Charlton Athletic v Swansea City Competition - Sky Bet Championship Date - 2 October 2019 Venue - The Valley Kick Off - 19.45 The Manager of the Month ‘curse’ has certainly struck as far as Swansea City is concerned - the Jacks have not won a game since Steve Cooper received the award for August! Despite the poor run in the Championship (a defeat and 2 draws), the Swans remain in second place in the Championship although the teams below them are gathering close together - the Swans are only 3pts above Fulham who are in 10th place! Following the disappointing 1-1 home draw against lowly Reading, next up is a visit to 6th placed Charlton who last Saturday beat Leeds who dropped to 4th place. Against Reading, the Swans missed out on a return to the top of the Championship table as Reading scored in the last minute to draw 1-1 at the Liberty Stadium. Borja put Steve Cooper's team ahead after just three minutes. But Swansea's failure to extend their lead cost them dear when Andy Yiadom fired home the equaliser in the last minute. The goal meant Jose Gomes' team avoided a fourth straight league defeat - and left Swansea frustrated. Swansea's 1-0 loss in their last home game, against Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago, was a first league reverse on their patch since Aston Villa won in south Wales on Boxing Day 2018. Forest were also the first visiting since side Villa to stop Swansea scoring at the Liberty - but Reading's attempts to follow suit did not last long. Connor Roberts played the ball down the line for Andre Ayew, who delivered the perfect centre for Borja to glance home a header. Steve Cooper felt the Swans were on the wrong end of yet another key refereeing decision against Reading. The Swans’ head coach had also been frustrated with the officials after last weekend's stalemate at Bristol City. And it was a similar story as Reading's Lucas Boye escaped being sent off just before half-time at the Liberty Stadium. "We are definitely on the end of some poor decisions at the moment," he said. "I was pleased we had an experienced referee for the first time, as we seem to be getting the ones who are maybe a bit new to it, but we still got the same luck. "It was a clear second yellow card and the referee has made an awful decision." Hampshire referee Keith Stroud booked Boye for chopping down Swansea's Connor Roberts on 27 minutes. But Argentine forward Boye then got away with a blatant, two-handed pull on Matt Grimes as the Swansea skipper led a counter-attack in first-half stoppage time. Whilst the Swans were failing to beat Reading, Charlton were notching up their best win of the season beating Leeds United 1-0. As a result, Leeds missed the chance to return to the top of the Championship as Macauley Bonne's scrappy goal condemned them to a first away defeat of the season at Charlton. Ben White and Liam Cooper tested Dillon Phillips from corners, while Ezgjan Alioski saw a goalbound shot blocked by Jonathan Leko as the visitors dominated the early exchanges. But Charlton led against the run of play from a corner of their own - Leeds keeper Kiko Casilla parrying Tom Lockyer's volley into the back of the unknowing Bonne, with the ball trickling in. Marcelo Bielsa's side lacked cutting edge but were denied a stoppage-time equaliser when Dillon Phillips made a superb save to deny Adam Forshaw from close range. The Swans have played Charlton 44 times, winning 16, losing 17 and drawing 11. Turning to Wednesday evening, I fancy that Cooper will have learned some harsh lessons from failing to capitalise when on top and from failing to make better use of his bench. Additionally, Charlton may have regarded Leeds as their ‘Cup Final’, so I think the Swans will catch up in the overall match series - I’m going for a 1-0 win for the Swans
Must use the old guard and be better prepared is the answer. It will be a tough game for sure but not an impossible game that we cant get a win. The last 4 games have been poor by our standards and have dropped many points that was not expected but we do seem to play better against the better sides and it dont come much bigger than this game......COYS
Yan Dhanda returns to the Swansea City starting line-up as head coach Steve Cooper makes the one change for tonight’s game at Charlton. The attacking midfielder comes into the side in place of George Byers, who drops out of the matchday squad. The Swans are otherwise unchanged from how they lined up against Reading at the weekend. That means Freddie Woodman starts in goal, with a back four of Connor Roberts, Mike van der Hoorn, Joe Rodon and Kyle Naughton ahead of them. Matt Grimes and Jay Fulton continue their record of having started every Championship fixture alongside each other in midfield, with Andre Ayew and Bersant Celina out wide. Dhanda plays in the middle of a trio operating behind central striker Borja Baston. The hosts name former Swan Darren Pratley on their bench. Charlton Athletic: Dillon Phillips, Jason Pearce (captain), Macauley Bonne, Sam Field, Ben Purrington, Conor Gallagher, Adam Matthews, Jonathan Leko, Tom Lockyer, Josh Cullen, Erhun Otzumer. Subs: Ben Amos, Deji Oshilaja, Jonny Williams, Jake Forster-Caskey, Chuks Aneke, Darren Pratley, Naby Sarr. Swansea City: Freddie Woodman; Connor Roberts, Mike van der Hoorn, Joe Rodon, Kyle Naughton; Jay Fulton, Matt Grimes (captain); Andre Ayew, Yan Dhanda, Bersant Celina; Borja Baston. Subs: Erwin Mulder, Declan John, Ben Wilmot, Tom Carroll, Wayne Routledge, Jordon Garrick, Sam Surridge.
So yet again, Cooper has selected a side without any real width.... That said, it contains 10 of the 11 players who started at Elland Road - Bidwell completing his 3 match ban tonight.
Yes, me too. It would be great to go back to the top by whatever means necessary. Lets see what happens. Will watch on the Sky red button.