Impossible to predict GL's team because I have no idea who is fit. By which I mean not only "uninjured" but also has recovered from the very exhausting game against Hull. "Exhausting" because of the heat and the fact that both teams were going for a win from first to last for 100 minutes. So I will speculate instead on GL's philosophy. Will it be: 1) Take our best shot at winning? 2) Make protecting players required to start against Wolves the first priority? or 3) A compromise between the above. While I have always thought we should decide between (1) and (2), we usually end up with (3). We cannot rely on the previous round for a clue to GL's thinking. There were so many very recent signings it was difficult to guess who was physically fit and what he, at that time, considered his best team. He did leave out Cousins, but that may have been because the player had a cold or a knock. I am not a believer in the "never change a winning team" mantra. Any merit in that trope disappeared with "centre-halves", "wingers", and Dubbin. I doubt if there are five managers within the four divisions who still do. As the Tinkerman said, "haters will hate, and rotaters will rotate" BUT: We have impetus now and a great spirit. But It must be fragile because our pre-season was crap so it has shallow roots. A defeat against a Div One side might cause it to wither slightly. Our new foreign imports might not appreciate our venerable tradition of getting mugged by a lower-league team and then shrugging it off. I think Luzon should pick his strongest team and go for a win. Anything less, and we could come unstuck. But rest those who need resting and those who are not 100% fit. I do not know who those are, but GL should know by now. If that means facing Wolves with more tired players and some missing, then so be it. I think facing them after a demoralising defeat might be just as undermining. Even if we beat Peterborough, then lose to Wolves, I think fans would be supportive of Luzon considering the wafer-thin squad he is working with. What I never like is a compromise, whereby the team is weakened, but still includes key players who are exposed to possible injury and have to play harder to compensate for those missing. Given that the international break follows the Wolves game, it might be acceptable to push some to the limit as they get a week's break afterwards. I would like to see: Pope Cousins (hopefully his final appearance at RB, if we have cover lined up for signing) Bauer Sarr (time to give him another run and rest old man Diarra) Fox Ba (if 100% fit, otherwise Charles-Cook) Kashi Bergdich (if fit, otherwise Holmes-Dennis. I assume Jackson is injured) Gudmundsson Makienok A-G I would not risk Watt, Vetokele or Ceballos at all unless 100% fit, even though that leaves us desperately weak for strikers on the bench: Hanlan, Kennedy and Harriott?
Vetokele was at the trading ground yesterday and he said he would take some part in the Peterborough game. This was said to someone on Charlton Life.
The first priority will be saturday's difficult game at Wolves, so anyone who is not 100% won't be risked. Maybe even the Big German. So if he sends out a very youthful team I hope Jackson is fit, to provide some leadership. Although I'm not sure Diarra needs resting. He may be 34, but doesn't waste energy, I'm sure he runs on solar power. It might be the right time to look at the option of playing Holmes-Dennis on the left, he had a few minutes there against Daggers, and Posh will be a step up in quality. (Just seen Dickp's post)
Dificult to judge as everyone seems to be injured. If Jackson is okay, he should be given a go (I asume his absence from the bench shows he is injured). Ba should be okay, but with the Wolves on Saturday, I imagine we may swap players around. I'd like to see mak continue, but only if he can do today plus 90 minutes on saturday. In Luzón we trust.
I'd rather us play a very weak and youth squad this match. We're doing very good in the league, and if we're going to see players get injured, I'd rather it be in the league, based on our current form we could hit play offs. We are not going to win The League Cup. The best we can hope for is a top Premier League team like Arsenal or Chelsea.
Great news that he is that close to returning. I just hope they take no risks with him. Looked like he was playing while injured last season. If so, that is crazy.
That is one logical approach, to throw the match by using no first-team players. That way the first-team players would not be "tarnished" by a defeat. But we know that is not going to happen, because the club fielded "the best of the rest" yesterday in the u21 match. If we were going to leave out all the first-team squad we would need to play the likes of Mitov, Bikey, Sho-Silva, Muldoon and Thomas, and they all played yesterday.
We finished 19 points clear of relegation. Any player who risks his playing future for points is stupid. Expecting players to put the club first is one thing, but that is totally unreasonable. If forced to play he would have cast-iron case for massive damages. But it is hard to believe any player would be "forced to play" these days in a first-world country. I imagine it was a faulty medical diagnosis saying he could play it off.
ADDICKS XI: Pope, Charles-Cook, Bauer, Sarr, Lennon, Harriott, Ba, Cousins (c), Bergdich, Kennedy, Ahearne-Grant #cafc (SC) SUBS: Mitov, Thomas, Fox, Kashi, Muldoon, Gudmundsson, Vetokele #cafc (SC) I can't see us scoring with that line up. Down to the subs methinks. It's good though to see so many young players.
A senior body in an attacking position would have been preferable, but then it will be good to see KAG get a run out against a League One team (Which is what I think his current level is). Any info on Kennedy?
Are H Anderson and J Anderson of Peterborough amateurs? If so, I trust they have a separate changing room.
