Surprising (and damning) stat that sums up the last (nearly) 20 years. Game has draw written all over it.
Charlton have failed to win any of their last 17 final league games of the year (D8 L9) since a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa in the Premier League in 2006.
We are shocking in December - it’s usually around this time of year that any hope of our season turning into something is officially killed off. Which is why I’ve tried to enjoy the past couple of victories for what they are.
Can’t see him resting/benching Leaburn and TC, with the amount of goals and assists they’ve racked up in the last two. Reckon Taylor for Berry but otherwise don’t change a winning team.
The danger man is Richard Kone... and I'm sure a few months ago the question would have been... Who? - But their new front man currently has nine league goals from 16-league outings - Its unsurprisingly that Kone is unknown; the Striker was picked up having spent the last five seasons from Athletic Newham, who currently find themselves in the Essex Senior League, scoring an impressive 88-goals in 108-appearances... Whoever scouted him should be very proud!!
I don’t know if the scout should be proud; rather that other clubs in the area should be ashamed. That record is something that would have been common knowledge in football circles. I wouldn’t expect West Ham to be interested, but surely Colchester or Southend, and why not us? I think that we should be on the look out for strikers like this.
The problem today is that we expect strikers to also defend rather than letting them do what they do best. Derek Hales today wouldn’t get in most teams because he would be branded as too lazy.
I believe that anyone with that kind of record would do well in our division, at least. If you have the ability to swivel, turn and shoot on target, out of the keeper’s reach, or make the run into the danger zone in the right place at the right moment, then for me it's a no-brainer given that today's awful defenders are too busy ball watching or marking a f****** zone rather than staying tight to their man, or at least knowing where he is. A striker should only be allowed 2 seconds to take his opportunity at our level but sometimes they have time to roll a splif before shooting. Defending is currently a disgrace so it’s no surprise that a player like that is taking advantage. It’s not good scouting, just common sense imo.
I was surprised Jones made no subs until late on, on Wednesday. Not bringing players off early to give them a rest suggests that he's planning to make a few changes today. Indeed as others have said, it actually makes sense on paper to go for wins in the easier games (Cambridge and Crawley) and keep it tight today.
Yes we're coming off 2 consecutive wins, but against poor sides. Today will be a way tougher test, against a well managed Wycombe side, the sort of mid budget club who are showing up our underachievement this season.
With him 38 in May, I’m hoping this is the last time we get to see Gareth McCleary run the show against us. Feel like I’ve seen him play against us 20 times over the years and always have a blinder.
A tough ask this to get anything off a high flying and consistent Wycombe side. We'll need to be at it and hope they aren't, but I'm expecting a reverse to check the recent upturn in our results. 1-2.
I'd be happy with a draw and revenge at Crawley. Jones is making a difference to the back line, we just don't need Gillesphey to have another rush of shit to his brain to keep it tight. I think Anderson will start in place of Berry but that apart the team will be the same. The bench could include Chuks for Hylton and even Kanu, just to have a positive change, so three strikers on the bench. It's a one all draw for me but would be over the moon with a win.
Wycombe always do a cracking job of scouting from non league , they always seem to find gems from county leagues and the Isthmain/Southern leagues. Will be a tough task today and I'd expect a few changes given the late use of subs on Boxing Day. Wouldn't be surprised if Godden is in up top for TC.
Wycombe have the best away form in the league, 27 points from 12 games, this being their 13th already means they have 14 home games to play in 2025. You’d expect them to continue their position and end up being promoted.
It’s going to be a really tough test. I actually think it’s the hardest game of the season so far. Everyone will look at Birmingham, and rightly so, but we knew what to expect with them and everyone was up for it from the outset. Wycombe can do both sides of the game, play good attacking football and play ugly and slow the game down. Birmingham had the hype of May and Stansfield but Kone at Wycombe is quick and strong and will pose a different test to our defence.
I really hope we don’t see many changes, it’ll disrupt the flow of the team and make the crowd nervous. I do expect Berry and Leaburn to come out the team though. Berry won’t be able to start and impact a game in such short time and it would be negligible to start Leaburn after how long he was out. The other change we might see is Coventry with Taylor coming in. He covers a lot of ground and fresh legs in that part of the pitch could be needed too. Otherwise, I hope that we don’t see many/any more.
AMB Mitchell Jones Gillesphey Small Anderson Taylor Docherty Edwards Ahadme TC
I’d be surprised if they do continue with their first half run of form. They’ve been a surprise package and they’ve overachieved. That’s going to mean they have a manager and players that will have been attracting attention. They are a small club, surviving the transfer window intact is going to be a challenge.
Wycombe were bought by a Kazakhstan billionaire earlier this year. I don’t think they’ll have as much of a challenge as you might think.
A draw would be a good result. I would go with the box midfield and keep things narrow to stop them playing through the middle. And with Anderson and Kanu playing a high press. AMB Mitchell Jones Gillesphy Edwards Coventry Taylor Anderson Docherty Kanu Ahadme
(This is assuming Leaburn and TC are not ready to start)
I was surprised Jones made no subs until late on, on Wednesday. Not bringing players off early to give them a rest suggests that he's planning to make a few changes today. Indeed as others have said, it actually makes sense on paper to go for wins in the easier games (Cambridge and Crawley) and keep it tight today.
Yes we're coming off 2 consecutive wins, but against poor sides. Today will be a way tougher test, against a well managed Wycombe side, the sort of mid budget club who are showing up our underachievement this season.
Not making those subs until late suggested he was comfortable with what the team were doing and didn’t want to spoil it by introducing players. Keeping them all on might also suggest he wants to have a consistent core 11 that instinctively knows where each other is at all times, which has sadly not been the case so far because of all the constant chopping and changing. I’ve not been impressed with his handling of the recent poor football but if he is now getting them to play as a team that hasn’t just recently been introduced to each other and we are getting results then that’s fine by me.
Charlton Athletic have won just one of their last six league games against Wycombe Wanderers (D2 L3), though that sole win did come in this exact fixture last season (3-1).
Wycombe Wanderers have won just one of their six away league games against Charlton Athletic (D1 L4), conceding exactly three goals in three of those matches.
Charlton have failed to win any of their last 17 final league games of the year (D8 L9) since a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa in the Premier League in 2006.
Wycombe have won just one of their last seven final league games of the year (D1 L5), with the exception coming in a 2-1 victory over Cardiff City in 2020.
Comments
COYRS!!!
Reckon Taylor for Berry but otherwise don’t change a winning team.
I wouldn’t expect West Ham to be interested, but surely Colchester or Southend, and why not us?
I think that we should be on the look out for strikers like this.
The problem today is that we expect strikers to also defend rather than letting them do what they do best. Derek Hales today wouldn’t get in most teams because he would be branded as too lazy.
I believe that anyone with that kind of record would do well in our division, at least. If you have the ability to swivel, turn and shoot on target, out of the keeper’s reach, or make the run into the danger zone in the right place at the right moment, then for me it's a no-brainer given that today's awful defenders are too busy ball watching or marking a f****** zone rather than staying tight to their man, or at least knowing where he is. A striker should only be allowed 2 seconds to take his opportunity at our level but sometimes they have time to roll a splif before shooting. Defending is currently a disgrace so it’s no surprise that a player like that is taking advantage. It’s not good scouting, just common sense imo.
Yes we're coming off 2 consecutive wins, but against poor sides. Today will be a way tougher test, against a well managed Wycombe side, the sort of mid budget club who are showing up our underachievement this season.
AMB
Mitchell Jones Gillesphy Edwards
Coventry Taylor
Anderson Docherty
Kanu Ahadme
(This is assuming Leaburn and TC are not ready to start)
Personal if you can’t play two or three games on the spin in a short period of time you shouldn’t be playing football.
Will be happy with a tight draw
Problem solved 🍺🍺
Can easily see KO being put back as loads their fans turn up at the same time to pay on the day.
They are a very good side for this league.
A win could have us peering into the top six box with hope.