MATCH PREVIEW: Charlton Athletic vs Middlesbrough - Tuesday 9th December 2025 - 7:45pm Kick-Off
Charlton Athletic vs Middlesbrough
Tuesday 9th December 2025 - 7:45pm Kick-Off
Referee: Oliver Langford
Introduction
Football is a sport beloved by us all for a wide variety of reasons, it doesn't just connect people, but it brings them together, from all walks of life, from various communities... all through the combined factor, our love of "the Beautiful Game" - We attend Football matches, we see friends, and should be able to return home afterwards... Saturday sadly proved it isn't always that simple... But what it showed once again, is the fact that Charlton Athletic isn't just a Football Club... Its so much more than that!!
The Opposition
Name: Middlesbrough (2nd) - Manager: Kim Hellberg
Ground: The Riverside Stadium
Previous League Result: Hull 1-4 Middlesbrough
As has been said many times... The show must sadly go ever onwards, and next up at the Valley will be high flying Middlesbrough
On the Football pitch it must be quite a challenge for Middlesbrough, their two North East rivals are enjoying the luxuries of the Premier League, and am sure that the 'Boro will be eager to join Newcastle and Sunderland at the top table. Michael Carrick tried and failed across each of the last three seasons, but fourth in 2023 was their best attempt since relegation from the top flight in 2017... Rob Edwards was brought in, looking to rescue his reputation having been sacked by Luton, and our opponents this Saturday have looked strong contenders not just for promotion, but for automatic promotion, given they've dropped out of the top two places after just three match weeks this season.
It was all looking so "easy"... If you can ever call the Championship that... But then in November everything changed, Rob Edwards was poached by struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers (a club he represented 100-times as a Player), and Middlesbrough were left looking for their second Manager since sacking Carrick in June... They've turned to Kim Hellberg (Yes... Who?) from Sweden, he didn't have much of a playing career, and joins having guided Hammarby to second place in the Allsvenskan...
Two games in, and its a full six points on the board, six goals scored... just two goals conceded
The march to the Premier League (after the briefest of stumbles) looks to be back on.
Charlton Team News
It feels cruel... It feels wrong... To talk about any positives from Saturdays brief encounter with Portsmouth... Yet if there is one positive to take from that "match" its the fact that our injury hit squad has been given a few extra days rest and recovery. Maybe it wasn't the best scenario for the likes of Jérôme Roussillon who made his first appearance in a match day squad, and am sure would have come off the bench at some stage of the second half.
I guess given the handful of minutes played, that Nathan Jones will opt to stick with the eleven that started Saturdays clash. Albeit Lloyd Jones will now need to walk a tight rope, he picked up a needless early booking against Portsmouth, a booking that won't be wiped from the records, and so will need to avoid a booking on Tuesday night, to avoid a one match ban… The same applies to Conor Coventry who also goes into this 19th match, on the cusp of either avoiding a one match ban, or missing the clash with Birmingham City on Saturday
Kaminski
Ramsay - Jones - Gillesphey
Bree - Coventry - Anderson - Hernandez
Carey
Olaofe - Campbell
Substitutes Bench: Mannion - Roussillon - Apter - Costello - Docherty - Knibbs - Berry - Leaburn - Fullah
Comments
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Lovely first paragraph FA. The football seems unimportant but will also be a nice escape for many.
As for the actual match, struggling to see a win here. Would like to see a bit of fight and Jones and Coventry avoid a yellow. Coventry and Anderson/Doc will have very important roles to play. I think Doc comes back in and was being rested on Saturday with tomorrow in mind. Think it's also important to have your leader on the pitch for occasions like tomorrow9 -
Thanks @fenaddick that's really appreciated... I would have uploaded the Preview yesterday, but have been debating with myself, over whether to post this or go with a very watered down Preview for this particular match, what with it being so close to Saturday still - I think in an ideal world, we wouldnt have a game until Saturday8
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Sadly another defeat having seen Boro demolish Hull-.0
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Another heavy defeat, similar to the Southampton game!3
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Not Hernandez please.1
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It's going to be strange atmosphere after the events last Saturday, but as you say FA the show must go on.
On paper at least this should be a straightforward win for Middlesbrough but nothing is a given in this league as recent results have shown.
Head says 2 1 Middlesbrough
Heart says 1.1.3 -
Result is immaterial after Saturday. Will be a difficult day for players and fans.
Expect Boro to win with ease.6 -
Lovely words, FA.4
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I think the same team is likely but I really hope we go with a back 4. Morgan Whittaker is bang in form for them and the prospect of him on their right up against Hernandez and Gillesphey is a scary one.Would much rather have Ramsay there at left back to stop him coming inside onto his left foot5
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Very well put.hoof_it_up_to_benty said:Result is immaterial after Saturday. Will be a difficult day for players and fans.
Expect Boro to win with ease.0 -
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Well said FA.
i don’t know what to feel about tomorrow. Run of losses, home turnouts closer to L1 numbers than start of season numbers, and now this. The actual football just feels very irrelevant at the moment tbh.A good performance and a win would do wonders to lift the feel around the place, but I’m not confident this will come tomorrow.I’ll be wearing headphones round my neck As a mark of respect. I left the ground in tears on Saturday and I know I won’t be the only one in a similar way tomorrow.24 -
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Ditto every word re the circumstances FA, but the team and the fans to rally in honour of Norm. We’ll win this one for him ❤️4
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They were in training yesterday and NJ could be heard loud and clear - rightly so, i thought we looked well off it on Saturday. However, really disappointing turnout from the fans on Saturday. NJ has asked the fans to stick with it. I know everybody has different levels of commitment but i do hope those that go missing don't start complaining if we end up back in League 1. Now is the time to back the team more than ever and seeing a half empty stadium wouldn't have boosted the players that's for sure. Get yourselves down there tomorrow to pay respects to Norm and to get behind the team when it needs you most.22
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I seem to remember we always struggle vs Boro.
I think this will be a tight game and I have a feeling we might get a late winner again under the lights1 -
You could argue that "headphones norman " would want the team to win "in memory of him.hoof_it_up_to_benty said:Result is immaterial after Saturday. Will be a difficult day for players and fans.
Expect Boro to win with ease.1 -
Beautifully put @ForeverAddickted1
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I don't think Charlton will need inspiring but I'm sure Nathan Jones will be impressing to them the importance of their response in front of fans who are expecting that very response after Saturdays tragic events. As for the team, agree with FA on this one, and until we get some balance back with the return of the injured players, we need to ponce a few results, starting with a draw tomorrow night.1
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It’s all still very sad and going to be a strange place tomorrow night … but looking back at the 12 mins , thought we started poorly looked disjointed hopefully NJ don’t pick the same team tomorrow .. Doc if fit needs to come back in and please no Hernandez…fingers crossed Bell , Burke and Kelman finally make an appearance… predication .. suppose if Middboro had their game when everything clicked v Hull bit like Southampton with us .. we might catch them being over confident ?? Love to say a win cause that would be a real bonus .. but going to stick my neck out and say a draw .. fingers crossed we get team selection right ..4
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Last time we played them at home they beat us and sent us into the bottom 3. Then Covid & lockdown struck......BigRedEvil said:I seem to remember we always struggle vs Boro.
I think this will be a tight game and I have a feeling we might get a late winner again under the lights0 -
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Yet another difficult game against a top team. But, we are at home and I expect at least a point from this
Broken record time: Our strikers have to start actually striking (the ball into the back of the net)
1-1 Draw0 -
Do it for Norm boys!7
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Let's hope the team can respond and really put a fitting performance on in the circumstances, 2-0 Charlton0
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With six of the teams below us playing each other a defeat will tighten the relegation battle area up, and perhaps a drop to 20th, with Birmingham away to come.Need to improve on one win out of six at Valley v Middlesbrough.Need it so will get it. 2 - 10
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We need to get behind the team tomorrow night. 1-11
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RonnieMoore said:fingers crossed Bell , Burke and Kelman finally make an appearance…More chance of Bell, Book, and Candle making an appearance.2
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- Charlton have won just one of their last 12 league games against Middlesbrough (D2 L9), beating them 2-0 at the Valley in March 2016.
- Middlesbrough have won four of their last six away league games against Charlton (D1 L1), including a 1-0 win in their most recent visit in March 2020.
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last eight away league games against promoted sides (D3 L4), beating Oxford United 6-2 in November last season.
- Charlton have won their last five midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) home league games, including a 1-0 win over West Brom in their only such Championship game this season.
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last five midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games (D2 L2), beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 in October.
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Great piece, @ForeverAddickted.1
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we should pin this bit in bold up on the dressing room wall and shred the rest (then burn it just in case)clive said:- Charlton have won just one of their last 12 league games against Middlesbrough (D2 L9), beating them 2-0 at the Valley in March 2016.
- Middlesbrough have won four of their last six away league games against Charlton (D1 L1), including a 1-0 win in their most recent visit in March 2020.
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last eight away league games against promoted sides (D3 L4), beating Oxford United 6-2 in November last season.
- Charlton have won their last five midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) home league games, including a 1-0 win over West Brom in their only such Championship game this season.
- Middlesbrough have won just one of their last five midweek (Tues, Weds, Thurs) Championship games (D2 L2), beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 in October.
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Another real hard test. Hope the valley really cranks the noise up under the lights. The championship is relentless but I do feel there is always the prospect of winning against anyone. I hope we can put on a good show. Felt we looked low on confidence and fragile on Saturday. Be nice to win for Norman. UTA4
