Charlton v Bradford | Sat 30 Mar | 3pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views
Charlton Athletic v Bradford City
Saturday 30th March 2019 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Martin Coy (County Durham)*
Introduction
Well it’s certainly felt longer than two weeks since
we were last in this position but that’s the length of time since we last
witnessed the Addicks kicking the ball in anger… A trip to a blustery Bristol
Rovers was always going to be a difficult place to take three points. On a plus
note the distraction that is the International break (well its less of a
distraction for England fans these days) is done, its plain sailing straight
ahead to the finishing line, as the Addicks look to cross that mathematical
line and so secure an extension in the Play-Offs
The Opposition
Name: Bradford City | Manager: Gary Bowyer
Ground: Valley Parade
From one end of the table to the other, in recent
weeks its been a pleasure to see League One in the media for all the right
reasons and you have to admit its for impressive reasons at that… In all my
years of following the sport I don’t think I’ve witnessed a finish like the one
we could see at this level; thirteen teams, separated by nine points means that
any potential side could face the drop on the last day – Our visitors this
Saturday: Bradford City are the team at the bottom and will be trying to emulate
AFC Wimbledon by ensuring that gap doesn’t leave them cast adrift come 5pm on
Saturday!!
For a team who reached the Play-Off Final two years
ago (Don’t worry Bantams, we’re not frustrated in the slightest at who you lost
to) you have to question where it all went wrong, losing the likes of Mark
Marshall and Billy Clarke wont have helped but that was two seasons ago… Sadly
as is so common with English Football these days the answer is ownership; Edin
Rahic would want too much involvement and as Addicks fans know, three managers
in a single season never ends well
Rahic would depart the Yorkshire club in December
though (albeit with the damage done) so there is hope for Bradford… In Gary
Bowyer they have an experienced manager and lining up against us on Saturday
will be Billy Clarke, the Irish Midfielder having impressed early in South East
London would succumb to an season ending injury and that would be the last we’d
see of him… A mutual ending of his Contract in January would see him return to
Bradford where has since played nine times, it’ll certainly be a pleasure to
see him back playing on the weekend, just hopefully returning home with the
wrong result!!
Charlton Team News
An International weekend has in recent years been a
bit of an uneventful occasion for the Addicks yet for the fans the years were
rolled back this week with six players all departing to represent their
countries; Lyle Taylor (Montserrat) and Igor Vetokele (Angola) would get
playing time for their nations, whilst the likes of Josh Parker (Antigua),
Chris Maxwell (Wales) and Josh Cullen (Ireland) would get to enjoy the
experience, all players would of course return to the club fully fit and
available this weekend.
Unfortunately its not uncommon for at least one
injury and once again its Krystian Bielik that’ll be absent after suffering
with an ankle problem against England U21s – The young Pole shows much promise
yet if he continues to struggle with injuries throughout his career you’d
question his potential to reach the top with parent club Arsenal.
Phillips
Solly | Bauer | Sarr | Purrington
Reeves | Cullen | Aribo
Williams
Taylor | Vetokele
Substitutes Bench: Maxwell | Dijksteel | Pearce | Lapslie | Pratley | Fosu | Parker
Prediction
Even before the game against Bristol Rovers; Lee Bowyer confirmed that the players would earn a four day rest… Hopefully it means they now return for the final seven league games fully fit and raring to go. At the business end of the season we’ll be up against teams who are either resigned to their fate or will show up fighting for their lives…
Having beaten Peterborough yet lost to Blackpool in recent games its hard to predict which Bradford will turn up.
*Many thanks to @CharltonMan2016 who'll be helping me going forward by finding out the Referee each week, certainly saving me from what can be an difficult search!!
Comments
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This is a massivr 3-0 win.
If we plaike this every week, we could still get automatic promotion. You never know the title might even come our way too.
COYA.1 -
Happy Valley will be correct with his prediction Saturday . (Unless he changes ).
4.0 Charlton and the chase to overtake Pompy for 4th gains momentum.3 -
Lee Bowyer's prediction of an opposition team getting a real thrashing could come to fruition this weekend. 6-0 home win.2
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Comfortable home win 4-0.5
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Good man.happyvalley said:Comfortable home win 4-0.1 -
Banana skin1
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No easy but 2-0 ,Williams to surprise us all with one of them.0
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I would rather win 3-0 : Williams, Parker and Vetokele score, than 5-0 with Taylor 3, Aribo and Reeves score.
Plus no new injuries.1 -
Lapslie will be fit - he has just run past my house.
Good lad.4 -
With playoffs looking set, this is the sort of game you want to really win comfortably and dominate to get some momentum and lay down a marker. With that being said, as always I'd take a scrappy 1-0 win and take another step closer to confirming the playoffs mathematically.
I'll go 2-0 Charlton. Aribo and Reeves.2 - Sponsored links:
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I think we'll win, but I don't think we have the players to rack up a big score.2
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Good preview as always. Thanks. Must surely be a comfortable home win. Not convinced Reeves and Williams work in the same side but regardless of who we put out we should be winning this with something to spare. Hope Billy C gets a good reception.1
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3-0.0
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My concern is that comfortable home wins in my mind don't always work out that way. I mean, if any team seem there for the taking, it must be Bradford coming to the Valley!0
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No injuries is the best result0
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Bradford will be fighting for survival and I expect they will make it very difficult for the Reds. At this time of the season you can throw the form book out of the window as many bottom clubs will be beating the top clubs. An early goal for us will be crucial otherwise we might struggle to control the game. Obviously hoping for a win but this could well be a "banana skin" as someone else has already mentioned. COYR!!1
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Big big big big game.
Looking forward to Wembley and flights are booked but on second thoughts, would prefer for Sunderland to get the second automatic spot leaving us with Barnsley or Pompey to see off. Having said that, Sunderland would be a fabulous occasion.
1.1
Clarke to score for them, obviously.0 -
Coming down to my first game of the season, a belated birthday treat. Hoping to see a good performance and a convincing win, but will be happy with 3 points even if its scrappy.3
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2 - 0 Charlton , Taylor and Reeves.
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Blimey, don't like it when we go all optimistic on here. It rarely ends well.
Scrappy 1-1
1 - Sponsored links:
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no injuries hopefully a win, with games in hand on some of the others around us these are the sort of games we need to pick up maximum these games wont be easy as they are scrapping for survival and are only 6 points from survival0
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Bowyer to triumph3
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Gary Johnson (Father) v Lee Johnson (Son)JessieAddick said:Has there ever been a game between two sides whose managers share the same name? 😂
4 -
Igor to score a brace. You heard it here... Potentially first.1
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Should be a comfortable win this - Bradford are a mess at the moment.0
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If we get an early goal then we should take the points, but if Bradford score first it will be 10 men behind the ball with us trying to find a way through. Go for 2-0 to Bow's Boys.
0 -
didnt know where else to stick this but if anyone wants to predict rest of the results of the season
https://www.worldfootball.net/table_calculator/eng-league-one/
0 -
Charlton 0 Swindon 1
We were top and Swindon bottom,
Without checking, 99/2000 season ?
Sticking with 3-0 tomorrow.
2 -
You rarely get a large result, like 5-0, (unless you are England,,,,YES), so I will be happy with a 2-0 win0
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Remember that one i think. They parked the bus and their one squirmed under Deano's body into the net, if i recollect correctly...soapboxsam said:Charlton 0 Swindon 1
We were top and Swindon bottom,
Without checking, 99/2000 season ?
Sticking with 3-0 tomorrow.
Also a salutary lesson in life for my 11 year old who on the bus back home turned to me and said "Dad life isn't fair is it?"
2-0 to Lee Bowyer's red n white army.3
