Leicester City v Charlton Athletic Saturday 1st March 2014 3pm Kick-Off Referee: Jeremy Simpson Well when writing my Match Thread for the game against Queens Park Rangers I certainly wouldn’t have envisaged the week that Charlton have just experienced… After going without a win in the League since the Boxing Day victory over Brighton and Hove Albion, the Addicks put together a dogged display against one of the biggest sides in the League with a 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers courtesy of an injury time from Johnnie Jackson (not that anyone needs reminding) and then just 72-hours later, Charlton pulled off a memorable 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup taking them to the Quarter-Finals for the first time since 2006. And so we continue in the competition where we face Sheffield United of League One and a real opportunity of reaching the Semi-Finals for the first time since 1947 and Wembley for the first time since 1998… Yet before that can happen the Addicks return to League action this Saturday where they make the trip to the Midlands to face run away League Leaders Leicester City which for Michael Morrison, Astrit Ajdarevic, Paul Konchesky and Chris Powell see themselves up against old clubs. 31.08.2013 – Charlton Athletic 2-1 Leicester City In just their second home game of the season, the Addicks recorded their first League victory of the season against a strong Leicester City side… Goals once more from ex-Leicester players: Yann Kermorgant and Michael Morrison gave Charlton a two goal before a consolation goal from Danny Drinkwater not to mention a save of the highest order from Kasper Schmeichel to ensure Charlton didn’t add to their tally. Leicester since then With a ten point lead over the Play-Off positions this is surely the season for Leicester to bounce back into the Premier League for the first time since X… Defeat against Charlton at the Valley is just one of five defeats in the League this season and only once have they lost at home (2-0 at the hands of Nottingham Forest in November)… Looking at Leicester’s stats… No team has scored more at home than Leicester this season whilst they have only conceded 15-goals at the Walkers Stadium (the 9th best home Division)… Charlton will definitely have to be at their Defensive best towards full time as 23% of goals scored by Leicester happen in the last 15-minutes of matches, their top-scorer David Nugent has 16-goals this season. Head to Head Meetings When I reach this stage of the Thread it usually involves me saying that Charlton are lagging in terms of victories against their opposition but not this time… Charlton have 24 wins over Leicester who have only beaten the Addicks on 17 occasions (whilst 9 matches have been drawn)… In fact Leicester haven’t beaten the Addicks since 2005 (Charlton have won four of the five fixtures since that day) and Charlton haven’t lost at Leicester since 2000… Will that impressive run continue this season? Charlton Team News Ben Hamer pulled off some terrific saves against Sheffield Wednesday so it’ll be surprising if he is dropped this Weekend, Rhoys Wiggins returned from a hamstring injury against Queens Park Rangers but was rested on Monday so may start in place of Morgan Fox… In his press conference today Chris Powell confirmed that Leon Cort is getting closer and closer towards fitness so will be a huge boost for the season run in yet unfortunately won’t be ready for this Weekend… Finally Marcus Tudgay should return to the side after being ineligible against Sheffield Wednesday due to being signed after the original fixture was planned.   Possible Side to Face Leicester City Hamer Wilson – Morrison – Wood – Wiggins Harriott – Cousins – Ajdarevic – Poyet – Jackson Church Substitutes Bench Thuram – Fox – Dervite – Green – Tudgay – Sordell – Ghoochanneijad The Referee – Jeremy Simpson Travelling From: Lancashire Matches This Season: 24 (5 in the Championship) Yellow / Red Cards: 69 / 5 Penalties: 3 Last Charlton Match: 17.08.2013… Barnsley 2-2 Charlton A4L’s Prediction: 2-1 (Church, Ghoochanneijad)
I'm going since I'm at uni here but not looking forward to this game, I know far too many Leicester fans and the stick if we lose is not going to be good. BUT I hope we've turned the corner 2-1 Church & Ardajevic (however u spell it) and Nugent for them Yes they're unbeaten, BUT we ended Huddersfield's unbeaten run so we can go for this one!
The Asteroid needs to step up to the plate and 'do a Yann' against his old club. Surely it's too much to hope we can get something from this? We'll be high on confidence but that can only compensate so far for the gulf in quality between us. 2-0 Leicester.
Great work A4L. I think you've got the team right, 4-5-1 and try and keep it tight for 90 minutes then win it in stoppage time. Worked before, didn't it?
Thanks A4L. First time I have ever agreed 100% with your selected XI, which shows how few options CP now has. It would grieve me to see Sordell still named on the bench though. I would like to think that Parzyszek's absence from the last u21 match meant he was was being saved for Leicester rather than that he was not ready to play even at u21 level, though I am not too confident about that. And I would rather see Pritchard or Lennon on the bench than Green in case Jackson has to limp off.
I said in an earlier post before QPR, partly tounge in cheek, that we'd get four straight wins and everything will be fine. We're half way there and I have a feeling come Saturday evening we'll be three-quarters there courtesy of a 0-1 scoreline. I'm not going to say who the scorer is because I now feel it could come from four or five sources, Church, Jacko, Morro from a corner, Asteroid or even Wilson.
A week ago I would have said 3-0 Leicester. Now i'm going for an 2-2 draw with us getting a late equalizer.
Can't see you getting anything from this game. At home Vardy is electric and we play with a lot higher tempo! Yes you beat us early on in the season and deservedly so, but we are a totally different outfit now and I predict a 3-0 score line. Good luck for the run in! Chris is well liked here and we wish him all the best! But not tomorrow.
Great work A4L, I like many others am struggling to argue with your starting line up. The only thing I would argue is that based on our last league game Dervite would consider himself unlucky to lose out. Still think Leicester will be too strong for us, 2-0 to the foxes.
Part of me thinks Leicester will be too strong but then at the same time I'm also thinking that we may be their bogey side which is why Im a bit confident Dervite could also start ahead of Wood what with the latter playing twice in two days and will give him a rest for the Sheffield United tie
I don't believe in "bogey sides", or "never win on Sky" or any of that rubbish. These good or bad streaks are only apparent in retrospective. The law of averages dictates that you will always get these quirky but meaningless sequences from time to time. And it is preferable that players don't believe in them either so they don't rely on an advantage they don't actually have or think they have an excuse for losing before they start. We might have had an advantage in that Leicester look at the table, think the game is already won, and get off to a too relaxed start (like the Massive maybe did on Monday), but after beating them at the Valley that won't happen. They will be out for revenge. Would have a better chance with Kermorgant in the side. As it is, I forecast 4 - 0 to Leicester. Don't understand what you mean here. Wood has only played 80 minutes total in the last 3 weeks. But, yes, Dervite might play as he is quicker and Leicester rely on speed rather than bludgeoning like the Massive.
think Tudgay may get the nod ahead of Church, but otherwise agree. 0-0 would be fine today, I'll go for that.
Confidence should be right up, but against this lot, I think nothing less than hard drugs will bring the win. I'll be happy with a draw, preferably with us coming back rather than throwing away a lead.
Afternoon all Charlton: Hamer; Wilson, Wiggins, Morrison, Wood; Poyet, Cousins, Jackson, Harriott, Ajdarević; Church Subs: Thuram-Ulien, Hughes, Dervite, Green, Ghoochannejhad, Tudgay, Fox Leicester: Schmeichel; De Laet, Morgan, Wasilewski, Schlupp; Mahrez, James, Drinkwater, Knockaert; Nugent, Vardy Subs: Hammond, King, Moore, Taylor-Fletcher, Logan, Phillips, Wood So Hamer keeps his place, and the only change is Wiggins back in for Fox. Not a bad team, I'd say.
