Northampton Town v Charlton AthleticSaturday 24th October 2020 ... 3pm Kick-OffReferee: Sam AllisonIntroductionLee Bowyer's stock continues to rise, at least at this level of English Football... Once again due to matters off the pitch he was forced to put together a team at the last minute, it meant that we would play a number of games playing catch up and even now the lack of understanding between team mates is pretty obvious at times - So to record back to back victories, remaining undefeated and unbreached in October makes you think that Bowyer has this Division pretty well sussed. We remain on the road this weekend as we travel to newly promoted: Northampton Town.
On a side note we welcome Sam Allison as match official for what'll be his first match at this level having been promoted to the Football League this season - As the black referee in the EFL since Uriah Rennie it feels worthy of a mention what with the significance of this month!!
The Opposition
Name: Northampton Town (16th) |
Manager: Keith Curle
Ground: Sixfields Stadium
Previous Result: Northampton Town 2-1 Swindon Town
Five years ago and the Cobblers would achieve promotion to League One, a certain Chris Wilder was at the helm and some fella called Ricky Holmes was gaining plaudits in League Two for his goals and assists, finishing 99-pts they'd have been a good side tipped to carry on the momentum that promotion brings... and then the fire sale happened, after all you dont win promotion in that kind of style without other clubs taking notice; Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United the clubs taking advantage of the two mentioned personnel...
Their two seasons in League One would see them battling against the drop with the second seeing them returning to the fourth tier, the Cobblers would spend another two years in said tier before a Play-Off win in July (defeating Exeter City at an empty Wembley Stadium) provided them with another opportunity at this level of English Football... For Manager; Keith Curle this is a second spell at this level, he would previously manage Notts County, guiding them to a respectable midtable finish so on this occasion they at least have a Manager who is used to League One!!
On the player front and the Cobblers have strengthened this summer; Danny Rose brought in from Mansfield will be one of the key dangermen up top, he was joined in the summer by Cian Bolger (Lincoln) and Jack Sowerby (Fleetwood), both of whom will add the sort of experience at this level that helps you reach survival!! - Least of all it'll be a first chance for ex-Addick; Mark Marshall to come up against his old side, the winger would leave Charlton after the Play-Off Final victory over Sunderland, moving to Northampton last summer where has currently has two goals to his name this term
Charlton Team News
Well deadline day certainly added a slight bit of excitement that we havent seen for a few years at Sparrows Lane; Andrew Shinnie and Paul Smyth would join respectively on loan and both have made equal contributions in the Addicks ability to record wins against Wigan and Blackpool in the last seven days.
Yet lets not beat around the bush; Charlton are a team still in a transitional phase, they've shown these last two games that they've got the ability to beat anyone at this level but until the squad completely gel together then there is always the concern of defeat around the corner; Marcus Maddison (should be on the bench this weekend) and Alex Gilbey (not quite there yet) should add that touch of quality that should surely help us kill of teams that we've been slightly lacking this season
Amos
Gunter | Inniss | Fameweo | Maatsen
Forster-Caskey | Pratley | Shinnie
Doughty
Smyth | Aneke
Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer | Barker | Watson | Maddison | Williams | Bogle | Washington
Charlton are on the crest of a wave right about now and whilst they're not exactly making people sit up and pay attention, they're acting instead like a team that are happy to quietly get on with the job at hand - Northampton recorded just their second win of the season on Tuesday night, yet defeats against Hull City and Peterborough United are proof that this is the sort of game on Saturday that we ideally need to win
Comments
This will be our 3rd win on the spin and what with the top four playing one another we shall continue our push for automatic promotion.
3.1 Charlton
COYA
Good stuff FA.
1-0 Charlton
I'll stick my neck out and go for 1-0. But to which side....?
Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer | Morgan | Pratley | Maddison | Smyth | Bogle | Barker
Leave Washington at home, he's not bad he just isn't as strong as Bogle or as quick as Smyth. Squad player at best.
It's tough to suss this league out. Northampton's best player would struggle to get on our bench but you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll give as good as one gets, effort-wise. Realistically there aren't many teams that should be able to match us, but that's not how this division works.
One the back of three clean sheets and two wins on the bounce, I fancy us to win - just not comfortably.
0-2 - Aneke and Doughty with the goals.
Objectively speaking, I think Bogle and Smyth will make a much bigger impact from the bench with their athleticism. He was also nonexistent against Blackpool.
Yes, he has 2 goals, not 22. He's not undroppable.
Not undroppable but also currently has been our most dangerous player. He actually worked well alongside Bonne... If he can work well there, then surely he can work with anyone.
2 - 0 to the Addicks
So he kinda has been.
I imagine Bowyer will juggle his strikers anyway, as we have too many players who can't play successive 90 minutes
Most dangerous player means (to me at least) the player with the greatest influence during play, the person that pulls the strings or wins the game with a bit of individual brilliance e.g Maddison, Taylor, Aneke, etc. - that sort of player.
2 for every 1 scored, we are on a bit of a run and it will be
another 3 points
1-2 Chuks double
It's simple a fact he scored 2 goals no one else has scored 2.
Sure the goals have dried up a bit, but I'm confident if we can play to his strengths he'll outscore Smyth and maybe Bogle too.
Hard working if not technical and makes good runs and poor decisions.