I don't like playing Luton, I remember too many thrashings they used to give us, including the time we got away with 7-1 thanks to a kindly referee, Roger (sideburns) Kirkpatrick. They will be up for this one, so will their fans, and we will have to improve or face another defeat. A more attacking line-up please, something like: Phillips; Matthews, Lockyer, Nabster, Purrington; Oz, Pratley, Cullen, Green; Bonne, Taylor.
I went for Oz based on their respective performances against Forest and Blackburn. Oz has earned his place, McGeady hasn't.
Yes, isn't it time McGeady actually did something? That is, something more than we get out of Oztumer. I used to like him as a player years ago, but has he actually done anything for Charlton this season?
You mean Oz? He hasn't had much of a chance, but played well enough on Tuesday to deserve another chance, and has much more energy than McGeady, something we were lacking on Saturday.
I went for McGeady because he’s more of a physical presence and won’t get bullied , where as Oz is an annoying “wasp” like player ( a bit like elfs ) .
Oztumer has energy, I'll give him that. I'd just love to see Aiden McGeady actually stand out - make something happen, get the crowd to start singing his name.
This really is the grind-it-out, long haul part of the season now. It would be nice to have a weekend not lashed by a miserable storm. I think Luton will be more gung-ho than we are. Going to predict a goal-fest... Luton 0-2 up in 20 minutes, and 1-3 up at half time. Then a Taylor hat-trick in the second half for a memorable 4-3 home win
Just the one home league defeat against Luton in the last 10 and that was back in the old dark days at Selhurst Park when we lost one nil back in May 1987.
Our midfield needs to step up in supporting our front 1 or 2. Although we defend as a team we don't attack as a team, and apart from set-pieces you seldom see more than 2 or 3 of our players in the opposing box. I want to see Green back in midfield as well as either Oz or McGeady, and at least have a go from the start. Too many defensive minded players last Saturday, even after we changed to 4-4-2 it seemed unbalanced.
I still remember going to the Valley on a tuesday night with my dad and watching Luton dismember us to the tune of 5-1. I didn't even know it was legal to lose at home by that sort of scoreline in those days, and the small bunch of Luton fans cavorting about to my right was enough to make me wish I'd never heard of them (or Charlton). We badly need to come out and go for a win here - Luton have turned a small corner, and it would be great for us to turn them back again, Given the gap between us, they need the win a little more than we do, but after last saturday, another defeat will leave us really ragged confidence wise. I'll go for Oz over McGeady, and Bonne over Hemed, provided he's ready to start.
Quite simply, it’s a massive game now. There are not three worse teams in the Championship than Luton and Charlton, at least one of us is going to drop.
The only one of the loanees who I think might be an asset is Smith, and he looks very rusty. I think there is a player there but who knows how long it would take to get him match fit. Deja vu.