I'm swithering between it being an easy peasy win and going one down with Taylor sent off. That late goal for Donny didn't seem to matter too much at the time because we had still won away, but Derby smashing four past Leeds this week hasn't helped my confidence. I'm going for scraping by - 0-0 or 1-1.
Leeds pushed the self destruct button through ill discipline and going all gung ho. Can't see us doing that, play our normal game and we should be fine. We have the momentum, better players and a great team spirit, we don't even have to win the game although an early goal would be ideal. Anything can happen in football but I'm mildly confident we will succeed.
Doncaster are plotted up at the Marriott in Bexleyheath.
Coincidentally, I've just opened up a concession next door selling vuvuzelas, foghorns, drum kits, whistles, jackhammers, house alarms, fireworks, aeroplanes when they're taking off, vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, chain saws, snowmobiles, cuckoo clocks and humming refrigerators.
I saw a suggestion on Facebook the other day, about some lads giving Donny an early morning wake up call.
Think a few people should drive along the road outside and use our horns of the cars, just keep doing loops around and horning as soon as you get near and outside the Marriott. Sorted.
I’m not going to do a usual preview as I done one last week prior to the away leg. I’ve said who I believe are the players we have to watch out for most, I’ve said how they set up and play. We saw that on Sunday.
Doncaster have played 6 games away from home since our 1-1 league draw up at the Keepmoat back in early March. They’ve picked up only 5 points from those games, winning one and drawing two, of course, losing the other three. Scoring 4 and conceding 11.
Charlton have played 6 games at home since drawing away at Doncaster back in March. We have won all 6, scoring 16 and conceding 3. Form wise, everything does point to us getting a positive result and getting the job done. However, as we have seen recently, football is extremely unpredictable so we must respect them, but we must continue to play our game. I am absolutely sure Bowyer will set us up as he has done throughout the season at The Valley, this team will not let up.
Changes wise, I think we are likely to see one, potentially two. Morgan has done exceptionally well when he has been in the side recently, his performances for such a young man have been fantastic. However, I do see him starting on the bench tomorrow night with Williams coming back into team. The other potential change could be Solly coming in for Dijksteel, I wouldn’t anticipate this happening but his experience in a game like this could be the deciding factor. The problem is, our bench is very likely to be fairly defensive tomorrow so it could be vital for us to get an early goal and ensure we are professional from there for the rest of the game. Someone is going to miss out on the bench and I’m going to say Lapslie. George hasn’t been involved as much recently and I am unsure tomorrow is going to be a game suited to him.
Cannot wait for tomorrow night, seeing The Valley full with the crowd behind the players, giving them the extra boost and confidence. We the place is rocking, it is a beautiful, wonderful sight to see and experience.
Phillips Dijksteel Bauer Sarr Purrington Bielik Cullen Aribo Williams Taylor Parker
Maxwell, Solly, Pearce, Page, Pratley, Forster-Caskey, Morgan
Charlton Athletic 2-0 Doncaster Rovers Taylor Parker
Doncaster are plotted up at the Marriott in Bexleyheath.
Coincidentally, I've just opened up a concession next door selling vuvuzelas, foghorns, drum kits, whistles, jackhammers, house alarms, fireworks, aeroplanes when they're taking off, vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, chain saws, snowmobiles, cuckoo clocks and humming refrigerators.
Evening lads. it does sound as though some of you are getting a bit nervous about player little old Donny tomorrow night. So far in all the play off matches, the lowest placed teams have beaten the higher placed ones over two legs. if we can stay in the tie leading up to the last twenty or thirty minutes I can see the balance swinging to us. Obviously you start as out an out favourites but strange things are happening in football right now. It was a good game at the Keepmoat on Sunday and in reality it could have gone our way if your keeper hadn’t saved from Coppinger or That free kick been a couple of inches lower. Fine margins as you will know. Hopefully we can come and make it a nervy night for you.
An unchanged team for me, with Bielik's quality and drive being deployed in his usual midfield position. There's no need for us to sit back, as we have more than enough ability and confidence to dictate the music and tempo of the game.
I think that we'll come out of the traps quickly and, to adopt Grant McCann's vernacular, go for the jugular. There are bound to be a few nervous spells in the match but the 15 point gap after 46 games reflects Charlton's greater quality - especially in midfield and at centre-forward with Lyle Taylor - and that, plus the backing of a home sell-out crowd should see us home. Very importantly, I'm also confident in the ability of Lee Bowyer and Jacko to manage our players through this and ensure that they don't let the occasion get to them.
It will (as ever) be important to keep 11 men on the field and it would be an added bonus to attack the 9,000 strong Covered End in the second half, although I'm sure that the 1,000 in the South Stand will also make themselves heard.
I was very interested to read in Airman's excellent article about the symmetry between this season and 1997/98, when we won, drew and lost exactly the same number of league games. Sunderland's presence at Wembley only reinforces the similarities and all we need now is for Lyle to knock in a further three goals to equal Super Clive's total of 28. I wouldn't put it past him.
Look if any of you have slept since Sunday you're better people than I am.
How I think Bowyer will line up: .......................Phillips Dijksteel Bauer Pearce Sarr Purrington ...................Bielik Cullen ......................Aribo .................Taylor Parker
How I would line up: ................Phillips Dijksteel Bauer Sarr Purrington ..............Bielik ......Cullen......Reeves ..............Aribo ...........Parker Taylor
I've been saying it for the past couple years, but I think that Pearce drops too deep and forces us to defend too deep/leave gaps between defense and midfield. But I think that Bowyer will start with him in a back three.
In the team I would choose, it's tough between Reeves, Williams, and Morgan. Morgan has obviously shown himself to be very skillful. Williams, we know his class. And Reeves has quietly had quite a good season. I've gone with Reeves to 1) Let Aribo play in the 10 role, and 2) because he does an excellent job of helping us retain possession, and I think our best approach to this game is to stifle them with possession. He also can get stuck in and get into passing lanes. Going with Williams or Morgan also has their upside. I just hope we don't go with Pratley in there. With Bielik and Cullen we have enough defensive ability, and while Pratley has improved second half, he doesn't provide much in possession and slows things down drastically. And also, can get caught out of position.
Lastly, I think Bowyer would be dead wrong to drop Dijksteel for Solly. Dijksteel has been excellent for weeks. Solly has had a meandering season. Solly has traditionally played best when he has competition, which we haven't had enough of at RB in recent years. But right now, the shirt is Dijksteel's to lose.
I don't think Bowyer will do the same thing again with 5-3-2 / 3-5-2, but Donny will have to cater for that in their thinking. So:
Phillips Dijksteel Bauer Sarr Purrington Bielik Cullen Williams Aribo Taylor Parker
That is the team I would go with. pretty damn strong IMO.
Near enough the strongest first eleven in the division.
I'm swithering between it being an easy peasy win and going one down with Taylor sent off. That late goal for Donny didn't seem to matter too much at the time because we had still won away, but Derby smashing four past Leeds this week hasn't helped my confidence. I'm going for scraping by - 0-0 or 1-1.
If I was Donny manager, I'd be saying "they are a much better side than us, we have to equalise play by getting their players carded, yellow or red". I hope Boys has that in his teamtalk.
If I was Donny manager, I'd be saying "they are a much better side than us, we have to equalise play by getting their players carded, yellow or red". I hope Boys has that in his teamtalk.
Taylor deserves a medal for not reacting on Sunday. He should have been given at least 4 free kicks during 1st leg and every time he got straight up and got on with the game.
My advice to the lads is keep your heads, hold your nerve, play your game and we should be alright. Big, big game. C’mon Charlton ... Don’t let us down
My advice to the lads is keep your heads, hold your nerve, play your game and we should be alright. Big, big game. C’mon Charlton ... Don’t let us down
I love these 2 legged affairs. We have a goal advantage but does it make things much easier for us. Me I'd be at Doncaster from the off , what happens though if 20 mins in we concede. Do we sit back a bit more it's for Donny to come at us. Bring it on
My advice to the lads is keep your heads, hold your nerve, play your game and we should be alright. Big, big game. C’mon Charlton ... Don’t let us down
I don't get all this don't let us down.
It comes from supporting Charlton for over 50 years. Apart from the Ipswich and Sunderland matches in 98, we just don’t seem to deliver on the big games. Cup runs? Penalty shootouts? Norfolk Enchance. Charlton fans are destined to a lifetime of disappointment. Hence my plea for them not to let us down
Comments
Doncaster have played 6 games away from home since our 1-1 league draw up at the Keepmoat back in early March. They’ve picked up only 5 points from those games, winning one and drawing two, of course, losing the other three. Scoring 4 and conceding 11.
Charlton have played 6 games at home since drawing away at Doncaster back in March. We have won all 6, scoring 16 and conceding 3. Form wise, everything does point to us getting a positive result and getting the job done. However, as we have seen recently, football is extremely unpredictable so we must respect them, but we must continue to play our game. I am absolutely sure Bowyer will set us up as he has done throughout the season at The Valley, this team will not let up.
Changes wise, I think we are likely to see one, potentially two. Morgan has done exceptionally well when he has been in the side recently, his performances for such a young man have been fantastic. However, I do see him starting on the bench tomorrow night with Williams coming back into team. The other potential change could be Solly coming in for Dijksteel, I wouldn’t anticipate this happening but his experience in a game like this could be the deciding factor. The problem is, our bench is very likely to be fairly defensive tomorrow so it could be vital for us to get an early goal and ensure we are professional from there for the rest of the game. Someone is going to miss out on the bench and I’m going to say Lapslie. George hasn’t been involved as much recently and I am unsure tomorrow is going to be a game suited to him.
Cannot wait for tomorrow night, seeing The Valley full with the crowd behind the players, giving them the extra boost and confidence. We the place is rocking, it is a beautiful, wonderful sight to see and experience.
Phillips
Dijksteel Bauer Sarr Purrington
Bielik
Cullen Aribo
Williams
Taylor Parker
Maxwell, Solly, Pearce, Page, Pratley, Forster-Caskey, Morgan
Charlton Athletic 2-0 Doncaster Rovers
Taylor
Parker
it does sound as though some of you are getting a bit nervous about player little old Donny tomorrow night.
So far in all the play off matches, the lowest placed teams have beaten the higher placed ones over two legs.
if we can stay in the tie leading up to the last twenty or thirty minutes I can see the balance swinging to us.
Obviously you start as out an out favourites but strange things are happening in football right now.
It was a good game at the Keepmoat on Sunday and in reality it could have gone our way if your keeper hadn’t saved from Coppinger or That free kick been a couple of inches lower.
Fine margins as you will know.
Hopefully we can come and make it a nervy night for you.
I think that we'll come out of the traps quickly and, to adopt Grant McCann's vernacular, go for the jugular. There are bound to be a few nervous spells in the match but the 15 point gap after 46 games reflects Charlton's greater quality - especially in midfield and at centre-forward with Lyle Taylor - and that, plus the backing of a home sell-out crowd should see us home. Very importantly, I'm also confident in the ability of Lee Bowyer and Jacko to manage our players through this and ensure that they don't let the occasion get to them.
It will (as ever) be important to keep 11 men on the field and it would be an added bonus to attack the 9,000 strong Covered End in the second half, although I'm sure that the 1,000 in the South Stand will also make themselves heard.
I was very interested to read in Airman's excellent article about the symmetry between this season and 1997/98, when we won, drew and lost exactly the same number of league games. Sunderland's presence at Wembley only reinforces the similarities and all we need now is for Lyle to knock in a further three goals to equal Super Clive's total of 28. I wouldn't put it past him.
Swithering? Are you from oop north or summat?
1:0..?
C.O.Y.R
COYR!
We have a goal advantage but does it make things much easier for us.
Me I'd be at Doncaster from the off , what happens though if 20 mins in we concede.
Do we sit back a bit more it's for Donny to come at us.
Bring it on