Will Charlton buck the cup rotation trend?

After the Lord Mayor's Show on Saturday, Tuesday evening's Carabao Cup clash promises a quieter affair — with stand closures and a more modest crowd — as Charlton Athletic welcome a second Hertfordshire side - Stevenage - to The Valley in the first round.

Stevenage have made a flying start to their League One campaign, winning both of their opening games against Blackpool and Rotherham United respectively.

They have always posed a tricky test for Charlton, as recent results have shown: a defeat at Broadhall Way last season, and two hard-fought draws under former boss Steve Evans in the 2023-24 campaign.

In fairness, we enjoyed a more straightforward contest at The Valley back in February during our League One run, winning 2–0 thanks to goals from Matty Godden and Luke Berry. We also restricted them to no shots on target — a solid display against Alex Revell's side.

Still, both managers are likely to ring the changes, and here's the bugbear I've had for years.

Once upon a time, teams like Liverpool managed all competitions with a 16-man squad. Modern football has long since abandoned that approach, with domestic cup games often becoming the stage for heavy rotation — especially in this competition.

The league takes priority now, and this old dinosaur will just have to get use to it.

But imagine someone bucking the trend - you never know, another Swindon Town or Luton Town-style cup fairytale could happen, as a smaller club plays a full-strength side and is rewarded with silverware.

I get the feeling Nathan Jones wants to do well in this competition and keep the winning momentum going. On paper, there should be enough in our new-look squad to progress — but Stevenage are awkward customers.

Score prediction: Charlton 3–1 Stevenage.

Paul Sullivan provides commentary on Charlton Athletic games for the visually impaired.