MATCH PREVIEW: Charlton Athletic vs Bolton Wanderers | Saturday 28th October 2023 @ 3pm

ForeverAddickted

Charlton Athletic vs Bolton Wanderers
Saturday 28th October 2023 - 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Geoff Eltringham

Introduction
Charlton's good form since Michael Appleton was appointed as Manager came crashing down with a bang on Tuesday night. The 3-1 loss at Lincoln City was a score line no one could have predicted, especially when Alfie May opened the scoring - Was it an off-night, or is our away form just not to be relied upon this season... Either way it needs to be forgotten, what with our next clash this Saturday.

The Opposition
Name: Bolton Wanderers (4th) | Manager: Ian Evatt
Ground: Reebok Stadium
Previous League Result: Wycombe 2-4 Bolton

Next up to grace SE7 are high flying Bolton Wanderers, and perhaps one of the CharltonLife favourites for automatic promotion this season - Many will use Ipswich's spending approach as a way to get out of this Division, yet is Bolton's potentially more sensible...?

After all the Trotters have seen gradual improvement ever since they were relegated to the fourth tier back in 2019-20, what with their own financial and ownership difficulties... Since then they've steadily progressed as a team, making refinements each season, allowing them to improve season after season - This is their third season back at this level, and will certainly be looking to improve upon their failure in the Play-Off last season, losing to Barnsley in the Semi-Finals.

Well that setback doesn't seem to have phased them - They sit in fourth, just two points behind Oxford United, and it'll be a battle of the Strikers tomorrow afternoon - Leading the Bolton attack will be Dion Charles, he's just one goal behind Alfie May in the League this season, and has two goals against the Addicks from previous meetings - However Bolton have something we don't have... Ricardo Santos, one of the better Centre-Backs in this Division, and someone who'll be pointless trying to win a physical battle against.

A home win isn't out of the question... Bolton have only dropped four points on the road all season, yet surprisingly have conceded one extra goal than our own Defence, proving that they aren't invincible... Time to see what we're made of

Charlton Team News
The match against Lincoln was an opportunity for some individuals to lay claim to a regular starting spot in this Charlton team, the likes of Nathan Asiimwe and Scott Fraser have been forced to make do with cameo appearances of late... It wont be surprising to see both back on the bench this coming Saturday with Tennai Watson and Louie Watson coming back into the team.

We wait with baited breath to hear how long Chuks Aneke will be out for... He'd have been perfect to face Ricardo Santos - You'd think that Miles Leaburn on the other hand will be too easy for the Portuguese Centre-Back to contain, so is this an opportunity for Slobodan Tedić to appear in his more natural position... On a personal note, I feel that balls lumped forward tomorrow will be a case of repeating the same mistake over and over, yet getting the same pointless result.

Maynard-Brewer
T.Watson - Hector - Jones - Edun
L.Watson - Dobson
May
T.Campbell - Tedić - Blackett-Taylor

Substitutes Bench: Walker - Thomas - Asiimwe - C.Campbell - Fraser - Camara - Leaburn

shirty5

No wins in Charlton’s last 4 home league games v Bolton

2 draws and 2 defeats 

seth plum

A must win.

NabySarr

I think that’s the team I’d like to see. Only concern is taking Thomas and Leaburn out means we are a bit smaller/less physically strong, which was a problem under Holden.

I think Appleton might return to 3 central midfielders with May up front like he switched to on Tuesday. So we might see a return to Tedic out on the right but I hope I’m wrong with that guess 

hoof_it_up_to_benty

If Bolton take their chances and our defence is sleepwalking again we could be in for a pasting. 2-1 to Bolton.

TEL

Cant be that bad again, can we?

Lets see what Appleton can do after a bit of a pasting at Lincoln.

Pedro45

I fear a real thumping based on our porous defence of late. We have to try to contain them and hit them well on the break. CBT and TC will be crucial as will whoever plays CF. Tedic makes good runs but we don't have the players to hit the space he runs into. Leaburn has been better as a sub once Chuks softened up the defence so hopefully we can do the same tomorrow? Louie for Fraser is a given.  Is Edun fit?  If so, we need to bring him back immediately as full backs are still problematic (and I'd also play Tennai over Asiimwe in this game).

Lincsaddick

Bolton almost invariably put out a decent team, the current model is a good one, in a play off spot and in good form .. after the falling down to earth at Lincoln, this will be a good test of our resolve.
Appleton is still unsure what is his best team, he needs to make his mind up soon. 

So sorry for Aneke, when will it ever end ?

I expect a draw, a win would be nicer of course

charlton_hero

I can't see a win here, but I'm hoping for a draw. 

CL_Phantom

Start Leaburn with C. Campbell on the right for that "different" wide player option, keep T. Campbell and Asiimwe for the second half injection thats been working so well recently and Tedic as a second half striking option.

                    AMB
  T Watson Hector Jones Thomas
          L Watson Dobson
C. Campbell               CBT
                    May
                 Leaburn

Walker, Asiimwe, Ness, Fraser, Camara, T.Campbell, Tedic


1-2 Loss, but not an embarrassment like Tuesday night

ross1

I thought it was said that Edun will not be ready for Saturday and Aneke out for a couple of months. Like your team FA but I also liked Tuesday starting eleven and look how that turned out

clive

https://www.charltonafc.com/news/match-preview-charlton-v-bolton-wanderers-0

cheekyaddick

Cannot play Fraser and Dobbo together as they do not have the mobility or athleticism to get around the pitch. Need L. Watson or Camara in the middle with either.
Need Edun back and fit so we have a natural left back who can track runners and support CBT.
Tedic deserves a go down the middle with Leaburn possibly wide right.

thetomahawkkid

I don't feel confident at all about this game, and fear that an all out attacking formation could badly backfire against a very good Bolton team. I would take a point with open arms, but think this will be a 1-3 defeat (Alfie May getting his usual goal a game).

eastterrace6168

Think our home form will hold and predict another three points, admittedly a much closer score, but going for a 2-1...Tedic to get on the scoresheet.
Can't see us ever playing as bad at home as we did on Tuesday, and feel that Apples will have had them all in detention this week reading the riot act to prevent that...🙏

daveroan

About time Ness was reintroduced maybe at left back: camara also should start

letthegoodtimesroll

The far harder of the two games we faced this week and obviously given we didn’t turn up against Lincoln it clearly necessarily follows in the Charlton game book that we will turn Bolton over and launch a thousand ‘typical Charlton’ posts on Saturday night.

NabySarr

It won’t happen but this is how I would set up:

                   AMB
          Ness Jones Thomas 
Watson       Dobson         CBT
            Watson Camara 
              Leaburn May 

Bolton are a good side that play the same system, we should match them up. CBT can attack as much as he likes with Thomas able to shift across and make it a back 4 

Croydon

Saturday will tell us a lot about whether that 7 game run was worth getting excited about. Bolton are a good side, but if we're genuine top 6 contenders then we should be winning games like this at home.

A draw after Tuesday would be a good result, a win would be a great one. 

_MrDick

A must win game. Bolton are a bit of a bogey team. Have a feeling we’ll come out of this empty handed. 

JamesSeed

We’ve been pretty decent at home recently, and even the defence has performed well.
BUT Bolton will be a sterner test than Exeter, Reading et al. 

This will tell us a lot about our chances of reaching the playoffs. I’ll be a bag of nerves for this one. 

jonseventyfive

Due a win against this lot, 3-1 Addicks with the Wanderers wandering off before the end.

Bailey

I expect some changes after Tuesday nights capitulation. I would start with Tedic in place of Leaburn, maybe then we can gauge his true value to the squad. The right full back change is a defo and we will just have to hope that Thomas has a better game at left back. Hector and Jones will remain but need better cover from midfield to make up for their lack of mobility, Watson to start rather than Fraser and a decision needs to be made between Tyreece Campbell and Leaburn up top, I will go with Campbell as we need to stretch them with pace. The result, depends on if we can defend against a very offensive side, Bolton won't do a Blackpool and sit deep then hit us on the break, they don't need too, and we can score. Hopefully a goal fest in our favour and this team owes us after Tuesday night. 

BansteadAddick

It seems a lot longer than 9 years since we beat Bolton at the Valley? And when you think they went down to L2 in that time aa well? This really will test us?  Even a draw would be good to me? But Tues seemed worrying. Our defence? Their third goal? 2-0 to Bolton.

satindoors

COYR 

Chunes

I might be going against the grain here but I don't think this game is going to tell us much at all about our chances this season. We've never seemed to have much problem churning out good performances against the top teams, it's games like Shrewsbury or the blocks of so-called 'easier' matches where we've consistently fallen short. 

Oh Eddie Youds...

Three tough games coming up against Bolton, Wigan & Pompey.

Be good to see if the squad can stand up to the challenge that lies ahead. 5 points or more from these 3 would be a good achievement.

golfaddick

No idea what side Micky Apples will put out but as long as Tedic isn't on the right & T Campbell starts, with either Anderson or Camara in the middle then he has picked about our best starting 11. 

However, I've bought a ticket for this one so I'm expecting goals & plenty of action. Sadly I think most of the goals will be in our net. Bolton will show what you need to be a top 6 side & frankly without Aneke & a left footed left back we're not one of them.

2-4.
 

soapy_jones

I don't know.

eastterrace6168

Oh Eddie Youds... said:

Three tough games coming up against Bolton, Wigan & Pompey.

Be good to see if the squad can stand up to the challenge that lies ahead. 5 points or more from these 3 would be a good achievement.

Confident of two wins and a draw from those three, and the draw will probably end up being Wigan...

LargeAddick

Edun won’t start, bench at very best. Someone posted on the training day thread that they’d spoken to the Edun at the training day and he’d said Saturday was too soon.