The IntroductionAah, Rotherham v Charlton, what memories this fixture conjures up.
No, me neither. The two sides haven't faced each other since 1982/3 and the only game of that period that comes to mind was a 5 - 1 thrashing at the Valley when Steve White was sent off. Ken Craggs was sacked two days later and some bloke called Lawrence got the managers job.
Since then the two clubs have taken different forks in the road but recent investment, not least in a new ground after losing their traditional home Milmoor and having to use the Don Valley Athletics stadium, has seen them gain back to back promotions.
The OppositionThere are some people it is easy to take a dislike to and Steve Evans is one of them. The Glasgow born Rotherham boss has a catalogue of crimes and misdemeanors to his name from tax dodging, ""contract irregularities" and verbally abusing female stewards but annoyingly he is also a very effective manager. Give him the resources and he will build a hard to beat, hard working side.
The current Millers team is no different. Their top scorer has only two league goals and the whole side only five in the league but they have conceded just eight goals, one less than the Addicks.
Summer recruits such as Paul Green (the Leeds player not the News Shopper Journo), Matt Derbyshire, and Anthony Wordsworth have yet to justify their fees/wages but beware, this is a side with experience. Our own Richard Wood has as yet only made one appearance
The opposition player to watch is Luciano Becchio. A regular goal scorer for Leeds Utd, a move to Premiership Norwich flopped and the Argentine is now back in Yorkshire and the Championship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h52HS35P2jAOur Line UpTinkerman is not a nickname likely to be applied to Bobby Peeters any time soon. Why change a winning team and when you have such a small first team squad how many options do you have?
Saturday kid Chris Solly will slot back in at right back but otherwise the back five will remain as per Wolves despite some CL misgivings about Rhoys Wiggins.
In midfield the brief and inconclusive cameo by Freddy Bulot gives Bob another option. If Johan B. Gud is still not recovered from his hamstring injury then expect to see the versatile Belgian/Gabonese play on the right with Buyens, Jackson and Cousins completing the midfield.
Up top Igor will be fit despite the painful cut and trapped nerve suffered at the end of the midweek draw v WWFC.
There have been calls for his strike partner to be changed. Other than a very impressive half v Derby, Țucudean has yet to settle into his role. Some, having seen glimpses of talent and buckets of effort, are willing to give him more time. Others may feel that George is too similar to another striker who came from Standard Liege, Reza. The Iranian too scored one wonderful goal but did little else and never looked cut out for the Championship.
That the alternatives are Moussa, Church or Harriot, none of whom are in the same mould as the Romanian suggests that George will continue to start unless a loan deal is done between now and kick off.
The PredictionTwo hard working teams cancel each other out
0 - 0
Highest and Lowest The highest league position Charlton can reach at the end of the game is 2nd
The lowest league position Charlton can sink to at the end of the game is 13th
Comments
In front of 750 new ground day trippers and 400 hardcore regulars
Subs: Pope, Fox, Morrison, Bulot, Moussa, Church, Karlan Grant
Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins, JBG, Buyens, Cousins, Moussa, Tucudean, Vetokele.
SUBS: Pope, Morrison, Fox, Wilson, Bulot, Jacko, Church
It's going to be a difficult game, but if Igor and JBG are fit I can see us sneaking a result.
Can't keep using the 'tough side' excuses. These are probabaly one of the worst teams in the league and we're better all over the pitch. If we can beat Derby, Wigan and Watford then we should beat these, regardless that it's away.
Frecklington
Vetokele
Tucudean
Have to win games like this if we have any serious claims to be in the promotion hunt & get the additional transfer funds for Bob to spend in January.
Jacko isn't and shouldn't be undroppable.
a) a 3-0 win, taking the opportunity to turn on the style against weaker opposition after resolute, determined performances against more illustrious opposition in the past few matches. We're going up.
or
b) a 1 - 0 defeat. A turgid performance after our luck runs out having blagged it in the first few games. Mid-table mediocrity here we come.
Thing is that when Powell picked him it was because he was a "favourite".
But then Riga kept playing him.
And now Peeters keeps playing him too.
Maybe, just maybe, he has something to offer and that's why four different managers have consistently picked him to play for Charlton.