Charlton Athletic v Norwich City
7:45pm Kick-Off
Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire)
IntroductionEach season it is always impressive if you can do the double over the opposition and hold bragging rights both home and away, the Addicks in winning six matches this season have lost one opportunity at doing the double over a side, that side being Watford, which saw Charlton steal a 1-0 win at the Valley before being demolished 5-0 in the return fixture just a few weeks ago… And so after being on the road last Saturday, the Addicks return to familiar surroundings where they play host to our latest opposition: Norwich City.
The OppositionAs we go back through time we find ourselves on another Tuesday night, this time in September, this time in Norwich… the date is 30 September 2014, with the clock approaching 10pm, the Addicks had just recorded their first away victory of the season, three times previously they’d taken the lead in away fixtures this season only to be pegged back but not this time… With the Charlton defence having to endure an Alamo type siege, a tiring midfielder whose legs had apparently gone stepped up and secured a 1-0 victory for the South Londoners…. That victory would see the Addicks climb back up a place to seventh whilst Norwich at the time were league leaders…
I’m sorry to say fellow Charlton readers that we must no longer remain in the past, the space / time continuum could be damaged beyond repair and so we must return to the present and 09 February 2015… Both sides have slipped since that fixture and whilst Charlton have (almost predictably) slipped towards a relegation fight it is Norwich who have also struggled, their defeat at the hands of Charlton would see them win just the one match in 10 fixtures with new manager: Neil Adams facing the sack…
Into the breach would come a new unknown Manager, a young foreign man from Scotland and Hamilton Academicals, fresh to the Championship would be Alex Neil, joining at the start of January, Norwich have now only lost the one match in five (a home defeat against Play-Off rivals: Brentford) and are now back in the fight for an instant return to the Premier League.
One to Watch – Tony AndreuAs per past match previews I always try to begin this section by looking at past links between us and our latest opposition, the notable names that jump out this weekend are Defenders: Michael Turner and Rhoys Wiggins who could come up against old friends whilst past links include the likes of Scott Parker (who left the Valley on loan a boy yet came back a man), Mattias Svensson and Kevin Lisbie.
My Player to watch this week is a strange one though with new Norwich signing: Tony Andreu possibly making his second appearance for the Canaries since joining in the January Transfer Window… As a French Midfielder by trade, Andreu has been compared to Cesc Fabregas… Beginning his career with Stade Nyonnais in the Swiss Third Tier before making a switch to Scotland and Livingston in 2012…
Andreu would only spend the single season at Livingston before making the move to Hamilton where he would make just under 60-appearances in a two year spell, highly rated by Alex Neil, it would be inevitable for the Frenchman to move south of the border when Norwich came sniffing for his Manager.
Line-UpWith Mark Dmitrovic surprising many since coming into the side, it should be no surprise to see him starting once more this Tuesday night (unless we finally see a fit again Stephen Henderson)… Chris Solly never appeared when the fixtures threw up two matches in quick succession in 2014 so it remains to be seen if the vice-Captain makes an appearance or whether youngster: Joe Gomez fills in once more.
Dmitrovic
Solly – Ben-Haim – Bikey – Fox
Gudmundsson – Buyens – Jackson – Cousins
Church – Watt
PredictionNorwich have only once in the last six meetings between these two sides (coming in 2010 in League One)… Of course these runs don’t last forever but nor do poor runs which have seen the Addicks fail to win in the last fourteen matches.
Charlton Athletic 1-0 Norwich City
Comments
The Norwich team is nowhere near as tough, skilful or ruthless as 'Boro or indeed as Derby, Brentford or Bournemouth.
Not too many changes please M Luzon
CAFC 2 v Norwich City 0
Unless we try something a bit different and it somehow comes off of course.
COYA!
Solly Gomez Ben Haim wiggins
...........cousins Jackson
Gudmundsson ................Harriott
....................Watt Igor
Solid defensive base plenty of pace going forward to hit on the break! The wingers cutting inside to join the forwards. The fullbacks on the overlap with cousins and JJ dropping in to cover.. would prefer the spurs lad milos in that role but he will be out and I think JJ's leadership will be useful!
I fear a 3-0 defeat tomorrow, 2 goals in the first half and another one after 60 minutes, the third goal prompting Guy to crouch even lower than usual to avoid being hit by the first discarded season ticket of the year, a half eaten East Street Burger and an angrily hurled American Express card (they're too posh in the West Stand to carry coins around).
If that is the case, RR, and if it's true that games are streamed back to Duchatelet Towers, the final whistle on Saturday should herald some very loud chants from all home areas to make it clear, in no uncertain terms, what our feelings are.....
Problem will be, how many Addicks will still be in their seats ?
I have absolutely no justification for my optimism though !
6-0 Charlton
2-0
tomorrow nights talk will be "Don't know what the relegation panic was all over. How far are we from the play-offs"
#latesurge