Shrewsbury Town v Charlton Athletic
Tuesday 17th April 2018 … 7:45pm Kick-Off
Referee: Darren Handley (Lancashire)
IntroductionSaturday saw another crunch game at the Valley in which the Addicks, like so often this season, failed to deliver – Three points would have gone a long way in securing a Play-Off spot, Charlton though don’t make life easy, despite four games still remaining, our fate to an extent is out of our hands… We travel to Shropshire this evening needing a huge result… Just a shame its against a side still chasing automatic promotion!!
The OppositionName: Shrewsbury Town |
Manager: Paul Hurst
Ground: The New Meadow
It’s been a remarkable season for the Shrews… One of the favourites for relegation, they’ve defied the odds to secure at least a Play-Off place – Going up against Wigan and Blackburn on their budget is no easy task and as we enter the final stages of the season, it looks as though the strength and depth of the top two will be too strong for our opponents tonight as a five point gap has opened up.
Still you should never write off this side… With a game in hand over Blackburn (which they play tonight), that gap could yet be reduced to just two points – With Blackburn still to visit the Valley, Charlton might yet have a say in who’ll be playing Championship Football next season.
The Play-Off RaceThe game against Shrewsbury tonight is simply happening now because of our opponents achievement in reaching the Football League Trophy Final - Fighting to catch up, Charlton can return to fifth in the table tonight, regardless of results elsewhere, the Addicks will at least end up back in the Play-Offs if they can record a win.
The reason for that is the fact that of our Play-Off rivals; only Rotherham (realistically out of reach now) and Portsmouth play this evening, both away from home at Bradford and Gillingham respectively… Ultimately Plymouth will end up with two games in hand after tonight – We must continue to apply that pressure!!
Charlton Team NewsAfter a bright start for Lee Bowyer, it appears to have gone a bit sour… Having scored nine goals in three games, we’ve now gone to scoring just one goal in three games – One of the reasons for that downturn in form will have been the absence of Tariqe Fosu, yet having played just over thirty minutes on Saturday, you’d hope that he’ll be in line for a start this evening.
Also on the bench (but unused) was Ahmed Kashi who none expected to see again this season – The Defensive Midfielder no doubt coming into the squad himself tonight to potentially give some much needed rest to Joe Aribo who has looked off the pace in recent games… Bowyer has already confirmed that the full-backs will once again be rotated this evening, with Ezri Konsa and Lewis Page returning to the team.
Amos
Konsa | Bauer | Pearce | Page
Reeves | Forster-Caskey | Kashi | Fosu
Magennis | Ajose
Substitutes Bench: Phillips | Dasilva | Lennon | Kaikai | Aribo | Zyro | Mavididi
PredictionWhen you look at the table, you have to say that this is a must win fixture – Unfortunately football isnt as simple as that, and Shrewsbury proved at the Valley that they’re where they are on merit… I predict this fixture to be harder than the one against Blackburn, a win could be the spark to push our season on one last time
Comments
3-1 defeat
1-0 bauer
Would take a point in a heartbeat but Shrewsbury still have a sniff of top 2 so not expecting it
Dijksteel | Bauer | Pearce | Page
Marshall| Forster-Caskey | Kashi | Fosu
Magennis | Ajose
Good with a flat 442 but real width in Marshall and Fosu who can also depend.
1 - 0 to the Addicks (Magennis)
Same team as the original post.
Magennis
Fosu
Have my tickets for Rochdale away last day, but fear season is over.
2-0 loss
Got 50/1 us scoring 4 goals or more so
2-4
In the home leg of this they absolutely swarmed and overran us in midfield. They gave us nothing on the day, it was a very good performance from them.
I can't see how us going 4-4-2 will help what we struggled with at home in a 4-2-3-1. Shrewsbury play a sort of 4-1-4-1 which gives them a lot of numbers in midfield. If he starts I don't think Fosu will have as much freedom as he did in that ten role before he got injured. He'll need to track a midfielder a fair amount I suspect.
I would go 4-3-3 and look to set up similar to how we did against Blackburn. Sit deep and look to hit them with pace on the counter. I struggle to see Bowyer doing that though. It would also be massively helpful if Kashi were fully fit, enough so to start, but I doubt it after a couple months out.
Also, if Sarr was fit I'd start him. Pearce's inability to pass to a teammate is a huge liability, and against a team that presses and swarms, they could have a field day with him. And him just lumping it forward, which he does under no pressure, is as good as handing the ball back to thr opposition.
Ideal, assuming everyone fit.
............. Amos
Konsa Bauer Sarr Page
............... Kashi
. ....... Reeves.... JFC
Marshall Fosu Magennis
I'd start Fosu as a false nine similar to how he played in Bowyer's first game. I don't think Bowyer will be that brave. On the right ice chosen Marshall because his pace on the counter is so useful, and hell help with their left back, but I could see Ajose or Kaikai going there as well.
What I think the team will actually be.
.............. Amos
Konsa Bauer Pearce Page
............ JFC
....... Reeves Aribo
......... .... Fosu
......... Zyro Ajose
Phillips, Lennon, Kashi, Marshall, Kaikai, Mavididi, Zyro
Don't even think Bowyer will start Big Josh. I fear that we're seeing why our team has been so stale for so much of the season. It was just Robinson who had a hard time affecting things, it was his coaching staff as well. I'd love to be wrong, but it was obvious against Wimbledon that we've run out of ideas and have resorted to lumping it forward to no one in particular. I fear this could get ugly.
Does anyone really believe we deserve promotion ?
0.0
2-1 (Big Mag)