Oxford United v Charlton AthleticSaturday 6th March 2021 ... 3pm Kick-OffReferee: Tom Nield (West Yorkshire)IntroductionAccording to some in the dressing room "A win, a win, my kingdom for a win" cried Lee Bowyer after another defeat to Blackpool on Saturday afternoon, after receiving blank stares of incomprehension from his dejected players, Bowyer apparantly sighed (kicked his Albie Morgan sitting quietly in the corner), shugged his shoulders and let them have the next day off instead - The rest is of course minor history and whilst the majority of that may not (or may) have happened, and Charlton finally returning to winning ways with a slightly satisfying win over administration suffering Wigan Athletic.
The Addicks travel to an old foe as we stop off at the inn of Oxford United on the way back home.
Ye Olde OppositionName: Oxford United (10th) |
Manager: Karl Robinson
Ground: Kassam Stadium
Previous Meeting: Charlton Athletic 2-0 Oxford United
Everything was fine and dandy when Oxford visited the Valley in October, we were in the middle of our impressive run of form yet as proven in previous seasons; Oxford are a side who have become a bit of a bogey team having recorded three wins and fours draws against the South Londoners in our last League One encounters... Yet Conor Washington and Andrew Shinnie would ensure that the points remained South of the Thames, even a Ryan Inniss red card mid way through the second half couldnt bring our opponents back into the game.
Since then and some could argue that Karl Robinson is lucky to be still in a job, four wins and four draws (out of sixteen games) was all Oxford could manage before the 15th December which left the Play-Off Finalists from last season struggling in a relegation scrap. Yet Robinson managed to turn things around and is perhaps proof of how quickly your fortunes can change at this level; nine wins out of ten have lifted our opponents tomorrow to just a point behind the Addicks, and still have two games in hand.
Thankfully for the Addicks, Oxford's form has stuttered again of late, picking up their ninth win against Wigan on 14th February they've not won since, three draws has seen the Oxford charge slow and will now need those two games in hand even more, especially if the Addicks good away form can continue at a venue they havent won at (in the League) since a 2-1 win in 1998; Clive Mendonca and John Robinson completing a "Golfie" that day.
Charlton Team NewsWe potentially saw the Addicks going back to basics on Tuesday night when they visited Wigan, Bowyer would put out a team that knew how to grind out a win and rightly expressed his disappointment that the Addicks didnt get a handful more goals, especially after the performance in the first half... Eyebrows were certainly raised come 5pm when it was announced that there were seven changes to the team and given just a few days turn around can question just how many we may see come 2pm tomorrow.
For starters; Jayden Stockley was left on the bench on Tuesday night, this was after being withdrawn against Blackpool due to muscle tightness, he could and maybe should return to the line up after Chuks Aneke was replaced at Wigan with a similar issue - Conor Washington certainly impressed by attacking the opposition from the front and having scored in the reverse fixture may well earn his second start of the week, otherwise we'll maybe see another opportunity for Ronnie Schwartz who is understandably struggling to adjust to England partly due to the current COVID restrictions.
Ryan Inniss is set to rejoin full training shortly yet will need U23 games before making a full return, whilst its expected that Ashley Maynard-Brewer will remain absent having had too many concussion incidents for the clubs liking, its expected he too will return with the U23s before making the step back up.
Amos
Gunter | Pearce | Famewo | Maatsen
Smith | Watson | Forster-Caskey
Millar
Washington | Stockley
Substitutes Bench: Harness | Matthews | Oshilaja | Shinnie | Jaiyesimi | Schwartz | Aneke
PredictionAs with any win at the moment its understand that there is caution being expressed from a good many quarters of the Charlton fanbase, we've been in this position before with wins against Bristol Rovers, Milton Keynes and Rochdale to wonder if Tuesday was nothing more than a flash in the pan performance or whether it is the genuine turnaround we've all been hoping for. Oxford have shown in recent months that it is possible to put a run together yet the clock is fast against the Addicks and if we do have any hopes of extending our season, whilst I'm doubtful regardless, it has to happen now.
Comments
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11970748/tom-nield-the-efl-referee-battling-coronavirus-on-the-nhs-frontline
Is Pratley back available? He'll no doubt steal one of the bench spots.
Gunter - Famewo - Pearce - Maatsen
Morgan - Watson - F.Caskey
Millar
Schwartz - Stockley
Subs: M.Brewer, Matthews, Oshilaja, Shinnie, Jaiyesimi, Washington, Aneke
1-1
I hadn’t realised we’ve not managed back to back wins since end of October beginning of November. Could really do with that changing tomorrow. Hope we keep as much of the 11 from Tuesday, a bit of consistency would be superb for the run-in.
It's telling that both Maatsen and Purrington are in our top 10 appearances of the season.
I would be shocked if Morgan is even on the bench.
Keep a clean sheet and we will win.
1) a better press, higher up the pitch.
4) a better attitude if we go a goal behind. Someone needs to lead by example and instil the fighting spirit that we’ve lacked this season.
7) going forward I’d like to see a different set up and mindset for home matches. Try a different formation. Surprise the opposition. Play on the break more, like we do away from home. Anything but the dross we’ve seen at home since the Wimbledon match.
Some previews are harder to write than others, especially as I dont like to repeat the same old cliches week after week... Was late writing the one partly as couldnt think where to begin and partly because its been a busier week with work - The Richard the Third quote from Shakespeare randomly came to me so I shrugged my shoulders and went with it.
Hope I'm wrong
Basically, he's not going to complain about Oxford's injury situation because it's not really important in comparison to coronavirus. Very magnanimous. I sooooooo desperately hope that we beat them, as you just know that the first thing he'll complain about post match is their injury situation.
The following does cause me to be pessimistic though:
"Robinson said: “We’ve limited five-a-side minutes and we’ve got no 11v11s.
“I love coaching, so it’s a really bitter pill for me to swallow, but I think it’s the right thing to do.
“It’s about playing at this moment in time, it’s not about the coaching."
We started playing out of our skins as soon as he stopped coaching us, so I'm expecting Oxford's players to similarly benefit from listening to less of his shit over the last few days.
Please, please, please can we beat this blubber-mouthed twunter.
Portsmouth they just completely out played us
Shame about Rob Lee though.....
One goal better than the worst team in the league but only just.
Oxford 3-0 and another ten quid saved.
Oxford are not in very good form a t m and I expect us to get at least a point and I am (of course) hoping for a win. Get Stockley and Purrington back in the team
Oxford United 1 v CAFC 2
Last time we went there, we were in great form, played crap, and they beat us.
Hope the reverse is true this time.