Though Russell Slade used a 4-5-1 formation at Scunthorpe on Tuesday night, the Charlton manager is happiest deploying a 4-4-2 system.
Of his three main strikers, Lee Novak has been sidelined with a hand injury and illness for much of the season, but should be available for Saturday’s trip to Oxford.
If his stomach bug has not taken the edge of Novak’s fitness, Slade will have all his strikers to choose from.
Novak and Nicky Ajose were in pole position at the start of the season, but Josh Magennis has impressed since arriving from Kilmarnock.
Novak is a clever player in the Teddy Sheringham mould, he can both score and create goals.
Novak – who will celebrate his 29th birthday on Wednesday – started his League career at Huddersfield. He was part of Lee Clark’s side that had an unbeaten run of 43 games in League One. Ironically, that run came to an end at The Valley.
The prolific Jordan Rhodes was often paired with Novak during that run. In total, Novak made 89 league starts for the Terriers, plus another 55 appearances from the bench, scoring 34 goals.
Novak followed Lee Clark to Birmingham in the summer of 2013. He scored 9 goals during his stay at St Andrews, but had a successful loan stint at Chesterfield last season. He scored 14 times in his 32 starts and 3 substitute appearances for the Spireites.
Magennis started his professional career as a goalkeeper with Cardiff, but Bluebird’s academy coach, Neal Ardley, converted the muscular Ulsterman into a forward.
Magennis really made his name in Scotland with Aberdeen and Kilmarnock.
The Addicks beat a number of other clubs to secure Magennis’ services in the summer. He has impressed, recently scored his first goal for the club at Fleetwood, but his partnership with Ajose is yet to really gel.
Ajose was coveted by a number of Championship clubs in the summer, and had a terrific 2014/15 campaign with Swindon.
He netted 24 goals in 38 games for the Robins, and never went more than 4 games without scoring.
Peviously, he had spells at ten clubs, either on a permanent or loan basis, an awful lot for a 24-year-old.
Playing alongside Novak, Ajose notched a hat-trick in the first pre-season game at Welling, and the pair seemed to strike up an instant understanding.
Ajose has struggled to find his shooting boots thus far, his brace at Walsall at the end of last month, are his only goals for the club so far.
So, much for Slade to ponder. It may be that he considers Novak as his top striker, and he could return to the starting line-up on Saturday. But who will emerge as the regular strike partnership?
Oxford have made a solid start to the campaign after winning promotion to League One. They currently sit in 12th place in the table – one point and two places above the Addicks.
Manager, Michael Appleton, seems to have found a club that suits him, and he has done a good job at the Kassam.
Charlton gained a meritorious point at Scunthorpe on Tuesday, following Saturday’s disappointing home loss to AFC Wimbledon.
Russell Slade was without Ricky Holmes and Lee Novak at Scunthorpe, but should have the duo available for this match.
Slade brought Patrick Bauer in to the side on Tuesday, and the big German is likely to retain his place.
The manager will have decisions to make with his defence and front line. He opted for a 4-5-1 shape at Glanford Park, but could revert to his more favoured 4-4-2 formation for this game.
The Addicks may look something like this:
Rudd; Solly, Bauer, Pearce, Fox; Holmes, Crofts, Ulvestad, Lookman; Magennis, Novak.
Subs: Phillips, Konsa, Lennon, Foley, Jackson, Botaka, Ajose.
The referee will be Keith Stroud from Hampshire.
Oxford have won three and drawn one of their four home league games, but this is a match where Slade will be looking to take all three points.
TAGS: Charlton Athletic