Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 2:48 pm
Posts: 4813
Location: In the Armchair.
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THE CAZBAR BIG GAME PREVIEW – CHARLTON ATHLETICI’ve had a day thinking about this relegation scenario thing, and I have to say I am concerned, I don’t want to be concerned as I’d really like to go to Burton Albion on the last day and just relax and see out the season without nervously checking scores, and having panic attacks every time they threaten our goal.
The reason I’m concerned is because if we don’t beat Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night, and I mean beat, not avoid defeat, then there is a very good chance its going down to the last day. Oxford Utd and Cambridge Utd both have a game in hand on us and they both have still to play Forest Green Rovers, and yes Forest Green are down already and the pressure to some degree is off them, but would you bet on them to take points off of our relegation rivals, I like a longshot as much as the next punter, but that would be a bridge too far for me.
That game in hand would effectively put us level on points with just goal difference separating us. Oxford are leading the goal difference race and it’s probably worth a point to them. Cambridge United would need a 6 goal swing to overtake us, and that’s not out of the question, this makes the Charlton game one of the biggest if not the biggest in recent times.
I hope we are not going to be cursing over that result on Saturday when the Burton game comes round, I really don’t, but those two points that just evaporated in the 97th minute, must have had an effect on the lads, and Jacko is going to have to pick them up, dust them down and come up with a strategy that secures the points, 7 games without defeat we may be, but we are in a hell of a dangerous position, and we cannot afford to face Charlton in the same manner as we did on Saturday against Cheltenham.
I thought we were almost back to how we were a few weeks ago in the first half. The mistake by Cumming was shocking, but he redeemed himself with the penalty save, and he has been one of the reasons we have earnt points this season, with countless saves, and just recently almost single handedly kept Derby at bay, in what looked to be a rout at one stage.
I’m not blaming Grigg for that late goal, but surely it was the better option to bring him down rather than let him run at our defence, take one for the team, take the card, reset, and defend the set piece, that had to be the better option…didn’t it.
I’m not going to dwell on it any more…. well, I might in a bit, but we have to win on Tuesday, or I fear a nervous 90 minutes at Burton. Whilst I’m on about Burton make sure you get your tickets, we need to pack the away end out, the lads just might need us.
Right Charlton …. below is the current league positions and records, plus the home form of the Dons and the away form of the Adddicks.MK Dons (19th) – P 41, W 11, D 10, L 21, GF 40, GA 60, Pts 43.
Charlton (11th) – P 42, W 14, D 13, L 15, GF 62, GA 59, Pts 55.
MK Dons (H) (23rd) – P 21, W 4, D 6, L 11, GF 16, GA 28, Pts 18.
Charlton (A) (14th) – P 21, W 6, D 6, L 9, GF 23, GA 33, Pts 24. The 6 wins on the road for Charlton have been against, Shrewsbury Town, Portsmouth, Forest Green, Exeter City, Cambridge Utd, and Morecambe. The 6 draws against Accrington, Wycombe, Fleetwood, Lincoln City, Burton Albion, and Peterborough. Tidying things up the 9 defeats have come against Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Bolton, Port Vale, Oxford Utd, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Bristol Rovers, and on Saturday against Ipswich Town 6-0.
Whilst losing to Ipswich is no disgrace, 6-0 is a bit of a hiding, and to compound the defeat centre half Ryan Inniss was given a straight red for bringing down Freddie Ladapo and denying a clear goal scoring opportunity and will now of course miss the Tuesday night game.
We last played Charlton on Tuesday 25th October of this season and somewhat ironically Ryan Inniss was sent off in that game as well. At the time we were anchored to the bottom of the table with Liam Manning in charge and Charlton were unbeaten in 5 games.
Charlton were on top, but the game swung firmly in our favour in the 65th minute when Inniss was adjudged to have fouled Louie Barry in the box and given a second yellow card and his marching orders, will Grigg stepped up and buried the spot kick.
From then on we got the better of the play and started pressing for a second when Devoy was fouled 25 yards out 12 minutes from time. Bradley Johnson claimed responsibility for the kick and fired it confidently past the Charlton keeper to wrap up a well-deserved win.
We have a long history with Charlton with the full scoring details shown, all games are League 1 unless stated.
2009/10 – Charlton 5 MK Dons 1 (Wilbraham)
2009/10 – MK Dons 0 Charlton 1
2010/11 – Charlton 1 MK Dons 0
2010/11 – MK Dons 1 Charlton 2 (JPT) (Chadwick)
2010/11 – MK Dons 2 Charlton 0 (Powell, S Baldock)
2011/12 – MK Dons 1 Charlton 1 (S Williams)
2011/12 – Charlton 2 MK Dons 1 (Bowditch)
2015/16 – MK Dons 1 Charlton 0 (CH) (Bowditch)
2015/16 – Charlton 0 MK Dons 0 (CH)
2016/17 – Charlton 0 MK Dons 0 (FAC)
2016/17 – MK Dons 3 Charlton 1 (FAC) (Powell, Reeves, Bowditch)
2016/17 – MK Dons 0 Charlton 1
2016/17 – Charlton 0 MK Dons 2 (O’Keefe, Barnes)
2017/18 – Charlton 2 MK Dons 2 (Agard 2)
2017/18 – MK Dons 1 Charlton 2 (Agard)
2018/19 – MK Dons 3 Charlton 0 (LC) (Asonganyi, Watson, OG)
2020/21 – Charlton 0 MK Dons 1 (Fraser)
2020/21 – MK Dons 0 Charlton 1
2021/22 – MK Dons 2 Charlton 1 (Parrott, Eisa)
2021/22 – Charlton 1 MK Dons 0 (FLT)
2021/22 – Charlton 0 MK Dons 2 (Watson, Kesler-Hayden)
2022/23 – Charlton 0 MK Dons 2 (Grigg, Johnson)
TOTAL RECORD - P 22, W 9, D 4, L 9, GF 26, GA 21.Charlton started the season playing with a 4-4-2 formation but have switched lately to a 4-3-3 system to accommodate various injuries and to suit their high press game. Top scorer is Jesuyrun Rak-Sakyi with 13 goals from 45 games, and he also tops the assists list alongside Albie Morgan with 7 each.
Charlton are yet another club that uses the Merry-Go-Round method of hiring and firing managers and have had a staggering 21 different managers since 2006.
The latest on the production line is 43 year old Dean Holden a former fullback for a string of clubs including Bolton, Valur (Iceland), Oldham, Peterborough, Falkirk, Shrewsbury, Rotherham, Chesterfield, Rochdale, and finally Walsall. In total he played 427 games scoring 23 goals.
Holden’s first taste of the hot seat was at Oldham where he was a coach and a brief spell as the caretaker, then reverting to a coach again once a full time replacement was named. Holden also had spells in charge at Bristol City, Stoke City as a caretaker and then Charlton a role he has held since December 22nd, 2022.
His career stats stand at P 81, W 32, D 14, L 35 with a near 40% win ratio, and that rises to nearly 41% with just his Charlton record considered. Betting – Surprisingly, well to me anyway, we are slight favourites and I think the bookies are again looking at the draw.MK Dons 6/4, Draw 12/5, Charlton 31/16.
Again surprisingly, the bookies have made Grigg favourite to score the first goal, I can only think they never watch our games.Team News – Nothing so far out of SMK, so we will have to wait for the Jacko presser sometime later today, but hopefully the only thing hurting is their pride.Prediction – I wish I could say we are going to win this one, but I can’t say I’m confident. Yet again everything about the stats, history, current form, and the betting screams a draw. Charlton aren’t on the beach just yet and are doubtless going to be stinging from that 6-0 thrashing on Saturday, the manager and fans will be looking for a reaction, and some with contract negotiations coming up will be trying to impress to get another season down at the Valley.
I will say draw then, and just hope and pray we get the result.Relegation Watch – Doubtless Dons fans will be glued to their phones all night to keep an eye on our rivals, the games to watch out for on Tuesday night are as follows. Accrington v Peterborough Utd
Cambridge Utd v Wycombe Wanderers
Oxford Utd v PortsmouthThat’s about it I think, see you Tuesday night.
Whatever will be, will be.
COYD’s
 WD
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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight
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