Bristol Rovers v Charlton Athletic
Tuesday 22nd November 2016 … 7:45pm Kick-Off
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)
IntroductionNo time to sit back and enjoy the victory against Port Vale on Saturday… With another match on the horizon this Tuesday night as we approach the end of November proves a couple of points; December is almost here and with that month brings the enjoyable festive fixture period. Before we can look forward to a flurry of games in a few days, there are two more November games in our path, starting tomorrow night as we face the last of the newly promoted sides: Bristol Rovers
The OppositionName: Bristol Rovers |
Manager: Darrell Clarke
Ground: Memorial Stadium
League Two often has dramatic ends to the season… Jimmy Glass for example scoring the goal that kept Carlisle from relegation in 1999 whilst last season saw the final automatic promotion spot heading towards Accrington Stanley, they only needed to equal at least the Bristol Rovers result and with both sides drawing their matches (Accrington against Stevenage and Bristol Rovers against Dagenham) it looked as though Stanley would be promoted… Up step Lee Brown for Bristol Rovers, after 92 minutes he’d score the winning goal for the Gas sending them into League One and Accrington into the Play-Offs!!
Since that memorable day in May; Bristol Rovers have continued their upward match, a slow start to life back in League one saw them lose twice in their first three games (albeit against Scunthorpe and Bolton) yet an impressive seven wins see them in 8th place and outside of the Play-Offs on Goal Difference whilst top scorer from last season: Matt Taylor has continued his good form with thirteen goals this time around.
Charlton Team NewsWith still no Manager confirmed; Kevin Nugent will no doubt take charge in the West Country tomorrow night, the Addicks were only really missing two players against Port Vale and whilst Ricky Holmes is injured for at least two months; Chris Solly could potentially make a return after missing out…
Jordan Botaka who has so long deserved a start, failed to get into the match on the weekend so will potentially start from the bench, whilst Josh Magennis came through Saturday fairly unscathed after dealing with a hamstring niggle; Louis Mendez who made his debut for Charlton should surely be dropped after being pretty invisible on the weekend with fans already questioning his 10-year Contract!!
Rudd
Foley | Bauer | Pearce | Fox
Lookman | Crofts | Ulvestad | Jackson
Magennis | Ajose
Substitutes Bench: Phillips | Konsa | Teixeira | Lennon | Botaka | Hanlan | Novak
PredictionFollowing our win against Port Vale on Saturday we once again sit just four points from the Play-Offs, for the last few weeks I’ve been saying that this squad seems to showing signs of gelling and victory tomorrow should be a distinct possibility for a side that is slowly showing confidence on the pitch.
Referee WatchA feature I’ve been meaning to add for a while; Simon Hooper is a debatable choice coming from the same region as our opponents tomorrow. In sixteen games though, just one red card has been issued whilst 57-yellows have been dished out. Hooper took charge of two Charlton games last season, both coming at the Valley with Charlton losing 3-0 against Preston and 3-1 against Brighton.
Comments
http://www.statto.com/football/teams/bristol-rovers/2016-2017/results
1-0 Charlton win.
Does Katrien eat at The Valley? Perhaps we could infiltrate the kitchen staff and start lacing her food with laxatives - apart from anything else, she'd do a lot less harm if she was stranded in the khazi all week.
The fact that we won on Saturday has reassured me that we won't get relegated this year - if you can play that poorly and win then you'd really have to go some to lose enough games to go down. Having said that, with Roland and Katrien's midas touch, there's seemingly no limit to the lows that can be achieved.
Could finish up tomorrow a point off the play-offs or 2 above the drop zone. 2 - 1 to Rovers.
Where's the dedication!!
I get that Botaka couldn't really get into the game at the weekend but it's got to be difficult when you keep only getting a few minutes here and there, i'd give him a start to see what he can do.
He came on when Port Vale were mainly attacking us and did well not just keeping the ball but winning it back (i.e. on one occasion Botaka had three opponents surrounding him) and he wasnt the only one who couldnt make the ball stick.
Had we continued from our first-half showing I reckon Botaka would have been a LOT more threatening
With that lineup I'd like lookie to move up and make it more a 433.
Rudd
Foley
Bauer
Pearce
Fox
Lookman
Crofts
Ulvestad
Jackson
Novak
Ajose
Substitutes Bench: Phillips, Konsa, Teixeira, Lennon, Botaka, Hanlan, Magennis
However, they are a weak team. Few of their players, Lawrence and Easter excepted, have expereince at a high level.
We should be able to get a result here. After all, on Saturday we started with 7 players with top flight/International experience and had 2 more on the bench if required.
Instead Dominic Bloody Blizzard decided to break his leg inside 3mins and break Basey's leg ending his career!!... Seemed to knock the stuffing out of us that challenge did as was on SKY and he didnt get sent off for it!!