Charlton Athletic v Rochdale
Saturday 29th September 2016 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Rob Jones (Merseyside)
IntroductionAnother match played, another lead squandered, another two points dropped… Quite simply the reading of that and recent results just isn’t good enough. Our owners may think that by having a top six budget we should romp the league that everything will be rosy and that Charlton will be playing Championship Football once more next season…
Quite simply at present that couldn’t be further from the truth, budgets and reputations mean nothing the further down the Football pyramid you go and at present our Manager needs to show the guts and determination to go out on the pitch for 90-minutes and win with confidence, not trying to win hoping that we can get a goal and so hold on to the lead. Over the last two weeks, results have proven that isn’t the case and something needs to change whether it be tactics or who starts.
This Saturday we face a side who hadn’t won all season two weeks ago yet have now won three on the bounce including impressive wins at Millwall and at Bolton… Rochdale are smelling blood and three points, what will we offer in return, a limp performance or proof we do belong in a higher division!!
The OppositionName: Rochdale |
Manager: Keith Hill
Ground: Spotland
It’s not been the start that Rochdale wanted… Coming to the end of September, Rochdale had just three points to their name having salvaged draws with Sheffield United, Wimbledon and Bristol Rovers, the Dale were bottom of the league and were visiting Fleetwood, Rochdale took the lead (something we couldn’t do) and despite Fleetwood drawing level, Rochdale would grab a later winner with five minutes remaining.
Fast forward a few days and they travelled to our local friends Millwall in what was a thrilling match, Rochdale once again took the lead yet soon after found themselves 2-1 down, the Dale didn’t give up though and once again scored a winning goal in the 93rd minute. Finally on Tuesday night they played host to Bolton, this time they scored shortly after half-time and held on for the 1-0 win yet after a disastrous start those three wins have catapulted them up to level on points with the Addicks yet on an inferior goal difference.
If one lesson is to be learnt from previous fixtures is that Rochdale do not give up, three goals have been scored by the Dale in the last five minutes of matches this season and facing a side who appear to love conceding late on… well we could well be in for another nervy finish!!
Charlton Team NewsTo be blunt, Russell Slade has been getting it completely wrong with the line-ups of late… Charlton have been set up far too defensively (even at the Valley) and have been setup almost to invite teams to attack and are being invited to break us down… Eventually we’ll be cut adrift from the Play-Off pack and like when we were relegated we’ll be left with far much to do later in the season.
Jason Pearce was once again the notable absentee against Oldham on Tuesday night as he continued to recover from concussion, should he still be unavailable then Harry Lennon will be available after returning from suspension… At still only 18-years old: Ademola Lookman was given a slight breather on Tuesday night yet must surely start this Saturday whilst Jordan Botaka must be wondering what he needs to do to get a start.
Rudd
Solly | Bauer | Pearce | Fox
Holmes | Ulvestad | Crofts | Lookman
Ajose | Magennis
Substitutes Bench: Phillips | Lennon | Konsa | Botaka | Foley | Novak | Jackson
PredictionRochdale are surely one of the form sides in the Division so will be difficult to beat this weekend, sadly though I can’t see past a draw this weekend, Rochdale are playing with confidence and come the last 10-minutes of the match, the Addicks will drop deeper and deeper whilst the subs simply sit and watch!!
Comments
"Another match played, another lead squandered, another two points dropped"
The way we played on Tuesday, it was almost a case of one point gained, as we could (and should) have lost that. In terms of the starting lineup, I'd have Botaka and Holmes on the wings, and Lookman up front instead of Magennis as that's his real position.
Given the flak Slade has been getting, especially after Tuesday's loss, it will be interesting to see if he changes tactics or just plods on with possibly the only approach he knows.
A key match. A win will buy him some breathing space and keep us within touching distance of the top six. But another loss and the slivers of goodwill he might still have will disappear and even the now morgue-like Valley might let rip. Even the club's new PR company might struggle to put a positive spin on that.
I've had a soft spot for Rochdale since reading about them back in the '80s when they were so brasic they had to play six YTS trainees in their first team. Is that perhaps where Roland got his inspiration?
Wasn't at the game on Tuesday but after everyone saying how bad the performance was, it can't be much worse. Surely?
Hopefully lots of protests on the day and that can spur the players onto victory as it has done a few times before.
Surprising 2-1 win. Ajose scoring the winner and we move up to 9th in the table, 3 points off of the play offs.
From Tuesday, Bauer has a groin/hip injury, and I would be surprised if he plays over the next couple of weeks (I hope I am wrong...). If Pearce is still sidelined (FA rules re concussion insist on at least 6 days off...) then it will be Konsa again, this time with Lennon, but I think Pearce will be OK.
This is how I'd set them up -
Rudd
Solly
Lennon
Pearce
Fox
Holmes
Ulvestad
Crofts
Lookman
Ajose
Magennis
Substitutes Bench: Phillips, Johnson, Konsa, Botaka, Foley, Novak, Jackson
I'd also be getting Charles-Cook, Aribo, and Umerah in the match day squad just to give the rest a kick up the arse if they don't perform once more!
For me Botaka has to start and we need to add pace to the central mid as well.
The match thread will start at 1.45, but, if it continues to be the same old fare dished up then it may well be the last one i'll do until something changes at the club or on the pitch. Lets hope that's a course of action I don't have to take, but there is only so much one can take listening to pathetic performances.
Solly | Bauer | Texeira | Fox
Crofts or Jackson
Holmes | | Botaka
Ulvestad
Lookman | Magennis
Try to score a ton of goals, then defend your lead. Don't be overly defensive when 1-0 up.
There is a lot of pressure on Lookman and Holmes to create the chances from wide areas because neither Fox or Solly look especially capable of crossing the halfway line with any conviction. It was sad to see Solly lolloping after a perfectly good ball from Foley on Tuesday night. He's still capable of some good defensive play as long as he hasn't got to move very far but he's looking very limited in an attacking sense. What's Motta doing these days?
Regards,
KF
Think it'll be a win....but an ugly one.
Rudd
Solly - Bauer - Pearce - Fox
Ulvestad - Crofts
Holmes - Lookman - Botaka
Magennis
If we start with a positive attitude and an attacking line up there's absolutely no reason why we shouldn't win comfortably. However as we've seen this season so far that isn't always the case.
He might be able to get the team "up for it" to get a couple of great individual performances out of them, but I can't see us putting a run of form together because lumping the ball to Mcgennis, or giving it to Holmes or Lookman and hoping they do something brilliant isn't a tactic that works over the course of a season. Especially if you're not keeping clean sheets and look creaky defensively.