Charlton Athletic v Wigan Athletic
Tuesday 9th April 2024
Kick-Off: 19:45
Referee
Lee Swabey - Previously officiated a Charlton match back at the start of the season away at Peterborough United where we lost 1-0. Swabey booked 10 players that day, both sides receiving 5 yellow cards.
Introduction
11 games unbeaten including picking up 8 points from the four clubs we have faced in the play-off positions, life under Nathan Jones is starting to feel like we might be getting our club back. As the season draws a close, this run of form has pulled us away from any danger of relegation with the win on Saturday against Barnsley means we reached the 50 point mark. A miserable season it has been, but with results, fight, and goals from the top scorer in the league, it feels like we could be onto something next season. Next up, we play our penultimate game at The Valley, and officially my last preview of the season, Wigan Athletic travel down to South East London.
Opposition
Stadium: DW Stadium
Manager: Shaun Maloney
Nickname(s): The Lactics
Form: WLWDLD
Previous result: A 0-0 draw at home with Port Vale. Their line up was:
Tickle
Kerr - Goode - Hughes
Smith - Smith - Adeeko - Sessegnon
McManaman - Godo - Aasgaard
In their last 3 games, Wigan have drew with Burton, lost to Cambridge and drew with Port Vale. The Latics season is well and truly over. Since the turn of the year they have picked up 26 points from 18 games, and 18 of those points have been won at home. Shaun Maloney's record as a manager is well... mediocre. A win percentage of 35.2% with pretty much as many wins as losses. Although very early into his managerial career, he is not someone who I can see taking Wigan forward into a challenging, promotion chasing side next season. It'll be interesting to see how and where Wigan finish this season with their next 3 fixtures all away from home - Charlton, Lincoln, and Portsmouth, before finishing the season at home to Bristol Rovers.
Ex Charlton players is a feature too for Wigan with Ben Amos, Sean Clare, Steven Sessegnon, and the infamous Matt Smith all now plying their trade in the North West. They do have a couple of standouts though, one for name and the other for potential/ability. Callum McManaman turns 33 this month and returned to Wigan in the summer. The winger started his career with the Latics and won The FA Cup with them back in 2013. Big things were expected for the youngster at the time and a move to West Bromwich followed. Unfortunately for him, he didn't reach the levels people had thought he might. However, it will still be an interesting battle down that side against Small if he is to start again on Tuesday evening.
The other player is one I have mentioned before. Thelo Aasgaard is a Norwegian U21 international, another who came through Wigan's academy. The right footed midfielder is very attack minded and can operate across the front line. Light on his feet with and without the ball, Aasgaard has the ability to skip passed players and pick a pass. At almost 22 years of age, he has huge potential to grow and become a very good player, someone who will comfortably play at Championship level for many years. With 8 goals from midfield in the league this season, including one against us on Halloween last year, to me he is their biggest threat.
Charlton Team News
With almost a fully fit/available squad to choose from, it'll be interesting to see how many, if any, changes Nathan Jones makes to a winning side. We know he prefers a midfield three of Dobson, Coventry and Anderson, and we know he likes his front two to chase and press high, meaning Kanu and May start most games. I think he would be tempted to, if he can, to keep the same team. The danger to that is of course, can Ramsay start two games in quick succession after we heard he could only do about 30 minutes at the weekend. With Lloyd Jones back, we have all our central defenders available. I will be interested to see who plays between now and the end of the season.
Wickham also returns after what will be a month out from an impressive cameo on his debut against Carlisle. The big, experienced striker will surely offer more than Ladapo and for that, I'd like to see him on the bench.
Campbell came on and done well, winning the penalty at the end of the game. I've got to say it's the most he's contributed since Jones came in a couple of months ago, but it was positive and nice to see that pace late on. I do think what lets him down is that in his short career, he's played in about 6 different positions. His time at the club might be over in the summer, and if it is, I hope he goes somewhere and plays in a position regularly as he will need it to be able to find that consistent level of performance. If he stays, it'll be interesting to see how and where he fits.
Isted
Thomas - Hector - Gillesphey
Ramsay - Dobson - Coventry - Small
Anderson
Kanu - May
Maynard-Brewer, REG, Jones, Bakinson, Campbell, Wickham, Aneke
Charlton Athletic 2-0 Wigan Athletic
May
Kanu
Comments
I like Campbell and I think he has potential to be a decent player. If we are going to prioritise a system with no wingers though, it's best he moves on to further his career rather than making out of position cameo appearances for us.
1-1 draw , Wigan seem to be on the beach already
Alternatively I quite liked the slightly lop sided back 5 we played with REG at RWB as it allowed small to be further up the pitch and in the absence of Chuks he is probably our best physical presence in attack so allowing him to arrive late at the far post will help us.
I expect a decision has been made on Camara and I assume that Terry Taylor is not match fit.
The outrageous decision to cancel Charlton TV for next season will be a complete travesty.
How are we neglected overseas Addicks supposed to get our regular fix of misery, disappointment and despair?
This is a typical discriminatory policy that persecutes those unable to attend matches in person through no fault of their own. Just because we happen to live in a tropical paradise with cocktails on tap, does not mean we don't deserve proper and fair treatment.
Is it our fault we cannot sit in the dank south-London drizzle fretting about getting a parking ticket or the night time / day time/ weekend/ bank holiday closure of the A2/M25/Blackwall tunnel. Or how we will negotiate the rail strike / tube strike/ Thameslink reduced service, to get home?.
Does the club not think we miss sitting cramped in plastic seats next to some crazed fellow fan with halitosis, verbally abusing the linesman for 118 minutes? Or that we don' t appreciate standing in a static queue for 30 minutes at half time, waiting to be served warm and fizzy synthetic lager at outrageous prices?
We are denied all this and yet we still have to suffer more.
Not good enough I'm afraid. Sack the board now. And string up that red-trousered chancer and his coterie of soulless creeps. It's the only language they understand.
1-1
COYR 😎
From the 2024/25 season onward, this agreement makes more matches available to stream and will effectively replace the current Sky Sports EFL red button coverage and the EFL's domestic streaming option provided via iFollow and club streaming services. Domestic streaming audio services will remain alongside existing audio-visual arrangements for international audiences via iFollow and club streaming services.