton season has revolved around the relegation zone, defeat on Friday could leave Hasselbaink and his side edging even closer to League Two football once more.

Charlton Team News
For Charlton on Saturday it wasn’t just the victory that put smiles on faces, yet the manner of how the players went about their job… Two Strikers were played in attack for the first time since Walsall and the result of that formation was as everyone had hoped – Michal Zyro scoring his second goal whilst Nicky Ajose would impress in what was his first start for the club for some time.

Lee Bowyer though has shown today that he’s a man willing to change things… Lewis Page, impressed in defence, yet with Jay Dasilva returning from injury it’ll be hard to drop either play – Josh Magennis and Ezri Konsa will also return from International action and may find their paths blocked, as too could Stephy Mavididi, another returnee from injury

One thing we do know… there will be two up front!!... Vive la Révolution!!

Amos
Dijksteel | Bauer | Pearce | Page
Fosu | Aribo | Forster-Caskey | Dasilva
Ajose | Zyro

Substitutes Bench: Phillips | Konsa | Sarr | Reeves | Kaikai | Magennis | Mavididi

Prediction
When you win so well in Football, the most irritating aspect is having to wait so long before the next game… Many fans will be wondering if Saturdays result against Plymouth was just another flash in the pan or whether this is the result that could start a run similar to the one seen 20-years ago – Victory against Northampton will keep those extended season hopes on track, failure to win and it’ll be an anxious look at results around us
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Comments

  • Must win game really for me, looking forward to it after Saturday which i did not attend so hopefully we can get some form going into playoffs, assuming we get there.

    1-2 win to Charlton, Ajose & Bauer with the goals. COYR
  • edited March 2018
    I'd be really surprised if Dasilva starts where I've put him.

    I loved writing the bench for this Preview as we've so many choices, yet forgot about Mark Marshall - Where do you put him, who do you take out... Looking at the current squad I could see it being Dijksteel who gets replaced
  • Really looking forward to this one, can't say i've said that much if at all this season. If we score early i fancy us to win big.
    3-0 - Ajose (2) Zyro
  • I kind of hope that he keeps the same starting eleven, but I'm not sure that he will. The victory last week has heaped a lot of pressure onto Bow and Jacko's shoulders, and we might find out if they are the new messiah's or just ex-very naughty boys. I want Dijksteel to play as Konsa is way too negative (all sideways passing and no overlapping full back play), while Magennis and Mavididi can help from the bench. Is DeSilva fit again? I hadn't heard that, but at no stage has he really played left wing so I can't see that happening now; for me, it's either him or Page at left back and keep the fluid Fosu/Reeves assist team until later when we are winning and trying to close the game out.

    I'm hoping for another 2-0 win.
  • Pedro45 said:

    I kind of hope that he keeps the same starting eleven, but I'm not sure that he will. The victory last week has heaped a lot of pressure onto Bow and Jacko's shoulders, and we might find out if they are the new messiah's or just ex-very naughty boys. I want Dijksteel to play as Konsa is way too negative (all sideways passing and no overlapping full back play), while Magennis and Mavididi can help from the bench. Is DeSilva fit again? I hadn't heard that, but at no stage has he really played left wing so I can't see that happening now; for me, it's either him or Page at left back and keep the fluid Fosu/Reeves assist team until later when we are winning and trying to close the game out.

    I'm hoping for another 2-0 win.

    https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/5abb6a7f9ac7a/bowyer-on-fan-response-at-plymouth-game-learning-from-terry-venables-injury-updates-and-northampton-town

    I presume so going by this comment, it does seem a sudden quick return from Jay though

    We’ve got two internationals back in the building (Josh Magennis and Ezri Konsa), we’ve got little Jay Dasilva, who I love and obviously Stephy
  • I'd be really surprised if Dasilva starts where I've put him.

    I loved writing the bench for this Preview as we've so many choices, yet forgot about Mark Marshall - Where do you put him, who do you take out... Looking at the current squad I could see it being Dijksteel who gets replaced

    You would hope that consistency will be key...played well so keep that same team if possible to keep the momentum!

    3-1 Charlton ( Zyro, Fosu an big Josh after coming off the bench!
  • I'd be really surprised if Dasilva starts where I've put him.

    I loved writing the bench for this Preview as we've so many choices, yet forgot about Mark Marshall - Where do you put him, who do you take out... Looking at the current squad I could see it being Dijksteel who gets replaced

    You would hope that consistency will be key...played well so keep that same team if possible to keep the momentum!

    3-1 Charlton ( Zyro, Fosu an big Josh after coming off the bench!
    I guess it depends on his formation.

    I did think that we looked a little lopsided against Plymouth with Dijksteel a little bit exposed... If he plays the Diamond then I suspect we'll see an unchanged squad, if he goes more flat 4-4-2, we might see another wingr come in to start
  • Stick with the team that won us the game last week. Come on Charlton, don’t let me down. I’m starting to get my MoJo back. One game at a time but we can get into the playoffs with Lee Bowyer, Johnnie Jackson and the team. The future’s bright, the future’s Red and White
  • Bowyer has the same group of players at his disposal as what Robinson had.
    2.1 Charlton and our push for the playoffs continue.
    Bowyer once again proves to be better at setting the team up than Robinson ever was.
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  • Squad looking stronger now which is going to be important.
  • edited March 2018
    must win really and against a team who are down the wrong end of the table.
  • edited March 2018

    I'd be really surprised if Dasilva starts where I've put him.

    I loved writing the bench for this Preview as we've so many choices, yet forgot about Mark Marshall - Where do you put him, who do you take out... Looking at the current squad I could see it being Dijksteel who gets replaced

    I think with him coming back after about a month out, and with another game Monday, I expect him to start on the bench. Same with Stephy, and hopefully both will come into contention for Monday. Would be good for Page as well since two games in four days might be a bit of a stretch after almost a year out.

    Getting players back from injury is a good reminder that we have a good squad, we just haven't been able to utilize it much this season, or since January,

    This is what I think the team will be
    ................. Amos
    Dijksteel Bauer Pearce Page
    ..... ......... F-Caskey
    .... ... Konsa...........Aribo
    ... ..............Fosu
    ..... ..... Zyro....... Ajose

    I could see Konsa coming in at RB, and Dijksteel moving to the base of midfield with JFC in one of the "shuttling" roles. But both Dijksteel and JFC were so good in their respective positions on Saturday, and Konsa brings steel, but also athleticism, drive, and more defensive cover to midfield plus having the freedom of the shuttling role I think it could suit us well. It'd worth remembering how Konsa did against Northampton in the game at home, he came on with 15 minutes and played in the 10 role, drove at them on the ball and caused them nightmares (the game was stretched at that point, but it was still a good display of what he's capable of). I think playing in a midfield diamond would give him the freedom to do that, to use his pace and ability on the ball in a way he couldn't against Blackpool where he was the holding midfielder.

    The nice thing about Saturday was how fluid we were in our attack and build up. I expect at time Zyro and Ajose will drift wide, leaving Fosu to play as a 9/false 9. And also for Ajose to Zyro to move through the middle with Fosu and the other forward taking up wide positions.
  • 2-0 Charlton
  • Bowyer has the same group of players at his disposal as what Robinson had.
    2.1 Charlton and our push for the playoffs continue.
    Bowyer once again proves to be better at setting the team up than Robinson ever was.

    Kind of, but I don't think at any point Robinson had Stephy, Fosu, Zyro, and Ajose all fit (not to mention Page and DaSilva). I don't disagree that Bowyer will not only set them up better, but will hopefully have far more fluidity in movement in our approach.
  • We are going to win this one. This is the business end of the season and I really think Bowyer is going to do the business. No Idea whether he is tactically astute but I am sure he knows how to motivate the players and I feel that's all we need. Play Offs here we come.
  • Northampton 17-0 Charlton.
  • If Magennis starts I riot..... on my own, in my house
  • If Magennis starts I riot..... on my own, in my house

    "... and it's not so much a riot as a strong talking to, to myself, in my head."
  • Keep Page at left back. Sub him after 60-70 minutes and bring JDS on - Page was clearly struggling to last the full 90 on Saturday, but doesn't deserve to be dropped after that performance

    Indeed I'd keep the same starting 11, but be more proactive with the bench with the extra options we have
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  • I think the temptation would be to keep the side as close to last Saturday as possible, but with another game on Monday the squad will surely be utilised.
  • 2 - 0 Charlton , Zyro with another and Ajose.
  • If Northampton score will Jimmy Floyd celebrate ?
  • How ironic, having just got rid of a useless fatty who spent his time with us stealing a living, that we come face to face with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink this weekend.

    Putting aside the S.H.I.T. (Scouser's Hideously Inept Tenure) period, we haven't lost to Northampton since 1964.

    We've got players returning from injury and international duty
    We've got momentum from a cracking performance last week
    Thomas Driesen has spent the last week in Roland's cave, retuning his telly from live feeds of Charlton matches to Webcam Girls posing seductively whilst wearing nothing but Duct Tape
    We've got proper Charlton people picking the team for the first time since March 2014

    4-0 to Charlton, Ajose hat trick, Magennis with one off the bench.
  • MrLargo said:

    How ironic, having just got rid of a useless fatty who spent his time with us stealing a living, that we come face to face with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink this weekend.

    Putting aside the S.H.I.T. (Scouser's Hideously Inept Tenure) period, we haven't lost to Northampton since 1964.

    We've got players returning from injury and international duty
    We've got momentum from a cracking performance last week
    Thomas Driesen has spent the last week in Roland's cave, retuning his telly from live feeds of Charlton matches to Webcam Girls posing seductively whilst wearing nothing but Duct Tape
    We've got proper Charlton people picking the team for the first time since March 2014

    4-0 to Charlton, Ajose hat trick, Magennis with one off the bench.

    You didnt read the Preview

    We lost to them @ Sixfields last season, was one of Robinson's legacies... All those teams who had us as their bogey team (i.e. Peterborough), thats no more!!!
  • MrLargo said:

    How ironic, having just got rid of a useless fatty who spent his time with us stealing a living, that we come face to face with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink this weekend.

    Putting aside the S.H.I.T. (Scouser's Hideously Inept Tenure) period, we haven't lost to Northampton since 1964.

    We've got players returning from injury and international duty
    We've got momentum from a cracking performance last week
    Thomas Driesen has spent the last week in Roland's cave, retuning his telly from live feeds of Charlton matches to Webcam Girls posing seductively whilst wearing nothing but Duct Tape
    We've got proper Charlton people picking the team for the first time since March 2014

    4-0 to Charlton, Ajose hat trick, Magennis with one off the bench.

    You didnt read the Preview

    We lost to them @ Sixfields last season, was one of Robinson's legacies... All those teams who had us as their bogey team (i.e. Peterborough), thats no more!!!
    You didn't read my post - Putting aside the S.H.I.T. (Scouser's Hideously Inept Tenure) period, we haven't lost to Northampton since 1964.

    And it was me that put together the list of all the long-standing unbeaten records he destroyed - Posh, Oxford, nearly a century (in the league) against Gillingham for starters
  • Cobblers are well quite frankly cobblers so not only must win but I think we will, 1-3 and we dream for another day.
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Roland Out Forever!