Sheffield United v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 18th March 2017 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Scott Duncan (Northumberland)
IntroductionFinally the mammoth end to the manic last two months of Football is here… on Tuesday night the Addicks played host to Play-Off hopers: Bradford City and for long periods the fans were left wondering about what could have been had Charlton mounted a serious promotion challenge. Despite being held to a 1-1 draw (not surprising for the two draw specialists in the Division), Charlton always looked like the side that would take three points yet so often has been the case this season, our players just couldn’t get the ball into the net.
This Saturday sees Charlton visiting the League leaders: Sheffield United in what is now the last game in March; soon we’ll be entering April and the final month of the season… We’re pretty much playing for pride now, let’s see the whole squad showing some rather than dreaming of their summer holidays.
The OppositionName: Sheffield United |
Manager: Chris Wilder
Ground: Bramall Lane
When Chris Wilder spurned Charlton by taking over at boyhood club: Sheffield United, many Addicks felt relieved at first with the Blades having a shocking start to the season which saw them in the relegation zone for much of August yet then it all clicked and since then, the Blades have only lost twice in the league with just two defeats at home all season… It seems the Blades have finally come good.
The Manager: As already mentioned Chris Wilder turned down Charlton in the summer and after guiding Northampton back into League Two; promptly moved North to Sheffield United… From his interviews he’s a man that doesn’t hold back so would surely have been sacked as Charlton boss within days of taking over, his scathing assessment of his Blades team when they threw away a win at the Valley earlier in the season is a sigh he doesn’t mess around, nor gloss over performances and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares in the Championship next term.
The Player: For the last few games I’ve concentrated on Strikers yet the man to watch out for is the player who has most impressed me at the Valley this term with that being: Mark Duffy… Dominating play, the Addicks only truly got back into the match when he went off injured yet the 31-year old (shocked at his age) who has been around the leagues for a while now will surely prove to be key to either team picking up a result this Saturday.
Charlton Team NewsYesterday saw Ezri Konsa being deservedly named in the England U20 squad for their upcoming fixtures and so joins a long list of fellow Addicks who have played for various International age groups over the years… Having been subbed injured last Saturday it was a surprise to see him appearing on Tuesday yet must surely be fit and will no doubt play a part in tomorrow’s fixture…
Having mentioned him in the last two previews: Jason Pearce could return to the match-day squad this weekend yet after missing the U23s game at Crewe in midweek, it could be a slight setback that the Defender has suffered so don’t take my word as gospel… Quickly becoming our top-scorer we should expect to see Jorge Teixeira leading the Addicks line this weekend with the Portuguese Defender constantly showing the rest of the squad how it should be done.
Rudd
Chicksen | Konsa | Bauer | Dasilva
Forster-Caskey | Crofts
Botaka | Watt | Holmes
Teixeira
Substitutes Bench: Phillips | Barnes | Dijksteel | Jackson | Novak | Hanlan | Ahearne-Grant
Comments
2-1 United.
Tex leading the line up and daSilva starting? At this stage of the season, why not? But I can't really see Gobby being that ambitious... probably, despite his hit & miss form, Novak will start head of Botaka; I wouldn't mind seeing Ulvested in the back four, and no place for Aribo? Unless they're both on the treatment table - I've lost track of the injuries lately.
Should be a good match - reckon we might sneak a 2-2
Rudd
Byrne | Bauer | Teixeira | Chicksen
Konsa | Crofts
Botaka | Forster-Caskey | Holmes
Watt
Silly question - they'll sell him
The Blades are on a roll and we'll do well to get anything here
They'll have a 10/15 minute spell that will win them the game.
Oh well - have zoned out of Charlton since Jan.... Found doing that to be much better for my mental health on a Saturday. Having nice enjoyable weekends now. Will check in at 5pm to see how we have got on.
I think if we'd had these players fit over the last 4-6 weeks things might have been different. Perhaps not play-off run different, but I don't think we would have been quite as bad.