Milton Keynes v Charlton AthleticTuesday 26th January 2021 | Kick-Off: 19.00pmLive on Valley PassReferee: Dean Whitestone (Northamptonshire) - Previously officiated Charlton against Millwall in our 0-1 loss in July.IntroductionNo club will ever get promotion if they continue to throw away goals, or give opponents a 2-0 head start before turning the game around and gaining some form of result. That, unfortunately, is the bottom line of our form as things stand. We all know the negatives, but if we look at the positives, the players are showing some character and fight; the amount of chances we have created in the last 3 and half games is probably enough to have won 6 games! The attacking side of the team is clicking, it's now that it needs to all come together if we are to give ourselves a chance of any success this season. Next up, a team that taught us a lesson only at the beginning of December, Milton Keynes.
OppositionManager: Russell Martin (34.6% win rate)Stadium: Stadium MKLeague Position: 15th | Last 6: WLWWLD
Reverse Fixture: Charlton Athletic 0-1 Milton Keynes (Fraser)Milton Keynes played Fleetwood Town at home in their previous league game, winning 3-1, their last line-up was:
Fisher
Poole | O'Hora | Lewington
Laird | Sørensen | Gladwin | Fraser | Harvie
Jerome | Mason
Milton Keynes played us off the park in the fixture at The Valley. Their style of play and movement off the ball was too much for us to handle. We didn't press well as a team and the scoreline on the night probably flattered us. Bowyer would've learnt a lot about his team that night and should be far more prepared for a different type of game than we usually have in League One. What doesn't help us though, is that Milton Keynes home form is good, losing only twice at home so far this season, and those two have been against the current top 2, Hull and Lincoln. This is going to be a tough game to get all 3 points. It was me who wrote the preview for the fixture back in December, where I outlined the style of play, the amount of possession they often have, and the personnel they have in their side. Since then, they've lost a key figure in the way they play, centre back Richard Keogh - who statistically completed the most passes for MK when he was in the team - has left to sign for Huddersfield.
So what's happened since we played Milton Keynes? 11 points in 8 league games including against 5 of our last 7 opponents (Plymouth, Accrington Stanley, Bristol Rovers, Peterborough, Swindon) where they played Peterborough twice and picked up 7 of their 11 points in those games. We took only 5 against those teams. MK took Premier League side Burnley all the way to penalties in the 3rd Round of The FA Cup, and beat Northampton a couple of weeks back to set up a Football League Trophy (Papa Johns Trophy) quarter-final tie against Sunderland next week. They also may have one eye on the weekend where they play AFC Wimbledon away, a fixture that needs no explanation of what that means to the supporters of both clubs.
What we should be able to take away from the reverse fixture is that we need to try and keep Fraser quiet. The match winner that night showed why he is highly thought of as one of the best midfielders in this division. His ability to carry the ball forward and see a pass is something that will inevitably put our defence on the back foot, and on a big pitch like Stadium MK, limiting the space for him to hurt us is going to be a challenge. Milton Keynes also use the width of the pitch well, specifically their wing-backs. Sorinola performed very well as a right footed left-wing back that night, coming inside to overload against what was an already outnumbered Charlton midfield as Bowyer went with a flat 4-4-2 in the first half. And finally, MK's front two have enormous experience and good ability at this level. Joe Mason scored a hat-trick in their last fixture, whereas Cameron Jerome has 9 in 21 in all competitions this season.
Charlton Team NewsFinally we are getting into a position where we're getting players back from injury and suspension, the first XI and even the bench is now starting to look strong. On Saturday we were without Maynard-Brewer, Inniss, Famewo, Purrington, Watson, Maddison, Smyth, and Bogle. The latter looks as though he will be off by the end of the window, but the rest is enough to fill another bench themselves. Once a good handful of them are properly back, you would expect the quality we will have in the team to be enough to go on a run similar to what we saw in October.
Maatsen picked up a minor knee injury on Saturday which will see Purrington come in at left back. Hopefully the young Chelsea loanee is not too bad, but as Bowyer alluded to after the game, it may have come at a good time where he needed a week or so rest. Aneke and Schwartz started up front together for the first time and between them had a number of very good chances. Both scored, but unfortunately for us, Schwartz's was wrongly ruled out for offside. The signs are promising though, and if we can keep/get them both fit, goals should not be a problem. Whether they start together again on Tuesday is another matter, but if they don't, you would assume they will against Portsmouth next week.
With Cameron Jerome playing for Milton Keynes, Bowyer could well consider his options in central defence again. The gaffer explained that the reason Pearce came in against Peterborough was because of Clarke-Harris, so you would assume that decision will be the same for Tuesday night. Even though it is assumed his favoured partnership at the moment, with the players available, is Gunter and Oshilaja.
Subs: Maynard-Brewer, Matthews, Pratley, Morgan, Williams, Stockley, Washington
Prediction
A game where we are going to have to be smart. If we press, we must press high as a team. If we drop off, we must restrict the space between the lines because it is those areas that their players will continuously look to get into. Exposing the defence is something we must cut out. If we see a 3 of Watson, Shinnie, and Forster-Caskey, it has enough protection for the defence and ability on the ball to compete and play football too. With Accrington Stanley at home to Hull, Portsmouth at home to Lincoln, and Ipswich at home to Sunderland, this is a huge opportunity to get 3 points and strengthen our position in the league. It all comes together, just.
Milton Keynes 1-2 Charlton Athletic
Aneke
Schwartz
Comments
With MK playing with two strikers, I really wouldn't be surprised to see us start with a 3-5-2 and give our centre backs that extra protection with another player. That way, if our defence does get exposed, we should have another body to help.
Tactically, this is going to be an interesting game.
Matthews - Gunter - Oshilaja - Purrington
F.Caskey
Bring the bully boys on second half of we're not leading. Schwartz needs an unselfish strike partner.
Amos
Gunter | Oshilaja | Pearce | Matthews
Forster-Caskey | Pratley | Morgan
Millar
Stockley | Washington
Schwartz 2
Chuks
They're both 2nd strikers really - and each benefits more with a big hold up player beside them.
Stockley and Schwarz, maybe ...... but feel we'll start with Stockley and Washo, bringing on Chuks and Ronnie for the last 30 this game.
Then perhaps they both start together for the Pompey game?
Though no doubt Bow will surprise us!
MK Dons looked in a complete different league to us last time around, and indeed even though it was not a thrashing it was the performance which gave me the most amount of worry as a Charlton fan for this season.
To be honest as much as I'd like Bowyer to stick with 4-4-2 I can definitely see a case for 3-5-2 in this game.
Well, we all know the answer to that: he'd match up formation away from home.
He'd also pick a side to play to the players' strengths, keep it simple - but not be afraid to make a change if it wasn't working.
Unfortunately at the moment we are leaking goals at the back.
Dysfunctional in midfield.
Wasteful up front.
A 3.1 defeat beckons.
F.Caskey Morgan - Shinnie
Millar
Bring Chucks and Washington on in 2nd half if required, and I'd have Williams, Pratley, Watson (if fit) and Pearce on the bench as well (along with a keeper)
I'll go for a 1-2 Addicks win.
Quoting your last couple of sentences below fills me with dread, as we seldom grab chances and are liable to look gift horses in the arse!
With Accrington Stanley at home to Hull, Portsmouth at home to Lincoln, and Ipswich at home to Sunderland, this is a huge opportunity to get 3 points and strengthen our position in the league. It all comes together, just.
Gunter, Oshilaja, Pearce, Purrington
Pratley
Morgan, JFC
Shinnie
1-1 more frustration, more bickering, more bowyer in/out debate, mid table slump continues, full debut goal for Stockley.
Away from home, personally feel there is no chance we will go without one of Watson or Pratley starting.
Aneke is too greedy and on the rare occasions he makes the pass weirdly they're too soft almost every time.
I'd prefer we stick Schwartz alongside the least greedy, hardest worker we have up front.
You'd think having both on would mean that we'd play it on the floor more and play to their strengths but you rarely see that happen
Think if we did both would suffer with the service and could well be scapegoated
The only club we are playing that is currently above us in the table are Portsmouth. 9 of the next 14 are in London, 8 of them at home with the other away to Wimbledon.
If we are to get promoted this season, we need a very strong points return from the next 14 fixtures.
Oshi. Pearce. Purrington
Gunter JFC. Morgan Millar
Shinnie
Chucks Schwartz