Football League One - Week TwoCharlton Athletic v Doncaster RoversSaturday 19th September 2020 ... 3pm Kick-OffReferee: John Busby (Oxfordshire)IntroductionWell matters off the pitch continue to hang like a dark cloud over South East London, yet this Saturday its a chance to focus once again on what we should be concentrating on. As fans of what should be nothing more than a Sport at the end of the day we should be talking in the week about past and future matches, not improving our own individual knowledge on British / Company law. Thankfully though this Saturday will see a small number of fans returning to the Valley, its a chance to once again do our talking on the pitch and prove we dont belong at this level...
Our League One season opener at the Valley begins against the last League One side to visit SE7: Doncaster Rovers!!
The OppositionName: Doncaster Rovers |
Manager: Darren Moore
Last Season: 9th
Previous Result: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Milton Keynes Dons
If anything was proven from our last League One campaign it was that the Valley turned once again into a fortress, the transfer embargo is going to prove problematic this time around yet if we want any success from this season then the same must happen again... In 2018/19 only two sides would take maximum points from SE7, the third would only achieve victory yet we all know how that dramatic May evening turned out!!
Like many sides that surprise; Doncaster would lose plenty of their players from that season... In August they would line up with the likes of John Marquis, Tommy Rowe, Andy Butler or Marko Marosi all moving on to pastures new. I'm obviously not going to keep repeating it as we know how last season finished, yet Donny would miss out on another Play-Off spot by just a matter of points... Darren Moore; harshly sacked by West Bromwich Albion would prove his worth at this level making his team tough to score agains, his defence only conceding more goals than Sunderland and eventual champions: Coventry City!!
Yet the advantage for teams like Crewe and Doncaster is the fact that they've had six months to look at where improvement is needed to improve from the previous season; Tyreece John-Jules signed on loan from Arsenal is one to watch this weekend, the youngster, briefly at Charlton, was linked with a move to SE7 yet that fell through due to obvious reasons. For others like long serving: James Coppinger its an opportunity to repeat what they achieved last time they made the trip down to these parts and so make amends for their own heartbreaking defeat!!
Charlton Team NewsIts almost with a bitter snigger that I start this section... Lee Bowyer if he can achieve anything this season will surely put himself in the shop window as a Manager that can achieve anything, with absolutely no chance to bring in any new players its going to be a struggle until November at the earliest (if matters resolve themselves) when we'll be able bring in some Free transfers.
Looking at the options available for us though and it was a relief to see the players getting through the West Ham encounter without any nuisance injuries in what was a game that would have no bearing on our season!! - Maccauley Bonne would once again struggle up top and whilst he'd only get forty five minutes you'd expect thats in preparation for this Saturday; Charlie Barker continues to impress at Centre-Back yet cant be expected to play every week, is this the game where he gets a well deserved rest?
Amos
Lapslie .. Oshilaja .. Pratley .. Purrington
Gilbey .. Forster-Caskey .. Williams
Washington .. Bonne .. Doughty
Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer .. Barker .. Levitt .. Oztumer .. Morgan .. Davison .. Aneke
PredictionWhen the fixture list came out I saw the games in September as an opportunity to get maximum points before tougher games showed up (October certainly looks a challenging period) - Doncaster though are a side that have been an irritant in recent years and I say that as a compliment; Darren Moore will surely have his side organised and should have recorded maximum points on the opening weekend... There are tougher games to come, yet this will be a rehershal for just how difficult this league can be!!
Comments
3-1 Bonne, Gilbey & Aneke
Think you're spot on with the team.
I'm also hoping to catch up with Elliott should the prick attend.
Good preview as usual FA.
3.1 Charlton.
Expecting Doncaster to moan about something after they loose. If it's not waterlogged pitches or police officers moving penalties down the other end it will be something else they cry about tomorrow.
A positive result will be the icing on the cake and hopefully distract from all the off field troubles if only for a couple of hours.
Amos
Johnson Morrison Dean Purrington
Cullen Pratley Whilshire
Dougherty Williams
Subs: Santa, Easter bunny, Tooth fairy, loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, A. Unicorn because like our incoming signings they're mythical.
But seriously, Deji at RB and Barker in CD and go with the team posted.
2-1 Win with a scrappy end to the game.
I think the same as the preview but with Levitt starting over Williams because Williams started Tuesday. Which will free Gilbey up the play further forward.
1-1
Got plenty of options in midfield, only Gilbey guaranteed to start. Think Bow might be tempted to put Levitt in for JFC. Williams needs to start at home, then we can sub him on the hour like always!
Front 3 picks itself, with Doughty the danger man. Please god I hope he stays this season!
Reckon this will be an entertaining draw. 2-2. A bonne double. COYA
CAFC 2 v Doncaster Rovers 0
“He gave the ball away and they scored – but that happens in football unfortunately, especially against Premier League players. You see the difference, they won it just inside our half and went bang, bang, bang – goal. That was the level we were playing against.
Would a League One team do that to you? Maybe not."
Isn't that exactly what we did to Crewe, for Doughty's goal?
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-boss-has-message-as-he-gives-verdict-on-manchester-united-loanees-first-appearance/
Bowyer says:
“For us as a club, why would we sell Macauley now? Unless it was some crazy offer then we wouldn’t sell Macauley. It would be tough to replace him. So it doesn’t make sense.
“Alfie comes into that bracket as well. Whatever the offer was [by Celtic] it’s not enough. That’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter if they’d offered £1m if we’ve said no and value him at more than that.”
Posters asking who makes the decisions?:
“The offers come to Steve [Gallen, director of football] and then it goes to the directors. The directors have said they are not for sale."
Source:
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-stand-firm-on-bonne-and-doughty-as-boss-bowyer-labels-offers-as-silly/
Barker to start for me. He’s 17, he should
have plenty of energy!
I agree with Barker in CD Deji at RB.
Maybe Levitt instead of JFC but ive not seen him play only going on some comments that he grew into the game against West Ham. Other than that id go with the team posted by FA
3-1 to the Addicks
Levitt
Forster-Caskey Gilbey
Unfortunately I think Donny will put the cherry on the icing on the cake with a late winner.
1-2.