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Charlton Athletic
Championship
May 2, 2015 at 12.15pm UK
 
Bournemouth logo

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FT(HT: 0-2)
Ritchie (10', 85'), Arter (12')

Preview: Charlton Athletic vs. Bournemouth

Sports Mole previews the Championship fixture between Charlton Athletic and Bournemouth at The Valley.

Bournemouth head into their fixture with Charlton Athletic at The Valley aware that three points could win the club the Championship title by the end of Saturday afternoon.

Promotion has been all but assured, but the Cherries will want to deliver one final performance against their hosts, who will be eager to hold on to 10th spot in the standings.



Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic boss Guy Luzon on the touchline during the Championship match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 25, 2015© Getty Images

Despite only winning one of their last six games, everyone associated with Charlton Athletic will be encouraged with what lies ahead next season.

The Addicks aren't performing as well as they did upon the arrival of new boss Guy Luzon, but eight wins from 19 games has been enough for the Israeli to settle in at The Valley.

Before their recent run, the club had recorded back-to-back wins over Blackpool and Reading, and although they have struggled since, their only defeats have come as a result of goals conceded in the closing stages.

Luzon's side go into the final game of the season in 10th position, but they face the possibility of falling as low as 14th should they fall to defeat to Bournemouth.

Nevertheless, this season has been a major improvement on their 18th-place finish last year, and while it will take a high-level display to take points off the title chasers, Luzon and his players will want to end the campaign with a four-match unbeaten run at home.

Recent form: LDDDWL



Bournemouth

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe during the Pre Season Friendly match between AFC Bournemouth and Southampton at The Goldsands Stadium on July 25, 2014© Getty Images

Bournemouth will make the trip to The Valley effectively as a Premier League side, and Saturday afternoon will be a day of celebration for the club.

The Cherries still need to ensure that they don't experience the catastrophic 19-goal swing that would deny them a place among England's elite, but realistically, they can push for the three points that they probably require to have a chance of winning the Championship title.

This weekend's fixture will be a test of their mentality. The pressure that has been on their shoulders since the turn of the year has been lifted, but manager Eddie Howe will demand one more performance from his squad.

Under the circumstances, the South Coast outfit were so impressive against Bolton Wanderers on Monday night. They could have experienced a tension-filled evening but after a strong start, they never looked like losing their intensity.

The missed penalty from Yann Kermorgant at 2-0 would have frayed nerves both on and off the pitch, but in truth, Bournemouth could have won by more than the eventual 3-0 scoreline.

There will be as many eyes on their own game as there will be ears on Watford's match with Sheffield Wednesday, but all Bournemouth can do is ensure that they fulfil their part of the bargain and make sure that they take their momentum into the top flight.

Recent form: DWWWDW



Team News

Simon Church of Charlton Athletic celebrates after the Sky Bet Championship match between Charlton Athletic and Doncaster Rovers at The Valley on November 26, 2013© Getty Images

Luzon is expected to make a number of changes to his side after he described Charlton's performance against Birmingham City as their worst performance since he joined the club.

Chris Eagles is in contention to be introduced into midfield, while Simon Church could replace Igor Vetokele or Tony Watt in attack.

Frenchman Alou Diarra could potentially be given a final chance to earn a new contract for next season.

Barring any late injury problems, Howe is unlikely to make any alterations to the team that started their previous match.

Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Henderson, Solly, Ben Haim, Johnson, Fox, Berg Gudmundsson, Cousins, Eagles, Bulot, Church, Watt

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Boruc; Smith, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Pugh; Kermorgant, Wilson



Head To Head

Since their first meeting in 2010, the teams have met on seven occasions, with Charlton winning four matches and Bournemouth just the two.

However, Bournemouth have suffered defeat and failed to score on each of their three visits to The Valley.

The visitors were successful in the reverse fixture in October though, with an early Callum Wilson goal proving enough to earn his team a 1-0 win.



Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:



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We say: Charlton Athletic 1-3 Bournemouth

Both teams enter the match without too much pressure on their shoulders, but with the league title to play for, expect Bournemouth to produce an attack-minded performance and they should be too strong for the Addicks.



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Darren Plant
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Charlton Athletic boss Guy Luzon on the touchline during the Championship match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 25, 2015
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