Charlton Athletic v Bolton Wanderers
Saturday 27th August 2016 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Dean Whitestone
IntroductionAfter being on the road last weekend, the Addicks returned home to South East London with three points after an impressive victory against Walsall. Nicky Ajose finally opened his account since joining from Swindon and Ricky Holmes once again continued to show that the Player of the Year award could already be over for this season with yet another impressive performance. In transfer news; Tareiq Holmes-Dennis left the club for Huddersfield Town and with just a week to go until the closing of the Transfer Window, you’d hope he is the last of our players to leave this summer.
This weekend sees Football return to the Valley… If last Saturday was one of our hardest away games of the season then apart from obvious derbies, this is without doubt our hardest home fixture of the season. Prior to a ball being kicked in anger, two teams relegated from the Championship last season were equally tipped to bounce back with promotion. Our opponents: Bolton Wanderers have made the better start winning all their games yet just like ourselves; this’ll be one of their biggest tests of the season… Let battle commence!!
The OppositionName: Bolton Wanderers |
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Stadium: Macron Stadium |
Position: 1st
Quite bluntly Bolton were always a shoe in for relegation from the Championship last season. In financial difficulty since their relegation from the Premier League, those problems became greater when long term backer: Phil Gartside died in February, players weren’t being paid and the future of Bolton (one of the Football League’s founder clubs) looked bleak. Of course a club like Bolton were always going to be saved and under a consortium led by ex-player: Dean Holdsworth, it’s time for a new era for this Lancashire club.
As already mentioned: Bolton currently occupy top spot, yet their summer hasn’t been much different to our own… The main focus point had to be the Manager and like us, Bolton have brought in not just a man who knows League One but also knows the Valley in Phil Parkinson…
Whilst we’ve been moaning about a lack of money being spent, Bolton have spent no money with all signings coming in on a Free Transfer including Lewis Buxton who had a trial at Sparrows Lane this summer and Chris Taylor a tricky winger who has had successful spells at the Valley whilst representing Blackburn Rovers and Millwall… The difference between the two sides is that only one player has been sold to balance the books (Rob Holding to Arsenal), a lot of dead wood has been moved on as Contracts have expired
Overall the core of the Bolton side has remained together, they’ve kept a lot of their key players from the Championship and have not been forced to rebuild… Yes both Charlton and Bolton are expected to achieve promotion straight back to the 2nd tier, yet on paper (thankfully Football usually laughs at paper and stats)… Bolton have the edge.
Charlton Team NewsDoing a lot of repeating myself here this preview yet as already mentioned: Tareiq Holmes-Dennis (who has been appearing on the bench) has gone meaning that there is space on the bench for someone to come into the squad, with Harry Lennon making his return from injury for the U23s earlier this week, he’d be the obvious choice yet having missed the majority of pre-season is he fit enough to be called upon if god forbid anything happens to Morgan Fox?
Rudd
Solly … Konsa … Pearce … Fox
Foley … Crofts … Jackson … Holmes
Magennis … Ajose
Substitutes Bench: Phillips … Bauer … Lennon … Johnson … Botaka … Hanlan … Lookman
PredictionI won’t lie, three points against Walsall last Saturday was not what I expected and if we can replicate that this Saturday then it’ll be a huge statement to issue to the rest of the Division (especially after a poor start against Bury)… Bolton themselves aren’t going to go the whole season without losing yet I do believe that they’ll lose their 100% record this weekend, yet believe a draw is more likely.
Comments
0-1 to Notlob
Early headed goal from a set piece after a defensive lapse and then 80 minutes of a vain struggle to gain parity hindered by individual poor form and lack of tactical nouse.
Wish I could be there to see his v-neck live again.
The misery of his tenure while in League 1 now feels like a golden era.
0.1 and back to mid table obscurity.
Breaking news...........
a Louis Mendez scoop.
Q. What did you think of GB Winning 27 Gold Medals Roland,
and winning a record breaking 67 medals.
A. It's not about the winning of Medals but how much you can sell your young athletes for afterwards.
With the momentum we had going into that game I felt we'd be a match for anyone, but Bolton were the worst team we could possibly have faced as they turned it into a boring war of attrition and nicked it with a late goal. That knocked our confidence completely and we didn't win again for a fair while after that. Then Curbs left, that ugly bloke turned up and we've been on a decade long suicide mission ever since.
So basically it's Bolton Wanderers' fault that we're stuck in the third tier with a mad owner, a clueless simpleton for a CEO and an empty stadium. At least they've got their comeuppance as well, so we'll be able to exchange sad glances between the sparsely populated away end the sparsely populated home areas and collectively wonder what the bulk of the 26,175 crowd who turned up 29 October 2005 are doing with their Saturday afternoons these days.
Decent performances in the last two games but we give away far too many chances, Charlton 1 - 2 Bolton.
It's Community Day on Saturday, so presumably that poisonous witch will be parading herself around the car park, smiling at small children and attempting to take the credit for other people's hard work.
herd Mr Corbyn was coming down Saturday but he couldnt fnd a place to sit,so best get there early
2-1 win - protesters secretly gutted, promotion looking a real possibility
0-1 defeat - protesters loving it and gearing up for in stadium antics
Is Mr Slade doing a press conference today?
Haven't watched it, can't really be bothered.
Given Novak was left out with a hand injury, I'm guessing it hasn't been healing at all because of the light case he's had on it. I'd expect him to miss out tomorrow and then get the next two week to recover (though i hope he's doing intensive fitness work as having a broken hand shouldn't prevent that).
I think this will be where our string of good results ends and where we're reminded just how pedestrian our midfield is. Bolton have kept a good chunk of their team from last year, which obviously wasn't brilliant, but there are some very decent players at this level there (Spearing, Vela, Wheater, Moxey, Trotter, Mark Davies, etc.). I think we'll really, really struggle to break them down and they'll catch us on the break or from a set piece.
Lawrie Wilson was on the bench for them last Saturday
More shockingly, what's happened to the Parky V neck, he's had a makeover!
He said that Lee Novak is the main injury concern, though a week's break helps those with niggles.
Made a point of saying that we had a 'smallish' squad, without mentioning THD or prospective new signings.
Looks like Dillon Phillips is pencilled in for his 1st team debut in the Chubby Checker game v Southampton next week.
2-0