Match Day Thread Northampton/Roland Away

Well, the day has almost arrived. Not the day where we get our play off hopes back on track, but a core 200+ fans make the journey over to Belgium to confront absent owner, Roland Duchatelet. The last few weeks have reinforced the decision for why such a trip is necessary and I'm sure I'm not in a minority when I say that I'm more interested by the going ons at St Truiden than the Sixfields stadium.

I can't predict how the 200 will line up in Belgium so I'll stick to the football now. In short, KR needs to stumble across his best 11, and fast. We've somehow managed to go from outsiders for the play offs to starring relegation in the face. That's not being drastic - that's an observation from our coaching staff. It's another fixture where our team really should be looking for 3 points - Northampton were a side who had their momentum halted in the summer when they lost highly rated manager, Chris Wilder, and someone familiar to CAFC fans, Ricky Holmes. Yet they somehow manage to find themselves two places and two points behind us and will take solace in our recent form. A win for them on their own turf will see them climb nearer to safety, and above us.

Historically this is a fixture which was played out in the 30's and again in the 60's. We've met them once this century (1-1 earlier this season) and before that you would have to go back to 1988 for a League Cup fixture. The overall record stands at 8 wins for N'hants, 9 for Charlton and 13 draws. We really need to make sure we hit double digits in that respect - a loss would be a disaster, and possibly the end of KR (we have a thread on him, I won't clutter this one).

Team wise - where does KR go? The back 4 are a mess, can that all be down to missing Solly and Pearce? I've never seen anything like the defending for goals 1 and 3 on Tuesday night. The players were ill-disciplined.. making rash tackles and losing. That's a cardinal sin. In theory, they weren't sticking to the game plan, frustration was setting in as early as the first 10 minutes. Fortunately video evidence will show up the culprits and you have to image the same mistakes won't be made again on Saturday. The attack isn't much better. We seemingly have one goal threat in Ricky Holmes, who fortunately shouldn't need much more motivation than the baying crowd trying to make it as difficult for him as possible. The main concern with that is Northampton will know exactly what to expect from him and we may well see him doubled up on which hopefully leaves some room for Byrne to be more involved going forward.

Predicted Line Up:

Rudd
Byrne - Bauer - Konsa - Page
Holmes - Aribo - Crofts (would prefer Ulvestad) - Botaka
Watt - Magennis

The line up doesn't fill me with much confidence. You never know which players will turn up right now and that's worrying. If we keep it tight and try and cut out the amount of errors, I think we will return to SE7 with a draw.

1-1 Magennis



Good luck again to those travelling - hope it's a safe journey and I hope it's another step towards having a Charlton Athletic devoid of RD and KM. Possibly KR too.

 

Great post. I also expect that line up. Would stick Holmes on the left, move Byrne up to RM and swap Barnes in for Botaka. Botaka is one of the worst players I have seen in a Charlton shirt and Byrne doesn't sound convincing at RB.

 

I will be travelling on Saturday - to Northampton. Quite possibly to jeer and verbally abuse Robinson and the players. I think we are at a tipping point in terms of the fan's patience with this fiasco.

Robinson has had 3 days on the training ground since Shrewsbury to do what coaches are paid to do - set up and organise our defence so that they do really basic stuff like mark at corners and track runners. The Stan
Boardman routine wore thin some weeks ago - its time to start walking the walk in this very poor league, or else move on.

I wish the vast majority of the decent Belgian - bound protesters well. Being part of attention -whore Rick Everitt's vanity project is not for me, however.

 

P.S

Given the recent collapse in results, I find myself wistfully looking back and wishing we once again had that star studded midfield, our very own version of the 'Galacticos'.

Jackson - Crofts - Ulvestad - Foley

Those who saw it, will never forget it

 

I can't see us getting anything from this one. KR's tactic of publicly lambasting his players while praising a few of them usually backfires. If he thinks some players aren't trying, then picks them again he really is floundering. He should have already learned whose heart is in it and whose isn't. More likely the players can see through the bluster and have lost respect for him.

 

@ForestHillBilly

The Independent is carrying a decent sized article today on tomorrow's Belgian protests, including an interview with CARD

 

Mendez retweeted something which suggests ITV and the BBC will have some representation on the trip.

 

Off to Ebbsfleet now, coach gets back about 2 am. I'll write a report tomorrow.

 

Safe travels!

 

Good luck today to proper, long term genuine fans like @ForestHillBilly who have the interests of Charlton at heart.

 

Have a good journey FHB. Gime 'em a cheer from me.

 

Our 5 coaches of fans were here as the team bus pulled up, and gathered round to see the players

Karl Robinson was loudly booed when he got off - I plead guilty.

Josh got a clap and Ricky Holmes a loud cheer - the rest looked like they would rather be elsewhere.

 

Rudd;
Byrne, Konsa, Bauer, Page;
Holmes, Crofts, Ulvestad, Botaka;
Novak, Magennis

 

Aribo unlucky to be left out.

Page has it all to prove today

Ulvestad and Crofts in the centre ...

 

How many times have Ulvestad and Crofts failed to produce the goods and yet ..... here we go again!

 

It's not a partnership that works - they are too similar / identical.

Looks like we will sell out here this afternoon - the real supporters are great even if everything else about the Club is sh1t.

 

Crofts is so dull as a player.

 

1-0 Northampton..

 

1-1!