Blackpool v Charlton AthleticTuesday 20 October | Kick-Off: 19.00pmLive on Valley PassReferee: James Bell (Sheffield) - Never previously officiated at League One level, this will be his 25th game as the man in the middle after previously being an assistant (linesman)IntroductionWhat a feeling for the weekend! After the incredible work behind the scenes to bring in 9 new players in a space of 3 weeks, the Addicks handed out a total of 5 debuts in the win against Wigan on Saturday, and being back to winning ways at The Valley is going to be important this season. A new look defence kept another clean sheet and we managed to look far more threatening going forward, much to the help of the outstanding Aneke for 60 minutes. Next up is a long trip up north, and a team who find themselves in in a spot of bother, Blackpool.
OppositionManager: Neil Critchley (9.1% win rate)
Stadium: Bloomfield Road
League Position: 20th |
Blackpool's Last 6: DLLLWL
Nickname(s): The Seasiders/The Tangerines
Blackpool played Crewe Alexandra away last time out, drawing 1-1, their line up was:
Maxwell
Turton | Ekpiteta | Husband | Garbutt
Ward | Williams | Robson
Hamilton | Madine | Yates
Without a win in four, Blackpool find themselves just outside the relegation spots on goal difference. The tangerines lost their main man during the summer, Gnanduillet. The striker scored 18 goals in 36 games last season and would move to second division Turkish side, Altay. For a team who have finished 12th, 10th, and 13th in League One in their last 3 seasons, losing someone who scores that amount of goals at this level is always going to be hard to replace. Blackpool brought in CJ Hamilton over the summer, who has scored 3 goals so far this term, but whether that will be enough and whether Gary Madine will start scoring up front remains the biggest question for how their season will pan out.
Similarly to us last season, it's become a theme under their inexperienced manager, Neil Critchley, that Blackpool have struggled to win games when they've had more possession. Averaging 59.6% in each game they've failed to win this season, but having only 46% possession in their sole win against Swindon Town suggests their use of the ball is not dangerous or progressive enough to hurt the opposition. Sometimes, having the ability to counter attack in the modern game is far more beneficial than trying to play pretty football, especially at this level. Blackpool have adopted the 4-3-3 formation so far this season, focusing a lot of their play out wide with inverted wingers coming in to support Madine up front. With the main focus on trying to out play the opposition, they also have the option to go route one with the strong Madine more than capable of holding up the ball if they choose. That will be a fascinating battle, Inniss and Famewo against Madine. As much as Blackpool aim to play attractive football, stats over the weekend show they're strong in the air too. Blackpool won the most aerial duels in the division on Saturday, only sitting just above ourselves. For us, it shows a trait that was identified before that needed to be improved on, we aren't a soft touch anymore.
Blackpool's form overall has been poor, and they lost convincingly to Ipswich last week in a fixture which was strange in its own right. Charlton were due to play the tractor boys, and Blackpool were meant to play Sunderland, both games were called off because of our international call-ups. So Blackpool and Ipswich decided to rearrange their fixture schedule and play each other instead. A clever way of doing it you might think, but the Seasiders probably regret that decision now after being thumped 4-1 at home. Another interesting stat is that Blackpool have faced only 20 shots on target against them so far this season, but conceded 11 goals, quite a high conversion rate against them, especially in the last two games, conceding every time an attempt has been on target.
Charlton Team NewsWith so many new players, sometimes the best way for them to gel is to just get playing games, and luckily for them that's exactly what they'll be doing up until the next international break. With fixtures suddenly coming thick and fast in a short space of time, it won't leave much for Bowyer to work on in training, but the match competitiveness and understanding will no doubt improve.
Injury wise, we know Oshilaja, Pearce, Gilbey, and Maddison will be unavailable for the trip up north. The latter missing out on Saturday due to a minor ankle injury, you would assume they'll let it settle so he's available for the game next weekend against Northampton Town. The other three, they're slightly longer term so it would be wise not to expect to see them before the end of the month. Bowyer also mentioned that Williams came back tired and with a slight knock from international duty, but was fit enough to be on the bench against Wigan. With another couple of days into him, we could possibly see the Welsh match winner get his first start of the season for us.
Aneke started on Saturday for only the third time in the league in his Charlton career. Getting 60 minutes in and the way he performed can be seen as a huge boost going forward. It's highly unlikely we will see him start again in such quick succession, so Bogle could come in for his first start in Charlton colours. Away from home, we might see Purrington come back to play left back with Doughty pushed further up the pitch if we were to match Blackpool in a 4-3-3 formation. Other options to consider would be, are we going to see Watson and Pratley start again together in midfield? Could Washington come in for the hard-working Smyth? Will we see young Maatsen included in the squad? Lots of questions for Bowyer to answer, but it's great to have these options!
Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Maatsen, Pratley, Levitt, Shinnie, Smyth, Aneke
Prediction
We often struggle to back up a win and a performance in midweek but with so many new faces and all wanting to impress early, it could actually work in our favour. There will be changes as we know Bowyer always mixes it up when games come only a matter of days apart, but I don't think there will be too many changes. Blackpool are going to want to put their results behind them and try to build, but I think we will have too much for them on Tuesday night.
Blackpool 1-3 Charlton Athletic
Bogle
Washington
Inniss
Comments
A quick turnaround and a fair old trek by coach.
Would Tommy pay for a flight?
I reckon we will see one or two changes from yesterday's line up and I don't want Pratley and Watson both starting together.
This is another winnable game and I expect another tight faught victory.
2.1 Charlton to send us back to the top half of the table.
Onwards and upwards.
COYA.
I think Lee will tweak it on Tuesday, but not greatly and it’ll look something like:
Amos
Gunter Innis Famewo Purrington
Shinnie Pratley JFC
Smyth Bogle Washington
subs: Doughty, Aneke, Watson, Williams, Maatsen, AMB, Levitt
3-1 Bogle, Smyth and Aneke
https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/head_to_head.sd?team_id=527&team2_id=317
Whats not to look forward to!
"Billy Elliott should have stuck to ballet"
Pratley, Innis, Famewo
Gunter, Levitt, Watson, Doughty
Williams
Bogle, Washington
I think he will freshen it up quite a bit purely because he doesn’t even know his best XI yet. And the international players will be rested up by then.
0-1
Far better doing it that way than meaning we don’t have him available at all at the weekend.
I also think that we will see Levitt start. Hopefully we will have a bit too much quality for them but for the next few weeks I will be happy with any kind of victory we can get while our players get to know each other better and get fitter.
Wales, be good to see him get the winner
Good win due 0-2
Not that I would know anything about that.
As I laughed, you get the LOL.
I've no idea what team or formation we will use, but imagine that Washington and Levitt will start. I don't think Watson is up to speed yet, I'd bench him and use him as a late sub to close the game out