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Charlton v Colchester - Preview, Predictions, Pre Match Views
AFKABartram
Posts: 58,141
The cold weather may well have snapped back in London, but most Addicks are currently so warmed by the league table they would have happily walked out the front door with no shirt on this morning.
Quite simply, Charlton are on fire.
At the pivotal point of the season where rivals need to be bridging the gap, Chris Powell has given a crack of the whip and what increasingly looks a championship-winning thoroughbred is kicking clear.
As the hefty schedule of two games a week continues, the opportunity for rivals to launch an amazing run, or Charlton to monumentally cock-up, continue to fade at a quickening rate. The only League One team unbeaten in 2012, it is the resolute defence that is providing the rock-solid foundations to this title charge; just four goals have been leaked in the last 11 games, against a backdrop of conceding two goals in just four matches this season. Charlton’s goals conceded / games rate is currently just 0.68, the meanest rate out of the whole 92 clubs. Whether we perform on not in an attacking sense, the opposition are simply not being allowed to capitalise and put us under sustained pressure. As Man U showed at Tottenham yesterday, when you’ve got that little bit extra you don’t always need to be at your best to walk away with the points.
Colchester are the latest visitors at The Valley on Tuesday night (7.45ko). The U’s form has been erratic this season, but they are unbeaten in three and will be buoyed by their comfortable 3-0 defeat of Preston on Saturday. With bus-parking the tactic of choice for visitors to The Valley, don’t be surprised for Colchester to come with more adventure than others of late. They still have an outside shot for the final play-off place and need wins not draws, and they will be hoping for more luck than last season when they had a bizarre goal chalked off after the referee had given it.
Chris Powell quite rightly seems loathe to change his favoured starting formation, but he may have no choice following the injury sustained by Ben Hamer on Saturday. Hamer is currently rated 50:50, but i would expect Sullivan to start tomorrow. Captain Fantastic is also clearly being nursed through games and not fully fit, but the manager clearly feels a half-fit Jackson provides more for team balance than an absent Jackson, so expect to see this scenario continue.
If Charlton are to ridiculously implode, then a tricky midweek game followed by the divisional form team Notts County visiting on Saturday is where it will happen. But the numbers of the nervy few fearing the worst have been slashed in the last week, and if the positive results continue through the next two games, then anyone left in that camp could face sectioning.
Reds go marching on – Charlton 2 (Stephens, Green) Colchester 0
Recent Valley Encounters
Feb 11 – Lg 1 – CAFC 1 (BWP) CUFC 0, Att. 13,830
Apr 10 – Lg 1 – CAFC 1 (Forster) CUFC 0, Att 17,427
Jan 08 – C/ship – CAFC 1 (Varney), CUFC 2 (Lisbie 2), Att 21,508
Quite simply, Charlton are on fire.
At the pivotal point of the season where rivals need to be bridging the gap, Chris Powell has given a crack of the whip and what increasingly looks a championship-winning thoroughbred is kicking clear.
As the hefty schedule of two games a week continues, the opportunity for rivals to launch an amazing run, or Charlton to monumentally cock-up, continue to fade at a quickening rate. The only League One team unbeaten in 2012, it is the resolute defence that is providing the rock-solid foundations to this title charge; just four goals have been leaked in the last 11 games, against a backdrop of conceding two goals in just four matches this season. Charlton’s goals conceded / games rate is currently just 0.68, the meanest rate out of the whole 92 clubs. Whether we perform on not in an attacking sense, the opposition are simply not being allowed to capitalise and put us under sustained pressure. As Man U showed at Tottenham yesterday, when you’ve got that little bit extra you don’t always need to be at your best to walk away with the points.
Colchester are the latest visitors at The Valley on Tuesday night (7.45ko). The U’s form has been erratic this season, but they are unbeaten in three and will be buoyed by their comfortable 3-0 defeat of Preston on Saturday. With bus-parking the tactic of choice for visitors to The Valley, don’t be surprised for Colchester to come with more adventure than others of late. They still have an outside shot for the final play-off place and need wins not draws, and they will be hoping for more luck than last season when they had a bizarre goal chalked off after the referee had given it.
Chris Powell quite rightly seems loathe to change his favoured starting formation, but he may have no choice following the injury sustained by Ben Hamer on Saturday. Hamer is currently rated 50:50, but i would expect Sullivan to start tomorrow. Captain Fantastic is also clearly being nursed through games and not fully fit, but the manager clearly feels a half-fit Jackson provides more for team balance than an absent Jackson, so expect to see this scenario continue.
If Charlton are to ridiculously implode, then a tricky midweek game followed by the divisional form team Notts County visiting on Saturday is where it will happen. But the numbers of the nervy few fearing the worst have been slashed in the last week, and if the positive results continue through the next two games, then anyone left in that camp could face sectioning.
Reds go marching on – Charlton 2 (Stephens, Green) Colchester 0
Recent Valley Encounters
Feb 11 – Lg 1 – CAFC 1 (BWP) CUFC 0, Att. 13,830
Apr 10 – Lg 1 – CAFC 1 (Forster) CUFC 0, Att 17,427
Jan 08 – C/ship – CAFC 1 (Varney), CUFC 2 (Lisbie 2), Att 21,508
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Comments
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Charlton 2-0 Colchester
Bradley and and Solly scores tomorrow!0 -
Excellent preview, Gaffer.
Have a feeling Powell is going to shuffle the pack a little and give Haynes a start.
I'll have half an eye on Stephen Gillespie and Anthony Wordsworth. Two youngish players who might fit the Powell profile for players we could realistically afford and play at a higher level.
Just remember that when we sign Wordsworth (if we haven't done so already) you read it here first : - )
Open game with lots of chances and goals which we'll win 4 - 20 -
3-0 (Stephens, Morro and Haynes)
A frustrating first half see's us nick a goal from nothing in the last 5 of the half then a commanding second half of total domination with slow but concise build up play against the 11 men from colchester 1 rooted to the goal line and the other 10 rooted to the 16 yrd box line.
the Reds go Marching On0 -
Yes, I had a look at the table and a draw wouldn't be much use to them but a win would put them right in the mix so they will be more adventurous than some may expect. I think this should fall into our hands but they are coming into form so expect it to be tough. 2-1 - expect us to go 2-0 up but them pull one back and give us a nervy last 20 minutes or so.0
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3-0 Charlton look mega strong ...0
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Any news on Hamer ?
I think this is going to be a tough test, possible draw0 -
Colchester have been the same for years. Score for fun when they want to, leak goals like a sieve the rest of the time. Had a good result at the weekend but I see our defence being able to deal with them. Hopefully they'll be in a leaky mood and we'll stuff them. 3-0 would be nice0
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Colchester still have a slight chance of the final play-off place and many of their players will be playing for new contracts so we would be wise not to under estimate them.
I'll be happy to maintain our unbeaten home record in front of a flakey midweek Valley crowd and will be ecstatic with anything better.
The important thing is to edge closer to our ONE AIM! COYR!0 -
Well, relegation form of a point a game will see us on 90 so a draw or even a defeat wouldn't be a disaster by any means, but we want to crack that 100 point target - no Charlton team has done that before and I doubt there will be a better opportunity.0
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'one of those cold midweek nights' tomorrow, a 1-1 draw for me0
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in two of the last three home games we've gone behind around the half-way mark before going on to draw 1-1, so a repeat might by expected ....
.... however the 6 teams to take away a point from The Valley this season have a latitude within a very of narrow range of 53.36 to 53.62 (Sheffield, Tranmere, Oldham, Scunthorpe, Bury, Rochdale).
Colchester is virtually equatorial by comparison with a latitude of 51.88, so they have no chance.
Charlton 2 Colchester 00 -
Play like the second half against Stevenage and Chesterfield I would say 6 - 1. I am of the opinion we are going to tonk someone soon. BWP x 2 Kermit 2 and one each for Jackson and Morrision.0
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I wonder if SCP might bring in Russell to stiffen and bring more energy into midfield, as we were a bit overun there on Saturday. Could Stephens play LM if he decides JJ needs a rest before he makes his injury worse?0
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I fancy us more away from home at the moment but just think we are kicking on now and by my reckoning 2 wins this week will be enough for promotion even if not mathematically certain at the time.
1-0 BWP
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second game of my flying visit home, and after a scrappy win on Saturday, I hope the boys turn it on tonight. 3-1 with Stephens (us addicks downunder boys sponsor him) banging one of those in.0
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I'm a bit concerned as to what the team will be for this game - will Hamer be fit? And what about JJ - will he play? Will CP decide to rest a few players into the bargain?
Assuming we won't have our strongest 11 I'm plumping for a Desmond (2-2).0 -
Double post.0
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second game of my flying visit home, and after a scrappy win on Saturday, I hope the boys turn it on tonight. 3-1 with Stephens (us addicks downunder boys sponsor him) banging one of those in.
tomorrow night mate, don't make a wasted journey.
think it'll be a draw.
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Any news on Hamer ?
"Outside chance" of playing according to Chris "Son of Curbs" Powell
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A sneaky 1-0 win. I don't know who will score our goal.0
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3-1, BWP, Green and Morrison.
And the reds go marching on to the title.0 -
3-0. Jackson, Green, and BWP.0
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1 0 to us, BWP to score.0
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If there is an outside chance- he definitely won't be playing - won't be risked and Sullivan a decent deputy. Maybe will start against County.0
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Agree, Muttley. No point risking Hamer - and it'll give Sully some valuable game time.
He's good enough.0 -
Fortunate win on Saturday following a couple of decent performances, unbeaten this year, confidence high. Nothing but a convincing win 3 - 0
Hope the crowd is bigger and louder than the last few midweek games at the Valley this team deserve the best support possible0 -
A fairly comfortable 2-0 a la the Steve game. A dead first half but we up it in the second and ultimately stroll it. BWP & Stephens with the goals.0
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I think the crowd is affected when there is another home game on the Saturday as some people pick one.0
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0-00
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3-2 Hamer missed!!0
