Charlton Athletic v Blackpool
Saturday 23rd December 2017 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: John Busby
IntroductionTomorrow will mark the beginning of the Festive Fixture List and will mark the end to 2017 for Charlton at the Valley… Four games are due to be played between now and New Year’s Day with the first of those coming against Blackpool. The second of a double header versus Lancashire teams and after a 2-0 defeat in the first one against Blackburn Rovers, we’ll be looking to get back to winning ways and sharpish!!
The OppositionName: Blackpool |
Manager: Gary Bowyer
Ground: Bloomfield Road
When Coventry City were relegated last season there must have been a sigh of relief from our own ownership. With the Sky Blues no longer in our Division it meant there couldn’t be a joint fan protest, yet as always the Play-Offs throw up plenty drama and whilst there are no joint protests today, it won’t mean there won’t be any when the Addicks travel up to Blackpool.
The drama of the Play-Offs came at Kenilworth Road; Luton the favourites for promotion had lost 3-2 in Lancashire, yet were winning by the same score come the second leg – As the match entered injury time it looked as though extra time was guaranteed yet a 94th minute goal from Blackpool would see the latter going to Wembley and ultimately win promotion themselves… Drama indeed!!
Charlton Team NewsPretty soon the fans themselves will be asked to bring their boots to matches… Squad depth is an important factor over the course of the season but it’s crucial at this time of the season. With European Leagues taking a break for the winter it’s impossible for foreign owners to predict how difficult and challenging a time it is here in England yet it’s one of those factors that makes the game here so special.
Billy Clarke returned from injury last weekend yet has now departed for the season with an ACL injury that will now keep him out for the year whilst Jake Forster-Caskey will serve his one match ban, overall there are a number of key players likely to be missing this Saturday which’ll give the feel of a Football League Trophy tie with many U23 players surely being called up to help out.
Amos
Dijksteel | Konsa | Sarr | Dasilva
Aribo | Jackson
Magennis | Reeves | Marshall
Best
Substitutes Bench: Phillips | Lennon | Cummings | Lapslie | Ahearne-Grant | Dodoo | Hackett-Fairchild
PredictionWith so many key players out it’s difficult to predict how the game could go… Players are out of form and there are rumours that it’s taken longer to teach our Strikers which net the ball goes into – Regardless though it is only Blackpool (rather than one of the stronger teams) and would be surprised if there is a point picked up or better… It’s just going to be harder to obtain than it should be
Comments
Best, Magennis (2) and Reeco
Att 9,106
That’s the odds on Magennis and Marshall getting those ratings out of 10 on the post match player marks thread.
A new thread will start can we avoid relegation.
We've been poor recently and we have most of the 1st team out injured - even though Blackpool are poor I can't see us taking advantage of this, so 0-0 bore draw.
Covered End: As an Ex Banker, he knows how to save.
Seb Lewis: Never misses a game. Plus has skill to park the Bus.
RedChaser: Deceptively slow,But reads the game well,Charles Buchan monthly.
Henry Irving: Captain and a good organizer. Legs may have gone.
Viewfinder: I wandered lonely as a cloud.
Peter Garland: Will beef up the midfield, and plays like three men.
3blokes: Sounds like three men.
Cabbles: Deep thinking midfielder, has a comedic touch.
Nicholas: Young player who speaks his mind. On 20 Yellow cards.
James Seed: the Best DNA at the club.
Airman Brown: Left winger who refuses to go over to the right. LEGEND.
Sub The first Lady of CAFC, Fanny Fanackapan, can multi task like no one Else. Can Play in every position and has the Legs.
A strange game to predict as it's 2 struggling teams. We still do have some talent out there, but Robinson needs to be flexible to find a formation to suit who's available, rather than his ideal formation.
And FA your comment about fans being asked to bring their own boots was classic.
2-0 ............ to Blackpool
On the other hand I expect someone to surprise us and appear in the squad and reckon that could be Solly (I thought he'd be missing last week only to play with Holmes being the injury).
In short I just dont know
Of course I might be being overly positive.
Having Aribo and Dijksteel protecting the Defence worries me with their inexperience and can see Jackson coming in with his Leadership ability just to help the Midfield settle
The fact we can get a team out with so many out with injury proves we have a good squad. The striker situation is the moan we have all had since the summer transfer window closed.
Magennis in a back three.
Dijksteel to be targeted by Man City after MotM performance.