Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Accrington v Charlton | Sat 1 May | 3pm | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Accrington Stanley v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 1rd May 2021 ... 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Alan Young

Alan Young takes charge of his very first Charlton game this Saturday afternoon, although will be his second visit of the year to the Crown Ground after taking charge of Accrington v Shrewsbury which ended 1-1... He does like his cards, 135-yellows and 3-reds in just 32-games an average of four per game.

Introduction
I've probably covered this before but football outside the Premier League really does have a habit of throwing up both some inconsistent results and inconsistent performances, just a week ago we were recovering from the shock of a 6-0 win at Plymouth Argyle, this week we've been recovering from the frustration of a last second goal which saw Crewe taking a well earned point back up to Cheshire. Thankfully other sides didnt want to capitalise on our misfortune on Tuesday night, meaning that the Play-offs remain in our hands, albeit like a man clinging to a rock knowing they could slip into the abyss of League One for another season at the very least.

The Opposition
Name: Accrington Stanley (11th) | Manager: John Coleman
Ground: Crown Ground
Previous Meeting: Charlton Athletic 0-2 Accrington Stanley

The next team standing in our way, and perhaps the one game we really must win is Accrington Stanley... We should be thankfully really, their last two games have seen them stealing a point at the death against both Sunderland and Portsmouth, the latter proving extremely important on Tuesday night... The fearful factor is they also faced Doncaster, Blackpool and Oxford in April taking seven points from nine, what a way to bounce back from a 7-0 defeat at Peterborough United.

Of course it could have been very different at the turn of the year, Stanley after all visited the Valley as a side that were gunning for the Play-Offs themselves, they were partly in that position though (like others) because COVID had cancelled games, unlike Blackpool though their small squad meant that they were unable to sustain their impressive form. But as we've seen in midweek, this is a team that like Crewe, wont be thinking about the beach just yet, the Play-Offs are gone, but with one of the lowest budgets at this level will see the likes of Charlton Athletic as a chance to show that club size and budget isnt everything.

Naturally it means that Accrington tend to have to wheel and deal in the market more times than others, often bringing players in from Non-League such as top scorer: Colby Bishop, signed from Leamington in the National League North two years ago, the Striker has another ten goals to his name this term including both neat finishes at the Valley last time out. Perhaps a move even higher will be on the cards for a player who not long ago was combining his playing duties with that of a PE Teacher.

Charlton Team News
Its naturally not taken long for a small amount of fan frustration to come to the fore with Nigel Adkins. For a Football Manager life is easy when you're winning games but as we've especially seen from draws against Ipswich and Crewe, there will always be questions as to why others havent played in front of certain selections, even when minimal changes are being made each week.

Its a good time though to judge Adkins' approach to this team and for the most part it looks like we're setting up as a 4-3-3 with Jayden Stockley as our sole Striker, whether thats because Chuks Aneke and Conor Washington have needed to be eased back (and so avoid that other fan frustration of recurring injury) we'll never know, but both have continued to gain time in recent fixtures so the former may well be chosen to lead the line alongside Stockley as we look to change tactic, maybe even to a 3-5-2 approach as we saw in the latter stages on Tuesday night.

Diallang Jaiyesimi is the sole confirmed absent player ahead of this Saturday yet may well be joined by Adam Matthews who went down needing treatment early on Tuesday evening, naturally you'd expect Chris Gunter and Ian Maatsen to come into the team if we do stick with the tried a tested 4-3-3 once again.

Amos
Matthews - Inniss - Pearce - Purrington
Forster-Caskey - Pratley - Gilbey
Maatsen - Stockley - Millar

Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer - Famewo - Gunter - Aneke - Washington - Watson - Morgan

Prediction
As its been said on another thread this morning, "Its in our hands, yet given our current form you wouldnt expect us to beat Accrington Stanley. Yet on another day, we are capable of winning on our day" - Unfortunately since the dawn of time there have been many questions asked, whether the chicken came before the egg and more recently, why the hell are Charlton Athletic such a Jekyll and Hyde team. On the showing of the last game you'd think our Play-Off hopes are about to disappear over the horizon, maybe though it was just an off day, if we can replicate the type of display we showed against Peterborough and Plymouth, well it should be difficult for any team to keep up with us.
«1345

Comments

  • Hey, you paraphrased my quote. I demand credit  :)
  • Hey, you paraphrased my quote. I demand credit  :)
    Haha cheers for the quote... Wasnt looking forward to writing my preview for some reason until I saw your comment, and thought it was a really good line that I could introduce into the prediction
  • Going to be a tough one on Saturday. Was really impressed with Accrington when they beat us at The Valley. Completing the double over us will probably be the highlight of their season.

    Hoping we scrap through this with a 2-1 win, to keep our hopes alive for another couple of games.
  • Accrington looked like a proper team when they played us at The Valley, a well drilled unit, not feeling confident and don't think I want to be watching.

    We looked very lacklustre on Tuesday and if we go with the same team as we did on Tuesday then I can't see us taking anymore than a point, consistency is great but when we're going Tuesday/Saturday for the rest of the season some rotation is required, JFC looked like he was blowing throughout the second half, Watson was way too slow, Maatsen was anonymous, and I don't think Matthews will be able to play either.

    I'd like to see us go back to the 3-5-2 we ended the game with, Chuks and Wash are too much to handle for a lot of these L1 defences. 
  • Away win 1-2 , shocking performance in the week hopefully gets us back smiling with half an eye on the playoffs still.
  • edited April 2021
    Great preview again @ForeverAddickted

    Have to admit to still feeling sucker punched  from Tuesday night (even if we didn’t deserve to win or even draw for that matter), so thinking a draw for this game. Hopefully will feel a bit more optimistic once I see Minto, Curbs and Leaburn chatting at 2:15 Saturday. 
  • Given up predicting this team add they are so unpredictable. Just really hope we win and don't really mind how. At least it's away where I feel more confident. Would like to see a positive line up. Hope chucks starts.
  • KettsJohn said:
    Given up predicting this team add they are so unpredictable. Just really hope we win and don't really mind how. At least it's away where I feel more confident. Would like to see a positive line up. Hope chucks starts.
    Good point about not minding how we win. Winning Tuesday would have been undeserved and we’d have had a lot to discuss about formation and performances, but at least we’d have had those extra 2 points to celebrate. 
  • 1rd May?
  • Sponsored links:


  • A narrow squeaky bum 1-0 win Stockley header again and no easing up on the sphincter for the following 72 hours+ ahead of Lincoln.

    I would drop Pearce and Watson for this one for Famewo and Pratley, but as long as the rest of the team are suitably recovered, keep the rest consistent.
  • JaShea99 said:
    1rd May?
    Deliberately done rather than an error

    Found Aliwibble's mention of Southall's attention to detail quite funny on here

    https://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/88469/cafc-bonkers-shenanigans-confidential-stuff-lex-dominus-sold-to-a-craig-freeman-p1534#latest
  • Richard J said:
    Can't help thinking we need to mix it up a bit . Rotation is key . Too many seemed heavy legged players on Tuesday .

    I feel that Gunter should return . Not because Matthews has done badly but because he needs a rest . Similarly I would pair Inniss and Fanewo in the central defensive positions and bring Pratley back for Watson . Shinnie for JFC ? Another possible change could be Aneke and Stockley . We need to be fresh ,
    This is the team I would like to see against Accrington as they are a big physical side .Watson , Pearce and Maatsen definitely need to be tested for this one .
  • edited April 2021
    I'd like to see us play to a striker's feet to match this possession football we're supposed to be building towards, so I'm praying we start with someone other than Stockley.
  • I think we will start with two up top or maybe a three of Millar, Stockley, Washington. Adkins won't risk both Aneke and Washington from the start and I think Aneke would make more of an impact off the bench than Stockley hence Stockley starting.

    Scrappy, nervous 2-1 win.

  • It will likely be the same team that started on Tuesday. Nigel loves his consistent line up.
  • edited April 2021
    1-0 Accrington win and we all finally give up on this season and remind ourselves how much worse it all would be had it not been for Sir Thomas of Sandgaardshire.
  • Just end the season now and fast forward to the summer window
  • Sponsored links:


  • Oh and we need to sort out who's taking the penalties. Maybe Gilbey should be given a go?
  • Richard J said:
    Can't help thinking we need to mix it up a bit . Rotation is key . Too many seemed heavy legged players on Tuesday .

    I feel that Gunter should return . Not because Matthews has done badly but because he needs a rest . Similarly I would pair Inniss and Fanewo in the central defensive positions and bring Pratley back for Watson . Shinnie for JFC ? Another possible change could be Aneke and Stockley . We need to be fresh ,
    Own up, you are really LB  :)
  • Richard J said:
    Can't help thinking we need to mix it up a bit . Rotation is key . Too many seemed heavy legged players on Tuesday .

    I feel that Gunter should return . Not because Matthews has done badly but because he needs a rest . Similarly I would pair Inniss and Fanewo in the central defensive positions and bring Pratley back for Watson . Shinnie for JFC ? Another possible change could be Aneke and Stockley . We need to be fresh ,
    This is the team I would like to see against Accrington as they are a big physical side .Watson , Pearce and Maatsen definitely need to be tested for this one .
    I think they have been tested many times  :)
  • Richard J said:
    Can't help thinking we need to mix it up a bit . Rotation is key . Too many seemed heavy legged players on Tuesday .

    I feel that Gunter should return . Not because Matthews has done badly but because he needs a rest . Similarly I would pair Inniss and Fanewo in the central defensive positions and bring Pratley back for Watson . Shinnie for JFC ? Another possible change could be Aneke and Stockley . We need to be fresh ,
    Agree with all of this. So many players looked knackered Tuesday in the middle of the park in the second half, apart from Watson, whose just slow.


  • What this great Tweet shows is both why we're not higher up the table, but moreover where Accrington's weakness is

    We need to be positive on Saturday and test Accrington's weak defence. I really believe Adkins really needs to rethink his team, as his favoured lineup and formation is becoming too predictable, and several players a bit tired.

    We have 2 must win games in 4 days, and the selection will need to take into account BOTH matches
    Agree with this to a point, however if we think too far ahead and don't put out our strongest side on Saturday then it will all be pointless, anything but a win pretty much counts us out.
  • CAFCTrev said:
    Fully expect to be angry by the end of this game. 

    This!
  • edited April 2021
    Must win game?

    You will expect the Addicks in time honoured fashion to step up to the challenge.


    You will be disapointed.   1-1 with a Stanley equaliser in 90+15th minute off of a defensive bollocks up to be talked about for centuries to come...
  • One all. Meh.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!