Date: Saturday, 7th November 2015 Kick Off: 3:00pm "We finally won a game," I said to my friend last night after taking a sip of ice cold Jack Daniels "Pity it was in the Kent Senior Cup and not the league." That is how far my feelings for the club has sunk, that I have celebrated a victory over a team that plays in the Isthmian League Division One North. Needless to say, it is a team that is ranker higher in quality than VW Hamme, where we got our latest Head Coach from. What a disgraceful saga this has become, which sees us without a win in 11 matches and unable to score in approximately seven hours of football. They say "that a Leopard never changes it's spots" and when it comes to Roland Duchâtelet this is especially true, with the latest managerial merry-go-round change has seen us appoint Karel Fraeye as (and I use the term 'interim' loosely), Interim Head Coach, much to the anger of the fan base; this has lead to a planned protest at The Valley west stand car park from 2:30pm. This will be Fraeye's first game in charge at The Valley and I do not expect a warm welcome to the former assistant. We are also hampered with the news that Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson and Jordan Cousins are looking very doubtful in playing come Saturday. With this news we, the paying fan, should hang a banner saying "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" over the covered end. The Opposition Whilst we have been in free fall over the last 11 matches, we see the complete contrast in Sheffield Wednesdays performance. Their recent 0 - 0 against Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday has seen them go 11 games without a defeat. Manager Carlos Carvalhal has hailed the recent performance of his team as they find themselves one point away from the last play off spot. There is no new injury concerns for Wednesday going into this match. Part of the reason to their success, manager Carvalhal believes is that they are now a team that shows defensive brilliance and is hard to score against. Current Form The less I say about our form the better and the last two losses at The Valley has seen us concede six goals. Sheffield Wednesday on form, definitely looks like this will be a winner for them. Head-To-Head Last season, honours were pretty even between the two teams. Both home and away games ended in 1 - 1 draws, with Vetokele and Guðmundsson rescuing the points for us after falling behind in both games. My most memorable games over Sheffield Wednesday has to be where Johnnie Jackson effectively secured us promotion with a free kick (replicated the week after against Sheffield United), in edition to Chris Powell swinging off the crossbar at Hillsborough. We need to go back to 26th January 2013 when we last lost to Wednesday, where they scored two late goals in four minutes from Johnson and Lita to secure all three points. Updates from the Ministry of Love Line Up Having not been to the last few games on the account of working up a pretty decent base tan, I'm not quite sure what line up we'll go with. I know from the press conference that we have some key players missing, and sadly I cannot see us going with an attacking formation. We could see the following: please log in to view this image It's quite unorthodox, but considering the amount of fit players we have, and (I cannot believe I'm saying this), the quality of our opposition, stopping them from scoring would be our main objective. Odds Does not surprise me that the bookies are backing Sheffield Wednesday for the win. So am I, and with the 0 - 3 win to the away team (by our last performances) the 19/1 odds are looking quite tantalising too. For Charlton HT and Sheffield Wednesday FT, we're looking at 29/1, which could be interesting punt. League Table & Fixtures w.c. 7th November 2015 Outcome I just don't think that we have enough quality, grit or managerial experience to win this game. Given that Wednesday have a strong bench in the likes of goalscoring places, Nuihu and Norwich Loanee Hooper, and solid players such as former addick José Semedo, we're going to struggle big time in this match, especially if we've struggled against severely weak opponents, Preston North End, Rotherham and MK Dons to name a few. I can already hear the protest chants occurring. Needless to say guys #COYR #COYA
Also, back in the UK, looks like I missed a bucket load... Bit later than usual too, catching up on all them pesky work emails.
Updated with the latest manager comments. Also, he's made a plea not to protest and to support the team. Does anyone else think "cheeky w*****?" What we've had to put up with over the last couple of years. He's lucky people are still turning up.
I quite like that formation 'Holden' except swap Ba and Jacko's positions and Watt is probably injured. It may have to be Reza. Whatever, I'm expecting a 0 - 4
I'm going to do quite a few Wednesday bets. I though to myself "if they win, I'm quids in. If we win, **** we won, yipeeeeeee!"
You'd think with our recent form they would realise the sofa is more embarrassing than it originally was. I'm not sure who I want gone first - Fraeye or the sofa. As for the game - I can't see a result. Wednesday always seem to arrive in SE7 and put the breaks on. This time, there is nothing to break. 1-3. Set piece goal, Bauer.
Can we fit 6,000 Charlton supporters behind that fan's sofa? Is that what you are asking Billy? Perhaps any Charlton fans in the Valley tomorrow can do a Poznan while Ricky waving his black and white balloons can give commentary of the game.
Are people attending the game? I'm doing the protest, then to the pub with my betting slips to watch Soccer Saturday. Much more fun.
I will come to the protest and then Macro.... I am going to the club shop (if it is still standing) to buy an Addick baby grow for my new great nephew .... his father supports the Tree-huggers and thinks he will be brought up a Hugger but my niece is an Addick so we'll see.
No Cousins or JBG, this is only going one way 3-0 Sheff Wed I'm at the Nou Camp Sunday, will be a change to see Suarez/Neymar compared to Reza/Makienok
I can't believe they're still 21/20 to win. I thought the betting patterns would have changed that by now.
I'll go in to watch at least part of the game, feeling a bit ghoulish, like someone who stops to peer at a car smash. You hope to see someone crawling out alive, but you can tell by the mangled wreckage that you'll only see a corpse.
