Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Pearce | Purrington
Cullen | Pratley | Doughty
Williams
Taylor | Hemed
Substitutes Bench: Amos | Oshilaja | Sarr | Oztumer
| Field | Aneke | Green
Charlton Athletic v Barnsley
Saturday 1st February 2020 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: John Brooks (prev. games: Charlton 1-0
Leeds)
Introduction
Football returns for Charlton fans this weekend
after a break of almost two weeks – FA Cup commitments would see our tie with
Fulham brought forward, in what was a deserved draw, we saw the signs that the
Addicks can yet pull way from the predicament they currently find themselves
in. This Saturday we welcome fellow strugglers: Barnsley to the Valley, it’s a
game where three points could prove to be vitally important, yet with another
three months of football to go, it’s not a game where our future will be
decided!!
The Opposition
Name: Barnsley (23rd) | Manager: Gerhard
Struber
Ground: Oakwell
Previous Result: Barnsley 2-2 Charlton Athletic
It was early in the season when these two sides
would meet; the Addicks with maximum points after two games would travel to
Yorkshire in good spirits; Barnsley themselves would play the role of hosts as
a team who hadn’t lost at home in over a year – When the full time whistle was
blown you’d struggle to argue that a 2-2 draw wasn’t a fair result, our
opponents showed the sort of form we’d seen from them in League One, whilst it
was a typical performance from a Charlton side starting the season strongly.
For the Tykes though, it was just one of a handful
of points they would pick up for a number of months… A run (similar to that of
our own at present) would see Daniel Stendel sacked with the relatively
unknown: Struber entering English Football for the first time… Yet the Austrian
could be a shrewd choice, he would guide Wolfsburger AC (not the Volkswagen
works team) to their first Europa League campaign before being lured to the
Championship.
With his appointment in November; results had
slightly improved, a 4-2 defeat at Portsmouth last weekend in the FA Cup could
be a blow to the confidence of a team who’ll be desperate for three points, and
even then will it be enough? – Our opponents this weekend stole three points in
our last relegation six pointer, yet it would be the Yorkshiremen who would
return to League One
Proof that win or lose on Saturday… Nothing gets
decided this early with so many games left!!
Charlton Team News
When the clocks chime 11pm tomorrow night we’ll
finally be able to bear witness to the Charlton squad that will guide us to the
end of the season –One thing that will be obvious is that both Steve Gallen and
Lee Bowyer will be working round the clock to bring in reinforcements, the
former should enjoy any rest he can get before starting all over again in a few
months time!!
In terms of current squad availability we can
finally look like a team rather than a day care centre; Sam Field the latest to
return to match day contention, you’d think that Chuks Aneke could also have
some involvement; the Milton Keynes Dons signing has found his shooting boots
after four goals in two games for the U23s
Comments
Cliché time .. this is a must win 6 pointer .. and we will win this .. just
CAFC 2 v Barnsley 0
Quality preview as always.
I keep telling myself we've got this in the bag. Going to stick with it.
2-0 Charlton Lyle + Lockyer with the goals.
I'm not convinced Alfie will work on the left of the diamond. He will either drift wide too much and play as a winger leaving us short in midfield or he will stay inside and we will lose his strength. But with the squad as it stands I think it's the best option.
Alternatively we may go 4231 as we did against Fulham with Doughty Williams and Oztumer/Green behind Taylor or Hemed depending on fitness.
A cobweb-blowing reintroduction to proper Charlton: players giving their all for a single cause and celebrating wildly and fully at - and beyond - the final whistle.
Six-nil.
Next?
Even if we fail to sign anyone in time for Saturday our team will look the strongest it has in months.
With a packed covered end roaring the boys on I can only see a Happyvalley prediction come true.
4.0 Charlton.
The honeymoons over for me.
You know my budget.
I'll keep looking, clb74 ..... you never know maybe you can swap house with any Plymouth Argyle striker we sign at 10.55 tomorrow night?
Edit - tickets have now been taken
With Taylor 2-1
Without 1-2
3-4 T'barnsley
3-0. Taylor / Aneke / Green
William's and Green