Palace v Charlton | Wed 23 Sept | 7:45pm KICK-OFF | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Crystal Palace v Charlton Athletic
Wednesday 23 September 2015 … 7:45pm Kick-Off
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

Introduction
Much has been made in my previous previews about the impact of International Breaks and how it can almost be impossible to even buy a win when you suffer a lack of form… Johann Gudmundsson’s 98th minute winner against Hull City seems a distant memory now, and since that day, the Addicks have only managed the one draw with three defeats (all coming in true Charlton style against teams below us in the Division).

Sometimes though to end a bad run of form you just need a bit of luck, as we saw against Huddersfield (and as many reported back from Blackburn), we’re not playing well, so the last thing you’d want to see on the fixture list is a match against one of your biggest rivals… Or is it? - When you’re low on confidence and out of luck, a big derby match may just be the tonic these players need to pick themselves up and get the victory they need to lift the spirits around the club… The chance of being in the Fourth Round of the League Cup (for the first time in god knows how many years) is just around the corner… It’s just our old friends; Alan Pardew and Crystal Palace standing in the way.

The Opposition
As Charlton found out when they won League One, to get promotion you sometimes need a little bit of luck, sometimes you need to make the right decisions, for us you could say it was the Johnnie Jackson free-kicks which gave us victory over Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United over consecutive weeks… For Crystal Palace and their promotion to the Premier League you could look back at their victories over Charlton that season…

Coming to the Valley in September, Charlton took a deserved 1-0 lead only for the goal to be chalked off as offside (replays showed that the goal should have stood), they would later lose that match 1-0, later that same year, the Addicks would travel to Surrey and this time they would take a 1-0 lead (once again fully deserved), sadly that day Palace would come back to win 2-1 and had Charlton taken victory on both occasions, Palace would have missed out on the Play-Offs by two points.

Of course its not only our fault that saw Palace promoted that season… Having finished third (and just two points from automatic promotion), the main offenders have to be Watford, going into the Play-Off Final they were the run away favourites with Troy Deeney and Matěj Vydra up front nothing could stop them, sadly, freezing on the big stage would stop them and a Kevin Phillips penalty in Extra-Time would send Crystal Palace back to the top flight…. Sickening!!

*Due to my reluctance to highlight the start Crystal Palace have made this season, I refuse to follow my usual pattern when covering the Opposition

Key Player
Whilst the Charlton Reserves were breezing past League One opposition: Peterborough (winning 4-1 in normal time)… Crystal Palace Reserves were struggling against League One opposition: Shrewsbury Town, a lucky 4-1 win in Extra-Time sent Palace through, because of the teams played (by both sides) in the last round it is not only going to be difficult to name a Key Player for Crystal Palace its also going to be difficult to name the Charlton side (see below).

Because of this, I think it is only fitting to cover a past legends, rather than a key player tonight…
The first, is such a cult-hero around Surrey that even Charlton fans sing his name, the date: 12 September 1989, it was a top flight league match against Liverpool at Anfield and step forward one: Perry Suckling a goalkeeper who would go on to spend three years in Surrey and in this one match conceded nine goals against a rampant Liverpool side, in one match, in one moment, he had become an instant legend and to this day… Charlton fans continue to fondly remember his Man of the Match performance from that epic day.

Charlton Team News
As already mentioned its going to be difficult to name the Charlton team tonight, partly because its not my job, partly because Guy Luzon (Who has that job) has mentioned that some players will be rested this evening… Is this mind games or is this with one on Cardiff City this Saturday?

Pope
Solly – Sarr – Diarra – Fox
Gudmundsson – Jackson – Cousins – McAleny
Ahearne-Grant – Kennedy

Prediction
Crystal Palace 1-3 Charlton Athletic

Post Note: Apologies for the lateness of posting the preview this week… I didn’t think I’d be writing it for this match, part of me didn’t want to because I knew I couldn’t write it in my usual neutral manner (so again apologies for my bitter / one sided views)… Normal service will be resumed for Cardiff on Saturday or whichever game I cover next (If I’m allowed back that is)