Team for today ... 4-3-3 Amos Da Silva. Bauer Pearce Konsa F-Caskey. Kashi. Aribo Mavididi. Magennis. Marshall
Bowyer needs to have something up his sleeve, because if we play the same way I can't see us scoring twice, especially since Fosu can't start. It's Bowyer's greatest test.
Just seen a Charlton fan at Rome airport, we have each other that nod. You know the one I mean, the tonight couldn't be bigger nod
I really don't want Mavididi in the team. I thought he was very poor on Thursday. He spent more time on the floor than on his feet. The trouble is I don't want Ajose either.
Theres not much alternative to Mavididi unfortunately. He does have that touch of something extra which we will need tonight. Selling Ricky Holmes for peanuts, only for him to spend the last 4 months getting splinters in his bum on the bench, looks more foolish by the day. Especially as his "replacement" was Kaikai.
One possibility would be to play Page at LB and JdS in midfield. Bowyer has to get more of a link between midfield and the forwards, so I'd drop JFC or Kashi for Reeves, who had several excellent games in the centre of midfield before he was pushed out to the wing to accommodate Kashi. I'll be on Personal Assistant duty at Selhurst Park this afternoon, and by the time I get home the game will be over, unless there is extra time and penalties, which was my original prediction.
Our playoff is one game and we are at home as we finished 2nd and Brackley finished 3rd. So who among you would take a 1-0 and penalty shoot out right now?
A strong referee is needed tonight to clamp down on their time wasting & fake injuries ...particularly their keeper.
On the train up now, work tomorrow is going to be a struggle - especially if it goes to extra time/penalties.
Charlton's starting XI: Amos Bauer Pearce Ajose Magennis Konsa Fosu Aribo Forster-Caskey Dasilva Dijksteel Subs: Phillips Kashi Kaikai Reeves Mavididi Sarr Zyro Not in the squad: Marshall Jackson
Half time observations (from watching the game on Sky) Good effort being put in, but we haven't created a single clean shooting opportunity. The officials are ignoring the time wasting again. This is bound to get worse unless we score two goals - I get the feeling Shrewsbury would continue to time waste even if only for a penalty shoot-out. I think most neutrals would agree we should have had a penalty. We are spending a bit too much time going over and appealing for fouls. If the ref isn't going to protect us we should start giving some back. First touch is letting us down sometimes again. Time is not on our side. 90 minutes is now 45. The more reckless we have to get going forwards the more likely we will be punished on the break. Still, it's not over yet...
