Cardiff City v Charlton AthleticTuesday 30 June | Kick-Off: 18.00pm (Live on Valley Pass)Previous Result: Charlton Athletic 2-2 Cardiff CityReferee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire) - Previously officiated Charlton in four fixtures this season: Derby (H), Middlesbrough (H & A), Fulham (H)IntroductionAfter 3 months without football, and the worry about whether we would ever get the chance to finish our season, the Addicks have returned in fantastic fashion. A maximum of 6 points and two clean sheets have been achieved in two huge games showing how ridiculous the points-per-game system was. We now enter the crazy run-in with 7 games in 22 days. Next up we travel across the border and into Wales, Cardiff City away.
OppositionManager: Neil Harris (41% win rate) |
Stadium: Cardiff City Stadium
League Position: 6th |
Nickname(s): Bluebirds
Fun Facts:- Cardiff
City was first formed by members of the Riverside Cricket Club wanting to keep fit during the winter months.
- Back in 2012, owner Vincent Tan, changed the clubs colours to red. It caused a lot of trouble and protests from supporters; the decision to go back to blue was eventually made. However, Cardiff’s colours haven’t always been blue. In fact, the Bluebirds original colours were orange and brown.
An in form Cardiff were, like ourselves, unchanged last time out at the weekend against Preston North End. Their line up was:
Smithies
Sanderson | Morrison | Nelson | Bennett
Bacuna | Ralls | Vaulks
Adomah | Patterson | Hoilett
Cardiff's
excellent form has seen them creep up into the top six, so make no mistake, this is going to be a tough game. Since their horrific 6-1 loss away at our last opponents, QPR, on New Year’s Day, Cardiff have only lost twice. During that time, they’ve won against the current top two, Leeds and West Brom, and drawn against Brentford, all at home. Their latest win, 3-1 against Preston on Saturday, pushed themselves into the top six for the very first time this season.
It's difficult to pick out one specific player from Cardiff as they all bring a certain quality to their team which allows them to utilise their strength. The Bluebirds possess a lot of pace and power, especially in attacking areas. Tricky winger, Junior Hoilett, has 5 goals from midfield this season, whilst Mendez-Laing came off the bench to score his 3rd of the season on Saturday. Robert Glatzel, a tall and athletic German striker signed from Bundesliga 2 outfit Heidenheim last summer, has 6 goals so far this season - 2 of them coming since the return to football this month. It would be fair to assume that this could be Cardiff’s front three on Tuesday evening.
Cardiff like to get the ball out wide and isolate their opposition full-backs. The pace and trickery of their wide men is an important aspect of their play. Bowyer is going to have to be aware of that when deciding who plays in defence as they’re going to have to be able to keep up with them, whilst being good enough in one v one battles (something Matthews has been excellent at). What is really interesting is that Cardiff have scored the most goals in the league from set-pieces so far this season, 20, whilst they’ve also conceded one of the most from them too. Jacko’s routines, both offensively and defensively, could prove to be vital again.
Charlton Team NewsLee
Bowyer named an unchanged team in our win against QPR on Saturday, the first time he’s managed or chosen to do that all season. Yes, that is correct, the first time we have named an unchanged team all season. But don’t expect that to last -
the quick turn around in fixtures, the travel, and the overall fitness of the squad will need managing so that could be the first and only time we see the same 11 take to the field all season.
With that in mind, we could see a number of changes that could include Sarr starting. Pearce’s wife is due to go into labour any time now so we could see our skipper left at home. Field could make his first start for us since October in place of Pratley. With Millwall coming up only 3 days later, Pratley could be saved for that one instead. Aneke could come in for Hemed after an impressive cameo against QPR, that would be his first start for us since October too. But Green would have something to say about that as the Villa loanee returned on Saturday after missing out previously with an ankle injury. Ultimately, Bowyer isn't going to want to change the team too much, but will have to make some changes to keep the players fresh ahead of this testing run-in.
Subs: Amos, Oshilaja, Doughty, Pratley, Lapslie, McGeady, Aneke, Green, Davison
Prediction
A really tough game in the Welsh capital but we've given ourselves a great chance with two fantastic results. Momentum is so important in football, as is confidence, and those two factors could be enough to see us get a result away from home.
Cardiff City 1-1 Charlton Athletic
Bonne
Comments
On a brighter note, with Cardiff replacing Preston in the Play-Offs it means we're actually undefeated against the whole of the top six
Neil Harris has done really well to bounce back after having a bit of a torrid start @ Millwall which saw him leaving there
Going to go for a draw as well (in both of these next two games), Lee Tomlin no doubt getting their goal which'll set us up nicely to try and win our final two home games and so properly secure safety
P.S. When the hell did Cardiff sign Adomah, of course it would have been in the January Transfer Window but really dont remember that happening
Pratley rested for Field.
0 - 0 draw and Bowyer gets slammed for being too negative.
Shame Bristol City arent winning today as would make that game bigger than ours!!
I look at our next three games and I think I would settle for 2 or 3 points from the three.
As for Cardiff on Tuesday heart saying 1.1
Head saying 2.0 Cardiff.
Hoping my heart is correct.
This is how I think we'll line up, with Pearce in for Dej if his partner has their baby before then:
........................Phillips
Lapslie Lockyer Oshilaja Sarr Purrington
.......................Cullen Field
...........................Williams
....................Aneke......Green
I think a lot of the changes will be made with an eye on Friday.
I've just moved a pretty important meeting so I can watch this live.
Can’t see Mathews being dropped against their wingers.
Phillips
Mathews. Lockyer. Sarr. Purrington
Lapslie. Cullen. Field. Williams. Doughty.
Bonne.
Rather than just playing with two wide forwards who simply act as additional Midfielders to keep the opposition out
Hoilett is the man to stop, he gets better with age .. our midfield and defence need to be spot on .. Bonne is due a goal, as is Hemed
errrrr a very optimistic … Cardiff City 1 v CAFC 1
Think we'll get a draw
Amazing 3-1 win at Preston by Cardiff and they are now in the play off place of 6th.
QPR played in 2nd gear and Hull in 1st.
Charlton were disciplined and showed plenty of grit and spirit but our default is always to drop back and defend which we did well against two teams devoid of a spark.
Fantastic to get 6 points but plenty of improvement needed for CAFC when attacking.
I think one of the big things is Matthews is going to need a rest whether it's Tuesday or Friday. So it's a question of, does Deji also need a rest Tuesday, or can he be deployed at RB? If he's fit to start, then it's probably 4-4-2 again. But given how he's tired at LB after the hour, I think he'll need a rest too so we can play the team we've played the last two matches against Millwall.
Hence I think Bowyer will go to three CBs and the only other player who can really play RWB is Lapslie. Not ideal, but needs must.
If we were playing Saturday or Sunday I might feel differently, but I think Bowyer needs to rotate and the match against Cardiff presents a good opportunity. Anything against a playoff side away from home is a bonus. The bigger, and on paper more winnable game, is Millwall on Friday (don't get me wrong we'll lose to Millwall on telly). And rotating on Tuesday ensures a stronger team on Friday.