Fulham v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 20 February 2016 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Headlines Just the one headline this week folks but it’s a big one, it’s finally here, the day we’ve all be waiting for… If Charlton avoid defeat this week they will finally return to the Premier League (that’s of course if you add up all the points from my Predictions over the season…)
IntroductionJokes aside, it’s pretty bleak at the Valley at the moment… Despite Jose Riga being appointed as Manager back in January, the Addicks have only tasted defeat on one occasion (losing 1-0 to Bristol City), we’ve only conceded three goals, whilst we’ve found the net five times… It is impressive when you look at it like that, and it does show light at the end of the tunnel, unfortunately though, all those goals have been scored in only two matches…
As mentioned, it appears as though we’ve stopped leaking goals at the back (Although we were let off against Cardiff who hit the woodwork twice) yet we’re now six points adrift from safety, that’s two wins… Simon Makienok appears to be finally hitting his stride whilst forming a good partnership with Igor Vetokele, yet injury to the latter has meant we’ve been toothless in attack for the last two matches and goals are needed and fast.
This Saturday we head across West London to
Fulham, defeat and you can start hoping that Carlisle United will win promotion from League Two, win and the fight for relegation will be thrown open once more as our opponents this Saturday will have been dragged right into the mix… Come on you reds!!!
The OppositionName: Fulham |
Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic
Ground: Craven Cottage |
Nickname: The Cottagers
When preparing for this week’s preview, I decided I wanted to try and boost the hopes of all Charlton fans, to show that we shouldn’t despair yet and that we can still be playing Championship Football next season, you all know that I like stats so here’s a big one of you: Our last win against Fulham was in
2004 (this’ll have been our tenth encounter since that day) whilst you have to go back to 1986 when we last won at Craven Cottage.
For the last two seasons, Charlton v Fulham has been picked by Sky for television coverage, last season at Craven Cottage which saw the Addicks lose 3-0 and then this season at the Valley… Prior to last month, our record against Rotherham United was just as bad yet we’ve always looked like beating them…
Against Fulham in October we never looked like beating them…
Conor McAleny on loan from Everton wasted a huge chance right at the beginning of the match yet errors from Nick Pope would see Fulham take a 2-0 lead… Embarrassingly they (and Charlton) took their foot off the gas with an hour played as it was so comfortable, yet enter the fray, one Johnnie Jackson… Returning from injury he would make an instant impact before Jordan Cousins equalised at the death.
Records are meant to be broken; they
must be broken this Saturday
Charlton Team NewsOur heavy defeats against Huddersfield and Hull must really have impacted our owner… Since the Cardiff game two more Defenders have joined on loan (Marco Motta from Juventus and
Yun-Suk Young from Queens Park Rangers)… The latter is described as an attacking Left-Back and is someone who likes to get forward… So to start of rumours of team selection, could we see our first South Korean play in front of Morgan Fox which will result in Zacharya Bergdich being dropped to the bench?
Igor Vetokele was regarded as 50/50 ahead of the Cardiff game last week so am sure that many Charlton fans are on their knees praying that he returns to the line-up, both Jordan Cousins and Johnnie Jackson were forced off last week due to injury so there will be question marks over their involvement
Should they both be fit, they’ll no doubt start yet the line-up below is my prediction if they are out of action.
Henderson
Solly … Teixeira … Lennon … Fox
Gudmundsson … Poyet … Ba … Suk-Young
Vetokele … Makienok
Substitutes Bench: Pope … Johnson … Motta … Lookman … Sanogo … Bergdich … Ghoochanniejad
Prediction
Fulham 0-1 Charlton AthleticEnjoy the Promotion Party… Days like this don’t come along often!! 
Comments
Jacko in a 2 man midfield is not going to offer either of the above as he is often caught out by the pace of the game in this league.
And that's not easy to admit as he is a Charlton hero in my eyes but we are in the middle of a dogfight, it's important that we are not carrying anyone here be it the skipper or anyone else.
I'd like to see him come on from the bench or at least have Cousins and Poyet alongside him.
I haven't even touched on the threat of McCormack.
Prediction is a home win.
The fight back begins this weekend.
Mark my words, we will be out of this relegation fight by Easter and will be pushing mid table.
I think the reason that bloody come in number 4 thread doesn't reappear is that it isn't really even up for debate any more.
Would play Cousins and Ba. Or stick Cousins on the left where he has done ok before, and have Poyet in the middle.
As for Young or Bergdich or Fox, the welshman has to be dropped otherwise what is the point of signing the Korean?
My team forecast is -
Henderson
Solly
Teixeira
Lennon
Young
Gudmundsson
Poyet
Ba
Bergdich
Makienok
Vetokele
Subs: Pope, Fanni, Johnson, Diarra, Reza, Sanogo, Lookman.
If Igor is not fit - then play Looky.
I would rest Cousins or Jacko and play Poyet.
I would send Reza shopping in Knightbridge for the day to see if he can buy some ability.
Do we know if our new saviour's surname is Yun or Suk-Young? Korean names have the surname first, like the Chinese, so if he's Yun Suk-Young in Korean his surname is Yun, but if our media have Anglicised his name, then it's Suk-Young. Regardless, I'd have him at left back and Bergdich in front of him.
If Igor's still being put back together by the Dr Frankensteins in our medical department, we'll struggle to get a point. If he starts and lasts the course, we've got a fighting chance.
Henderson
Solly
Motta
Teixeira
Young
JBG
Poyet
Cousins (if fit)
Bergdich
Igor/Sanogo
Makienok
Subs: Pope, Fox, Lennon, Igor/Sanogo, Lookman, Reza, Ba
Please rest Jackson. I love the guy, but he was absolutely awful last week. He's clearly knackered. Him and Cousins in the centre of midfield has been a nightmare more often than not, and as mentioned before with the quality in Fulham's midfield (Scott who?) you can easily imagine them dominating.
Hope Vetokele's back, but only if he's actually fit. If not, feel like Sanogo did a lot to earn a start when he came on against Cardiff...
Prediction: passing out in a gutter in Putney
So that means both Sanogo and Makienok will score hat-tricks.
Won't make it to the game after the boat trip.
EDIT {Charlton that is... unfortunately!}
McCormack is guaranteed to score probably Parker too.
4-0
I suspect that at home they'll be nervous, and the crowd edgy, especially with Bristol and MKD improving. If we can take the lead, the tension may get to the Fulham players
Narrow defeat.