Blues Looking to End Addicks' Home Run Friday, 28th Nov 2014 14:44 Town visit the Valley for Saturday lunchtime’s live Sky game looking to inflict Charlton’s first home defeat of the season (Sky Sports 1/HD1, from 12 noon, KO 12.15pm). The ninth-placed Addicks are unbeaten on home turf since April when Blackburn defeated them 3-1 and have won four and drawn five of their nine home games since the start of this campaign. In total they have only lost two league games during 2014/15, fewer than anyone else in the Football League. Blues boss Mick McCarthy believes the South Londoners have improved this season, having finished 18th in 2013/14. “They’re doing great,” he said. “Their manager Bob Peeters, I don’t really know him, I know of him. They’ve brought a lot of players in. “They’re well organised, they’re hard to beat, that’s for sure and they have a number of ways of playing. “They’ve played with two up front, with one up front, 4-3-3. They’ve mixed it up, so they’re not a team you can read instantly as to what they’re going to do, and they’re unbeaten at home. So, the first time this year would be nice.” While Charlton have a good home record, the Blues have been beaten only twice on the road during 2014/15, winning two and drawing five, including last week’s hard-fought 2-2 at Bournemouth. “So far we’ve had a good season and there’s no reason why we wouldn’t go there confidently and go and try and win like we do everywhere else,” McCarthy added. “If we get a game anywhere near as hard as the last away game at Bournemouth then it’ll be tough because they’re the best team that we’ve played. “We came away from there having had to dig in and eke something out of a really tough game. And I expect another one on Saturday.” A Town away following well in excess of 2,000 is expected at the Valley with McCarthy having been impressed by the numbers making the trip to Dean Court. “The support has been terrific,” he said. “I thought last week was amazing because it’s not an easy journey getting across there, another that’s not a short one. They’ve been great.” Bartosz Bialkowski is set to continue in goal but McCarthy is forced into at least one change in his back four with Christophe Berra suspended for one game having reached five bookings. Skipper Luke Chambers will move from right-back to partner Tommy Smith with Jonny Parr returning into the side. Left-back Tyrone Mings is a doubt with a dead leg and tight glute but on Thursday the Town boss was confident that the 21-year-old would be fit. If not, McCarthy confirmed that Matt Clarke will start in his place, while new signing Sean St Ledger will be with the U21s at Millwall on Friday evening. In midfield, Kevin Bru is out for two to three weeks with the ankle injury he sustained at Bournemouth, while loanee Jonny Williams is sidelined until the middle of December with his groin problem. Cole Skuse, Luke Hyam and Teddy Bishop, who scored his first senior goal against the Cherries last week, are likely to take up the three midfield roles. Bishop has been suffering with a hip flexor problem but is expected to be OK. Up front, Stephen Hunt is available again after missing the trip to Dean Court with a hamstring problem and could come into the side for Paul Anderson alongside 11-goal top scorer Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick. New loan signing Noel Hunt is likely to be amongst the subs, probably edging Balint Bajner off the bench. Charlton hope that eight-goal top scorer Igor Vetokele will be fit enough to face the Blues having missed training due to an ongoing calf injury, while midfielder Yoni Buyens is also a doubt with a hamstring problem. The Addicks will be without former Blues loan keeper Stephen Henderson, due to a shoulder injury. One-time Town academy schoolboy - and boyhood Portman Road season ticket holder - Nick Pope will deputise as he did for last week’s 0-0 home draw with Millwall, while Neil Etheridge has joined on loan from Oldham Athletic as cover. Striker Simon Church (shoulder) and full-back Rhoys Wiggins (foot) are longer-term absentees. Arsenal's French midfielder Francis Coquelin has had his loan extended until the end of December. Charlton boss Peeters is looking for an improved performance against the Blues, telling the Addicks' official site: “We can only go out there, try to get the three points and, most of all, play better than we did against Millwall. “I’m a fan of playing football and passing the ball, but we didn’t do enough of that to beat Millwall. “It’s all about putting the ball in the net and, hopefully, we can play our good football again and score good goals. “If you play a team that’s in fourth and lost only once in the last [14] then you know you face a big task. “I’m, not too bothered with an unbeaten home record, we just want to go there and try to win the game.” Town just have the edge historically having won 20 games (16 in the league), Charlton 18 (15) and with 10 (nine) ending in draws. The Blues have won on their last two visits to the Valley. The teams last met at Portman Road on New Year’s Day when Charlton skipper Johnnie Jackson came off the bench to net a 90th minute equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw. The Blues had gone in front via Richard Wood’s 24th minute own goal with David McGoldrick coming off the bench in the second half and having a penalty saved by Charlton keeper Ben Alnwick. In November last year at the Valley, Tommy Smith’s fifth minute header saw Town to their second successive away win as they left Charlton with a 1-0 victory. The Blues started strongly and once in front defended resolutely to secure the three points. Town midfielder Darren Ambrose was a Charlton player between July 2005 and June 2009, making 89 starts and 39 sub appearances, scoring 17 goals. Winger Cameron Stewart, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, was at the Valley between September and January last season, making 15 starts and three sub appearances, scoring three goals. Blues striker Frank Nouble, who is currently on loan with Coventry, spent two months on loan at Charlton when a West Ham player between March and May 2011, scoring one goal in four starts and five sub appearances. Injured Charlton keeper Henderson spent two spells on loan with the Blues from West Ham in 2012/13, making 24 appearances. Second-choice keeper Pope was a schoolboy with the Blues academy before being released at 15 and moving on to Bury Town and then the Addicks in 2011. Defender Morgan Fox was also at Playford Road before being released at 11. Charlton midfielder or right-back Lawrie Wilson had a trial at Portman Road in 2006 during his previous spell at the Valley. He moved back to Charlton in the summer of 2012 after impressing at Stevenage. Tickets will be on sale to Town fans at the game from the South Stand ticket office at no additional charge. Saturday’s referee is Darren Bond from Lancashire, who has shown 41 yellow cards and one red in 17 games so far this season. Bond’s most recent Town match was the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday in September when he booked two home players but no Blues. Squad from: Bialkowski, Gerken, Parr, Mings, Clarke, Chambers, Smith, Skuse, Hyam, Bishop, Tabb, Ambrose, Henshall, S Hunt, Anderson, McGoldrick, Murphy, Sammon, N Hunt, Bajner.
Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
   Blogs 295 bloggersIpswich Town Polls[ Vote here ] |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
