Football League Championship â Round Three Charlton Athletic v Derby County Tuesday 19th August 2014 7:45pm Kick-Off Referee â Michael Bull (Essex) Well the season will be well underway when the Full-Time whistle goes tomorrow, with the third consecutive match to be held at the Valley in just one week (a testimony to the Charlton ground staff for the work theyâve put into the Valley this summer) â Yet even though only two matches have been played in the Championship, the Addicks will probably be up against one of the biggest challenges of the season on Tuesday night, a win against Derby County and a benchmark for the season could be set, even a draw could be the start of putting the pain of last season behind us. Standing between us and three points though is probably one of the strongest sides in the Division⦠Finishing 3rd last season, Derby County were favourites to go up via the play-offs yet once against history had a habit of repeating itself⦠there are no favourites in the Play-Offs!!... And so Steve McClaren (ex-Assistant Manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and ex-England Manager) has had to rally his troops to begin another campaign in the Championship, and a campaign that has been spluttering into gear at present⦠a 1-0 (Hendrick) win on the opening day of the season against newly promoted Rotherham United was followed in the League on Saturday with a 0-0 away at Sheffield Wednesday, sandwiched in-between, a 2-0 victory in the League Cup at League Two opposition Carlisle United. Yet for the Addicks the first test of the season came on Saturday against another of the unfortunate Play-Off sides: Wigan Athletic (tipped by many to be one of the sides to bounce back to the Premier League at the second time of asking), yet as is the way with Football nothing ever goes to plan and a sublime finish from Jordan Cousins within the first 10-minutes gave the Addicks a surprise lead⦠Wigan for all their possession only created the one chance on target all match, sadly though that effort from highly-rated Callum McManaman just ten minutes later made the score 1-1 and for the next 70-minutes thatâs how it remained, only for one Franck Moussa to join the history books⦠coming off the bench to make his League debut, his deflected shot in the 93-minute ensured all three points remained in South East London for the first time this season. The Ex-Addick / Ram Of course with Derby County being our latest opponents many would expect me to select ex-Manager Chris Powell as the latest link between our opposition but that would be too easy, other possibilities included Andy Todd or Jay McEveley (who spent time on loan at the Valley) yet with this opportunity granted to me (for possibly the only time this season) how can you forget one of the Charlton record breakers: Derek Hales!! A Striker sadly before my time so Iâm going to have to rely on the web articles to help me with this piece but scorer of 168-goals he remains (and quite possibly will forever remain) the man who has scored more times in a Charlton shirt than any other player⦠Nicknamed âKillerâ, Hales spent two spells at Charlton, firstly joining in 1973 for three years and then between 1978 and 1985 for his final spell. The link between the two sides on Tuesday night is that at the end of his first spell at the Valley, Hales would move on to Derby County (a side in the top tier), sadly though he wouldnât be able to continue his scoring touch whilst at the Baseball Ground (the home of Derby until 1997) and would leave Derby for West Ham United after just one season. Last Charlton Victory over Derby County As I stated in the last match preview⦠Wigan Athletic had never beaten Charlton at the Valley and so that tradition continued⦠unfortunately though, the Addicks havenât beaten Derby at home since 2002, even though only three matches have been played in SE7 since that day one encounter resulted in a Derby victory (2-0, December 2013) whilst the other two matches resulted in draws (2-2 in 2008 and 1-1 in 2012).   Charlton Team News The biggest incident to come out of the win against Wigan was the departure of Goalkeeper: Stephen Henderson midway through the first half⦠with him unlikely to recover from what seems to be a Hamstring injury in time, young âkeeper; Nick Pope will be due his first competitive start in Charlton colours⦠It should also be highly doubtful whether Chris Solly appears (because of persistent knee problems) so it remains to be see whether Lawrie Wilson will step in at Right-Back (Does Peeters see Wilson as a Midfielder or Defender?) or do we see another first League start given to youngster: Joe Gomez, fresh from making his impressive debut against Colchester United in the League Cup â Johnnie Jackson seems to be the only other slight question mark following reports that was suffering from a stomach bug on Saturday, yet with consistency the key in Football will Bob Peeters be tempted to make too many changes to a winning team. Possible side to face Derby County Pope Gomez â Ben-Haim â Bikey â Wiggins Gudmundsson â Buyens â Jackson â Cousins Tucudean â Vetokele Substitutes Bench Phillips â Fox â Morrison â Wilson â Moussa â Harriott â Church A4Lâs Prediction: 1-0 (Vetokele)
Another game I'm having to miss I agree that Solly will probably have to make way, but not sure who for. If Peeters is true to his ethos, then it will be Gomez. But I just wonder if it's because we're up against a promotion favourite, he will favour Wilson for this game. In an ideal world, Solly's knee will hold up! I personally think Tucudean will be dropped in favour of another body in midfield, with Moussa being the man to step in. Tough game, think it will be a draw but unsure if it will be a score or no score stalemate.
Assuming Bob doesn't want to play Solly again: Pope Gomez – Morrison – Bikey – Wiggins (if fit, otherwise Fox) Wilson - Cousins – Buyens – Moussa (if fit, otherwise Harriott) Gudmundsson Vetokele Result 1 - 2 But if Jackson and Tucudean start, then 0 - 2 Derby are my tip to win the league, so no disgrace to lose so long as we make a fight of it.
Bob will play - Pope Wilson – Morrison – Bikey – Wiggins Gudmundsson - Jackson – Buyens – Cousins Tucudean Vetokele I would play .....................Pope ...Solly – Morrison – Bikey – Wiggins Wilson - Cousins – Buyens – Gudmunsson ...................The Harriotts ..........Vetokele Result Bob's team...... 0-2 Derby My team.........1-1
It will be really interesting to see whether Chris Solly is able to play tonight. I guess the rumours will be confirmed if he doesn't, as his form is good.
A few teams are suffering hangovers from last season, so now is the time to play the likes of Wigan and Derby. I'd keep Jackson in the side if he is fit, but I'd drop Tucudean in favour of Moussa. 2-1 to the Addicks.
Definitely - And the so called ''big boys'' like Fulham are yet to start! Starting to feel more confident getting nearer to the game and think it may well be 2-1 again. That last minute goal would have been a massive confident boost to a group of players who already look confident (different from last season to say the least).
True enough Ponders, though Wigan sounded fairly healthy to me, so it was a great win. More of the same tonight please.
We were better than Wigan, Ken. In my opinion, Rosler's men were distinctly average, but that takes nothing away from our determination to win the game. We had that extra yard of pace and bite in the tackle, and the attacking impetus was all ours in the final third. Derby will not find a pushover tonight.
The site has mentioned the Valley Review contains an interview with Gary Rowett. One of the most underrated players we've had in the last 20 years. It was a massive shame he got injured when he did as he was starting to become our best defender.
I've already resigned myself to the fact that Solly won't be able to play more than one game a week any more. I hope that's not the case, of course, and would love to see him play tonight, but that's hope, not expectation. However, Gomez's performance against Colchester suggests that he is a more than capable deputy at right back. I agree with eddie's team, but not with his radical change of prediction depending on whether Jackson and Tucudean play. I am one of those who think that Jackson shouldn't be a regular starter any more, and I'm yet to be convinced by Tucudean, but I wouldn't think that would completely shape the outcome of the match. My prediction is 2-2 I'll be at The Valley again tonight, so no match updates from me once again.
Only predicted a one goal difference, between including these two semi-passengers instead of our best player and the hat-trick hero of Blackpool*. Hardly "radical". I was only being spiteful. I always like to have a player or two to bitch at. Anyone who stops Wilson playing regularly at RM will be on the end of my little digs. As ever you are reasonable, literate and courteous, Capt. Don't become like me in your old age! *Actually I don't have a lot of faith in the hat-trick hero of Blackpool, but I would rather see him sharing 90 minutes with a half-fit Moussa, than Tucudean. And I do see potential in Tucudean, but he needs to go out on loan in Div One and mentally toughen up first.
Apologies eddie, I've just looked again and saw that I misread your first prediction as 2-1 to us. I am a colossal nincompoop.
If Derby are as good as fellow "promotion hopefuls" Wigan we shall be more than fine tonight. Can't remember last time I've done 3 games in a row (cup games included) and buzzing for tonight. Would love for Tucudean to score today to shut me up saying he's not good enough, so saying that 6-0 to us Tucudean with all 6. If he doesn't score I see a battling 2-1 again Bikey and Gudmundsson.
Gutted i'm missing this after seeing two good home performances, about to check BBC London but fear my licence money will be wasted on them sitting with their five Live colleagues both watching Arsenal. Hoping for a good performance, if Derby are as good as they are supposed to be then if we get a draw I'll be happy. There again Wigan were meant to e good.
