Charlton Athletic v Plymouth Argyle
Saturday 24th March 2018 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: John Busby
IntroductionWell you can’t say it’s not been an interesting week - With Roland’s reign at Charlton almost at an end, it was the turn of the Manager to walk away from the club. Karl Robinson, realising that new owners would want their own man, jumped ship to Oxford. It means we approach tomorrows match as threadbare club, with no manager and players off on International duty… this really is the wrong time to face another side looking to reach the Play-Offs!!
The OppositionName: Plymouth Argyle |
Manager: Derek Adams
Ground: Home Park
When sides come up from the league below, you always expect at least one of them to be challenging for promotion once again the next year… For me, I expected that side to be Plymouth so when they made such a slow start to their season I was as surprised as anyone, sadly the only shining light in those first three months was a sole victory… Against Charlton!!
That result came on the second weekend of the season, and was the second time in the week when Charlton would travel to Devon, despite dominating proceedings Plymouth would steal the three points in what was a 2-0 victory… Between then and the 21st October… just four further points were won, my prediction of a Plymouth threat at our end of the table looked rather premature.
This week though Plymouth visit the Valley as strong favourites (not just because of the situation that Charlton find themselves in… The Pilgrims have lost on just three occasions since the end of October, and with only one defeat away from home, this wont be an easy game – Graham Carey the main man to watch for the opponents, the Irish Playmaker being an ideal sort of replacement for our very own Ricky Holmes…
Charlton Team NewsIts never easy to predict the team yet with Karl Robinson leaving, that job has been made even harder… Lee Bowyer has stepped into the breach as temporary Caretaker Manager, and having been part of the Liverpudlians staff, you’d expect to see the same sort of formation being played out.
Of course, that job has been made harder by the fact its International week (and yes, Charlton are playing) – With Jay Dasilva injured there was no chance of this fixture being postponed, and so the Addicks must go up against the Pilgrims with two instant absentees (Josh Magennis and Ezri Konsa)…
For the latter you’d expect a straight swap with Anfernee Dijksteel stepping into the site, whilst as Charlton fans we must hope that Bowyer decides to stick two up front, after Michal Zyro and Nicky Ajose impressed during their 30min cameo last weekend.
Amos
Dijksteel | Bauer | Pearce | Page
Marshall | Aribo | Forster-Caskey | Fosu
Zyro | Ajose
Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer | Lennon | Sarr | Jackson | Kaikai | Reeves | Hackett-Fairchild
PredictionIts been such a disruptive week at Charlton, I doubt many care about the result tomorrow – A win will put us two points behind Plymouth (with a game in hand), yet there are few who expect such a positive result… Its almost an attitude of, lets get this season out the way and regroup under the new regime for the next season.
Comments
robinson takes full responsibility in his post match rantngsBowyer explains the upturn in fortune - Karl Robinson wasn't in the dug out.My focus at the moment is still on the takeover.
0 - 2
Zyro for us.
On 7 April 62 Plymouth Argyle came to The Valley. They had never been in the top division and that season was maybe the closest they ever came to one of the hardest of all the promotions in football. They were in good form, and brought a lot of fans. Charlton, on the other hand, were not doing so well and a serious injury crisis left the Addicks with not one fit goalkeeper. The manager's best option was to put in goal a real utility player - John Hewie, who in his great Charlton career played in all eleven positions.
Well, as might be expected Plymouth and their many supporters were confident they would continue their steady rise towards Division One. Plenty of Addicks also turned up on a fine spring day, most no doubt curious to see the lanky figure of Hewie in goal, and there was a good crowd of over 20000.
Charlton scored first but Argyle soon equalised through their deadly centre-forward Wilf Carter, and the home fans who were crowded behind the Covered End goal, all closely watching Hewie's every move, were afraid our chance had gone.
But not so. Charlton scored twice just after half-time and despite a few scares went on to win 3-1. Long John Hewie had to play four matches in goal, three of them away, but remained unbeaten with two wins and two draws. Plymouth, in contrast, had their high hopes badly dented, lost form and finished the season fifth.
So then, this Saturday. No-one is expecting a miracle but if our present-day Addicks at least give 100% that will be a worthy start to the next chapter. I think, just maybe, Plymouth are in for a big shock - let's hope they are sent back home Bowyered, bruised, broken-hearted and beaten!! Remember the season's opening game vs Bristol Rovers - a performance like that, please!!
The team are up for it, the crowd roar fhem on, we all go home happy.
Or
The team crumble, a few half hearted chants of Roland out and it's another Saturday in se7.
PS Bo Jackson - now there was a sportman! One of the few athletes to be named an All-Star in two major sports, and the only one to do so in both baseball and football.
However, a change of management AND the imminent sale of the club (so it seems) should boost the crowd and atmosphere, so what seemed like a certain defeat could be turned around...
If they are the former - we will struggle, if they are a bit of both it is going to be tough, but if the latter we have a chance!
If we do win then questions have to be asked at to why the players didn’t do it in recent weeks .
3-1 Plymouth win.