Chris Powell takes charge of his first away game on Saturday against Rochdale with the added attacking option of the League One top marksmen added to the ranks in the shape of Bradley Wright-Phillips.
The signing of BWP is a signal of intent from the new manager and indeed the board and time will only tell whether it proves a shrewd signing. Many fans will say a pacy centre back and creative midfielder are still needed to maintain a realistic automatic promotion push although with games in hand and fixtures to come against Southampton there is no reason we cannot aim to be in the top 2 once all of the games have panned out with the current squad.
If we are to do that we need to maintain our decent away form (4th best in the league scoring on average 2.16 goals per game) while improving our home form. Saturday is definitely a game we should be looking to win with Rochdale having a home record which is the 8th worst in the division.
Once again, I can see few changes by Chris Powell in terms of team selection although a number of players are back in contention. Obviously new signing Bradley Wright Phillips will be in the squad, Paul Benson returns from his three match ban and Nathan Eccleston will be hoping for a start after an accomplished substitute appearance including a superb goal against Plymouth last time out.
It’s a nice thing to write a preview where predicting a team is based on perceived qualities of players rather than a lack of form and ability, and all three players above add something different to our play. Joe and Benno have worked well as a partnership, Nathan has pace that frightens defenders, BWP has scored goals all season, McOxo seems to have found some form on the right, Wagstaff has blossomed hanging out the back of the lone striker and Kyel Reid can’t even get a look in!
I see the same team as Plymouth but with a very very strong bench indeed which will in turn result in a convincing 3-1 away win.
Come on you reds.
0
Comments
I'm sensing a win too. I think there is a buzz in and around Charlton again and the new signing will add to that. With a home game coming on Tuesday, a win on Saturday could put us right back in it, I'm sure CP will have them all well and truly fired up for this game. The many attacking options on the bench will be the clincher for us to nick this game. I think the defence will be less of a problem in the coming weeks with CP working on that!
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-one/2010-2011/form-table/away
Hard game for us and a win would be a great result. Ooh Aah will dismiss them as a pub side as he always does but they are only two points behind us, are well organised and in Gary Jones have a midfield general who scores.
I think our pace upfront and our bench will be enough to shade a 1 - 2 away win but it will be tight.
I hope I'm wrong though!
I don't know how the match will pan out (as said above, Rochdale are no mugs, especially at home), but I am more optimistic about our chances than I have been for a while!
Sir Chris will know!
with all those options available to SCP any sort of 11 should win with ease i see it as 2-4 to the addicks and a good reward for the travelling few
Add, hopefully, BWP starting his first game and perhaps Benno starting and wanting to show SCP what he can do, then it has to be 2-1 to us.
BWP has already scored at Rochdale earlier this season (17 mins) in their 1-1 draw and from the match report it read as though he could have had more as well, lets hope he can replicate that and get his first (and second) for us tomorrow!!!
scp has brought a new style of football to charlton where the players keep the ball on the ground, rochdale may not be expecting this and think that we still favour nice guy parky's hoofball, this should play into our hands.
our players all seem a lot happier too and as others have said,this feel good factor should let them continue wanting to play well again as a team. our new signings will add a bit of class to the side and realistically this is a game we ought to be winning comfortably. the fact that rochdale are only a couple of points from us is part of the reason that mr nice guy is not manager any more.
0-2 charlton.
I agree with the gist of the post, but I can't see us starting with one recognised striker in Anyinsah, depending on whether he's fit I'd start with BWP and if not Eccleston.
Elsewhere, I'd move Waggy back to the right and consider which of Racon or McOxo gets to play in the centre with Semedo.
Team 1:
[align=center]Elliott
Francis Dailly Doherty Fry
McCormack Racon Semedo Jackson
Wagstaff
Anyinsah
Subs: Worner, Jenkinson, Fortune, Reid, Wright-Phillips, Eccleston, Benson[/align]
Team 2:
[align=center]Elliott
Francis Dailly Doherty Fry
Wagstaff Racon Semedo Jackson
Anyinsah Eccleston
Subs: Worner, Jenkinson, Fortune, McCormack, Reid, Wright-Phillips, Benson[/align]
Second that.