Looking at two more matches for later. The late Premiership kickoff will be Newcastle United at home to Charlton.
Both teams are struggling, with Newcastle in 16th, and Charlton bottom of the table. There are late fitness tests for Newcastle. They are still missing their first goalkeeper Shay Given with a long term injury. He will always be the biggest miss. Fitness tests may rule out midfielders Emre, Butt, and Sibierski. They may also rule out strikers Obafemi Martins and Martins.
Charlton have got four players returning in their new defender Diawara, midfielders Amdy Faye and Andy Reid, and their top goalscorer Darren Bent. Charlton have been poor, and I don't think most of Iain Dowie's signings were great. However, they've just got a morale boosting win in the cup over Bolton. Apparently the players and manager are beginning to mould themselves into a system. They don't have enough creativity, and have experimented with winger Dennis Rommedahl in a free role. Instead that'll most likely go to Andy Reid in a five man midfield. They are going back to basics, and utilising an attribute thats very important in the Premiership - pace. Dennis Rommedahl on the right, and Jerome Thomas (if fit) on the left. Having Andy Reid creating, with Matt Holland and Amdy Faye doing the hard work in the middle.
Charlton played their best stuff last season with a 4-5-1 system similar to this. They were playing some of the most fluid football in the league, with Rommedahl, Danny Murphy and Bent in particular the stars of the show. The question is if Andy Reid can replicate Danny Murphy's creativity in the middle of the park.
The Newcastle defence are crap. They have been crap for years. Titus Bramble has been dropped, which means solid Aussie defender Craig Moore will partner English U21 star Steven Taylor. That's a solid partnership. However, if Charlton are playing with pace on the wings, they will be targetting the Newcastle fullbacks Stephen Carr, and most likely Peter Ramage (whose a slow centreback). Carr is absolute garbage. Ramage cannot play at fullback. I believe this will be the match that Charlton could finally win. Odds are as high as 5.00 in some bookies. It all depends on the team news.
The other match is in Ligue One with relegation battlers Troyes at home against 6th placed St. Etienne. I'll be looking at this one later when more team news is out. Troyes have had only one win in their last 10 matches.
