FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 20 CHARLTON ATHLETIC v BLACKPOOL Saturday 13 December 2014 3pm - Kick-Off Referee: Andy Davies (Hampshire) INTROUCTION As we slowly approach the Christmas period and one of the most enthralling periods in the English Football calendar, Charlton Athletic return to home territory where they’ll play host to the Championship’s “whipping boys” this season in bottom of the table side: Blackpool, for now am going to rewind the clock six months… The date is now Saturday 03 May 2014, Jose Riga’s Charlton safe from relegation from the Championship after a 3-1 win the previous Tuesday against Watford, travel to Barry Ferguson’s Blackpool, a side that under Paul Ince started the season challenging for a Play-Off spot yet now face the possible prospect of relegation themselves, defeat against Charlton (and results going against them) would surely guarantee League One Football for the first time since 2007… Fortunately despite a 3-0 defeat courtesy of a Callum Harriot hat-trick, Blackpool would go on to survive, Barry Ferguson would leave and after an uncertain start to the summer at Charlton, into Blackpool would come Jose Riga… all sounds very simple so far doesn’t it... Unfortunately that is where “simple” ends, Blackpool forever ran on a shoe string budget by owner Karl Oyston, Riga would only be allowed to sign Loanees and Free Transfers, one pre-season friendly consist completely of trialists whilst Riga only managed to build a squad days before their first League match which would be away at Nottingham Forest and unsurprisingly end in defeat… With no wins under his belt, Riga would leave Blackpool and be replaced by ex-Birmingham Manager: Lee Clark, results havent been much better with just two wins and three draws and just as per the final moments of last season with Birmingham City, Lee Clark will be requiring yet another miracle to keep his team in the Championship. LAST TIME OUT Charlton travelled to Nottingham Forest hoping to win just their third match on the road this season… A fourth win on the cards certainly looked possible with Callum Harriot (converted as a make-shift Striker) giving the Addicks an early 1-0 lead, despite with Nottingham Forest in control for the majority of the game, Charlton could claim to be hard done by with Igor Vetokele missing a golden chance to make it 2-0 just before the break… The second half would see Forest control more possession and would claim a deserved equaliser; the game would end 1-1. Whilst you could claim that Charlton are the draw specialists you could certainly lay claim to the fact that Blackpool are the specialists in defeat this term with Blackpool ending as the losing team on twelve occasions this term… Fortunately for their fans though, Blackpool wouldn’t end Saturday defeated with them taking all three points at home against a resurgent Birmingham City; 1-0 the game would finish with Steve Davies grabbing the games only goal. HEAD TO HEAD MEETINGS In terms of the head to head meetings I don’t know why I continue to do this feature as the same story always seems to crop up, in total there have been 54-league matches played between the two sides, of course Blackpool lead the way with wins having won on 26 occasions whilst Charlton have only ended the match victorious in 16 matches (12 games have ended all square)… Recent results between the two sides have definitely been in favour of the Addicks though, including the 3-0 win at the end of last season, Charlton haven’t lost against this Saturdays opponents since 2008, although in the five matches since then, Charlton have only won the once at home in a 2-1 victory in January 2013… the most notable match between these two sides was in April 2009 when a 2-2 draw relegated the Addicks from the Championship. CHARLTON TEAMS NEWS Goalkeeper: Nick Pope should continue in goal after Bob Peeters confirmed that Stephen Henderson is some way from match fitness, Neil Etheridge should also retain his place on the bench despite conceding three goals in a behind closed doors friendly against Southend United midweek. Defence: Again the only notable absentee in the defence is Left-Back: Rhoys Wiggins, again Bob Peeters has confirmed that Rhoys is slowly stepping up his rehabilitation from injury yet will be certain to miss out meaning a continued run in the team for backup; Morgan Fox… Joe Gomez and Oguchi Onyewu should remain on the bench, Chris Solly should be handed the captains arm-band for this match Midfield: Question marks this morning are being raised that Francis Coquelin has been recalled by Arsenal which could leave a huge gap in our midfield especially with club Captain; Johnnie Jackson out for a few weeks, Yoni Buyens has been confirmed as being fit for the Weekend’s match so should Coquelin be absent then the possibilities are endless with Jordan Cousins or Johann Gudmundsson moving into centre-midfield putting either Lawrie Wilson or Callum Harriott on to the flanks. Strikers: No doubt Igor Vetokele will continue up front for the Addicks whilst depending on the Midfield issue; Callum Harriott should operate just behind as per the success it proved last Saturday against Nottingham Forest, should Harriott be deployed on the wings then you could possibly see Joe Pigott make an appearance (after being a substitute last weekend) or of course George Tucudean could return depending on the reason for his absence. LINE-UP Pope Solly – Ben-Haim – Bikey – Fox Gudmundsson – Cousins – Buyens – Harriott Vetokele – Pigott SUBSTITUTES BENCH Etheridge – Gomez – Onyewu – Bulot – Wilson – Tucudean – Ahearne-Grant PREDICTION Charlton Athletic 2-0 Blackpool (Harriott, Vetokele)
Cheers A4L. Funny how no-one mentions the C-word any more. Has Church been airbrushed out of Charlton? I for one miss hearing the abuse which rains down on him as he charges in, and hits a back-pass. The trouble is there are several players at the club who you really don't want to see in a Charlton shirt, our squad is a real curates egg. I expect another draw, going for 2-2.
I'm guessing that he's still out recovering from the dislocated shoulder... Doesnt ever get asked about in the Press Conferences though
The last thing I saw from Church was him getting abuse on Twitter for wishing the Wales team luck, and silly CAFC fans asking why he didn't post those messages on a Saturday for us Right, Blackpool. Since Lee Hughes helped send us down and did that stupid dance I've always had in the back of my mind that I want payback for it. So I'm hoping the floodgates open tomorrow and we get 3,4 or 5. But, 2-1 - Vetokele double
This current line up Peeters is playing is not really working. You can see Vetokele getting frustrated. During parts of the match on Saturday, he was VERY lazy. Though I don't rate Țucudean, Vetokele seemed to score more when he was in the team. I think that we should just go 4-4-2 (Diamond): Line Up -----------Pope------------------ Solly | Ben-Hiam | Bikey | Fox -----------Buyens--------------- Guðmundsson -- | ------ Cousins -----------Harriott--------------- ---- Țucudean | Vetokele ------ Means that we'd offer an attack threat of a tall hold up player, a poacher and Harriott whom can score. If we need to defend, Harriott can move into the wing and cousins can play in the middle. I fear we're going to see a repeat of the Ipswich match, given Blackpool could be on a high after their win, against Birmingham.
Kind of explained myself badly, so I added in tactical charts instead. View attachment 34396 View attachment 34397
First Formation I see as very lightweight in the middle... think we'd constantly lose the Midfield battle (well even more so) playing that one
Cousins will surely move inside. I've been impressed by the way he's knuckled down to playing in an unfamiliar role on the left. He's provided an outlet, and given Fox valuable help, and I thought we missed that when he moved to CM on Saturday. My choice to play on the left would be Holmes-Dennis, who can play there or LB. Cousins has shown he has the energy to be a box-to-box player, and there aren't too many of them around.
At the moment, I'm ruing the decision to let Michael Smith go. He's the sort of striker that we need to play alongside Vetokele, and pitch in more goals than Chruch, Țucudean or god awful and woeful Bulot.
I should be there for this one as I'm coming back from uni tomorrow. It has all the hallmarks of a frustrating game against a team we really should beat. 1-1, not that that's a particularly original prediction to make.
Always think it odd that anyone would want to leave Wilson out of our starting line-up, and even odder when we have Coquelin and Jackson unavailable. He was arguably our best player overall last season (if we dismiss Poyet's brief flowering). He is only 27, so should be at the peak of his career, and probably would be if not messed about horribly by the present management. I am sure that given a run at RM he would soon find his best form. If we need cover for Solly, Gomez is more than adequate, and even if RB will not be his eventual position, the experience would do him good. Wilson gives his all for 90 minutes. I would pick Wilson ahead of Buyens, Gudmundson or Tucudean any time, but tomorrow we may need to play all three.
I agree Wilson should start, always seems to offer an attacking threat and can cover nicely for Solly when he makes his runs forward. A very winnable game, so 1-1
Playing Wilson would mean we have on up front again, and would probably be the repeat of the Ipswich game.
Why? We can play 4-4-2 with Wilson on the right? Even if we do play 4-5-1/4-4-1-1/whatever Blackpool won't be as strong defensively as Ipswich.
So Gomez plays instead of Wilson, apart from that everything else as predicted. Does that mean Solly will play right mid?
Crap. Though the line up and formation didn't give me much hope. Last minute goals to blackpool haunt me.
I walked out as soon as bikey missed. Don't want to criticise him though as he was one of the very few positives.
Solly was class. Bikey was class (for 89 minutes) Pope had a shocker, Ben Haim, a stupid stupid stupid stupid tackle for the freekick but what Pope was doing I'll never know. Igor needs Support, but we been saying that all season. Few Positives, Solly at CDM was actually class, real captains performance. Never been so p!ssed at a performance in my life with a draw. Why do we only have the urgency when we are behind? At 2-1 we should have pushed on and put 3 past them at least. Their defending for Cousin's goal was so so so bad. Not happy one bit with the performance at all.
