Football League Championship â Round Four Huddersfield Town v Charlton Athletic Saturday 23rd August 2014 3pm Kick-Off Referee â Tim Robinson (West Sussex) With three home games in just one week (Against; Colchester United.. Wigan Athletic and Derby County) it now seems fitting for the fixture list to throw up three away matches in just the one week before the top two Divisions in English Football take a break for the first International Fixtures of the season⦠This Saturday the Addicks will find themselves travelling to the most Northern of their three opponents: Huddersfield Town. Promoted with Charlton from League One in 2011/12 (albeit via the Play-Offs), Huddersfield have had a steady yet nervy two years back in Englandâs 2nd Tier, in their first return they would finish in 19th place with Simon Grayson departing the club and Mark Robins incoming (not to mention the departure of prolific scorer Jordan Rhodes to Blackburn Rovers), last season, the club would make a slight improvement finishing 17th just one place and two points ahead of Charlton⦠this season though and the troubles began straight after the season kicked off⦠losing to Bournemouth (4-0) on the opening day, Mark Robins would leave the club after just one game (with Mark Lillis once again stepping up to the role of Caretaker Manager), their next league game against Cardiff City faired them little better (losing 3-1) yet finally on Tuesday night, Huddersfield picked up their first League win of the season with a 2-1 win away at Reading, with the Addicks coming into town on Saturday that could have just been the result Huddersfield needed⦠Oh and on the Managerial front, one Chris Powell is currently favourite to take over the reins in Yorkshire so there could be one very interesting reunion for a few of the squad this Saturday too⦠Back to Charlton though and their impressive start to the season continued last Tuesday night with an excellent 3-2 result at home to pre-season favourites; Derby County⦠George Tucudean would be the hero of the first half giving Charlton a deserved lead after just 10-minutes⦠Jamie Ward would equalise midway through the first-half for Derby yet Tucudean had the last say of the half, a mazy run into the box saw him win Charlton a penalty and up stepped Yoni Buyens to hand the advantage back to the home side⦠With Derby pressing hard throughout the second half, it would be Igor Vetokele scoring his first goal at the Valley to make it 3-1 before Jamie Ward capitalised on a Nick Pope error making it 3-2 in the final stages to setup a tense finish. The Ex-Addick As mentioned in my previous Match Previews, the Ex-Addick wonât always cover the players who have put their names in lights at the Valley⦠Instead with a trip to Huddersfield looming this weeksâ feature is on one of the unfortunate players to play in one of the worst recent periods for the club: Pawel Abbott. Signing from Oldham Athletic on a Free-Transfer ahead of the 2010/11 season, Pawel would only go on to make 17 appearances in a Charlton shirt scoring just the one league goal (Against Swindon Town), leaving after just a half-season at the Valley, Pawel would return to his native Poland where he has since played for the likes of Ruch Chorzow, Zawisza Bydgoszcz and now Arka Gdynia (Just like trying to spell Piotr Pazyszek all over again). Pawel Abbott though would have happier times at this Weekendâs opponents⦠spending six years in Yorkshire between 2003 and 2007, Abbott would go on to score 48 league goals whilst making over 100 appearances for the Terriers. Match Down Memory Lane Of course how can I pass up the opportunity to mention the most famous of matches between these two sides, the 7-⦠Nah that would be far too easy to comment on, instead the date was 28 December 1999⦠Once again the two sides would be fighting against each other for promotion (one Charlton would once again win as they made an instant return to the Premier League) With the Sky Cameras at Huddersfield, Charlton would return to the Valley with all three points, goals from Andy Hunt and a sublime effort from John Robinson just 6-minutes apart would seal the tie and although Marcus Stewart would grab a late consolation goal in the 80th minute for Huddersfield, the damage was already done and there was no late equaliser from the home side, as Charlton went on to win 2-1. Charlton Team News With Chris Solly being rested for the midweek matches, he should return to the Starting Eleven for this Saturdays match, Joe Gomez put in an impressive debut at Right-Back so could be pushing his fellow Academy graduate⦠Bob Peeters confirmed there is an outside change for Stephen Henderson to return from his slight hamstring issue, yet should he miss out then Nick Pope should continue despite his error on Tuesday evening, the only other injury concern is to George Tucudean who had to be withdrawn at Half-Time on Tuesday⦠Should he also fail to make the team then Frank Moussa would be the obvious candidate to start in his stead. Possible side to face Huddersfield Town Pope Solly â Ben-Haim â Bikey â Wiggins Gudmundsson â Buyens â Jackson â Cousins Moussa â Vetokele Substitutes Bench Henderson â Fox â Morrison â Wilson â Harriott â Church â Tucudean A4Lâs Prediction: 2-0 (Moussa, Jackson)
Could be a good time to play 'udders - just read this on ESPN: ''Captain Lee Peltier is struggling with a groin injury while Anthony Gerrard (calf), James Vaughan (calf), Oscar Gobern (toe), Martin Paterson (knee), Danny Ward (back) and Joe Lolley (hip) are also receiving treatment.'' Their biggest players seemingly struggling, if any of those 3 are missing then you have to fancy our chances. It also helps that they've sold their better midfielders from last season - Norwood joining Reading and Clayton moving to 'boro. I'd keep Pope in, even if Henderson is back. I think he needs the chance to recover from Tuesdays mistake so it doesn't damage any confidence/momentum he carried in off the back of last season. Should Tucudean not recover, then agree Moussa comes in and plays off Vetokele. 1-2 (Vetokele 2)
Yeah I've been wanting to put Gomez on the bench for the other games only reason why I dont think he will be: (1) Fox can play Left-Back so can cover Wiggins.. (2) Morrison can cover at Centre-Back... (3) Wilson can cover at Right-Back should there be a problem with Solly
i'd take a 0-0 draw. keeps the momentum going and with a youthful back five, a clean sheet will give them a world of confidence
My punditry is working well for the Addicks. I keep forecasting a defeat and they keep winning. I ought to be on the payroll. In that spirit I forecast a 2-1 defeat today. Time for Bob's luck to run out. On the other hand, Huddersfield are missing a few and we have fresh players to come in who won't weaken the team (Solly, Wilson, Morrison, and possibly Harriott). Note I would previously have written "would strengthen the team" but it would be obstinate not to admit the eurotrash are doing a good job, at least in the short term. Longer term I remain to be convinced.
Charlton Athletic Pope.. Solly.. Wiggins.. Bikey.. Ben-Haim.. Gudmundsson.. Cousins.. Buyens.. Jackson.. Tucudean.. Vetokele Substitutes Bench Phillips.. Fox.. Gomez.. Wilson.. Harriott.. Moussa.. Church (WTF has happened to Morrison!!) Huddersfield Town Smithies.. Dixon.. Lynch.. Wallace.. Smith.. Coady.. Peltier (c).. Bunn.. Butterfield.. Scannell.. Wells Substitutes Bench Murphy.. Vaughan.. Ward.. Hammill.. Stead.. Crooks.. Majewski
According to Player commentators, Mitov is keeper sub, not Phillips. How old is he? 17? Very worried if Morrison is lined up for a transfer. Wouldn't blame him for going though. Or Wilson, either.
Apparently not yet. Wells "scores" but disallowed for a non-existent foul on Pope. Early minutes Pope a bag of nerves and defence totally unsettled. By half-hour mark Addicks over their bad patch and the match now scrappy and even. Good save by Pope at 32 minutes. Another at 36 minutes. Ben Haim getting exposed by speed, which was always my fear. Get Gomez on!
Apparently Pope has just made a couple of good saves within a couple of minutes... that'll help his nerves hopefully Needs to get that Tuesday night error out of his system
39' SO CLOSE! Vetokele gets himself clear on goal with a clever flick but his half-volley is tipped over brilliantly by Smithies. #cafc
44' Cynical from Peltier who is booked for his troubles. Buyens breaking forward and the Town defender makes sure he brings him down #cafc
Definitely not! Wallace red-carded for pulling back Vetokele but there were two covering players. H-T 0-0
Could they have caught Vetokele though... He's certainly one of the quicker players on the pitch. Who is Murray Wallace never heard of him
Are A4L and Captain the same person? o.0 We are at the stage now where we just need to go for it, against 10 men we have the whole second half to come out and smash them. We are early enough in the season we can afford to drop a point so we need to go for it to get 3 in my opinion.
lol! Nah I'm definitely just A4L... Dont know whats happened to Captain so half-way through the First Half thought I'd better step in with the match updates
46' We're back under way here at John Smith's Stadium #CAFCLive #cafc The Addicks are attacking towards the away fans in the second-half. #CAFCLive #cafc
