Friday, September 09, 2005
Swingin' the blues?
Charlton take their unbeaten Premiership record to St Andrews tomorrow, and will be hoping for another three points versus Birmingham City.
Alan Curbishley knew he would have problems picking a team when everyone was fit and available, and tomorrow is the first big test of the season in this respect.
The squad is almost back to full strength, with Gonzalo Sorondo, Jonathan Spector and Jay Boothroyd all available after suspension, injury, and transfer respectively. Talal El Karkouri, is also back from injury, and scored for Morocco in midweek.
The only players still not ready are Darren Ambrose, who serves the final match of his three-game ban, plus Jason Euell (shoulder), Dean Kiely (fractured finger) and Matt Holland (rib) who are injured.
So what will Curbs do? Will he change the defence that has only conceded one goal in three games? I doubt it. So Sorondo, Spector and El-Kakouri will all be vying for places on the bench.
The midfield, a great strength this season, will be unchanged, barring last minute international match injuries to Smertin (who was sent off playing for Russia) and Kishishev.
The wingers are not threatened, and the striker (Dazza) will also play following a couple of bench-warming exercises while on England duty.
This is my expected team for tomorrow then:
Andersen, Young, Perry, Hreidarsson, Powell, Rommedahl, Murphy, Kishishev, Smertin, Thomas, Bent.
Subs: Sorondo, Hughes, Bartlett, Karkouri, Myhre.
Can we go four out of four? Yes, I think we just might.
Pedro45's prediction is a 1-0 away win!
The bad news is I've got to be at a wedding (4 o/c) so will be hiding a radio in the suit pocket in order to pick up the final football (and cricket) scores as soon as I can.
Club preview link here.
Alan Curbishley knew he would have problems picking a team when everyone was fit and available, and tomorrow is the first big test of the season in this respect.
The squad is almost back to full strength, with Gonzalo Sorondo, Jonathan Spector and Jay Boothroyd all available after suspension, injury, and transfer respectively. Talal El Karkouri, is also back from injury, and scored for Morocco in midweek.
The only players still not ready are Darren Ambrose, who serves the final match of his three-game ban, plus Jason Euell (shoulder), Dean Kiely (fractured finger) and Matt Holland (rib) who are injured.
So what will Curbs do? Will he change the defence that has only conceded one goal in three games? I doubt it. So Sorondo, Spector and El-Kakouri will all be vying for places on the bench.
The midfield, a great strength this season, will be unchanged, barring last minute international match injuries to Smertin (who was sent off playing for Russia) and Kishishev.
The wingers are not threatened, and the striker (Dazza) will also play following a couple of bench-warming exercises while on England duty.
This is my expected team for tomorrow then:
Andersen, Young, Perry, Hreidarsson, Powell, Rommedahl, Murphy, Kishishev, Smertin, Thomas, Bent.
Subs: Sorondo, Hughes, Bartlett, Karkouri, Myhre.
Can we go four out of four? Yes, I think we just might.
Pedro45's prediction is a 1-0 away win!
The bad news is I've got to be at a wedding (4 o/c) so will be hiding a radio in the suit pocket in order to pick up the final football (and cricket) scores as soon as I can.
Club preview link here.
