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Charlton v Luton | Sat 22 Feb | 3pm KO | Match Preview, Predictions, News & Views

Charlton Athletic v Luton Town
Saturday 22nd February 2020 … 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: Andre Marriner

Introduction
Following hot on the heels of Blackburn Rovers we now welcome fellow relegation battlers: Luton Town to the Valley... Games are coming thick and fast now, for those chasing promotion it’s an opportunity to go on a serious run of form that fans like to witness ahead of a Play-Off campaign - On the other end of the scale there are the likes of Charlton and Luton, battling, for every point in an attempt to avoid an instant return to League One…

Last Saturday we endured Storm Dennis... It won’t be the last storm before this season is done and dusted!!

The Opposition
Name: Luton Town (23rd) | Manager: Graeme Jones
Ground: Kenilworth Road
Previous Meeting: Luton Town 2-1 Charlton Athletic

These two sides would meet originally on a cold November evening, the Addicks in the midst of their poor run would travel to Kenilworth Road looking to bounce back from a misleading 3-1 defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday. It was an evening in Bedfordshire that would start brightly; Jonathan Leko opening the scoring in the opening seven minutes, unfortunately it all went downhill from that point, the home side would rally and the points would deservedly remain in Hatters hands!!

Typically for Charlton it was an evening that would stop the rot for Luton, they'd lost the last five and were low on confidence, whilst the following game would see them loss 7-0 at the hands of Brentford... With sixty six goals conceded this season (the highest in the Division) it’s a sign that our opponents have unsurprisingly struggled with life back in the second tier; back to back 1-0 victories over Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough have seen the Hatters rejuvenated, those two wins taking their clean sheet record up to three, to survive in the Championship you first of all need to show organisation at the back (something Charlton themselves have struggled with in recent months) - It could of course be nothing more than a blip, yet Luton's form these past two weeks is proof that nothing is decided yet!!

Charlton Team News
Against Blackburn Rovers we found to our disappointment that Jonny Williams was absent once again due to an niggle, there were questions raised whether it was a precaution to make him available for this crunch fixture yet Lee in his post-match interview today has confirmed that the dynamic midfielder will be missing for roughly two weeks

Elsewhere and we’re still missing the reliable: Darren Pratley (back injury) - With the experienced midfielder on nine yellow cards it would have been a risk to have lost him for two games what with as big a game as this coming up - In addition; Tomer Hemed is another who has been utilised of late, the ex-Brighton striker has had mixed reviews in a Charlton shirt of late and will surely be replaced by either Andre Green or Macaulay Bonne as both return from their own spells on the side-lines

Phillips
Lockyer | Pearce | Sarr
Matthews | Cullen | Davis | Purrington
Oztumer
Green | Taylor

Substitutes Bench: Amos | Oshilaja | Doughty | McGeady | Aneke | Hemed | Bonne


Prediction
As already mentioned; Luton travel to South East London with back to back wins under their belt - It leaves them just four points from safety and just six behind the Addicks... After a poor away showing you have to question if their result in Middlesbrough was a one off or a proper charge towards safety - Like we've seen from Lee Bowyer and his men, these arent games where we've got a great record, that’s all got to change now!!

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Comments

  • Ticket sales appear a bit slow. Possibly last week's £5 offer has put off a few floaters this week and may have been a bit counter-productive. 
  • Great preview. For me we have played our best attacking football under Bow when we have had 2 strikers with freedom to drop deep or move wide in order to drag centre backs out of position and to create as much as they score. But for this to work we have had 2 CM's making driving runs from deep into the box whether they be Aribo/Fosu/Williams/Gallagher/Oztumer. So this is the way we need to go.

     For me Bonne has to start he will cause their defence problems and will mean they cant double up on Taylor. He also tends to drift wide less than Lyle as his strength is in finishing so he likes to keep good positions. Then we need 2 in midfield who can either create or drive into the box. Wanted this to be Williams and Oztumer (the 2 of them on the pitch at the same time would excite me hugely) but in his absence its Oztumer with one of Green, Aneke, McGeady in that 10 role. I wasn't hugely impressed with McGeady off the ball last week his failure to track his man and then his weak waft of a foot out in pretence of trying to block the shot for their first was pathetic. I think he is class on the ball so would keep him as an impact sub.

    Pratley is a massive miss - we need his experience and nous in the middle of the park to run the game. He is made for this kind of battle. I am sure Davis will do that role fine.

    I am going 2-1 charlton. We will go 2-0 up in the first half. They will score on 55 mins and we will make it nervy but hold on till the end of the 9 mins added time.

    Bonne Taylor
    Green
    Oztumer Cullen
    Davis
    Purrington Sarr Lockyer Matthews
    Phillips

    Amos Doughty Oshilaja Smith Aneke McGeady Hemed

    Solly Pearce JFC Lapslie miss out
  • Alternatively - I'm gonna keep up my Gobbinson impression - we could go 4231

    Taylor
    Doughty Oztumer Green
    Cullen Davis
    Purrington Sarr Lockyer Matthews
    Phillips

    and if we choose a back 5

    Taylor Bonne
    McGeady
    Oztumer Cullen
    Doughty Sarr Oshilaja Lockyer Matthews
    Phillips
  • I'd start with the following:

    Phillips
    Matthews
    Lockyer
    Sarr
    Purrington
    Davis
    Cullen               
    Oztumer
    McGeady
    Taylor           
    Green

    Davis in the holding midfielder role with McGeady playing CAM.
  • Comfortable home win 4-0.
  • Comfortable home win 4-0.
    There’s one thing that’s guaranteed. It won’t be comfortable! 
  • Reckon we will bottle it.  Hope I am wrong.

    0-2
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  • The reality is that with Matthews and Purrington it will be 5-3-2, rather than 3-5-2. Luton play the diamond and I will like to see Lyle/Bonne/Green included somehow. 
  •                        Phillips
    Matthews Lockyer Sarr Purrington
                           Pratley 
                  Cullen      Oztumer
                            Aneke 
                   Taylor     Bonne

    Davis if Pratley isn't fit. 
  • Think this one has a draw written all over it.
  • edited February 2020
    Great preview FA!

    When we played Luton back in November, our team that day was:
    Phillips
    Solly Lockyer Pearce Sarr Purrington
    Morgan Pratley Gallagher
    Leko Bonne

    This time round, I expect there to be 6/7 changes. Shows how much our team has evolved and players coming back from injury or losing others to injury/being recalled. My problem with the team for the weekend is that we could see a whole midfield of all loan signings, and that isn’t healthy for the club now or in the future. I think we will play the diamond at the weekend with it being flexible to play 4-3-3 as well.

    Phillips
    Matthews Lockyer Sarr Purrington
    Cullen
    Smith Davis
    McGeady
    Green Taylor

    Amos, Pearce, Oshilaja, Doughty, Oztumer, Bonne, Hemed

    Adaptable with Green and McGeady floating wide and making us more solid in midfield when needed too.

    Unlucky for Forster-Caskey and Aneke to miss out. Personally would have them both involved. Forster-Caskey in for Smith and Aneke in for Hemed. You’ll be able to imagine the team I’d go with.

    Won’t be able to make it this weekend, so as long as we win, I don’t care how we do it.

    Charlton Athletic 3-1 Luton Town
    Taylor
    Green
    Bonne
  • edited February 2020
    I'd start with the following:

    Phillips
    Matthews
    Lockyer
    Sarr
    Purrington
    Davis
    Cullen               
    Oztumer
    McGeady
    Taylor           
    Green

    Davis in the holding midfielder role with McGeady playing CAM.
    I like the look of that team in a 4-2-3-1 with Green wide right, Oztumer behind Taylor, and McGeady wide left.
  • Great preview FA , happy with your team , but would start with Bonne upfront with Taylor and bring on Green later , if required. Going to this one , so expecting nothing less than a win , as it's desperately needed. 2 -0 Charlton, Taylor and Lockyer with the goals.
  • Great preview. For me we have played our best attacking football under Bow when we have had 2 strikers with freedom to drop deep or move wide in order to drag centre backs out of position and to create as much as they score. But for this to work we have had 2 CM's making driving runs from deep into the box whether they be Aribo/Fosu/Williams/Gallagher/Oztumer. So this is the way we need to go.

     For me Bonne has to start he will cause their defence problems and will mean they cant double up on Taylor. He also tends to drift wide less than Lyle as his strength is in finishing so he likes to keep good positions. Then we need 2 in midfield who can either create or drive into the box. Wanted this to be Williams and Oztumer (the 2 of them on the pitch at the same time would excite me hugely) but in his absence its Oztumer with one of Green, Aneke, McGeady in that 10 role. I wasn't hugely impressed with McGeady off the ball last week his failure to track his man and then his weak waft of a foot out in pretence of trying to block the shot for their first was pathetic. I think he is class on the ball so would keep him as an impact sub.

    Pratley is a massive miss - we need his experience and nous in the middle of the park to run the game. He is made for this kind of battle. I am sure Davis will do that role fine.

    I am going 2-1 charlton. We will go 2-0 up in the first half. They will score on 55 mins and we will make it nervy but hold on till the end of the 9 mins added time.

    Bonne Taylor
    Green
    Oztumer Cullen
    Davis
    Purrington Sarr Lockyer Matthews
    Phillips

    Amos Doughty Oshilaja Smith Aneke McGeady Hemed

    Solly Pearce JFC Lapslie miss out
    Williams and Oztumer on the pitch together would leave us with 3 Hobbits (inc Cullen) defending set pieces Canters.
    Even when all fit, can't see it ever happening.
  • Got a bad feeling about this one just because we're so apt at disappointing when we're expecting to win a game. We've won 2 in 4 but we are singularly unable to generate any momentum at the moment. Let's hope our current technique of alternating between being quite good and shit carries on and we beat Luton. Them beating us and winning three in a row doesn't really bear thinking about at this stage. We're good enough to beat them but they're good enough to score past us so we need Taylor, McGeady, Bonne, Hemed, anyone who is on to get some bloody goals. Three would be nice but I'll take two, just as long as it's more than they get.
  • Very nervous...
  •              Phillips
    Matthews Lockyer Sarr JFC
    Green Davis Cullen Doughty
              Taylor Bonne

    Amos Pearce Puss Aneke Hemed Oz McG

    Or possibly play Hemed 1st half and Bonne to run at tired legs.
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  • Great preview. 👍

    Thought about it for a while, Luton aren’t the attacking threat we’ve been up against in recent weeks. Can see Bow treating this more like a league one game from last year and playing the Diamond.

    Maybe:

    Phillips

    Matthews
    Lockyer
    Sarr
    Purrington

    Davis

    Cullen
    Doughty 

    Otzumer

    Taylor
    Bonne

  • Great preview. For me we have played our best attacking football under Bow when we have had 2 strikers with freedom to drop deep or move wide in order to drag centre backs out of position and to create as much as they score. But for this to work we have had 2 CM's making driving runs from deep into the box whether they be Aribo/Fosu/Williams/Gallagher/Oztumer. So this is the way we need to go.

     For me Bonne has to start he will cause their defence problems and will mean they cant double up on Taylor. He also tends to drift wide less than Lyle as his strength is in finishing so he likes to keep good positions. Then we need 2 in midfield who can either create or drive into the box. Wanted this to be Williams and Oztumer (the 2 of them on the pitch at the same time would excite me hugely) but in his absence its Oztumer with one of Green, Aneke, McGeady in that 10 role. I wasn't hugely impressed with McGeady off the ball last week his failure to track his man and then his weak waft of a foot out in pretence of trying to block the shot for their first was pathetic. I think he is class on the ball so would keep him as an impact sub.

    Pratley is a massive miss - we need his experience and nous in the middle of the park to run the game. He is made for this kind of battle. I am sure Davis will do that role fine.

    I am going 2-1 charlton. We will go 2-0 up in the first half. They will score on 55 mins and we will make it nervy but hold on till the end of the 9 mins added time.

    Bonne Taylor
    Green
    Oztumer Cullen
    Davis
    Purrington Sarr Lockyer Matthews
    Phillips

    Amos Doughty Oshilaja Smith Aneke McGeady Hemed

    Solly Pearce JFC Lapslie miss out
    Williams and Oztumer on the pitch together would leave us with 3 Hobbits (inc Cullen) defending set pieces Canters.
    Even when all fit, can't see it ever happening.
    Fair point. My thought was they all stand on each others shoulders!
  • edited February 2020
    If we set up defensively and play one up top it will be a nervy 90 minutes, if we take it too them from the off with an attacking midfield and two up top I feel we have enough to beat them.

    This game really depends on which Charlton turns up on the day.
  • Im a firm believer that if they score a goal, we will need to score 2 to win.
  • edited February 2020
    eaststandmike said:
    This game really depends on which Charlton turns up on the day.
    Athletic I hope. 
  • Think we have to win this one, playing for a draw is never easy, and sometimes the more  deeper we play, it seems to trip us up, and  then the mistakes happen?. Big Loss not having Williams, hopefully our strikers can find the back of the net. And please Lee, do not pull Taylor of after 60-70 minutes.! Not a game to enjoy for me, after a great start to the season, this is where I expected us to be sadly. Think it will be a draw.


  • great preview .. this will be a battle. To say that Luton will arrive highly motivated is an understatement .. we will need to match them blow for blow, not literally of course ((:>) .. Marriner is quite a strict referee and that should suit us especially if his assistants are also Prem 'quality'  .. Luton are in good nick having won 3 of their last 5. Last season we beat an understrength Hatters outfit which was on a very long unbeaten run, both sides are much changed since then but the result will be the same, an Addicks win.
     I would play McGeady for Oztumer. I'd like to see us play a 4 4 2, but that won't happen

    CAFC 2 v Luton Town 0
  • edited February 2020
    When I've seen us play 5 at the back recently our midfield has been overrun/disjointed and there's been very little service for the strikers. I'd prefer us to play 4-3-3 and try to put the opposition under pressure from the start.
  • We have to avoid defeat at all cost and it wouldn’t surprise me of LB lined up defensively because of that . In my opinion that would be a massive mistake.

    lets take it to them . Bonn and Taylor must start together . 

    2-1 win 
    Doughty must start too.  If not, we are basically lining up in an 7-1-2 formation 
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