One of the benefits of leaving league 1 was the more glamorous ties we would face in the Championship. Few will be as exciting or as exotic as the visit of the second oldest club in Italy, albeit their reserve side. The Little Zebras, as they're known, have joined the English league after a partnership deal with the club formally known as Watford FC.
This will be Charlton's 9th game of the league campaign. Derek Ufton has long been of the view that where you are after 10 games is a pretty good indicator of roughly where you will finish after 46. It is a truism, of course, but it seems the momentum from last season's success that many hoped would carry the club forward into at least the top half of the table has been slowed by combination of injuries, lack of funds for player investment and the other sides being a bit good. This game gives us a chance to take a big stride up the table before that 10 game mark arrives.
The Opposition
Udinese sit 1 point above Charlton having won 2 and lost 2 of their four away trips, conceding 11 goals in the process. Their 2 - 3 victory at Huddersfield was their first away win since the opening day when they won by the same score at Crystal Palace. Imagine the shell shock for the Italian team. The San Siro one season, Selhurst Park the next!
The Italian club's players are not all new to this league or country as they have added a few British players to their squad as a sop to fans of the old Watford Town side. Watch out for the super sub and former Addick Chris Iwelumo as well as the Striker Troy Deeney. The latter has recently returned to the side after serving 3 months of a 10 month jail sentence. Thankfully we at Charlton would never have such issues with any of our strikers misbehaving in any way.
Of the home grown players watch out for Forestieri, who if Huddersfield fans are to be believed is prone to the occasional case of simulation, as well as top scorer Vydra from the Czech republic, which we understand is a faraway country with people of whom we know nothing.
The Charlton line up.
With yet another injury, this time to Johnnie Jackson, the Charlton line up is set to change again. Abdul Razak, a holding, box to box midfielder likened by a few to Alex Song, was already set to join before the Skipper was injured. The absence of JJ leaves the door open for the young Ivorian to start. Powell may choose to play the veteran Rob Hulse, signed as we typed this preview, alongside BWP but much will depend on how serious Ricardo Fuller's virus turns out to be. Such illnesses can be very frustrating and drive the strongest of us to drink. Expect to see Hulse on the bench as he will be rusty after so long away from the QPR first team.
Chrissy may also opt to stick with the 4 -5-1 formation that worked well enough in the second half v Blackburn even if the hard working Wright-Phillips often lacked support. The back four and keeper look set to remain the same.
The Prediction
Udinese can score but they also ship goals in a most un-Italian way. With Ruzak and Fuller in the side we will win this one 3 - 1
0
Comments
Saturday we showed signs we might be getting used to this level just hope Fuller is fit/sober enough to start and Razak can create a few chances.
A must win home game, 2-0 to the Haddocks please.
2-1 to us.
Quietly optimistic over the new signings and we always have a better atmosphere under the lights so fancy a similar night to the Leicester game.
Definitely a game we should be winning.
The Reds of Charlton Athletic pick up 3 points ...
Anyway, I'd be happy to see us line up 4-5-1 again with minimal changes (subject to injuries), as we looked better for it on Saturday.
2-0 to Charlton. Green to get both.
Just shows the quality of the league. If we draw tomorrow, that would be 9 games in and only 3 defeats. And we could find ourselves in the bottom 3.
Hamer
Wilson
Solly
Morro
Cort
Green
Razak
Stephens
Hollands
Kerkar
Fuller (bit more suited to the 1 up front).
Could drop Hollands and put BWP in for 442 but think we would be light in experience in the middle of the park. Maybe use BWP as an impact sub for a bit.
Hamer
Solly,Cort, Morro, Wiggins
Razak
Green Stevens Kerkar
Yann Hulse
sub : Pritchard, BWP, Jacko, Devite, Wagstaff, Button and Holland
We could shoot up the league with this outfit. Well done Chris powell and the mysterions.
RoFL
2-0 to the lads, a double for Fuller....................sorry from Fuller
coffeeantibioticsSaturday's results shattered any illusion that you could pencil in the good teams and bad teams in this league, you get a decent point against a 'good team' and find that many of the 'bad teams' below you won (Posh, Brum, Watford), so I've no idea how tomorrow's game will go.
Soppy Pardew sold him for no real reason.
3-0 Charlton