Charlton Athletic Online

Charlton head up to Villa Park tomorrow following three consecutive losses, and will be looking to turn results in their favour once more. The official club match preview is here.

Who will Curbs (left) pick on the return to one of his old stamping grounds? A ground where Charlton have a pretty poor record, and where our record defeat (11-1!)came in 1957. Will he switch back to 4-4-2? Here's my view -

I think we'll stay at 4-5-1, and this will be the team:
Andersen, Young, Perry, El Karkouri, Hreidersson, Smertin, Kishishev, Murphy, Ambrose, Rommedahl, Bent. Subs: Myrhe, Hughes, Thomas, Bothroyd, Spector.

Let's start with the goalies, probably the most contentious area of the team at present. Andersen is the incumbent, but he hasn't kept a clean sheet in 7 games. He was at fault for Manchester United's third goal last weekend, and also for Blackburn's first the weekend before that. A couple of other recent goals have put question marks over his future in the side. Is it time for a change? Deano was obviously knocking at Curbs door a few weeks back after returning to full fitness following his pre-season broken finger. But after getting back onto the bench for the Bolton game, he has disappeared from view, not playing for the reserves and not being on the 1st team bench. Is Deano injured or out of favour? Thomas Myrhe is in good form according to reports on the two Norway-Czech Republic World Cup play off games. He was the sub goalie last week; is he now ahead of Deano in the clubs goalkeeper rankings? Maybe. Myrhe's contract finishes in January, and after the usual agent inspired angst he seems to genuinely want to get an extension and stay. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see him between the sticks either tomorrow or on Wednesday for the Blackburn cup game.

The defence is still not quite right, and being honest, it hasn't been right all season even when we were winning. Luke Young is solid, and consistent and not being challenged; the way he kept Cristiano Ronaldo quiet last week was testament to his improvement in confidence and skill. Chris Perry (left) has looked good most of the season, but Curbs dropped (or rested) him last week. Talal El Karkouri returned to the starting line up but, although he had a reasonable game, he didn't look any more solid than Perry. His understanding with Hriedersson was also not as good. Left back is also an area where we have struggled this season. Chris Powell did wonderfully well earlier in the season but ran out of steam a little (especially toward the end of games) a month or so back. Jonathan Spector was possibly more solid in defence, but has lacked the forward runs and availability that Powell provided, and put pressure on the left wing and midfield because of this. I think it is time that Hermann returned to left back - with Perry and El Kak in central defence - as he will offer the surges down the left that we need and have missed from Spector, while providing the strength in defence that has sometimes be lacking recently in Powell.

The midfield remains fairly unchallenged, with Smertin, Kishishev, and Murphy (his 50th start for Charlton) looking to keep their places. Bryan Hughes is always going to be on the periphery, but the team have lacked something whenever he has started the games in place of one of the others. Darren Ambrose is a possible option, but only for Murphy's role, and I would like Danny Boy to keep playing while he can. Matt Holland is another who offers variation, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in place of a rested Kish or Smerts at some stage over the coming months, ahead of Hughes, if he remains at the club.

Out wide, Lloyd Sam appears injured again, so that leaves any two from three - Ambrose will play after his great goal last week, but will it be the left or right wing that he occupies? Dennis Rommedahl seeems to have slipped back into his bad sulking habits; I still don't know why he only lasts 65 minutes before being substituted when he's playing well. I expect him to play tomorrow, but for Jerome Thomas to get on as sub later in the game.

Up front, our only viable option is Darren Bent. Jay Bothroyd seems to have lost drive, and is now not much of a better option than Bartlett (still injured), Lisbie (scorer for the reserves in midweek), or Johansson (who played best of all for the reserves apparently). I would like to see him (Bothroyd) flicking the ball on when he has a chance rather than trying to chest it down, as he did many times as sub last weekend against United.

My one to watch this weekend is Hermann Hreidersson (left), who will be combative, creative, and challenging, all of which may result in a goal or a booking depending on (quite good) ref Mark Clattenburg (who did the recent Bolton home game)!

Pedro45's score prediction is not a good one, but based on the fact I haven't got one right for a while, I'm hoping I'll be wrong once more - I'll therefore say 2-0 to Villa. Up the Addicks!