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Dozzell and Skuse Return for Final Friendly at Charlton
Friday, 28th Jul 2017 15:47

Central midfield pair Andre Dozzell and Cole Skuse return to the Town squad for Saturday’s final pre-season friendly against League One Charlton at the Valley (KO 3pm).

Dozzell, 18, played the first half of Tuesday’s U23s 4-3 defeat at King’s Lynn having suffered a hip injury while with the victorious England U19s at the European Championships in Georgia.

Skuse, 31, has been unwell and missed the Gillingham and Colchester games as a result but was back training at yesterday’s open day, although still feeling the effects of his illness.

Still absent are four other central midfielders, Emyr Huws (achilles), Tom Adeyemi (ill), Teddy Bishop (groin) and Luke Hyam (ankle), while winger Bersant Celina has suffered a recurrence of his earlier illness and also won’t make the trip to South London.

Adeyemi has missed all of pre-season but McCarthy is hopeful the summer signing will get up to speed quickly as he recovers.

“Tom’s really struggled with it, it’s just knocked him off his feet, which wouldn’t be easy given the size of him,” the Blues boss said yesterday.

“But he’s a great athlete, there’ll be a couple of weeks and he’ll be fine. As soon as he comes back I think it’ll only take him a couple of weeks before he’s back.”

McCarthy says he’s not sure when Huws will be available: “I can’t tell you exactly because it’s his achilles and they grumble on, so that’s got to be perfect before he comes back.”

Bishop is understood to be likely to return to training next week, although McCarthy was more cautious: “He’s hurt his groin, I couldn’t give you a timeframe on that at all.”

The Town boss was hopeful it wouldn't be too long before Hyam was back in action as he continues his recovery from the injury which ended his 2016/17.

As has been the case throughout pre-season, youngsters Flynn Downes, Tristan Nydam and Conor McKendry will be among the 21 players travelling.

McCarthy says his starting XI against the Addicks will be nearer to the team which lines up against Birmingham on the opening day of the season next Saturday than has been the case in previous friendlies.

“There will be some who are not going to play, George Fowler’s not going to play at right-back, put it that way,” the Blues boss added.

“It’s going to be more the first team squad, the first team squad will be playing and will be subs and I’ll pick the bones out of it for Birmingham here.”

The Charlton squad includes former Blues striker Billy Clarke, who came through Town’s Playford Road academy and was a member of the squad which won the 2005 FA Youth Cup, although injury forced the 29-year-old, who joined the Addicks from Bradford over the summer, out of both legs of the final.

Ex-Town midfielder Lee Bowyer is now the assistant manager back at his first club while Jake Forster-Caskey is the stepson of former Blues frontman Nicky Forster.

Tickets are available via cash turnstiles at the match at £10 for adults and £5 for the over-65s, under-21s, under-18s, while there is a joint-under-18 and adult ticket for £11.


Photo: TWTD



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cat added 16:31 - Jul 28
This is hopefully going to be the season for the youths, time for Dozzell & Co to step up.
What's with this reoccurring hard to get rid of 'giant bug' that's flying around Ipswich, sounds proper nasty, symptoms are as follows:-
Nausea,
Fever,
Irritating,
Verbal diarrhoea,
Vomiting,
Headache,
Anger,
More commonly affects the youth
Severe Neck Ache.
Sounds to me like a proper dose of the MM system virus.
8

Scuzzer added 17:27 - Jul 28
I must say I was pleasantly surprised by Dozzell yesterday at the open day. Very good performance in the training session. He has got a thunderous shot as well. Hope we get to see more of him this season as he seems to have come on really decently.
7

therein61 added 17:32 - Jul 28
Good to see Andre back I would(given the game time)love to see him break through and make a name for himself this season, as for the inept point costing premiership class no/8 I would be more than happy not to see him in a Town shirt again unless he's no/1 on the under 23s team sheet.
5

Royal_Blue added 23:00 - Jul 28
A thorough review of injuries and thankfully no mention of Webster, so should start!
0

Fat_Boy_Tim added 00:42 - Jul 29
For me, Skuse is definitely one of our best 11. We can't play 2 strikers, 2 wingers, 2 attacking midfielders and leave just the 4 at the back to do all the defending. Skuse is a really good defensive midfielder giving cover to all of the back 4. If we want Knudsen, Webster and Spence to bomb on and provide service to the attack or midfield then we will need cover. No one else in the town squad is as willing or has the positioning to do that job as well as Skuse. He doesn't have the range of passing and doesn't score goals but that has never been his job. He is there to stop goals and play it simple, in that regard, I think he's the best we've had since the day he moved to he club.
-4

muccletonjoe added 06:32 - Jul 29
Looking like dozzell will play along with skuse. Cant believe both Adeyemi and Huws are out already. The season hasnt started yet and already the area of the team we sought to strengthen is wiped out.
1

Brownie added 07:48 - Jul 29
Well said Fatboytim!

According to some I am Skuse's dad so we must be related! I think he is good at the dirty work that all teams need & all we need is MM to pick some creativity around him.

COYB!
-2

Devereuxxx added 08:11 - Jul 29
I actually agree about Skuse being important to the team, but I think most people's beef with him is that there's been an evolution in the 'defensive midfielder' role recently. People like N'golo Kante have shown how a player can protect the back 4, while also being dynamic and offering more in an attacking sense. Skuse is more of your 1 dimensional classic DM.

The issue then is he needs that dynamism alongside him - hopefully, that's what either Adeyemi or Huws will deliver long-term - rather than someone along the lines of Hyam or Douglas.
-2

Pilgrimblue added 08:41 - Jul 29
Ok I get it about Skuse being essential but his image was tarnished when MM kept on playing him with Douglas in same role and in one game I recall having Hyam too!
However Skuse needs to look up and find better options going forward as so often he returns a pass or opts for a defender. He also struggles to get back if he ventures too far up the pitch.
We definitely need our youth to make an impact and am expecting Dozzel and Downes to figure this season. But that means MM must give them a chance now and not leave it end of season!
2

Fat_Boy_Tim added 10:46 - Jul 29
Totally agree that playing 2 or even sometimes 3 defensive midfielders in our team, stilted attacking and creative play (means to an end according to MM). I'm just saying Skuse was the best of those 3 and should be played alongside a creative midfield to provide the steel.
-1

magnus68 added 13:06 - Jul 29
Charlton are streaming the game, 1£ for a 24h subscription.
0

ClausThomsen added 13:29 - Jul 29
Dozzell is our most exciting prospect in some time - watch McCarthy play him out of position...
1

Andy32Cracknell added 14:09 - Jul 29
@magnus68 - any link details? I just went on there main website and its still a fiver for a month?
0

Andy32Cracknell added 14:16 - Jul 29
@magnus68 - dont worry, i sorted it lol
0

magnus68 added 14:37 - Jul 29
@andy32 , great, enjoy
0


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