Charlton Athletic vs Peterborough UnitedBoxing Day - 3pm Kick-OffReferee: Darren DrysdaleIntroductionSo we come to the festive and most exciting part of any fixture list; Christmas is meant to be a time spent with family, good food and the opening of presents that we've each been spoilt with - Any Football fan will tell you though, that the best part of this time of year, is the enjoyment of Football on Boxing Day... Charlton this year play hosts to Peterborough United who'll be travelling down to SE7 - The Addicks should go into this game with a positive mindset, victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday may have been from the lottery of penalties, but for a League One side, its a victory none the less.
The OppositionName: Peterborough United (8th) | Manager: Grant McCannGround: London RoadPrevious Fixture: Ipswich Town 2-1 Peterborough UnitedIt is said in a corner of Cambridgeshire that there is a side who are so black and white (well they wear blue), so yin and yang, that they only know how to either win or lose - Its quite a feat for Peterborough that they've actually lost as many games this season as bottom side: Morecambe - The difference though is that Posh know where the goal is, only the top two have scored more, which is unsurprising given our opponents history at this level in recent years.
So the question on everyone's lips is how do you stop Jonsson Clarke-Harris? - He's no Marcus Rashford, but he is the current top scorer at this level with 12-goals this term, he's also a frustration of our own ESI days, as surely would have been a target for ourselves back in 2020-21 but for our off-field distractions - However I equally think that to stop the scorer, you need to think about stopping the source: Joe Ward is potentially that man, with five assists to his name, more than any from the Peterborough side.
Of course as mentioned, its highly unlikely that the game this Boxing Day will end as a draw; Peterborough have only record one of those this campaign, and find themselves three points off the Play-Offs as things stand (Ironically they'll only be four points ahead of the Addicks should they lose on Monday) - Posh do travel to SE7 with form at the Valley, its been a decade since the Addicks last won at home against this side, suffering one draw, and three defeats since. However our opponents do concede, and have only conceded three less than ourselves.
We really should fear no one... But ourselves!!
Charlton Teams NewsThis Boxing Day will of course be the first opportunity to witness a proper Dean Holden side... The new Manager was appointed prior to the Brighton victory, and whilst he put the side through their paces the day before that memorable win, it was still Anthony Hayes who picked the team and guided them through to a mouth watering tie in the League Cup Quarter-Finals.
What we did potentially see on Wednesday night was the organisation and energy, that we can perhaps expect to see from the Manager who spent two seasons as a player at London Road - One absence is likely to be Chuks Aneke, who was withdrawn against Brighton almost as quickly as he was introduced... Terrel Thomas though could return to contention, whilst there many be equal temptation to leave the starting eleven well alone.
Merry Christmas everyone!!
Maynard-Brewer
Inniss - Lavelle - Ness
Clare - Dobson - Fraser - Sessegnon
Rak-Sakyi - Leaburn - Payne
Substitutes Bench: MacGillivray - Mitchell - Morgan - Forster-Caskey - Stockley - Blackett-Taylor - Kirk
Comments
Charlton 4 Chelsea 2
Charlton 0 Peterborough 1....
Can we field 13 players from the start.
Only if the referee is pissed.
Will the players be distracted by the big game on the horizon, hope not.
New manager though, could we get a bounce, how about showing his intent by making Dobson captain, would get the fans onside.
2020 - Drew 2-2 with Plymouth
2019 - Won 3-2 over Bristol City (after being 1-2 down)
2018 - Lost 2-1 @ Coventry
2017 - Lost 3-1 @ Southend
2016 - Won 1-0 @ Milton Keynes
2015 - Drew 1-1 with Bristol City
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2019 - Peterborough lost at home 0-3 to Doncaster
2018 - Lost 2-0 @ Barnsley
2017 - Won 1-3 @ Bradford City
2016 - Drew 1-1 with Gillingham
2015 - Won 2-0 over Chesterfield
2-2 a Desmond, a fine first half showing in front of the new gaffer followed by two complete gifts in true "Charlton for Charidee" stylee.
The win v Brighton and the plum Red Devils draw will give us the sorely needed bounce, strut and confidence we urgently need in the League
Home win from an exciting and fluctuating Christmas Cracker
CAFC 3 v Peterborough United 2
There is extra time isn't there @ForeverAddickted?
God knows, tbh, could go either way. We will score and concede, so sit on the Fence 2-1 either way.
despite all evidence to the contrary give recent league form
I trust us to balls it up.
Could well be a bit after the Lord Mayor about it but fingers crossed rather there’ll be a bunch of players fighting for a spot in the team at Old Trafford.
And maybe that gameplan is the way to go, with us being the team that is hard to breakdown and looking to do our damage on the counter instead of the other way round as it so often is.
I genuinely half expected Brighton to get near our record defeat but as ever "it's a funny old game".
Now I'm going for a narrow victory, but it could just as easily be a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show.
Been a fan for 60 years so what do I know!