Charlton Athletic vs West Ham United: match preview

By now, no doubt, a number of Premiership managers and players will be bemoaning the Christmas fixture chaos. Whilst they have, to a certain extent, my sympathy, please consider that the football writing fraternity and the overdrive that we are under. I am at risk of developing RSI, all of my stats are out of date and I am in danger of losing sight of the opposing team let alone who is playing for them. To the Valley then, for New Year’s Eve.

Football is a perfectly balanced game of two halves, with two teams, attack and defence and numerous other juxtapositions to emphasise the ying and the yang of the beautiful game. Charlton Athletics’ season has also been the story of polar opposites as they started as invincible and finished 2005 in relegation form. They are currently 12th in the league on 17 points so lets see how they got there.

They started the season by beating Sunderland, Wigan, Middlesbrough and Birmingham before defeat by Chelsea halted their perfect start. They then beat WBA, threw away a 2 goal lead at home to Spurs to lose 3-2, drew with Fulham and beat Portsmouth. So far, not too bad at all which is why the five straight defeats (Bolton, Blackburn, Man Yoo, Villa and Ciddy) were halted by completing the double over Sunderland before two further defeats by Wigan and Arsenal. Their game on Wednesday night at Newcastle was postponed.

Their supporters cite a lack of passion, complacency, other teams working them out, loss of confidence and alien abduction as possible reasons for the turnaround in form. Whilst all may have some validity, except the little green men, it may be noted that the fixture list had a particularly happy start for them, though it was not quite that obvious at the time. Our main comfort to take is that apart from the red and white Makem banker, the last time there was a home win at the Valley was on week 2, against Wigan.

"As the season starts grinding on it gets tougher. It doesn't seem to matter if I make changes as whoever I bring in makes as many mistakes as those I've left out" - Curbs is having a bad season

The gaffer is Alan Curbishley, the second longest serving manager in the Premiership, has been at the helm since 1991 and celebrated his 600th game in charge earlier this season. He, of course, started his playing career at West Ham, an academy graduate who made 85 midfield appearances and scored 5 goals before leaving in 1979 to sign for Birmingham.

His managerial style is considered and cautious and he is a realist who is prepared to offer an honest opinion (see views on Scott Parker when he left). He has turned down a number of advances from us, Villa and Leeds over the past few seasons and some of the Charlton supporters calling Five Live would be advised to show the same commitment to their manager that he has shown to their club.

In goal, it is one from young Dane, Stephan Andersen, Salford born Irishman, Dean Kiely or Norwegian Thomas Myhre. It is most likely to be the latter as he was drafted in for the Boxing Day game after both Andersen and Kiely had been tried out for a spell and left a little wanting.

The Boxing Day fixture was something of a turnaround as there were six changes to the previous game in an attempt to change the clubs fortunes. Of the back four, Iceland International Hermann Hreidarsson was the only player to keep his place, though he was moved from the centre to the left. The centre backs were Uruguayan Gonzalo Sorondo and academy product Jonathan Fortune, with Harlow born Luke Young appearing on the right.

Strength in depth this season has been provided by former Yido, Chris Perry and the player most fans though had been the worst this season, Man Yoo loanee, Jonathan Spector as well as veteran Chris Powell. Powell should receive a good reception from the travelling masses after all his efforts last season, evergreen marauding runs down the wing, a permanent smile on his face and the now famous crossed hammers sign that he made with his arms endeared him to the claret and blue faithful.

The key midfielder is former Liverpool man, Danny Murphy, though fortunately for us he will be ruled out of this one due to his sending off against Arsenal. The most likely central pairing will be on loan Chelsea Russian, Alexei Smertin and West Ham academy product, Matt Holland. The absence of Murphy will mean that there is less creative flair than usual. Other defensive midfield options include Bulgarian Radostin Kishishev, who has played in the holding role and on the right.

The attacking midfield will be formed from left winger Bryan Hughes, former Arsenal trainee, Jerome Thomas, right winger and scorer of three goals this season, Darren Ambrose and Danish winger, Dennis Rommedahl. Hughes and Kishishev were the chosen wide men for the last outing where Curbs opted for the standard 4-4-2, after playing five in the midfield for the last few outings.

The main striker is Darren Bent, signed in the summer from the Tractor Boys. His Premiership career has got off to a blistering start with 9 goals so far and a call up to the England squad. He has not yet got as far as an on field appearance in the white shirt but will be hopeful of his chance of a shot at the World Cup squad.

He has often played as a lone striker but was partnered by Shaun Bartlett for the last outing. The South African has only made fleeting appearances this season and has yet to register a goal. Strength in depth comes from Jay Bothroyd, though recent blackouts have raised concerns over his health. It is little surprise that Charlton fans put a striker high on their January transfer window wish list with names such as Ashton, Marcus Bent, Earnshaw and even Lee Trundle as hopeful targets.

“Andersen – El Karkouri – Herrideson – Murphy – Bent” - Charlton five a side team as selected on a straw poll on the www.cafc-fans.co.uk forum

Games between the two sides have produced a few crackers, our 5-0 victory on Boxing Day 2000 was one to savour and we shared the spoils in a 4-4 in the following season. This may not be such a classic, Charlton are out of sorts and the performance against Wigan by us on Wednesday night emphasises the lack of depth that we have in the squad.

My own concerns borne out of the Wigan game was less to do with our defending but more in our lack of creativity. We are not the only team to have let Camara and Roberts score against us this season but the lone force of Bent is not as dangerous a proposition as those two. Without Benayoun and, much as I hate to admit it, Sheringham, we are left wanting on getting the supply to Harewood. If Yossi is back, I can see that being enough to put a couple past a Charlton team seriously low on confidence, without him, it has got stubborn draw written all over it.

Enjoy the game.

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