Charlton Athletic vs Cardiff City
1pm Kick-Off
Referee –
MICK RUSSELLINTRODUCTIONFirstly, I would like to wish a very Merry Christmas to all Lifers ahead of the Boxing Day clash between Charlton and Cardiff.
It may be the festive period, but Bob Peeters and Addicks fans have had little to cheer about in recent weeks as Charlton have yet to win in December, but with any luck, hopefully three points will be in the red Christmas stockings on Friday.
Cardiff on the other hand, are progressing smoothly under Russell Slade, who was appointed in October, and will be looking to the future now, as he has only just begun.
THE OPPOSITIONLike Charlton, Cardiff have found December difficult and have not won in any of the three games in the month.
However, two of those games, were defeats against high-flying Brentford and Bournemouth, so The Bluebirds will be hoping to bounce back against an out-of-form Charlton side.
Slade’s men sit in 11th place, with exactly the same goal difference and points tally as the hosts, so Yule not be surprised to see this one end up a draw.
As they were only relegated from the Premier League last season, Cardiff have a number of talented players within their disposal.
The likes of Adam Le Fondre, Craig Noone and Aron Gunnarsson are brilliant Championship players and on their day, can cause any team a number of problems.
ONE TO WATCH – PETER WHITTINGHAMMy player to watch this week is:
Peter Whittingham.
The midfielder has been a regular in a Cardiff shirt since 2007 and he has made over 300 appearances for the Welsh club.
In those 300+ games, he has managed to score over 70 goals, an impressive tally for a midfielder.
The former Aston Villa player has a fantastic left-foot and as his scoring record tells you, he certainly can pop up with a few goals.
The 30-year-old will be hoping to add to this season’s tally of five, at The Valley on Boxing Day.
LINE-UPPeeters’ experiment of having Chris Solly in midfield has not really worked, so Noël doubt, there should be some changes this week.
Despite a difficult couple of games, Nick Pope may be kept in goal as Stephen Henderson is still injured and Neil Etheridge, is perhaps, not the most suitable of replacements.
Solly could return to right-back, while Tal Ben Haim and Andre Bikey should keep their spots despite some slack defending in recent weeks.
At left-back, Morgan Fox may be given another chance to show what he can do following a tough time of late. If not, Solly might move to left-back, with Joe Gomez on the right side of defence.
In midfield, Johnnie Jackson is still a doubt, so Jordan Cousins may fill his spot in centre midfield with Yoni Buyens. Johann B Gudmundsson should occupy one of the wing-spots and Callum Harriott may be selected on the left to allow two strikers upfront.
Igor Vetokele appears to prefer having a striker partner to play with, so I can see either George Tucudean or Simon Church getting the nod to start alongside the Angola international.
PREDICTIONWill Santa bring us joy or despair?
Well you may think I’m crackers, but, I’m going for a surprising 2-1 Charlton win.
Comments
If it's that poxy diamond with Solly in Midfield then I can't see us getting anything. If it's a more traditional formation with Igor and George up front in fancy our chances but what I do know is, that a defeat will put is in a bad place and the kindness to BP that he has had up to now from most fans will quickly disapear.
---------Vetokele
---Bulot-Harriott-Johann
-----Cousins-Buyens
Fox-Ben Haim-Bikey-Gomez
----------Pope
Not going to predict a result but it'll be just like Charlton to go three or four wins in a row to get everyone believing again (before Tony Watt joins and causes a dressing room bust up from which point our season implodes).
3-1 Cardiff.
Our punters will either leave The Valley saying "That's what I love about Charlton".......or
"I don't know why I bother"
Bah humbug!
Wilson and Tucudean start - 2-1 Addicks victory.
Bob keeps same personnel and formation - slump continues with a 2-1 defeat.
Pope
Gomez - Ben-Haim - Bikey - Fox
Wilson - Gudmundsson - Buyens - Cousins
Vetokele - Harriott
Right now I have come down from the moral high ground, I don't hold out for much better that yet another draw, 1-1, but if you want a straw to clutch, this is only my second absence of the season, the first? Wigan. Here's to a repeat of that afternoon.
Happy Christmas to one and all.
Fox should not be in the team, Solly at emergency left back with Wilson on the right, though Gomez will probably get the nod, Harriott 'rested' with Ahearne-Grant given a start up front and Bulot in midfield.
The squad will need very careful handling and selection will be vital during this busy period.
We can't get Jackson and Henderson back quickly enough, we are struggling through a lack of quality and experience.
But we are due a win and Cardiff are in almost as bad form as we are.
CAFC 2 v Cardiff City 1
Bob - it's gone from boring to just plain poor the last couple of weeks. Not your fault that our squad is paper thin, but you're not helping matters by playing Solly in central midfield. Give Wilson a start as well, ideally playing in front of Solly - he scored twice on Boxing Day last year from this position.
Also, I think at least one of Bikey and Ben Haim needs a rest/kick up the jacksy - I would suggest that you bring Michael Morrison in to the side, but unfortunately we've given him away for nothing just as he is entering his peak years.
Cardiff have let in 8 goals in their last 2 games, let's try and capitalise on their fragile defence, perhaps we could attempt to score more than once for a change.
Cardiff seem to have a habit of drawing two... winning two... have lost the last one... Lets keep both patterns going