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)
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)

