Stage is set for Ex-Charlton Michael "Crouchy" Smith to head the winner for the Cobblers, after being sold for £100k as soon as the Belgians got there feet under the boardroom table in 2014.
@MrLargo perfectly encapsulated what Saturday is really all about, and I echo my best wishes & thanks to all of you heading out to Belgium.
As for the side show at Northampton, maybe worth lumping some cash on Ricky to score on his return? I'd imagine, given how Gobshite never misses an opportunity to drop MK into the conversation that, for him, this is pretty much as close as it gets to a derby. Will he drop the 40% he talked about on Tuesday? Well, come 2pm on Saturday we'll know if he was talking utter bollocks or just the usual cobblers, which neatly brings me on to Northampton...
On the basis that we can't lose all the time, and given what @Wheresmeticket? posted about the Cobblers, I'll plump for a 1-3 to Charlton - Holmes to score a brace either side of a Tex header from a corner (assuming Tex isn't one of the 40%)... 2%... 40%... 100% Roland and Katie OUT
A-Grant and Watt to start in place of Magennis and Novak, no Botaka .. it's a pity there is no alternative at central defender to Konsa .. I'd try Crofts at right back with Byrne on the midfield right, although they can change this around if necessary .. recall Ulvestad .. this looks to me a stronger team (just) than that at Shrewsbury
If we lose I cannot wait for what @LouisMend gets served up post match
For KR I feel this is a must NOT LOSE game
The club may be dying, but the clever people at Pitch have convinced the operational powers that be that free travel and bacon rolls will quell the dissenters
I urge all fans who are travelling up to Northampton to save their bacon roll and join me in a bacon roll throwing protest at kick off....that would be a very funny symbolic gesture.
Robinson made some positive comments about Novak, so he'll start.
Magennis cemented his place as fan favourite when he scored the hat trick v Rovers, has now become a mystery man. Is he fit? What happened to the lung busting efforts to get back and cover? Is his heart really in it?
I'd be tempted by Novak/Watt up front. Possibly. Can't work Watt out.
Konsa and Aribo both seem like they need a rest possibly?
I'll go with @Henry Irving's Hackett-Fairchild, Barnes and Dijksteel, even though he was joking and I know nothing about them.
Seriously need a win or two. I'm not sure we can survive a drop to Div 2 with these owners.
Despite so many players not wanting to play for the shirt, I don't see how much room for manoeuvre KR has
He seemed to say Rudd was largely blameless. The players that I think he was pointing the finger at were Botaka, Tex, Magennis and Watt. Which means a team that looks like this based on fitness permitting
Rudd
Byrne Bauer Konsa Paige
Crofts Jackson
Holmes Aribo Da Silva
Novak
We aren't exactly blessed with loads of players, maybe Ahearne Grant in for Da Silva, but who else
We need to start picking up points before we get sucked into the relegation dogfight. Unfortunately, can't see us getting any at Northampton . 3 - 1 to the Cobblers and Robinson talks more bollocks .
If you pick the team based on his comments Tuesday evening I think you will be wide of the mark. Those that need an arm around the shoulder type may retreat, but those that need a kick up the arse should respond. That said, they are all professional footballers and have all gone through a very demanding selection process to get where they are. They know.
Training will tell him what he needs to know. Hopefully he will get that response and will be able to pick the best players. If not, they need to be replaced by players from the under 23 squad.
Those that are not intrested need to be careful though. Robbo has now told the football world that he will be chucking out those with a poor attitude. This is serious for any player. This is their job of work and could (and should) affect future contracts. In some cases (Watt) if they get one.
I think he will get the response he wants and the side will be what we would expect with the best players that are fit and able to playing.
Personally, I do not expect Watt to be in the squad.
Despite so many players not wanting to play for the shirt, I don't see how much room for manoeuvre KR has
He seemed to say Rudd was largely blameless. The players that I think he was pointing the finger at were Botaka, Tex, Magennis and Watt. Which means a team that looks like this based on fitness permitting
Rudd
Byrne Bauer Konsa Paige
Crofts Jackson
Holmes Aribo Da Silva
Novak
We aren't exactly blessed with loads of players, maybe Ahearne Grant in for Da Silva, but who else
I think that i, would be tempted to find a role for Paul Bacon...
I predict. Once again some players will be shaking hands and introducing themselves to their team mates. We will miss an open goal after 15 seconds and then after flattering to deceive rely on a fat Scotsman to get us out of jail. We may also have a sending off and concede 3 goals although the keeper will play well..... However, this time I think KR will be out.
Going to be fascinating to see what team is picked for this game.
Presumably if any of the "big" names eg Teixeira, Watt are missing, then you can't help but wonder if they were the bad eggs Jimmy Tarbuck was having a go at after the Shrewsbury game.
I noticed Ketts on Dr Kish has left Tex out altogether. He is usually knowledgeable as to what is happening and I do not think Tex is injured, so is he one of the 40%? or am I reading more into this than there is?
This for me is a real crunch match. Lose it and I feel we are in free fall down to League 2 it's that critical, obviously there are issues in the dressing room and I feel that KR is really all mouth and not much else. So I see a draw at 1-1
You need a tough team spirit to win games when you are struggling and when quality is thin on the ground. I don't see this yet with an unsettled team selected for every game. If Northampton score first I think that will be game over.
Sadly, I cannot see further than another disappointing loss and a renewed fear of relegation at 5 o'clock.
2-0 or 3-0 to them.
The big game is in Belgium. I will be anxiously awaiting for news of that event and see the Northampton game, regrettably, as almost a side-show on Saturday.
Good luck and a big thanks to all our impressive fans who are travelling to confront Duchatelet in his own back yard. I am sure you will leave him embarrassed and in no doubt he bought the wrong club. Have a great weekend!!
I noticed Ketts on Dr Kish has left Tex out altogether. He is usually knowledgeable as to what is happening and I do not think Tex is injured, so is he one of the 40%? or am I reading more into this than there is?
I posted this on the "what did Robbo see " thread.
It's already been mentioned, so I'm not starting the rumour.
A fellow fan told me that before KO, Tex was showing the other players on his phone, the clubs who were after him or who had agreed to sign him in the summer. Allegedly Bauer may have also done similar, but not prior to KO.
I suppose it could explain when questioned why KR was so irate and said he couldn't do anything about it.
If he leaves out Tex, he only has Konsa and Bauer to play CH. Pearce & Lennon are still out & Johnson has effectively gone, as out injured for the season.
If this is ballcocks, then apologies to Tex, but then KR should have kept schtum, as it would 100% provoke speculation such as this.
Anyway, ultimately it's still the regime who are at fault and if Tex has been ignored from August to November as I and many others anticipated, in favour of playing the youngsters (Konsa) and is now only in the team occasionally, because of injuries, I can understand why he may have the hump. I would too, although I'm not condoning unprofessional behaviour.
The regime's aim of break even and not caring whether we win games or not and playing the kids when they are not as good as the professionals available, will always give rise to these issues.
Just sell the club to a viable buyer that wants Charlton to be a professional football club, rather than a player farm.
If this is correct, it was very unwise of Robinson to allude publicly to it. Apart from the fact that he can, in practical terms, do nothing about it, we only have three fit central defenders, including Konsa, who could do with a rest or, alternatively, being deployed in central midfield, where we also have very thin resources (rather like the squad as a whole). The club also tried everything tried to force Tex out once we were relegated in order to get him off the wage bill and that's hardly going to engender goodwill four months after Meire gave him a lucrative, long term contract. It's one hell of a way to run a railroad.
I'd be very surprised if any other club matched Tex's reputed salary of £600,00 p.a., as that was apparently the problem in the last two windows; it would, therefore, come as no surprise if the club had to pay him a sweetener to move him on in the summer. We've had plenty of practice of that under this ridiculous regime. In the meantime, however, we are very probably going to need Tex, to a greater or lesser extent, in the remaining games, even if he's not treading the boards tomorrow.
As to the match itself, it's very hard to feel optimistic, with morale and confidence at rock bottom. Northampton may have lost their last two games but, prior to Tuesday's home defeat by Oldham, they had won three on the bounce at Sixfields and will certainly fancy their chances against a Charlton side in disarray.
In the long term, our protest in Sint-Truiden is more important than what happens in Northampton but this is undoubtedly a crunch game, especially with Scunthorpe, Sheffield United and Bradford coming over the horizon. We desperately need to stop the rot and I'll be very happy with a point.
If we lose again, I think Duchatelet will pull the trigger on Robinson, if not immediately, then in the next week or so. If, as expected, Swindon beat Chesterfield at the County Ground, we'll be hovering only three points above the trap door.
whatever formation I look at that people have suggested I can't get past the fact that they all look pretty average at best, absolute shit at worst. Another defeat and bye, bye Jimmy.
Comments
As for the side show at Northampton, maybe worth lumping some cash on Ricky to score on his return? I'd imagine, given how Gobshite never misses an opportunity to drop MK into the conversation that, for him, this is pretty much as close as it gets to a derby. Will he drop the 40% he talked about on Tuesday? Well, come 2pm on Saturday we'll know if he was talking utter bollocks or just the usual cobblers, which neatly brings me on to Northampton...
On the basis that we can't lose all the time, and given what @Wheresmeticket? posted about the Cobblers, I'll plump for a 1-3 to Charlton - Holmes to score a brace either side of a Tex header from a corner (assuming Tex isn't one of the 40%)... 2%... 40%... 100% Roland and Katie OUT
1391 Addicks
Robinson made some positive comments about Novak, so he'll start.
Magennis cemented his place as fan favourite when he scored the hat trick v Rovers, has now become a mystery man. Is he fit? What happened to the lung busting efforts to get back and cover? Is his heart really in it?
I'd be tempted by Novak/Watt up front. Possibly. Can't work Watt out.
Konsa and Aribo both seem like they need a rest possibly?
I'll go with @Henry Irving's Hackett-Fairchild, Barnes and Dijksteel, even though he was joking and I know nothing about them.
Seriously need a win or two. I'm not sure we can survive a drop to Div 2 with these owners.
Predicted 4-3 or 3-4 on Tuesday.
Predicting 3-1 on Saturday I'm afraid.
He seemed to say Rudd was largely blameless. The players that I think he was pointing the finger at were Botaka, Tex, Magennis and Watt. Which means a team that looks like this based on fitness permitting
Rudd
Byrne Bauer Konsa Paige
Crofts Jackson
Holmes Aribo Da Silva
Novak
We aren't exactly blessed with loads of players, maybe Ahearne Grant in for Da Silva, but who else
Byrne Bauer Tex Page
Crofts Ulvestad
Holmes Aribo Da Silva
Novak
1-2
Training will tell him what he needs to know. Hopefully he will get that response and will be able to pick the best players. If not, they need to be replaced by players from the under 23 squad.
Those that are not intrested need to be careful though. Robbo has now told the football world that he will be chucking out those with a poor attitude. This is serious for any player. This is their job of work and could (and should) affect future contracts. In some cases (Watt) if they get one.
I think he will get the response he wants and the side will be what we would expect with the best players that are fit and able to playing.
Personally, I do not expect Watt to be in the squad.
3-1 to us. Sounds laughable - Right?
However, this time I think KR will be out.
Presumably if any of the "big" names eg Teixeira, Watt are missing, then you can't help but wonder if they were the bad eggs Jimmy Tarbuck was having a go at after the Shrewsbury game.
Sadly, I cannot see further than another disappointing loss and a renewed fear of relegation at 5 o'clock.
2-0 or 3-0 to them.
The big game is in Belgium. I will be anxiously awaiting for news of that event and see the Northampton game, regrettably, as almost a side-show on Saturday.
Good luck and a big thanks to all our impressive fans who are travelling to confront Duchatelet in his own back yard. I am sure you will leave him embarrassed and in no doubt he bought the wrong club. Have a great weekend!!
It's already been mentioned, so I'm not starting the rumour.
A fellow fan told me that before KO, Tex was showing the other players on his phone, the clubs who were after him or who had agreed to sign him in the summer. Allegedly Bauer may have also done similar, but not prior to KO.
I suppose it could explain when questioned why KR was so irate and said he couldn't do anything about it.
If he leaves out Tex, he only has Konsa and Bauer to play CH. Pearce & Lennon are still out & Johnson has effectively gone, as out injured for the season.
If this is ballcocks, then apologies to Tex, but then KR should have kept schtum, as it would 100% provoke speculation such as this.
Anyway, ultimately it's still the regime who are at fault and if Tex has been ignored from August to November as I and many others anticipated, in favour of playing the youngsters (Konsa) and is now only in the team occasionally, because of injuries, I can understand why he may have the hump. I would too, although I'm not condoning unprofessional behaviour.
The regime's aim of break even and not caring whether we win games or not and playing the kids when they are not as good as the professionals available, will always give rise to these issues.
Just sell the club to a viable buyer that wants Charlton to be a professional football club, rather than a player farm.
I'd be very surprised if any other club matched Tex's reputed salary of £600,00 p.a., as that was apparently the problem in the last two windows; it would, therefore, come as no surprise if the club had to pay him a sweetener to move him on in the summer. We've had plenty of practice of that under this ridiculous regime. In the meantime, however, we are very probably going to need Tex, to a greater or lesser extent, in the remaining games, even if he's not treading the boards tomorrow.
As to the match itself, it's very hard to feel optimistic, with morale and confidence at rock bottom. Northampton may have lost their last two games but, prior to Tuesday's home defeat by Oldham, they had won three on the bounce at Sixfields and will certainly fancy their chances against a Charlton side in disarray.
In the long term, our protest in Sint-Truiden is more important than what happens in Northampton but this is undoubtedly a crunch game, especially with Scunthorpe, Sheffield United and Bradford coming over the horizon. We desperately need to stop the rot and I'll be very happy with a point.
If we lose again, I think Duchatelet will pull the trigger on Robinson, if not immediately, then in the next week or so. If, as expected, Swindon beat Chesterfield at the County Ground, we'll be hovering only three points above the trap door.
We are due a red card so I am going with Rudd off inside 15 minutes.