Charlton (a) preview - Too hard to call

Town travel to London this weekend in what will be a battle between the two better performing teams to have been promoted from League One last season. Charlton, who were promoted as champions, currently sit 10 points above the drop zone in 14th place while Town, promoted via the playoffs, sit 14 points above the drop zone in 8th place.

Town will be looking to bounce back from a defeat and pretty poor performance in the 2-1 home defeat to Brighton at the weekend. Our opponents will be looking to continue their good form having won their last three league outings against Cardiff, Bristol City and Burnley. The form table has the Addicks sitting just above us with 14 points from their last eight matches (4 wins, 2 draws, 2 defeats) while we have 13 points in the same period (4 wins, 1 draw, 3 defeats).

The last meeting between Town and Charlton at the Valley saw the Addicks end our record breaking 43 game unbeaten run. Yann Kermorgant and Hogan Ephraim scored the goals in a comfortable 2-0 win for the home team, and then-gaffer Lee Clark said "our run ended with a bit of a whimper". Although the beginning of the end for the Geordie was actually in May 2011, things really fell to pieces after the "whimper" and he was sacked just over two months later.

Charlton ended our 43 game unbeaten run on their way to promotion last season

Saturdays match will take place at The Valley, but many Charlton fans might have preferred to make the journey to West Yorkshire as their home record is far from great. They have the second best away record in the Championship (4 wins, 3 draws, 2 defeats) but the third worst home record (2 wins, 2 draws, 4 defeats). This weekends opposition did however end a run of five home games without a victory with their 5-4 win against Cardiff in their most recent home outing.

Addicks skipper Johnnie Jackson is their top goalscorer with four goals and will provide a constant threat for them from set pieces. Charlton's recent run of three straight wins has also seen striker Danny Haynes find his scoring boots after returning from injury as he's scored in each of the victories. Although they haven't managed a clean sheet at home since August Charlton have kept clean sheets in their last two matches away at Bristol City and Burnley.

Emmanuel Frimpong will be hoping to make his debut for our opponents this weekend having this week signed on loan from Arsenal. The holding midfielder is best known for getting sent off on his full league debut for the Gunners against Liverpool last season. Many had expected the former England youth international to make the breakthrough at his parent club by now and he'll be hoping to use his loan spell at Charlton to prove himself.

Danny Haynes has scored in three consecutive matches

Town head into this weekends match hoping to deliver a better performance than the one which saw us lose against Brighton this past weekend. The game was effectively lost by half-time and we didn't have enough about is in attack to get back into the game. Jermaine Beckford should hopefully be fit again to play against Charlton but James Vaughan will more than likely miss out through injury.

Having drawn one, won one and lost one in our last three matches it's hard to call this weekends match from a Town point of view. We have the ability to play really well on our day as shown in performances against Blackpool and Wolves already this season, but unfortunately we can also be really bad when it's not our day as shown in performances against Peterborough and Millwall.

My preference would once again be to see Oliver Norwood dropped to the bench to allow Adam Clayton and Keith Southern to play in the middle of the park. Scott Arfield or Sean Scannell can play on the wing to allow us to offer more down the flanks whilst at the same time looking much more solid in the middle of the pitch as Norwood has looked woefully short of form in recent months.

Until Murray Wallace is deemed ready for first team football Peter Clarke and Joel Lynch remains our best pairing at the heart of the defence, while Jack Hunt and Paul Dixon are first choice full-backs. Clayton and Southern are the first two names on the team sheet while Danny Ward and Scott Arfield would be on the flanks for me. If Beckford is fit he has to start, and Novak would just get the nod above Simon Church to offer much needed running in what will be a difficult match.

Although form has counted for nothing in the Championship this season Town might just be playing Charlton at the wrong time. After an average start and then a poor run of form the Addicks have won their last three games, keeping clean sheets away from home in their last two matches. If at least one of Beckford and Vaughan are available it will be a huge boost, and if we play like we all know we can then we have a chance, but unfortunately my prediction for this weekend is a narrow home win.