Addicks aim to end Chelsea run
Alan Curbishley admits it feels as if Chelsea breeze effortlessly from one match to another, but hopes Charlton will give them plenty of cause for concern in their Carling Cup clash at Stamford Bridge.
The Addicks are the closest challengers to the Barclays Premiership leaders, but are nine points adrift, albeit with a game in hand.
Chelsea ended Charlton’s 100% start to the new campaign with a 2-0 win at The Valley in September, and eventually saw their own impressive run end following a surprise 1-1 draw at struggling Everton on Sunday.
Curbishley is impressed by the Blues “phenomenal” form but is optimistic of giving Jose Mourinho’s side a run for their money again.
“I get the impression that Chelsea are just playing – and not training particularly. There is a freshness in them,” the Charlton manager said.
“They have played on Sunday, come in on Monday, probably had a little warm-up and another warm up today and they have probably not spoken about us at all and will just turn up tomorrow.
“That’s how they’re keeping their freshness up.
“Having played us a few weeks ago they probably haven’t thought about us too much, and that’s the only way they can do it at the moment – they have so many games.”
Curbishley added: “Games between us are normally tight.
“We’ve had our fair share of wins against them, but in recent times that has been turned round.
“It would be nice to get a result and turn that back.”
However, Charlton’s record in cup competitions in recent years has been hugely disappointing.
Since Curbishley took charge in 1991, Charlton have been embarrassed by a number of minnows – including Gillingham, Blackpool, Oxford and Walsall – and had to come from behind to see off the challenge of League One Hartlepool at home in the previous round.
It is a reputation the Addicks boss wants to shed.
“We want to do well in the cups,” Curbishley added. “Every year we have had fantastic draws, and never taken advantage of them, nothing seems to change.
“This is a tough draw, so let’s see what happens.
“It is a cup game, a one off. It has got to be settled on the night and we go there in good spirits trying to get a result.
“I am not going there to get people behind the ball and hoping to do something on the break.
“Our away record is fantastic, we have scored goals, so why not go to Chelsea and try to do that?”
Curbishley knows however he will have to come up with something special to knock out the holders, who have such strength in depth.
“It is very difficult to find a weakness at the moment,” he conceded. “They don’t let many goals in and that’s the basis of their success.
“While Arsenal and Manchester United were drawing games last year, Chelsea were winning them 1-0.
“That was a major reason for them winning the league – they had difficult games, but still ended up winning them.
“Arsenal were very sleek when they were at it, they were a phenomenal side. Manchester United had loads of flair, Chelsea are very strong, determined and professional.
“Whatever game they’re playing in, it is for winning. They have a real strength about them right through their squad.
“If they’d had a fantastic start, like seven wins and couple of draws then all the teams behind them – who have been getting two points a game – would be more in touch.
“But their start has been phenomenal. That is the big difference at the moment.”
On-loan midfielder Alexei Smertin is unavailable under the terms of the deal which took him to The Valley this summer, with Matt Holland and Bryan Hughes in contention to replace the Russian.
Otherwise Curbishley intends to not to alter a winning side, which could mean goalkeeper Dean Kiely on the bench again after recovering from a fractured finger.
“I don’t want to be accused of being disrespectful to the League Cup. I have not got it in my mind there will be many changes.”
