Due to the fog that seems to be hanging around Preview Towers it has been decided to clear the air with a northern view of the clash between two southern clubs at either end of the Championship.
The Opposition
Will arrive in SE London lying in 4th place in the Championship having won their last 5 games and in the previous two games having completed 1237 passes at 87.5% accuracy with 36 shots yielding 7 goals. Their fans think they play better than Barcelona, sorry wasn't that Barnsley, and that they will walk the Championship being top by Christmas with only the Addicks and Donny to beat - simple.
Having said that red cards do seem to help them as Blackpool had 2 reds and in the previous game Middlesborough had one red card, so it might be a novelty playing against a team of eleven. Their top scorer with 13 goals is Chris Martin and we might get to see Michael Keane, a central defender, who they recently signed on loan from Man Utd and has also played for England under 21s, he came on as a substitute in their last game. Their manager should be easy to spot by his choice of rain protection and his Dutch accent.
The Referee
I am reliably informed that it will be Andy Davis who has only reefed one Championship game this season although he does have experience of the Valley as he officiated at our Capital One Cup win over Oxford United. He averages 4 yellow cards a game and tends to give out a red card every 5th game, and yes you've guessed it, this is the 5th game.
The Mighty Charlton
Backs to Wall, Game of Attrition, Park the Bus, Must Win Game - are all phrases that come to mind to describe our current predicament.
The team returned from a day out down west with a feeling of injustice and now is the time to put that wrong right, at least they have learnt how to score goals, even Morrison except he did it at the wrong end. So who will CP choose for us to do a Leicester on them, well Hamer isn't fit nor is Cort, Solly had a game mid week with the under 21s but how is young Cousins after limping off at Yeovil. From this lofty northern perch I can predict a team of:
Alnwick
Solly, Morrison, Wood, Wiggins
Stephens, Cousins, Jackson, Stewart (edit: Jackson suspended so instead Pritchard,Cousins,Stephens, Stewart)
Church, Sordell
subs: Pope, Wilson,Devite, Gower, Pritchard, Harriott, Kermorgant
The Result
Charlton 2 Derby 1 with the opposition down to 10 men after 65 minutes.
1
Comments
Alnwick
Solly
Morrison
Wood
Wiggins
Wilson
Cousins
Stephens
Stewart
Kermorgant
Sordell
Alnwick
Solly
Morrison
Wood
Wiggins
Green
Stephens
Cousins
Stewart
Church
Kermorgant
They are a good strong team all round, except for a possible weakness in goal. My Burnley contacts did a sigh of relief when Grant was sold on.
This has home win written all over it .. BUT .. so did the Watford & Blackburn games. We play much better away and have yet to get a thrashing, although to my mind, we would have got more points had we attacked more. Still, what's happened has happened.
I can see us getting a point here (my specs are permanently rose tinted) with this starting team, sans the suspended Jackson.
Alnwick .. Solly Morrison Wood Wiggins ... Wilson Cousins Stephens Stewart .... Kermorgant Church
Derby County 1 v CAFC 1
I just love the "two up front" brigade. We lose every time and our strikers never score.
5-5-0 and hope for a miracle.
More chance of an own goal than Kerms, Church of Wales or Marvin Gaye scoring.
CAFC 2 v Derby County 0
We play well against the better teams but this is a very good derby and expect it to be the best team we've come up against this season.
A bad defeat 0-4 and slipping into the bottom 3.
I hope I'm so very wrong.
In SCP we trust
Unfortunately we won't get one
Charlton 1 Derby 4 and the ball bursts
tj and ms had earmarked this game to impress the new owners by giving lapsed s/t holders a free ticket. The gate will be announced as 17000, where in reality there will be 17000 empty seats.
Even the derby fans with their extra digits won't be able to fathom it.
Passed my practice exam today and on hols from Uni starting tomorrow so will be able to get to Saturday's game for the first time in a while!
1-1 draw.
Another 90 minutes of 100% effort on Saturday, I fear an undeserved 1-0 defeat, I dream of one of those days when our shots bounce down off the crossbar and over the line and theirs bounce off the crossbar into Alnwick's arms.
4-1 to us after going 1 down early on, spirit of Cardiff November 2011.
DANNY GREEN --> http://plentyofshots.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/danny-green-goal-vs-derby-county/
DANNY HAYNES --> http://plentyofshots.wordpress.com/2013/04/12/danny-haynes-goal-vs-derby-county/
Here's PAUL WILLIAMS finishing off a lovely one touch move against the Rams from many years ago --> http://plentyofshots.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/paul-williams-goal-vs-derby-county/
Desperate for a win this Saturday, but I don't think we'll get it.
Derbydave69 Member
5:44PM
Every other club keeps mentioning our player will Hughes as our danger man he is an excellent prospect with great vision but the player you need to watch in our midfield is Craig Bryson he really is our star midfielder 9 goals already this season the way we play we like to attack down your wings with both full backs pushing on that's where we get most of our goals from we are averaging over 2 goals a game!! Another player whose on fire at the min is Simon Dawkins a very skillfull quick winger who also scores a few I can honestly say derby are the best I've seen them since the likes of wanchope and stimac played for us but as I've mentioned before on here we do have a weakness it's from set pieces if you can get a good ball into our box I think you will always have a chance. Our goalkeeper grant is an excellent shot stopper but not the most commanding in the box so I would defo say that's our weakness don't be too upset if you lose on Saturday you have got a great manager and I think defo good enough to stay up..
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I'll think I'll just slit my wrists now........................................