Charlton Athletic v Queens Park Rangers
Saturday 27th June 2020 ... 12:30pm Kick-Off
Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex) - Prev Games: Brentford (H) | Sheff Wed (H)
Introduction
Football returns to SE7 this weekend for the first time since March, it was a weekend that saw the Addicks dropping into the relegation zone following a 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough and would leave fans in limbo for three months wondering if we'd ever get the opportunity to rectify proceedings. Well last Saturday was just that, it was a chance to show that ideas like PPG were nothing short of a farce and in true Charlton style proved it with a rare impressive display that hasn't been seen too often in 2020 - This Saturday will see Queens Park Rangers making the short hop across from West London, its an opportunity to open a gap between us and the relegation zone, especially with challenging battles on the horizon!!
The OppositionName: Queens Park Rangers (13th)
| Manager: Mark Warburton
Previous Result: Queens Park Rangers 2-2 Charlton Athletic
The timing of our first two fixtures in this mini season has a touch of irony about them, both reverse fixtures would end 2-2 and on each occasion and last minute equaliser would be achieved - For Charlton in December it wasnt an ideal performance in West London, the hosts would lead twice and it would need Naby Sarr to pop up in the opposing box to steal a point for the travelling side.
Queens Park Rangers in terms of Championship sides are one that you'd seriously expect to see in mid-table - They of course had the period when they thought they'd be the next Manchester City with their Formula One takeover yet various Financial Fair Play infringements have resulted in transfer penalties. As a result its potentially allowed the likes of Eberechi Eze a chance to shine from the youth team, this will surely be his last spell in West London with larger clubs constantly keeping tabs on the exciting forward, should he play on Saturday then he'll certainly offer our Centre-Backs a much sterner test than the one they faced in Yorkshire last week!!
Yet being stuck in mid-table creates a bit of a dilemma for our opponents this Saturday; QPR are in a bit of a position where they're not going to challenge for the Play-Offs and on fifty points are surely safe from relegation so just how easy is it for Warburton to motivate his players when there is all but nothing to play for? - Well by the sounds of things their performance against Barnsley was less than impressive last time out, as Charlton fans we'll be hoping that lightning does strike twice, we just have to hope it wasn't rustiness that was the cause of their previous result.
Charlton Team NewsWell it certainly makes you smile doesn't it... At 2pm last weekend social media was once again awash with fan concern over Lee Bowyer's team selection, midway through the first half and those concerns were all but forgotten - Deji Oshilaja at Left-Back was the biggest brow raiser yet post match it was confirmed by Bowyer that it was a tactical selection all along and a clear sign of the indepth analysis that goes into the preparation for any match.
Naturally the issues that the Management team faced last week was the fact that they had no recent Hull games to analyse yet this weekend will be different with the squad able to watch back and find any weaknesses found in the Rangers performance against Barnsley, as a result it makes fan line ups that little bit harder to predict. In terms of actual selection and you have to question if there is a need to change it that much, at we may see a natural Left-Back returning to the team (Ben Purrington and Alfie Doughty contesting that spot), elsewhere and you have to argue that Albie Morgan surely deserves another starting berth after his own impressive performance against Hull; Jason Pearce though could be absent should his wife go into labour
Phillips
Matthews | Lockyer | Sarr | Doughty
Morgan | Cullen | Pratley | McGeady
Hemed | Bonne
Substitutes Bench:
Amos | Purrington | Pearce | Oztumer | Oshilaja | Williams | Aneke | Davison | Field
PredictionIts so easy to get carried away isnt it... A third win this calendar year (our first on the road since Nottingham Forest) and suddenly its easy to forget the fact that we remain just a point above the relegation zone, thankfully our goal difference virtually makes it two points but it means we cant rest on our achievements - Its also important that we dont throw away all the hard work from the Hull victory, yet whilst the Valley has become a small fortress under Bowyer it'll be interesting to see what happens with no fans, after all results since the restart have all but wiped out home advantage!!
Comments
Thanks again, @ForeverAddickted
I do worry about their threatening pace. Our defence seems to always struggle with pacey wingers/forwards. Can see Purrington in at LB for this game.
I'm going for a draw in this one. This relegation battle will not be an easy ride, that's for sure.
Bit strange really seeing by completing the season they shouldnt really suffer in terms of position unless he's bemoaning the lost ticket revenue?
Must remember that Grant Hall (Captain) and Marc Pugh are absent as both have refused to play, the latter is a bonus as he's a very good player
Their game against Barnsley rather reflected this, a poor performance, and only 7 subs on the bench. It could be a good time to play them...
I'd go with the the old 41212
I also think we need more of the older heads on the pitch for a better side.
For those looking to get an individual pass for Saturdays match
With a couple of tough games to follow I see this as another must win game.
2.0 to the mighty Addicks
A Hemed brace.
With 2 games a week from now on (indeed 3 games in 7 days) there will be some rotation in the players for each game, especially in centre midfield where we have several players who can operate in the engine room - Pratley, Cullen, Field, Lapslie and indeed Smith
My team:
.................Phillips
Matthews Lockyer Sarr Purrington
Morgan Cullen Pratley Williams
............Hemed Green
Could also see it being a 4-2-3-1 at times with Green pulling out wide, as Bonne did at times against Hull. Could also see McGeady keeping his place for Williams or Bonne, the former leading to a 4-2-3-1 from the off.
Bench: Amos, Pearce, Oshilaja, Doughty, Field, JFC, McGeady, Aneke, Bonne
http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1036653310?-11197:833
Can't see them scoring less than one and there is no real home advantage in an empty stadium.
0.1 or 0.2.
Depression and gloom descends as rivals pick up points.
My boss is a Rangers season ticket holder and he watched their match last w/e online - said they were dreadful and looked demotivated and uninterested
Our performance last w/e (ok Hull were shit) was good considering the circumstances - we looked much better in defence compared to pre-lockdown
I’m going 2-0 to Charlton with usual squeaky bum time in final 10 minutes as we drop back and then ref adds on the usual 5 or 6 minutes added time which nobody can work out where he got that from
Despite the three traitors, we have a fair amount of options now so need to make the most of them. I don't know enough about QPR, Cardiff and Millwall's teams to know what changes to make for each game but Bowyer would have done his homework over lockdown and would have prepared his lineup for each of the three games according to the opponent. 90% of the time he makes questionable decisions like playing Osh at left back he gets it right so whatever team Lee goes with I'll agree with.
I know Cullen has a PK and one against Gills.