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Stevenage vs Charlton Athletic | Saturday 16th September 2023 @ 3pm | Match Preview

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Comments

  • Thanks for the usual high quality preview. 
    MA has to supply a good performance - whatever the result. 
    If the fans think we are in for another 2 years of passing it backwards and sending corners straight to the keeper, then he will struggle to win the crowd over. 
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,355
    difficult starter for Apples and team (whoever he selects) but an opportunity to put down a positive marker .. I'll be happy with a draw and a solid performance especially from the defence
  • 0-2, a brace from May and Charlton’s winning run in the league extended
  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,349
    edited September 2023
    We haven't got the squad to play the Dinosaur (which is what I'm calling the 442 from now on). We've only got two wingers (and Charlie Kirk). Meanwhile we've got six CBs and seven CMs. We've built the squad to play 352 and expect us to play it. 
  • NabySarr
    NabySarr Posts: 4,290
    Chunes said:
    We haven't got the squad to play the Dinosaur (which is what I'm calling the 442 from now on). We've only got two wingers (and Charlie Kirk). Meanwhile we've got six CBs and seven CMs. We've built the squad to play 352 and expect us to play it. 
    We’ve got CBT, Tyrece Campbell and Chen Campbell so that’s 3 wingers. I think 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 are our best options at the moment 
  • eastterrace6168
    eastterrace6168 Posts: 22,581
    edited September 2023
    Looking forward to Apples sending Evans to Mergatroyd...👍

  • DOUCHER
    DOUCHER Posts: 7,907
    May and Leaburn up top, dobbo holding midfield - fella from wolves given the playmaking duties - fit the rest around that 
  • IAgree
    IAgree Posts: 1,839
    Whatever else has happened we have scored some and with the prospect of a brace of good forwards I think we will today. The defence is clearly the big issue and given the context I would be delighted with a win, although think 2-2.

    This is most definitely not “must win”. Must win or what is the consequence? Seriously it’s early in the season and it’s a new manager who has had a week to turn around issues in virtually every area of the team.

    All this waffle about lacking ambition if we don’t demand a Manager turn around the mess instantly is really getting very tiresome. It like some think they are somehow special or prophetic for stating something axiomatic (we all want to win / get promoted / have stability etc) tied to a completely arbitrary red line on a ridiculous time scale …..

    Lets see how they play and the results over ten games- then we will begin to get the measure of things 
  • Brownie12
    Brownie12 Posts: 1,526
    If we pick up anything less than 4 points today then Appleton has to go. He has had long enough to sort the mess out. 
  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,380
    Wouldn't pick Isted ahead of AMB if both are fit but otherwise that looks a decent side. 
    I’d start both of them. 
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  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,349
    edited September 2023
    NabySarr said:
    Chunes said:
    We haven't got the squad to play the Dinosaur (which is what I'm calling the 442 from now on). We've only got two wingers (and Charlie Kirk). Meanwhile we've got six CBs and seven CMs. We've built the squad to play 352 and expect us to play it. 
    We’ve got CBT, Tyrece Campbell and Chen Campbell so that’s 3 wingers. I think 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 are our best options at the moment 
    Stevenage are probably one of the few sides you could get away with playing a Dinosaur against because they're not going to play through you. But we're not going to see it regularly this season.
  • I expect Stevenage to kick us off the park. 3-1
  • SantaClaus
    SantaClaus Posts: 7,658
    It'll be a surprise if our defence conceed fewer than 3 goals this afternoon. Until Appleton turns that around we're going nowhere. 3-1.
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,730
    It will be interesting to see what Appleton does in his first game. Stevenage are my local side and they are definitely not a top of the table side but Evans has them playing above the sum of their parts. Charlton sides tend to let teams like Stevenage go at them away which will mean we lose this. We should have better players and be able to impose that on them but I'm not overly hopeful of it.
  • Sage
    Sage Posts: 7,278
    Really difficult to know what he’s going to do and who he leaves out the squad. With Stevenage being a bigger and tougher side, he might go with a back 3 or 5 however you want to look at it.

    However, to me you have to play May, Leaburn, and Blackett-Taylor.

    I can see Anderson coming out and Taylor coming in as almost an extra protection and allow the front 4 or so to play.

    Isted
    Asiimwe Hector Jones Edun
    Dobson Taylor
    C.Campbell Leaburn CBT
    May

    AMB, Ness, T.Watson, L.Watson, Anderson, T.Campbell, Tedic

    Lots of rotation across the front 4 and still enough physicality with Hector and Jones to deal with their longer balls up top. Leaburn still as a striker but he might drop off a little as May will look to get in behind.

    This is still without Abankwah, Thomas, Camara, Fraser, McGrandles, Kirk, Kanu, and Aneke. The squad might not be hugely strong, but there is depth here.
  • Wheresmeticket
    Wheresmeticket Posts: 17,304
    edited September 2023
    17th versus 1st.  If we win or draw this it will be cause for celebration.
  • Are there train cancellations today? 

    My train has been cancelled so I'm now gonna be getting there later than I wanted to be.

    Proper getting the arsehole with trains now, strikes, overcrowded, don't run on time and cost far too much money. 

    Exact reason I usually try and drive  :#
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,730
    It should be essential that travelling by train is relatively easy and cheaper than driving. It is neither. 
  • Thameslink east Croydon straight to Stevenage it’s a breeze!
  • Blucher
    Blucher Posts: 4,136
    Stevenage are a very well drilled and organised side - the complete antithesis of us this season and I expect us to concede a couple of goals. I would like to see Maynard-Brewer back in goal but, given that he’s just returned from international duty, I expect Appleton will retain Isted for now.

    Whatever formation we play, it has to include our best offensive players, May, Leaburn and Blackett-Taylor (the latter in an advanced position, rather than messing around as a wing back). I’m a big fan of Tyreece Campbell but this sort of frenetic, physical game probably wouldn’t suit him. Camera’s physicality would be useful in a game like this but, in his absence, I’d go with Dobbo and Taylor in midfield, with Chen Campbell on the right and looking for pockets of space in advanced positions.

    After 6 defeats in 8 games and some of the worst defensive performances I can remember, I’d be very happy with a point from this one.
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  • Southbank
    Southbank Posts: 5,253
    NabySarr said:
    ——————Isted
    Asiimwe Hector Jones Edun
    ———Taylor Dobson
    —Leaburn CCampbell CBT
    ——————May

    If Watson is fit enough, he gets the nod for me over Asiimwe - purely based on experience at this level atm because NA needs to be taken out of the firing line ASAP in my opinion. 

    This formation fits in all of our best attacking and available players in positions they are comfortable.

    On paper, May up front “on his own” could look a bit scary but we’ve seen Leaburn play off the right a number of times last season and he’s always managed to make the supporting runs that means his strike partner isn’t as isolated.
    Why not just have the same team but with C.Campbell on the right and Leaburn up front? Leaburn has only really done well on the right when he comes off the bench as he’s got fresh legs, I’m not sure starting he’d be as good there. We really need him to be up front with May. That 4-4-2 would be what I want us to play until Camara and Fraser are back.

    For this game though I think getting 3 CBs on the pitch could be a good idea because of how Stevenage play and their threat from set pieces, so I’d go

                         Isted 
             Jones  Hector Thomas 
    CBT     Taylor  Dobson    Edun
                   C.Campbell 
                  Leaburn May 

    I think that gives us balance with attacking threat from both sides. Edun is better defensively than CBT so that covers our lack of good LCB options. 

    Not picking Leaburn and May as a front 2 would be criminal when they are potentially the best strike partnership in the league 
            
    CBT IS NOT A WINGBACK
  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,349
    Southbank said:
    NabySarr said:
    ——————Isted
    Asiimwe Hector Jones Edun
    ———Taylor Dobson
    —Leaburn CCampbell CBT
    ——————May

    If Watson is fit enough, he gets the nod for me over Asiimwe - purely based on experience at this level atm because NA needs to be taken out of the firing line ASAP in my opinion. 

    This formation fits in all of our best attacking and available players in positions they are comfortable.

    On paper, May up front “on his own” could look a bit scary but we’ve seen Leaburn play off the right a number of times last season and he’s always managed to make the supporting runs that means his strike partner isn’t as isolated.
    Why not just have the same team but with C.Campbell on the right and Leaburn up front? Leaburn has only really done well on the right when he comes off the bench as he’s got fresh legs, I’m not sure starting he’d be as good there. We really need him to be up front with May. That 4-4-2 would be what I want us to play until Camara and Fraser are back.

    For this game though I think getting 3 CBs on the pitch could be a good idea because of how Stevenage play and their threat from set pieces, so I’d go

                         Isted 
             Jones  Hector Thomas 
    CBT     Taylor  Dobson    Edun
                   C.Campbell 
                  Leaburn May 

    I think that gives us balance with attacking threat from both sides. Edun is better defensively than CBT so that covers our lack of good LCB options. 

    Not picking Leaburn and May as a front 2 would be criminal when they are potentially the best strike partnership in the league 
            
    CBT IS NOT A WINGBACK
    He's done alright there so far, though. I admit I really didn't want him playing wingback before the season started but it suits him attacking-wise. He picks up the ball deeper and can run at players more. Out on the wing he'd get the ball with the defender on his back and he'd struggle to turn and play. 
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,730
    CBT is not a wing back but he is one of our most potent threats. Rightly or wrongly, you have to have him in the side as it stands.
  • SantaClaus
    SantaClaus Posts: 7,658
    Lots of posters are pinning their hopes on a Taylor-Dobson defensive midfield partnership. Did you not watch the Port Vale game? They were woeful together.
  • MuttleyCAFC
    MuttleyCAFC Posts: 47,730
    The problem is, if we go too defensive against Steveange we play into their hands. The simple, or difficult  problem is to stop kamikase mistakes defensively. I think if we played 10 in defence somebody would conspire to make an error that costs us. It is what we do and it is Appleton's job to stop that but not forget about our attacking threat which is just as important.
  • Leaburn up top on his own..
  • Leaburn up top on his own..
    What and bin our top scorer and marquee signing already?
  • Sir Chrissy
    Sir Chrissy Posts: 609
    edited September 2023
    Leaburn up top on his own..
    What and bin our top scorer and marquee signing already?
    Im led to believe that unfortunately we have no choice .. 
  • Fumbluff
    Fumbluff Posts: 10,128
    Oh good grief
  • redbuttle
    redbuttle Posts: 1,983
    edited September 2023
    Leaburn up top on his own..
    What and bin our top scorer and marquee signing already?
    Im led to believe that unfortunately we have no choice .. 
    I have heard that rumour too. Hope that's all it is.