Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Fleetwood v Charlton | Sat 02 Feb | 3pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Fleetwood Town v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 2nd February 2019 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland)

Introduction

The January Transfer Window is never a happy time for us here in South East London – Despite the best efforts of our Management to make us competitive there is always a fire sale of players and this year is no different. Still unbeaten in 2019 after a draw with Peterborough last Saturday, it was a chance to strengthen in areas where we’re lacking and so make a serious push for promotion, targets were missed though (due to other clubs doing their business in the correct fashion) meaning that we travel up to Fleetwood on Saturday once again in limbo, can we make a stuttering attempt to return to the Championship or will it be another season of disappointed under disinterested ownership.

The Opposition
Name: Fleetwood Town | Manager: Joey Barton
Ground: Highbury Stadium

Facing Fleetwood when you’re Charlton and without your two Strikers who have been so effective this season is always going to be a daunting task – With the Cod Army having spent the majority of their history in the depths of the Non-League Pyramid it’s a fixture that hasn’t been played out that often, just the five times in fact, yet in all that time the Addicks have recorded just the one win, the other four have all ended in draws and with the last two ending 0-0 it wont be any surprise if the latest fixture tomorrow doesn’t end up the same way.

As for Fleetwood’s season it’s been typical for the club of their size and it’ll always be a struggle for them to achieve what they did in the 2016/17 where they would just miss out on automatic promotion to the Championship by four points… Joey Barton was always going to be a contentious decision given his time as a rather controversial and outspoken player but like our own Lee Bowyer hasn’t had the worst start to his Management career.

With our opponents currently in tenth you’d think that they’re safe from any relegation worries (despite only being eight points above second bottom) – With just four defeats at Highbury this season their home is a fortress, having Paddy Madden and Ched Evans scoring their goals (28-combined) will be key to where they finish yet you’d expect they’re just a bit too far off mounting any late Play-Off surge

Charlton Team News
For Karlan Grant its been an impressive twelve months; 23-goals across League One and League Two was always going to attract suitors and with the academy graduate out of contract in the summer it was always going to be difficult to keep hold of him – He’s gone now though (to the Premier League and Huddersfield Town) so we move on and try to make the best of a bad situation.

As already mentioned the transfer window has once again failed to work in our favour – Mo Eisa from Bristol City was supposed to be the replacement for Grant yet with that falling through at the death, it was left to Lee Bowyer to bring in the experienced: Josh Parker on a six month deal from Gillingham – The Antiguan forward was certainly someone that no one would expect and having been signed late in the day yesterday, may have to settle for a place on the bench as he gets to know his new team mates

Phillips
Solly | Bauer | Sarr | Purrington
Cullen | Bielik
Williams | Reeves | Fosu
Hackett-Fairchild

Substitutes Bench: Maxwell | Dijksteel | Marshall | Pratley | Lapslie | Parker | Vetokele

Prediction
With wintery conditions spreading across the United Kingdom at the moment we have to wonder if its worth hoping that this game gets called off – It will mean losing Lyle Taylor for the Blackpool game at the Valley yet will allow Igor Vetokele more time to reach full fitness and so give us more Striker options ahead of the visit of Southend next week… Should the game go ahead I fully expect another share of the spoils
«134

Comments

  • Don't expect Igor on the bench, unfortunately I can't see him being available until after Taylor is back. I imagine a youngster will fill the final place
  • Good preview, as ever. Despite losing Grant I think we can do this. Our defence and attacking midfield have been outstanding. Thought RHF looked good in his cameo last week and hope he can step up this week with some help from Williams, Fosu and Reeves. 1-2.
  • Biggest improvement required from last week is needed from the Midfield, especially if we play the same formation that we played last week

    There were times when Grant was chasing the ball down and winning it halfway in their half yet there was too much distance between him and the midfield who should have been closer in support

    With Recco being inexperienced I imagine he'll do his best but can see it being even harder for him to play that role if isolated
  • Josh Parker scores the 88th minute winner, and becomes an instant hero
    or
    Josh Parker misses a sitter in the 88th minute, Fleetwood break and score the winner themselves...

  • Might be in the minority but wouldn't be too bad if this game was called off, other than for the loyal 300 who would have to go up there midweek.

    The manager has no doubt been working his nuts off but not on the training ground
    Manager and team probably a bit deflated and gives them a week to pick themselves up
    Another week for Igor to get fit
    Another week for Aribo to get fit
    Another week for Parker to learn how we play
    Think I would prefer a makeshift forward line in home games when we are likely to attack more

    If the game is on tomorrow I don't have a good feeling 0-2.
  • Might be in the minority but wouldn't be too bad if this game was called off, other than for the loyal 300 who would have to go up there midweek.

    The manager has no doubt been working his nuts off but not on the training ground
    Manager and team probably a bit deflated and gives them a week to pick themselves up
    Another week for Igor to get fit
    Another week for Aribo to get fit
    Another week for Parker to learn how we play
    Think I would prefer a makeshift forward line in home games when we are likely to attack more

    If the game is on tomorrow I don't have a good feeling 0-2.

    Nope I'm definitely of this opinion.

    i.e. What are conditions like in that part of the country at the moment; I'd be shocked if there wasnt some kind of inspection needed for tomorrow

    Its not exactly one of the better grounds at this level in terms of keeping out the adverse weather so would hope its announced / done before the fans leave home
  • Hopefully that is Cleveland near Middlesbrough the ref has to come from. He would gutted to come all the way from Ohio just to cancel a game.

    As far Lyle is concerned, yeah he would miss the Blackpool game if the Fleetwood games falls to weather. But in the number of games he is out any longer. He will still play the same number of games after his suspention ends. Only in terms of time (ie number of days) is he out longer.
  • Hopefully that is Cleveland near Middlesbrough the ref has to come from. He would gutted to come all the way from Ohio just to cancel a game.

    As far Lyle is concerned, yeah he would miss the Blackpool game if the Fleetwood games falls to weather. But in the number of games he is out any longer. He will still play the same number of games after his suspention ends. Only in terms of time (ie number of days) is he out longer.

    RE: Lyle, the question is do we think we'd need him more for Blackpool or more for Fleetwood... I'd say that Blackpool will be the harder game

    Ironically we've had Harrington as Referee once before this season which was for the Blackpool game so has had to travel over that way for both our games now
  • Hopefully that is Cleveland near Middlesbrough the ref has to come from. He would gutted to come all the way from Ohio just to cancel a game.

    As far Lyle is concerned, yeah he would miss the Blackpool game if the Fleetwood games falls to weather. But in the number of games he is out any longer. He will still play the same number of games after his suspention ends. Only in terms of time (ie number of days) is he out longer.

    RE: Lyle, the question is do we think we'd need him more for Blackpool or more for Fleetwood... I'd say that Blackpool will be the harder game

    Ironically we've had Harrington as Referee once before this season which was for the Blackpool game so has had to travel over that way for both our games now
    Yeah, True!
  • Sponsored links:


  • Might be in the minority but wouldn't be too bad if this game was called off, other than for the loyal 300 who would have to go up there midweek.

    The manager has no doubt been working his nuts off but not on the training ground
    Manager and team probably a bit deflated and gives them a week to pick themselves up
    Another week for Igor to get fit
    Another week for Aribo to get fit
    Another week for Parker to learn how we play
    Think I would prefer a makeshift forward line in home games when we are likely to attack more

    If the game is on tomorrow I don't have a good feeling 0-2.

    Nope I'm definitely of this opinion.

    i.e. What are conditions like in that part of the country at the moment; I'd be shocked if there wasnt some kind of inspection needed for tomorrow

    Its not exactly one of the better grounds at this level in terms of keeping out the adverse weather so would hope its announced / done before the fans leave home
    The north hasn't been as badly affected by the bad weather, I'd be very surprised if the game was called off

    And as I'm leaving home in a few minutes (once I've cleared the snow from my car) any postponement tomorrow morning will be too late for me anyway...
  • Parker to score a debut goal. Igor to come off the bench with a late winner for 2-1
  • Might be in the minority but wouldn't be too bad if this game was called off, other than for the loyal 300 who would have to go up there midweek.

    The manager has no doubt been working his nuts off but not on the training ground
    Manager and team probably a bit deflated and gives them a week to pick themselves up
    Another week for Igor to get fit
    Another week for Aribo to get fit
    Another week for Parker to learn how we play
    Think I would prefer a makeshift forward line in home games when we are likely to attack more

    If the game is on tomorrow I don't have a good feeling 0-2.

    Nope I'm definitely of this opinion.

    i.e. What are conditions like in that part of the country at the moment; I'd be shocked if there wasnt some kind of inspection needed for tomorrow

    Its not exactly one of the better grounds at this level in terms of keeping out the adverse weather so would hope its announced / done before the fans leave home
    The north hasn't been as badly affected by the bad weather, I'd be very surprised if the game was called off

    And as I'm leaving home in a few minutes (once I've cleared the snow from my car) any postponement tomorrow morning will be too late for me anyway...
    Ditto, @killerandflash !

    Car loaded with provisions in case of problems en route & fingers crossed we aren't wasting our time....must be mad !

    Safe journey, mate .

    You too!
  • edited February 2019

    Biggest improvement required from last week is needed from the Midfield, especially if we play the same formation that we played last week

    There were times when Grant was chasing the ball down and winning it halfway in their half yet there was too much distance between him and the midfield who should have been closer in support

    With Recco being inexperienced I imagine he'll do his best but can see it being even harder for him to play that role if isolated

    I'm South of Fleetwood an hour and a quarter away and we had snow Wednesday and sub zero temperatures last night meaning the local golf course has been shut for three days. Roofs and roads are clear but there is still a fair bit of white stuff about. No further snow forecast and highs of 4* today and 5* tomorrow albeit zero tonight.

    Provided Fleetwood have taken the necessary precautions with covering the pitch the game should go ahead. However hopefully there will be an early enough warning if not so as to avoid the late postponement of the Blackpool game thus time last year albeit due to water logging.

    Edit; Argghh lo and behold @ForeverAddicted it's just started snowing, must be a rogue shower 🙏
  • Can’t see us getting much out of this one so I’m going for a 2-1 defeat .
  • Might be in the minority but wouldn't be too bad if this game was called off, other than for the loyal 300 who would have to go up there midweek.

    The manager has no doubt been working his nuts off but not on the training ground
    Manager and team probably a bit deflated and gives them a week to pick themselves up
    Another week for Igor to get fit
    Another week for Aribo to get fit
    Another week for Parker to learn how we play
    Think I would prefer a makeshift forward line in home games when we are likely to attack more

    If the game is on tomorrow I don't have a good feeling 0-2.

    Nope I'm definitely of this opinion.

    i.e. What are conditions like in that part of the country at the moment; I'd be shocked if there wasnt some kind of inspection needed for tomorrow

    Its not exactly one of the better grounds at this level in terms of keeping out the adverse weather so would hope its announced / done before the fans leave home
    The north hasn't been as badly affected by the bad weather, I'd be very surprised if the game was called off

    And as I'm leaving home in a few minutes (once I've cleared the snow from my car) any postponement tomorrow morning will be too late for me anyway...
    Freezing tempratures and ground frosts are the main issue.
  • That’s the side I’d go with, Fosu banged a hat trick in on this pitch before so let’s see.

    1-1
  • We really do suit a 4-2-3-1 with our current personnel, eh!

    Have hope... COYR
  • Fosu needs to hit that form now, more than before anyway.

    1- 0 Charlton. Shit game but we nick it late.
  • Sponsored links:


  • Can’t see us getting much out of this one so I’m going for a 2-1 defeat .

    Me too, I have just put that score down in my prediction league forecast.
  • 0 - 0 Bore draw !
  • Your line-up, which I agree with, has one major flaw.

    Guess how many goals those players between them have scored this season?
  • Where will the goals come from? 2-0 to the home side with Evans on the scoresheet.
  • If we score two we win. Now where are we going to get those two from? We have the quality but we need more players stepping up with goals.
  • With Brexit still a hot topic I turn to our first woman Prime Minster for help on this one & recall her famous speech on the EU issue:

    No...........................strikers
    No...........................goals
    No...........................points

    3-0.
  • And the answer is....8 in a total of 157 outfield appearances, or one every 20 games.

  • Crap game of football we create nothing up front.
    But end up nicking it 1.0 late on
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!