Match Day Thread Charlton Athletic vs Norwich City, Sun, Jan 9th, 14.00 hrs

So, after a turgid spell in the league, we get some brief respite as the FA Cup third round hoves into view.
Premier league vs league one.....Pah!, I hear you cry. Piece of p1ss.
But in the not so distant past, we went to the Valley on the last day of the season (2008/2009)
and showed some soft underbelly to lose 4 - 2 and get relegated to the third tier for the first time since 1960.

Cody McDonald comes on for Norwich in the second half and is one of a
few Norwich players to show some fight

please log in to view this image

As the reality of relegation sank in some fans throw their City shirts on the pitch in disgust.
(I wonder if they'll do likewise this May? )

please log in to view this image

Team news to follow, based largely on who's available with covid and injuries rampant in most squads recently. Will it be largely first teamers, to try and get some fluency, movement and coherent, attacking moves going...or the second string, to give Pukki and co a breather before far tougher encounters begin again. You'll find out here first, of course.
And even if we do lose, there's nothing really riding on it.
I'm just glad it's Charlton, and not Colchester!

 

I fancied this game as an opportunity to get a result and progress but having witnessed the festive season performances I would imagine Charlton will be really looking forward to this one.

 

The league is a dead duck , let's do a Wigan and win the FA Cup.


I would take that at this stage

 

It would seem that all of our players are fit except Lukas Rupp (hamstring), Andrew Omobamidele (back) and Mathias Normann (pelvis) but there are no fresh injury concerns. Zimbo isn't mentioned but presumably he is still out.

DS: "It is a real balancing act now because we have got a lot of players who haven't played since early December that need minutes and then players who played at Crystal Palace who haven't had many minutes before. We have got plenty of options but we have to look at Charlton Athletic as well as the games with West Ham and Everton in seven days and do what is best for the team."

https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/...njury-an-illness-for-fa-cup-tie-with-charlton

EDP: "Mathias Normann, as we've seen, is back on the treadmill and Smith says he hasn't felt the pain he was experiencing before his operation. No return date to training, but they are hoping it's been a successful one."

 

I think that’s pretty positive. Use the first half of the Charlton match to play second XI and then rotate in players who need to get their fitness up early in the second half.

 

Rather start with our strongest team, and bring on fringe players when the game is won.

 

I thought that at first but the only issue I have with that is if we are winning narrowly and then sub on fringe players, if you then lose morale plummets…

 

When ?

 

Should have it sewn up after 60min

 

If Charlton score early on I could see us losing this too.

We haven't scored since November

 

We did pretty well against Bournemouth in the cup.

 

I know the feeling

 

Lawro's prediction: 1-1P (Norwich to win on penalties)

Charlton's tie with Norwich should be a lot closer because the Canaries are on such an awful run and are missing a lot of players, while the Addicks have been playing well under Johnnie Jackson, who won seven of his first 10 games after taking charge - initially as caretaker boss - in October.

 

As much of a dick as he is, he is being more generous than I.

 

1-2 to us

 

Stupid me - I didn't realise the game was tomorrow. I guess that shows just how interested I am in the Cup.

 

It was actually quite liberating knowing my Saturday wouldn't be ruined by football , I didn't even bother stocking up on pain numbing alcohol

 

A freezing cold day out in Greenwich as everyone's tucking into their Sunday roast at home.

This has along came Norj written all over it but I hope I'm wrong.

 

Sorensen in his natural position wow