Phillips
Lockyer | Pearce | Sarr
Solly | Williams | Pratley | Forster-Caskey |
Purrington
Aneke | Taylor
Substitutes Bench: Amos | Dijksteel | Oshilaja | Lapslie
| Morgan | Bonne | Wiredu
Blackburn
Rovers v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 2nd
August 2019 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire)
Introduction
Remarkable isnt it… Just two months ago most of us
were walking down Wembley Way, after three challenging years in League One we’d
just witnessed one of the most memorable moments in our Charlton lives. For
many of us the result just couldn’t sink in, we’d won promotion back to the
Championship in the most dramatic of ways - Yet here we are, ready to go (well
almost) in what is billed as the most competitive and most unpredictable
Division in the world… Buckle up everyone, its gonna be one hell of a ride!!
The Opposition
Name: Blackburn Rovers | Manager: Tony Mowbray
Ground: Ewood Park
If there is one relief from the fixture computer it
is that we open against a team who are beatable and may well be a rival of ours
for finishing positions come May next year – Promoted from League One in 2018
they’ll be aware not just of our need to make a fast start but of second season
syndrome which could be costly to Blackburn should they be too over confident
this season!!
In the transfer market; money has been spent
(despite the Venky’s still owning a 99% stake in the club)… £5m alone has been
spent on Sam Gallagher - a striker of the same Academy that produced the likes
of Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott – With just sixteen career goals to his name
it’s a scary sign of the spending power available at this level, time will tell
though if its cash well spent!!
Regardless with Tony Mowbray at the helm you’d
expect Saturday to be a tough opener… We saw two years ago that they were a
well drilled team in League One and have done well this summer to keep hold of
Bradley Dack; who with sixteen goals to his name last season will surely be
their main danger man. Yet with this being the season opener there is no form
to go on, pre-season results are certainly no indication for any side!!
Charlton Team
News
Two months can certainly be a long time in Football
yet for Lee Bowyer and Steve Gallen its clearly not long enough – The team that
won promotion at Wembley has been partially broken up, loans have ended,
players have been released, whilst Patrick Bauer (Preston North End) and Joe
Aribo (Glasgow Rangers) despite receiving Contract offers from the club have
decided to continue their careers elsewhere
On an ironic note though we go into Saturday with
more squad depth than what we had this time last season - Signings have been
made; Ben Purrington | Jonny Williams | Ben Amos have returned, with each being
well aware of Sparrow Lane without the need of a sat nav… Replacements too have
been found in the forms of Lockyer (Bristol Rovers) | Oshilaja (AFC Wimbledon)
| Aneke (Milton Keynes Dons) | Bonne (Leyton Orient) with more bodies no doubt
to come!!
Comments
Good to have you back for the start of a new season FA.
1-1
Of course Aneke too could well be out for a few weeks so wouldnt be surprised if I'm not even close with my line up prediction
1-1 draw
We lack bodies in the middle, why don't we give anfernee a chance to play CDM? obviously we only see him as a Right back but could give us a better chance especially now when we are pretty light.
It's going to be a struggle this season and early points will be vital in keeping everyone optomistic.
1.1 Taylor penalty.
Those loan signings are desperately needed
Wait until a midfield arrives.
0.0
Perhaps we should recall and put out our young team currently playing in Ireland. Who yesterday beat Man Utd 2-0, at least they looked a well-balanced side!
Lockyer, Pearce, Sarr
Dijksteel, Pratley, JFC, Purrington
Williams
Taylor, Bonne
Going to be backs to the wall for a lot of it but I think they’ll find a way, 1-1 Bonne.
Page substituted after 15 mins with a chipped finger nail.
Dijksteel Lockyer Pearce Sarr Purrington
Pratley Forster-Caskey
Williams
Taylor Bonne
Amos Oshilaja Solly Morgan Lapslie Wiredu Doughty
(Bowyer said we can fill the bench for this game and the players are fitter than this time last year, but unless we sign Harriott and at least one loan before noon tomorrow I can't think of who else can go on the bench!)
Double promotion is on.
Bowyer is an exceptional manager, but this is a League 1 squad at best.
I will be very worried if we suffer a heavy defeat......