LASTSEASON
CHAMPIONSHIP6thFACUPFifthRoundLEAGUECUP
FourthRoundTOPSCORERHarryWilson(18)LASTSEASON
LEAGUE ONE 3rd FA CUP Second Round
LEAGUE CUP First Round TOP SCORER Lyle Taylor (25)FourFourTwo Season Preview 2019-20 49CHARLTOn ATHLETIC DERBY COUnTY
SEASOn PREVIEW
FFTVERDICT
21ST FFT VERDICT
7TH
The loss of midfielder Joe Aribo to
Rangers is a blow and the fiasco
over Lee Bowyer’s new contract
was a little worrying. But he has
done a fine job and can help the
Addicks survive with signings like
defender Tom Lockyer and Leyton
Orient hotshot Macauley Bonne.Losing Frank Lampard to Chelsea
is undoubtedly a big loss for the
Rams, as were the departures of
Mason Mount and Harry Wilson at
the end of their loan spells. It’ll be
a challenge to make the play-offs,
but Phillip Cocu has the credentials
to put them in the promotion mix.The big talking point among the fans
has been Lee Bowyer’s contract. The
manager [below] signed a one-year
extension hours after owner Roland
Duchatelet said Bowyer would be off.
This season will be different because
it will be a massive step up, working
with the division’s smallest budget.
I won’t be happy unless there’s
a takeover. Duchatelet’s cost-cutting
measures leave Charlton hamstrung.
Our most underrated player is
Anfernee Dijksteel. The 22-year-old
Dutch right-back kept club captain
Chris Solly out of the team at times.
Look out for teenager Albie Morgan,
a superb passer of the ball.
The best away ground is Elland
Road. It’s a famous old-fashioned
stadium with a great atmosphere.
The best away fans are Sheffield
Wednesday’s. They travel in numbers.
The opposition player I secretly
admire is Mallik Wilks, who’s joined
Barnsley from Leeds. A pacy, directwideman with an impressive goal
return on loan at Doncaster last term.
The pantomime villain will be Lyle
Taylor [above]. He admits that he
loves playing up to the crowd – it’s
great fun when he’s on your side.
Save the date for Millwall away
[November 9]. Possibly the most
one-sided derby: we have a 23-year
winless run against our local rivals.
The best club social media account
is the @charltonlive radio show.
The signature local dish is haddock
(hence ‘Addicks’) and chips from the
Seabay Fish Bar on Floyd Road.
The other recommendation for
away fans is to take in the views
across London from Greenwich Park.
Our key player will be Lyle Taylor,
our focal point since he joined from
AFC Wimbledon last summer. Goals,
energy and a fair few assists, too.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that he’s improved players and built
a decent squad on a shoestring. He
likes to keep things simple and isn’t
afraid to make tactical alterations.
If he left, he should be replaced by
assistant manager Johnnie Jackson.
We’ll finish 18th. It will be a battle.The big talking point among the fans
has been the future of Frank Lampard.
He was only ever on loan, much like
Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori, but
we hoped it’d last longer than a year.
Our most underrated player is
Richard Keogh [below]. Ridiculed by
outsiders, he’s been a solid presence
since arriving from Coventry in 2012.
Look out for England youth midfielder
Louie Sibley, the most hyped member
of Derby’s U18 champions of England.
The best away ground is Stamford
Bridge, if we get Chelsea in the cup...
The one change I’d make to the club
would be to hire a sporting director,
given we apparently can’t hold onto
a manager for more than 12 months.
Save the date for Leeds [September
21 and April 25]. After last season’s
hoo-ha with them, neutrals and Sky
Sports will have those fixtures circled.
Lampard’s departure will take some
of the sting out, but their lot will be
absolutely desperate for revenge.The best Rams social media account
is @OwenBradley. Makes excellent
videos for the club without coming
across as a propaganda merchant.
The best thing about the matchday
experience at Derby is it’s a fine
stadium, with all the facilities you
could want. It may lack the storied
atmosphere of the Baseball Ground,
but such is the way with new stadia.
The other recommendation for
away fans is check out some of the
city’s real ale pubs. Derby is genuinely
brilliant for them.
Did you know that there isn’t a curse
which prevents the club from getting
promoted, or from keeping a manager
for more than 12 months.
Our key player will be Jack Marriott
[above]. He’s a seriously talented
poacher who could easily score 20
goals this season, if he gets the starts
he was denied by Lampard.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is
that Phillip Cocu, Derby’s first foreign
manager, is more experienced than
Lampard and will command respect
after a decorated career with PSV.
We’ll finish 6th, but that very much
depends on our summer recruitment.FAn FILE
OLLIE WRIGHT
@DerbyCountyBlogFAn FILE
LOUIS MENDEZ
@LouisMend