Mudgate was a word I heard mentioned at Oxford on Tuesday night, Barnsley the previous week had been the third game in a row to have been postponed due to broken drainage down in SE7.
Watching the game on Tuesday, you would have thought it wasn’t just the drainage that was broken. Going in 2 – 0 down at half time, the team looked broken. It was a woeful first half performance, perhaps not having played since new years day had taken its toll on the lads, as them seemed to be void of any ideas whatsoever. Whatever was said by Chris Powell in the dressing-room at half it has made a difference as Charlton came out with determination to get something from the match. And so they did, turning a 2 goal deficit in to a draw, and it very easily could have been a win had it not been for a goal line clearance in the the Oxford gaol mouth. So its all back to the Kassam stadium on Tuesday night for the reply. So what becomes of Mudegate and Valley pitch? Well Paddy has three weeks to get it in order for the league fixture against Birmingham.
As Charlton supporters face the long trip up the A1 to the Riverside stadium on Saturday, the team will once again be reminded what it is like to play on the green stuff. The last time Charlton took three points at the Riverside was in 2005 and we have managed only one point from our last five matches v the Boro.
So what can we expect from Saturdays match? Expect to see Ben Alnwick, Chris Solly and Dale Stephens to return after being sidelined for the FA Cup tie against Oxford. Our first signing under new owner Roland Duchatelet, Astrit Ajdarevic is unlikely to get a start, although I wouldn’t rule out an appearance from the bench. Completing the back four is likely to be Michael Morrison, Richard Wood and Rhoys Wiggins. Anticipate to see Lawie Wilson play in front of Solly on the right, the only contentious spot will be who'll play on the left side of midfield. It will be one of Jordan Cook, Callum Harriot or Johnnie Jackson, I wouldn’t look much past JJ to bring a bit of experience in to the team. Completing the line up will be Yann Kermorgant and Simon Church, its no secret that the Addicks are thin on the ground when I comes to experienced strikers.
Middlesbrough are on a good run of form at the moment , recording four wins from their last five matches. Ghanian international, Albert Adomah is Boros top scorer after finding the net nine times since signing from Bristol City in the summer. The Boro have also recently added Nathaniel Chalobah on loan from Chelsea, Chalobah had a very successful loan period with Nottingham Forest in the first half of the season, so expect the midfielder to go straight in to the team for Saturdays match. This will be a tough game for the Addicks, and the home team will have every reason to be optimistic, we have to go all the way back to November the 2nd to find that last time Charlton picked up three points away. Comfortable win for the home team 2 – 0 and a long journey home for the team and supporters alike.
MM