The visit of league leaders Brighton on Saturday undoubtedly sees our toughest test of the season so far. Brighton beat us at home last year in a tepid, floodlit affair and surely it can’t be worse than that?
I watched Brighton get robbed by fellow high-flyers Bournemouth last Saturday and the quality - quite frankly – was dire. A Lua-Lua thunderbolt followed by a customary somersault was one of a few highlights. That being said, you don’t sit top of the tree for no reason (unless you’re Charlton of course when you’re only they because “we’ve been lucky”) and Brighton cannot be taken lightly. Under the guidance of Gus Poyet, Brighton have been trying, by all accounts, to play an attractive style of football but yet they have not hit the back of the net as many times as their close rivals (they have only scored one more goal than us and only 5 goals in total away from home).
Will Brighton’s style and approach suit us? I’d like to hope so. The respective second halfs at MK Dons and at Plymouth last week were much improved with quick passing, movement down the wings and actually taking shots on – lets hope it lasts for 90 minutes this week at The Valley.
A win against the league leaders would put us three points behind and would provide a welcome boost to the Valley faithful – if we go out and attack then I see no reason why we can’t come away with maximum points. Although Captain Dailly filled in for new dad Simon Francis down at Home Park I expect him to revert back to centre back alongside Jon Fortune with Jackson continuing at left back.
Top scorer Wagstaff limped off at half time at Plymouth with a foot injury and if he doesn’t make it we will see Lee Martin slot in on the right with Kyel Reid on the left. Even though A-Mac is back to fitness I can’t see the combination of Racon and Semedo broken up in the centre.
Paul Benson has found his scoring boots for Charlton it seems and if Pawel Abbott can turn his cup game to goal ratio to the league format then we could have a very productive partnership on our hands. Only time will tell.
Once again we are likely to have a strong bench with Anysinah back to fitness and one of Wagstaff or Martin to accompany him and McCormack.
I’ve got a funny feeling we may be surprised this week Lifers, 3-1 to Charlton.
Welcome back Rado.
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Comments
WSS: good preview as always, not sure about the bold text though
using some tired clichés from last season - every side will have a wobble,hopefully we'll have turned the corner,all that matters is where we are now,lots of their fans live in london,get behind parky.
i would have taken a draw in this game at the start of the season and only that we have dropped so many cheap points already well i'd be pleased with another 2-2 draw this week.
0-1 to brighton.
good to see proper away support at the valley
one day we'll bring huge numbers to a not so new ground
Sounds like Wagsstaff will be fit so I'd guess he's certain to start on the right. Whether there is a place for Martin behind the striker, I don't know. I'd rather go for Abbott and Benson up front and keep Martin in reserve in case Waggy flags after not training all week.
Given our difficulty in scoring at the Valley (I think only four sides have fewer home goals than us), it is unlikely to be a goal feast. But Charlton to win by a single goal (either 1-0 or 2-1) and Waggy to find the net again.
I'm in agreement, Saturday will be a rare good news day at The Valley and all next week will be filled with promotion talk.
Funny old game
late winner for brighton.
anything more than a draw would be a great result, can see us sneaking a victory - oh the optimism
Poyet believes passionately in pass & move football rather than hoofball and I fear we will be exposed for what we really are this season. Poor and predictable.
Either way, it will be the first useful measurement of our promotion aspirations. A real drubbing will put pressure on the Chairman to get rid of Mr V Neck and a lucky win will mean we are sudddenly invincible.
0-3 and Parky goes..
Big crowd, packed Jimmy Seed, plenty of noise from the Covered End and the team respond with their best performance of the season and 2-1 win!
Understandable. They have been scraping around the arse end of the league for the last couple of decades
Time for a statement of intent from the Addicks
Also, an extremely dubious/bizarre reffing decision will occur, and maybe even favour us.
However I am rather confident that we may be beginning to see this team gel, we have a resilience in the squad as well as a touch of flair, its a nice mix.
Seen the Albion twice this season and whilst Poyet has made a real positive impact on the side I think we will win.
2-0 Charlton........