C'mon bluebirds pal! TEAM NEWS Charlton will check on the fitness of last season's top scorer Igor Vetokele, who missed last weekend's defeat with a hamstring injury. Deadline day signings Rod Fanni and Yaya Sanogo could be added to the squad after a week of training. Cardiff winger Craig Noone remains a doubt after missing the last two games with a bruised chest. Striker Idriss Saadi has stepped up his recovery after a long-term hamstring problem, but may not be risked. MATCH FACTS Charlton have lost just once in their last 10 matches versus Cardiff at the Valley (W4 D5). Federico Macheda has scored three goals in three appearances against Charlton. The Addicks are the only side yet to be awarded a penalty this season. Cardiff have won back-to-back away games for the first time this campaign; they last won three in a row in March 2015. Charlton's Johann Berg Gudmundsson has provided more assists than any other player this season (9). Charlton have won just one of their last 13 league matches (D5 L7). Sharethis page
Cardiff City boss Russell Slade has named an unchanged starting XI for today's clash at Charlton Athletic. January loan signing Tom Lawrence starts up front again alongside Anthony Pilkington, with fellow new faces Kenneth Zohore and Lex Immers both on the bench. Craig Noone is still missing from the squad through injury, with Sammy Ameobi starting out wide. Fabio keeps his place at full-back as Lee Peltier is forced to settle with a place on the bench. Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan is at the Valley today as he continues a rare visit to the UK. Charlton starting XI: Henderson, Solly, Teixeira, Lennon, Fox, Gudmundsson, Cousins, Jackson, Bergdich, Makienok, Reza. Subs: Pope, Sarr, Ba, Johnson, Poyet, Lookman, Sanogo Cardiff City starting XI: Marshall, Fabio, Malone, Connolly, Manga, Ameobi, O’Keefe, Ralls, Whittingham, Lawrence, Pilkington Subs: Moore, Peltier, Dikgacoi, Gunnarsson, Immers, Zohore, Macheda
Wolves v Preston - On the bench, Mason and Le Fondre for Wolves and Doyle for Preston. Not setting the world alight are they?
I like your reasoning Sparks. Now 13 shots with 1 on target. Peltier on for Fabio. Jacks 1 down and Mason has scored for Wolves.
Think this is going to be a draw now. When was the last time we scored a late winner? Andy Keogh against Millwalll
Macheda on for O'Keele. Can he maintain his record of scoring v Charlton? Now 2 shots on target and Pilks has hit the bar. The crossbar I mean, not gone for a beer.
Ameobi sent off? No pressure to play him next week then. Thank f.... Hope Noonie will be fit against his former club. We never do well at home against Brighton. Time for that to change if we want to get to play offs.
And when you add those to the 4 we've dropped against Rotherham and anonther 4 against MK Dons, you can easily see why we're not in a playoff spot. Who can you blame for what are really disastrous results against bottom clubs? Those along with the abysmal performance against the wurzels where we were very lucky to get nil will more than likely keep us in this divison without even a shot at the playoff lottery. The players are the ones sent out there to do the business but the bulk of the problem must lie with their management, particularly during games - it has been really poor.
It is quite staggering in fact that in the last 2 games City have not scored one goal yet had over so many decent chances; 3 times hit woodwork as well does not help. One decent striker and we would have had surely 10 extra points this season.
