Rochdale v Charlton AthleticSaturday 6th February 2021 ... 3pm Kick-OffReferee: Thomas Bramall (Sheffield)IntroductionWith Charlton now having made the turn towards the half-way stage all eyes are now on what'll be a frantic few months between now and the end of the season. We all knew that this would be a year where fixture congestion could easily become ridiculous (and thats before we get to the prospect of the Winter World Cup in 2022) and in the coming weeks and months we may certainly see the League table having a drastic shake up as teams either take advantage or blunder their way through games in hand. For Charlton the task is simple, win games, its a task that needs to happen a lot more often and its getting to the stage where any slip ups really will be costly, especially when you consider our final run of games this season. With an "easier" February it means we ourselves need to get maximum points, starting tomorrow at Rochdale, if we want achieve the minimum aim of the Play-Offs this term!!
The OppositionName: Rochdale (18th) |
Manager: Brian Barry-Murphy
Ground: Spotland
Previous Meeting: Charlton Athletic 4-4 Rochdale
Well for starters you'll surely be getting your monies worth by purchasing a stream on ValleyPass this weekend (Only £10), BUY NOW!!!
Ad breaks aside and Rochdale surely take the award for the most bonkers of sides in the whole of the Football League this season. January's encounter at the Valley would show a game so ridiculous it would be difficult to comprehend what either sets of fans were witnessing, and that was even before the sight of Paul Smyth playing right wing-back. For the Addicks that evening it would be a second half where we showed our potential if we cut out the mistakes at the back, for Rochdale fans it was just another evening of high scoring football that saw twenty goals in just three back to back games.
I've even heard they want a refund for the "disappointing" 2-1 win at Bristol Rovers last weekend!!
Yet attention now turns to the reverse fixture at Spotland; Brian Barry-Murphy is one of those Managers who surely has a promising future in the game, especially when you consider the fact he has Rochdale playing in what is revered to as: "the right way" - Should they be able to get their defence sorted out then Dale could well be dangerous, after all they're level on goals scored with Portsmouth and have only scored one less than Hull City. Unfortunately for Charlton fans, Spotland isnt a happy venue of late, our last victory came courtesy of a late Danny Hollands goal in a 3-2 win, that result would send us to the top of League One where we stayed the rest of the year, two 1-0 defeats since and another high scoring 3-3 draw show that there should at least be goals in this fixture...
Just hope they're heading into the right net!!
Charlton Team NewsRonnie Schwartz has certainly had a Charlton style beginning in South East London, the Dane opened his account in the reverse fixture yet hasnt found the net since (despite having good opportunities against both Bristol Rovers and Swindon Town), he's shown though that he can benefit from a high line and space to exploit so potentially just needs his luck to change, whether he starts this weekend or whether Bowyer goes for Jayden Stockley and Chuks Aneke will be one of the biggest factors in the team sheet tomorrow; Conor Washington on the other hand will remain absent with a calf injury, although should return to training on Monday.
Elsewhere with injury news and I like everyone else grow tired of having to predict when Akin Famewo and Ryan Inniss will make their comebacks. It was hoped the former could be involved this Saturday but it looks like he wont be risked and will be eased back into action with an U23 game first. With the January Transfer Window now closed its an opportunity to see if Matt Smith and Diallang Jaiyesimi can help make the difference, the former would make his debut on Tuesday night and having spent longer training with his new team mates may well get his first start, the latter (having only trained at Sparrows Lane for a few days) may well have to settle for a place on the bench.
Amos
Matthews | Gunter | Oshilaja | Maatsen
Smith | Watson | Forster-Caskey
Shinnie
Millar | Stockley
Substitutes Bench: Maynard-Brewer | Pearce | Pratley | Morgan | Schwartz | Aneke | Jaiyesimi
PredictionWell I'm sure this has been a fixture everyone has been looking forward to ever since the last game ended. Ever since the second half Charlton have appeared to turn the corner and apart from disappointing moments against Peterborough and Portsmouth have learnt to deal with teams further down the table. Unfortunately it may well be a bit too late for the Addicks hopes of returning to the Championship, yet this is League One and not the Premier League, the further down the pyramid you go, the more unpredictable events become... Lets push on, cut out the mistakes, get results and start to put the pressure on the teams above us to get wins and nothing less!!
Because come the business end of the season there is still a sliver of a chance that we can be there in contention
Comments
I would probably go with something like this:
Matthews - Gunter - Oshilaja - Purrington
Jaiyesimi - Shinnie - F.Caskey - Millar
Schwartz - Stockley
Bench: M.Brewer, Pearce, Maatsen, Pratley, Morgan, Aneke, Ghandour
Millar and Schwartz to score.
Matthews, Gunter, Oshilaja, Maatsen
Pratley
Shinnie, Smith, Millar
Aneke, Stockley
I think he will stick with the same back four, Pratley in front because he played well until he had to go off before he was sent off Tuesday, I reckon Smith will get the nod can’t see why not he’s gotta be fit enough, not sure about the strike pairing part of me thinks he won’t play the two big men together, but then how do you drop our midweek goal scorer and/or our top scorer for Schwartz who’s looked toothless. Hope to see Famewo off the bench to get 20 minutes into the legs.
If this game isn't one for inspiring forwards with confidence, I don't know what is!
We need a win, but I demand a performance.
I've lost confidence and my generally pessimistic nature expects another unconvincing score draw.
Any chance of picking our aces; Millar, Chuks, DJ, Smith and pulverising them Lee?
Hull, Doncaster, Lincoln, AFC & Portsmouth.
It will certainly be interesting to see whether we can be the 6th.
Post Match thread to have usual debate.
That said, it is now or never and think we will get back to winning ways. 4-2 Stockley, Schwartz, Aneke and Millar.
Matthews - Gunter - Oshilaja - Maatsen
Jaiyesimi - Watson- Pratley- Millar
Aneke - Stockley
is what I think Bowyer will do but I wouldn't be surprised if he put Maatsen on whatever wing Baah is on. If Baah is on the left then Maatsen could play RB and Purrington brought in at LB.
Amos
Matthews - Gunter - Oshilaja - Purrington
Jaiyesimi - Morgan- F.Caskey - Millar
Aneke - Stockley
is what I think Bowyer should do
I actually think we miss Washington quite a bit. The other 3 aren't mobile enough to offer something different.
Gunter Deji Fam/Pearce Purrington
Miller Prats JFC DJ
Schwartz Stockley
.
As for Femewo and Innis, their return will be too late to help us this season (IMO), we might just make the playoffs if things go our way. I get fed up with the “free beer tomorrow” from LB after a defeat, using the return of these two key players to pacify fans.
Matthews | Gunter | Oshi | Purrington
DJ | JFC | Shinnie | Millar
Stockley | Shwartz
Amos
Matthews - Gunter - Oshilaja - Purrington
Jaiyesimi - Shinnie/Pratley - F.Caskey - Millar
Aneke - Stockley
Bench: AMB, Pearce, Maatsen, Shinnie/Pratley, Morgan, Schwartz, Smith
We showed in the 2nd half against them we can go at them, no reason why we shouldnt start the game with the same formation and similar personnel. Would be good to have Purrs in for the solidity to start the game
Until we have Famewo fit, I'd keep Gunter in there.
I've been resigned to the fact that we are not going up this season since before Xmas.
We are playing without confidence and without a settled side.
I have no idea what formation Bowyer will go with tomorrow and I'm pretty sure he's not either.
I expect us to score tomorrow but I'm also confident we will concede.
As for the actual score I haven't got a clue.
I'm just hoping that things improve soon because it's been very depressing supporting Charlton this season.