Charlton’s spluttering roadshow rolls into Swindon on Saturday, and lets be frank, in desperate need to get back to winning ways. With Parky making numerous changes at Walsall on Tuesday, the performance was a marginal improvement on those of late, but the failure to secure the needed victory magnified the growing fears that automatic promotion is steadily slipping away.
Swindon, with five wins and two draws in their last eight games, are a team in form, and with three games in hand over Charlton, will be confident they can narrow the current eight-point gap. Having played more games than others, defeat will really see Charlton pulled back into the play-off shake-up.
Swindon’s impressive form is largely due to the impressive front pairing of Charlie Austin and Billy Paynter, with the pair accounting for 24 of Swindon’s 40 league goals; Paynter is currently on a run of 5 goals in 4 goals.
Conceding them is sadly Charlton’s achilles heel of late, having failed to keep a clean sheet since Dec 5th at home to Southend, ten games ago.
Having rung the changes on Tuesday, it will be interesting to see what side Parky selects. Will he retain the 442 formation, or will he revert to 451 and the inclusion of Semedo.
If things are not going to plan, this fixture maybe one to resist leaving early for the exit gate – 47% of the goals Swindon have conceded have come in the last 15 minutes of the game.
What would you do ? Would you retain the same team ? Change formation ? Bring Sam, Shelvey, Llera, Basey, Semedo, Mooney back in ?
With our mixed form, and Swindon’s impressive run, this now appears a huge game that seems to have dived under the radar a little.
Play a 4-5-1. Really pack the midfield and hit Swindon on the break. They will really come at us and i think we need to think about defending before we attack. Its negative but a point isnt a bad result against a team in form.
Elliot
Richardson
Dailly
Sodje
Solly
Semedo
Waggy
Bailey
Racon
Reid
Burton
An unfortunate sign of the times when a draw away at Swindon would be considered a decent result :-(
Got to score two to win as we won't keep a clean sheet you can have your house on that.
I'd pick the same team as Gary did above and use Sam, Akpo and Shelvey as impact subs to bring pace, power and guile in the last half an hour.
Play it like a cup tie, defend, try and own the middle of the park (which realistically as combative a midfield as that should do) and counter attack down the flanks and get some balls into the box.
We'll get a 1-1 draw again, if we get a little bit extra out of the players, and it's now or never on that front, we could sneak a late winner I reckon.
Just shows what regular goals do to a team's morale and form. Got nothing at all apart from 2 lads up top and a couple of industrious midfielders and look what they're doing lately!
I'd just like to see Danny Wilson looking grumpy, jumped up victim of short man syndrome who celebrated each goal like the winning World Cup penalty at Charlton
Okay, we haven't kept a clean sheet for x amount of games in a row - but the recent run has only been a single goal conceded in each game.
But if we were scoring like we did before Christmas, then conceding a goal a game wouldn't be the vital issue.
It's the lack of goals that's more the problem, we've been creating plenty of chances, a few which should never have been missed with a little more composure and sharpness in front of goal.
Personally, I believe we need Semedo in front of the defence for this match and should resort to Gary's 4-5-1, which with 2 speedy wingers cutting in is not particularly defensive and can quickly convert to 4-3-3.
If the defence play anything like Tuesday I can see Swindon scoring 3 or 4. As VG says I would play 5 in the middle and get Bailey bombing forward when Burton holds it up.
Hopefully the players have more confidence in the team than we do at the moment.
Agree with Oggy that we should go 433. Free up Reid, Wagstaff and Bailey a bit more and catch them on the counter. As someone else said, Sam, Shelvey and Akpo can all come on if needed, they can all add something different. I think Parky will continue with 442 though which although sounds more attacking won't necessarily mean we create or score more chances, and it's weaker defensively with the midfielders we have.
I like Solly, but i'd seriously consider bringing Basey back. A decent set piece taker could make the difference especially when we're struggling to score.
Like others I think our run without a win could continue.
Scoham, how about dropping Richardson for Solly to accomadate for Basey coming in on the left. I do agree with you, he is our best set piece taker and could prove crucial. This may sound ridiculous to some of you, but how about Llera being banged on upfront (if things arent working) not just because he scored against Swindon last time, but he is good in the air and has one hell of a strike on him! I think he could be more handy upfront than in defence!!
[cite]Posted By: cafc_se7[/cite]Scoham, how about dropping Richardson for Solly to accomadate for Basey coming in on the left. I do agree with you, he is our best set piece taker and could prove crucial.
This may sound ridiculous to some of you, but how about Llera being banged on upfront (if things arent working) not just because he scored against Swindon last time, but he is good in the air and has one hell of a strike on him! I think he could be more handy upfront than in defence!!
Perhaps but does Richardson deserve to be dropped?
There's a few posts on the OS suggesting Llera up front. Problem with that is the strikers left out wouldn't be happy and if it went wrong Parky would be heavily critisized. I can understand doing it if we're losing with 10 minutes left, but from the start with a few months of the season left?
Whats the longest stretch of games when we have started with the same pairing upfront? Seems like Swindons two have been playing together nearly all season and have an understanding. Burton has had to play either on his own, or with Pooney, McClown or Sodje.
Fair point but McLeod and Mooney were deservedly dropped. Sodje will probably get a run in the team now. Difference is we don't have natural goalscorer to give a run to.
Would play 4-5-1 with Semedo holding in place of Akpo. Swindon probably slight favourites, don't know what will happen. If we get the 1st goal we will start getting our belief that we can win a game.
Could really do with a clean sheet.
if by some herculian feat, that we manage to get another draw against yet another giant of the 3rd division,well even the doubters will have to accept once and for all,that parky really did deserve his new contract last summer.
Restless natives plus the points we've dropped plus the performance at home against Swindon adds up to us trying for the win.
Not sure 4-5-1 is the answer, our last two goals have been conceded from deep crosses from the right wing aimed at the far post. Does Reid track back enough? I was wondering if this was one of the reasons Parky dropped Basey for the speedier Solly. Prehaps Dailly needs a rest and would prefer to see Semedo rather than Llera in at CB as a replacement
Us to win to nil (4-1 with paddy power!) is my prediction
Can't say I was too impressed with Swindon at The Valley, however they gave Leeds a real beating last week and their strikers seem to be scoring every week. Hope to see Semedo back in the team as we may need him to protect the back 4. Also hope to see Racon again play as thought he did well against Walsall. 4-5-1 would be the preferred formation and with Reid now in the side, this would allow more frequent support to Burton, unlike when we played 4-5-1 at the start of the season and at times it took players ages to get forward.
Not sure about the result, we will not keep a clean sheet so need to make the most of our chances.
[cite]Posted By: cafcdan18[/cite] 4-5-1 would be the preferred formation and with Reid now in the side, this would allow more frequent support to Burton, unlike when we played 4-5-1 at the start of the season and at times it took players ages to get forward.
.
Do you mean when we unbeaten and scoring loads . What a strange comment
Comments
Swindon, with five wins and two draws in their last eight games, are a team in form, and with three games in hand over Charlton, will be confident they can narrow the current eight-point gap. Having played more games than others, defeat will really see Charlton pulled back into the play-off shake-up.
Swindon’s impressive form is largely due to the impressive front pairing of Charlie Austin and Billy Paynter, with the pair accounting for 24 of Swindon’s 40 league goals; Paynter is currently on a run of 5 goals in 4 goals.
Conceding them is sadly Charlton’s achilles heel of late, having failed to keep a clean sheet since Dec 5th at home to Southend, ten games ago.
Having rung the changes on Tuesday, it will be interesting to see what side Parky selects. Will he retain the 442 formation, or will he revert to 451 and the inclusion of Semedo.
If things are not going to plan, this fixture maybe one to resist leaving early for the exit gate – 47% of the goals Swindon have conceded have come in the last 15 minutes of the game.
What would you do ? Would you retain the same team ? Change formation ? Bring Sam, Shelvey, Llera, Basey, Semedo, Mooney back in ?
With our mixed form, and Swindon’s impressive run, this now appears a huge game that seems to have dived under the radar a little.
Can we get back to winning ways ?
The problem is that Paynter or Austin WILL score at least once against our creaky defence and we need to be able to breach their back line.
I do not have a good feeling about this game
Play a 4-5-1. Really pack the midfield and hit Swindon on the break. They will really come at us and i think we need to think about defending before we attack. Its negative but a point isnt a bad result against a team in form.
Elliot
Richardson
Dailly
Sodje
Solly
Semedo
Waggy
Bailey
Racon
Reid
Burton
An unfortunate sign of the times when a draw away at Swindon would be considered a decent result :-(
Anyways I think an away win is on the cards and the show back on the road.
2-1 to us.
2-1 to Charlton sounds about right for me too.
I dont think we look like keeping a clean sheet at the moment and Dailly and Richardson in particular are beginning to worry me.
Thought Swindon were rubbish at The Valley and we would have stuffed them with 11 men but they are scoring for fun at the moment.
Back to 4-5-1 with Semedo in the middle for me and A Sodje to make an impact from the bench.
I'd pick the same team as Gary did above and use Sam, Akpo and Shelvey as impact subs to bring pace, power and guile in the last half an hour.
Play it like a cup tie, defend, try and own the middle of the park (which realistically as combative a midfield as that should do) and counter attack down the flanks and get some balls into the box.
We'll get a 1-1 draw again, if we get a little bit extra out of the players, and it's now or never on that front, we could sneak a late winner I reckon.
2-1 defeat though.
I'd just like to see Danny Wilson looking grumpy, jumped up victim of short man syndrome who celebrated each goal like the winning World Cup penalty at Charlton
But if we were scoring like we did before Christmas, then conceding a goal a game wouldn't be the vital issue.
It's the lack of goals that's more the problem, we've been creating plenty of chances, a few which should never have been missed with a little more composure and sharpness in front of goal.
Personally, I believe we need Semedo in front of the defence for this match and should resort to Gary's 4-5-1, which with 2 speedy wingers cutting in is not particularly defensive and can quickly convert to 4-3-3.
Hopeful of a draw.
Agree with Oggy that we should go 433. Free up Reid, Wagstaff and Bailey a bit more and catch them on the counter. As someone else said, Sam, Shelvey and Akpo can all come on if needed, they can all add something different. I think Parky will continue with 442 though which although sounds more attacking won't necessarily mean we create or score more chances, and it's weaker defensively with the midfielders we have.
I like Solly, but i'd seriously consider bringing Basey back. A decent set piece taker could make the difference especially when we're struggling to score.
Like others I think our run without a win could continue.
This may sound ridiculous to some of you, but how about Llera being banged on upfront (if things arent working) not just because he scored against Swindon last time, but he is good in the air and has one hell of a strike on him! I think he could be more handy upfront than in defence!!
There's a few posts on the OS suggesting Llera up front. Problem with that is the strikers left out wouldn't be happy and if it went wrong Parky would be heavily critisized. I can understand doing it if we're losing with 10 minutes left, but from the start with a few months of the season left?
Could really do with a clean sheet.
that being said we'll still be on my accumilator as an away win, hopefully get nice long odds!!
Restless natives plus the points we've dropped plus the performance at home against Swindon adds up to us trying for the win.
Not sure 4-5-1 is the answer, our last two goals have been conceded from deep crosses from the right wing aimed at the far post. Does Reid track back enough? I was wondering if this was one of the reasons Parky dropped Basey for the speedier Solly. Prehaps Dailly needs a rest and would prefer to see Semedo rather than Llera in at CB as a replacement
Us to win to nil (4-1 with paddy power!) is my prediction
Not sure about the result, we will not keep a clean sheet so need to make the most of our chances.
Do you mean when we unbeaten and scoring loads . What a strange comment