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Shrewsbury v Charlton | Sat 05 Dec | 3pm | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
in General Charlton
Shrewsbury Town v Charlton Athletic
Saturday 5th December 2020 ... 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Anthony Backhouse (Cumbria)

Introduction
Well after a month of three away games we returned to the Valley on Wednesday night not just for our first home game since Fleetwood, yet also a game that saw the return of fans for just the second time this season. Unfortunately social distancing proved how difficult it is to back the team, and with a weak performance on the pitch it was always going to be a struggle to make an atmosphere we're so acustomed to at the Valley. This Saturday we make the trip to Shropshire; Shrewsbury Town wait to welcome us, they themselves will be welcoming their fans back for the second time this weekend. For this new look Charlton team it'll be a different challenge, lining up up at a venue with a crowd completely against you!!

The Opposition
Name: Shrewsbury Town (23rd) | Manager: Steve Cotterill
Ground: The New Meadow
Previous Result: Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Accrington Stanley

Fans will no doubt shudder to see us travelling to a team that only have Wigan Athletic below them in the League table!! - Its been a tough season for Salop and have recorded just the one victory all season (the lowest in the League) which came on the road at AFC Wimbledon. When you take a look at those "stats" its no surprise really that Sam Ricketts was relieved of his duties which came as a result of throwing away a 2-0 lead at our last opponents: Milton Keynes.

So into the breach has stepped the experienced: Steve Cotterill, a man well known in the Football League yet hasnt been in the Managerial hotseat now since 2018 when he was relieved of duties at Birmingham City after less than six months in charge... In terms of taking charge in the lower reaches of the Football League though he is a Manager with success, in his younger days he took Cheltenham Town to League One for the first time in their history and repeated that feat with Notts County in 2010, this biggest success came with Bristol City in 2015 when he won League One (his best achievement) with the Robins narrowly failing to reach 100-pts that season!!

Proof that Cotterill he hasnt lost his touch, then Shrewsbury could yet start to climb to league, a 2-2 draw at home to Accrington means he's started his current reign unbeaten... Yet this is a very different Salop to the one that shocked League One by reaching the Play-Off Final three years ago; Shaun Whalley (one of the scorers on Wednesday night) one of the few players left from that remarkable season. They do have experience in this team though, Jason Cummings, who shocked Liverpool in the FA Cup last season, should be at a higher level surely, he has three goals this season, whilst they can additionally rely on the experience of Charlie Daniels (previously in the Premier League with AFC Bournemouth) and Aaron Wilbraham, recently signed, who has previous success of scoring against the Addicks, again for Milton Keynes!!

Charlton Team News
So once again Bowyer needs a response from his players yet in a completely different scenario to the one we saw post-Burton Albion. The benefit that weekend was the fact that we played an Ipswich team who equally needed to come out of their half and attack the Addicks, of course that wasn't an issue on Wednesday for Milton Keynes who succeeded where so many teams further up the table have failed... Yet at the end of the day, this is a Charlton team that needs to improve against teams lower in the table, certainly if they want any success come May.

Of course its not impossible what with victory over the likes of Wigan, Northampton and Oxford (who all find themselves in the bottom half). Yet what does Lee Bowyer choose to go with this weekend? - For starters you'd hope that Chuks Aneke will return to the team having gone through the rudamentary process of being rested following a long run out at Ipswich. The biggest frustration amongst fans though will remain with the defence; Akin Famewo returned to the team after missing November so could well return to the starting line up this... Paul Smyth will remain absen though, its been confirmed that the on loan attacker will be out for up to four weeks following his incident at Ipswich last Saturday

Amos
Gunter | Pratley | Famewo | Maatsen
Morgan | Watson | Williams
Maddison | Aneke | Washington

Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer | Pearce | Purrington | Gilbey | Henry | Bogle | Matthews

Prediction
Naturally following a defeat on Wednesday night we saw the typical "end of the world" scenario played out over Social Media... End of the day though Charlton are fourth for a reason and thats not from purely playing teams around us in the top six. Bowyer has always managed to get a response out of his players and the important factor is that if we cant win in midweek then we at the very least need to win on the weekend - Once we get beyond December we get to enjoy a small break from playing midweek, at the moment it feels a case of hanging on to coattails of those around us before we can take stock next month!!
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Comments

  • mendoncamendonca
    I think we need Maatsen's pace and dribbling ability further up the pitch.

    We have Purrington who should be comfortable at LB (his only position) and if not, then Matthews, who has not looked his Championship level just yet!
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    edited December 2020
    cantersaddick said:
    I think your team loses the midfield battle in the same way we did on Tuesday. Its basically the same front 4 we had for the end of that match, which while creating some chances it simply allowed our midfield to be walked straight through. Aneke, Connor, Madds and Jonny will offer very little support to Watson and Morgan and its a lot to expect them to run the game when outnumbered.

    For me Jonny needs to play further up the pitch as he did against whoever it was when he scored and had his best game for ages. One of Watson/Pratley holding and 2 of Morgan, Shinnie, Gilbey and JFC.

    Amos
    Matthews  Pearce Famewo Maatsen
    Morgan Pratley Gilbey
    Jonny
    Aneke Washington

    Without Smyth and Doughty we need what pace we can get so has to be Matthews and Maatsen on the flanks. I want to push them as far up the pitch as we can so would have Pratley over Watson so he can drop into the back line.

    Aneke has to start.
    I struggled a bit picking the Midfield today purely down to fitness

    Morgan: Should surely be fit enough to start after being withdrawn for a rest on Wednesday
    Gilbey: Coming back from injury I dont see him starting again so soon
    Forster-Caskey: I presume he's still out with his hamstring problems
    Williams: Opposite of Gilbey, should be fit to start having had a cameo on Wednesday
    Shinnie: I'm not sure if he'll be fit after being withdrawn at Half-Time
    Levitt: Still out with COVID, I presume he wont be available until AFC Wimbledon

    And people laughed at me when I said we should have signed more midfielders in the Transfer Window ;)

    I also presume that Vennings is injured seeing he hasnt been on the bench (when we've had the opportunity these last two games), nor was he involved with the U23s in their game against Bristol City - The best part about this Saturday is the fact we've now got a week until our next game so Bowyer should be able to manage the squad better
  • stoneroses19stoneroses19
    Thanks @ForeverAddickted Insightful and thorough as usual. 

    14 games in and slightly concerned with overall fitness seemingly not being in place for majority of the side, and tiredness being mentioned by Bowyer (whether it was the 3 away games in a row or another matter). 

    From what I’ve seen of the opposition so far, our team is good enough, talent wise, for a top 6 finish this season. The issue is keeping some kind of consistency, as we did with the superb run of clean sheet games. 

    I’ll allow some excuses with the Doughty, Inniss, Famewo injuries, but the other lads who have not been injured do need to begin to step up to the next notch (which I believe they’re more than capable of) during December/January when the games continue to come fast, and if we are tired/unfit is going to cause problems from the current impressive 4th position.
  • clb74clb74
    0-2.

  • Horsfield9Horsfield9
    Another good preview FA, another game against a team in the wrong half of the league , who we seem to struggle against. Going to go for a 1 - 0 bounce back to us , Aneke with the goal .I'm sure it's the dark our players are scared of , so hoping it stays light past 4.00pm.
  • cliveclive

    Paul Smyth will remain sidelined for around four weeks after suffering a gash to his knee at Ipswich last weekend, while Andrew Shinnie is a doubt for Saturday with a tight thigh.

    Alfie Doughty and Ryan Inniss remain long-term absentees, while Dylan Levitt and Deji Oshilaja continue to isolate due to Levitt's positive coronavirus test.

    Ian Maatsen makes a return having served his one-match ban, while Jake Forster-Caskey may be involved after making a return to training on Thursday.

    https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/5fca07b5cff6d/match-preview-shrewsbury-town-v-charlton

  • jacob_CAFCjacob_CAFC
    1-0 defeat blamed on lack of fans
  • MStuartPermMStuartPerm
    Play like Wednesday Shrewsbury will continue to be unbeaten under Cotterill. 

    Play to the level of the Ipswich game I would like to think we would get all three points. 

    Would like to see Aneke start 
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  • johnnybev1987johnnybev1987
    if we dont beat them, we dont deserve to be fighting for top 2 or even playoffs, they have been shocking this year. I know this is likely to be one we slip up as we are charlton, but will be mega pissed if we do. 

    13/10 surely value in the away win... 
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    The Shrews have drawn 4 outta 5 of their last games and have won just ONE game this season, the lowest number in the division, they've lost 7, half of their games. Just the type of team to give us trouble. Could it be that our squad that looks so strong on paper doesn't match up in actual ability ? .. we need to win this convincingly and Bowyer needs to get his team selection and tactics spot on

    Shrewsbury Town 0 v CAFC 2
  • mendoncamendonca
    We learnt from last year that wins/losses are better for the league table than constant feeble draws. It's partly why we are so high in the league table. Forget the last game and aim for the 3 points again and all will be forgotten.
  • hoof_it_up_to_bentyhoof_it_up_to_benty
    2-0 to the Addicks.
  • soapy_jonessoapy_jones
    6 nil to Shrewsbury
  • blackpool72blackpool72
    Great preview as usual FA. 

    The thing that bothers me most at the moment is the continued player rotation and changes to our system. 
    I believe the further up the footballing pyramid you go the better the players are (obviously).
    There is a reason our players are playing in league one and not the premier league. They ain't that good.

    I think that continually tinkering with the formation confuses our players  as was seen on Wednesday. 
    I would like Bowyer to go back to basics and work out our best formation and stick to it.
    Also play a centre half in the centre half position. 
    As for the game itself I fully expect a response from the players. 
    2.1 Charlton 
    Onwards and upwards. 
  • MattFMattF
    Please just win, however ugly it has to be I don't care
  • jimmymelrosejimmymelrose
    If we play both Williams and Madison in the team at the same time then we have to play on the front foot and we'll win.

    Play a defensive game by all means but you have to sacrifice Madison at least. If not, we'll lose.
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  • ross1ross1
    As usual, an interesting preview, my only comment is that as Pearce played 90 minutes for the under 23, surely he can now start, then does Pratley or Watson play in CDM, unless he goes defensive and play them both. I would not be surprised to see JFC on the bench.
  • MattFMattF
    I'll feel a lot better about this game tomorrow at 2 if Famewo (or Pearce) appear on the team sheet
  • SouthbankSouthbank
    I prefer Matthews to Gunter at right back so Gunter can have a rest for this one. I see no reason that Pearce should not play and Maatsen must be used further up the pitch to give our midfield some speed and energy. We need to attack from the start and then we can slow the game down by bringing Watson and Maddison on. So..

                                                                                                                  Amos
                                                                                           Matthews   Pearce     Famewo    Purrington
                                                                                           Morgan     Pratley    JFC/Shinnie/Gilbey*    Maatsen
                                                                                                           Washington    Aneke 

                                                                                                              * Whoever is fit, in that order  

    Subs   AMB, Gunter, Gilbey/Shinnie/JFC, Williams, Maddison, Bogle, Watson   
                                                                                  

                                                                                             
  • jonseventyfivejonseventyfive
    I'm  really struggling to work out what out best side or formation is, so as usual I'll trust in LB and the boys and hope for a decent performance 1-2. Back on track. 
  • Davo55Davo55
    We rarely play badly twice on the spin so I'm expecting an improved performance and a win - but I think it'll be tight, maybe just the one goal in it. 0-1.
  • LargeAddickLargeAddick
    as historic date for two reasons - let's hope we don't fuck it up.

    Shrews 1 Addicks 2
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    LargeAddick said:
    as historic date for two reasons - let's hope we don't fuck it up.

    Shrews 1 Addicks 2
    FFS I didnt make the connection
This discussion has been closed.

Roland Out Forever!