The Addicks play their third home game in a week on Tuesday evening when Derby visit The Valley.
Steve McClaren oversaw a dramatic turn round in Derby’s fortunes after taking over from Nigel Clough last season. His impact was instant and his team went from the lower reaches of the table to a play-off position.
Derby’s strength is in midfield and Yoni Buyens and Johnnie Jackson will have to be at their best to quell the Rams. Buyens tired towards the end on Saturday and Jackson had been troubled with a stomach bug in the lead up to the game.
Bob Peeters will have to make an enforced change in goal, as Stephen Henderson’s hamstring problem will rule him out.
Nick Pope has hinted that the club could bring a keeper in before the game but it would be a surprise if Pope did not start.
It will be interesting to see if Chris Solly’s knee will allow him to play another game so quickly after Saturday. Lawrie Wilson will step in if Solly is ruled out.
Andre Bikey and Tal Ben Haim were impressive against Wigan, so Michael Morrison will again be confined to the bench.
Rhoys Wiggins struggled with Callum McManaman’s trickery but is unlikely to face such a talented opponent all season.
Buyens and Jackson will be flanked by Johann Gudmundsson and Jordan Cousins in midfield.
George Tucudean and Igor Vetokele will continue up front, so, Charlton could line-up like this:
Pope; Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey, Wiggins; Gudmundsson, Buyens, Jackson, Cousins; Tucudean, Vetokele.
Subs: Phillips, Morrison, Fox, Wilson, Moussa, Harriott, Church.
Michael Bull from Essex will be the referee.
Derby will be warm favourites to win the match but the Addicks have demonstrated their ability to create chances this season. They are solid at the back and in confident mood right now. Derby will not have it all their own way.
Tuesday, 19 August 2014 08:15
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Saturday, 16 August 2014 16:58
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Charlton opened their league campaign at The Valley with an entertaining win over Wigan, one of the favourites for promotion.
Despite the midweek win over Colchester, Bob Peeters kept faith with the team which drew at Brentford last week.
Simon Church’s goal on Tuesday earned him a place on the bench at the expense of Joe Pigott.
Jordan Cousins’ eighth minute opener will be an early contender for goal of the season.
Taking a cross field ball from Johann Gudmundsson, Cousins cut inside and unleashed a 20-yard curler that went into the top left hand corner of Scott Carson’s goal.
The Addicks played a neat, easy-on-the-eye passing game and impressed the home crowd.
Wigan levelled midway through the opening period when a diagonal ball from the left put Callum McManaman one-on-one with Rhoys Wiggins. The Latics wide man sent Wiggins the wrong before beating Stephen Henderson from an acute angle.
Wiggins and Igor Vetokele had chances to score as the half drew to a close.
Midway through the second half, Stephen Henderson had to go off with what looked like a hamstring injury, as the Addicks began to lose their direction.
But it proved to be the lull before the storm. Right at the end, the hosts spurned good chances presented to Gudmundsson, Franck Moussa and Vetokele.
Vetokele was clean through with just Carson to beat but fluffed his lines.
Deep into injury time though, Charlton got their just desserts, albeit in fortuitous circumstances.
Moussa’s shot was blocked but looped up and cruelly over Carson to nestle in the net.
Three sides of The Valley exploded in a joint display of unbridled joy.
Just three days until Peeters’ team have to do it all again when Derby come to South London. The Valley faithful will be hoping for more of the same.
Charlton: Henderson (Pope 67); Solly, Ben Haim, Bikey-Amougou, Wiggins; Gudmundsson, Buyens, Jackson (Wilson 75), Cousins; Tucudean (Moussa 61), Vetokele.
Subs (not used): Morrison, Harriott, Church, Fox.
Goals: Cousins 8, Moussa 90.
Wigan Athletic: Carson; Perch, Kiernan, Ramis, Taylor; Huws, McArthur, Cowie (Espinoza 78); McManaman, Riera (Maloney 46), Fortune (Waghorn 69).
Subs (not used): Al Habsi, Tavernier, Caldwell, Barnett.
Booked: Taylor 25 (foul).
Goal: McManaman 22.
Referee: Andy D’Urso (Billericay).
Attn: 15,334 (447 from Wigan).
Friday, 15 August 2014 07:45
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The Rotherham Advertiser has reported that the Millers have received a substantial bid for Kieran Agard. Substantial it may have been, but Rotherham have rejected it.
Leeds are keen on the player but he is thought to prefer a return to London. Agard is a goal scoring wide man, so would compete with Johann Gudmundsson and Lawrie Wilson for a place.
Bob Peeters will have some pleasant selection dilemmas for the visit of Wigan, following Tuesday’s victory over Colchester.
Stephen Henderson will continue in goal and Chris Solly’s knee should be sufficiently rested for him to return.
Peeters will have to choose between Tal Ben Haim and Michael Morrison as Andre Bikey’s partner, with Rhoys Wiggins completing the back line.
Lawrie Wilson’s impressive display on Tuesday will put him in contention for a starting place.
Johann Gudmundsson is left-footed but normally operates on the right. The Icelandic international can play anywhere across midfield, which increases Peeters’ options.
Yoni Buyens is solid and Johnnie Jackson and Jordan Cousins are likely to contest the other central midfield berth.
Franck Moussa may edge out Callum Harriott on the left.
Georege Tucudean and Igor Vetokele will be the front runners.
Charlton could look like this:
Henderson; Solly, Morrison, Bikey, Wiggins; Gudmundsson, Buyens, Jackson, Moussa; Tucudean, Vetokele.
Subs: Pope, Ben Haim, Fox, Wilson, Cousins, Harriott, Church.
The referee will be Andy D’Urso from Billericay.
The Latics will be expected to be in the promotion hunt this season and will be a stern test for the Addicks. Peeters’ side are in a confident mood though and will fancy their chances of opening the league campaign at The Valley with a win.
The match day programme will cost £5, as it incorporates the annual handbook. The programme will have 68 pages this season, as well as a host of new features.
Here is an excerpt of Iain Liddle’s editorial notes that will appear in the Wigan issue:
“Here it is – your new-look Valley Review.
Today’s edition includes the annual handbook for the 2014/15 season boasting 68 pages packed with statistics and club history.
However, the regular section is also 68 pages, and will remain so over the course of the season, which means four extra pages of content per issue for the same price.
The matte cover effect and perfectly-bound publication (which basically means it has a spine, like a book) are also here to stay in 2014/15.
Valley Review has always had interesting, unique content which can’t be found anywhere else and that won’t change.”
Sellers can be found both inside and outside the ground and copies of the Valley Review are available again from the club shop.