Smertin forced to sit out

Charlton will be without on-loan midfielder Alexei Smertin for the Carling Cup tie with his parent club Chelsea tomorrow at Stamford Bridge.

The 30-year-old Russia international is unavailable under the terms of the deal which took him from the Barclays Premiership champions to The Valley this summer.

Otherwise manager Alan Curbishley intends to field a strong side, with Matt Holland and Brian Hughes likely to come into a five-man midfield with Jerome Thomas (shin) now fit after missing the weekend win at Portsmouth.

Striker Shaun Bartlett (ankle), defender Gonzalo Sorondo (hamstring) and midfielder Jason Euell (shoulder) remain out, and goalkeeper Dean Kiely could be on the bench again.

Provisional squad: Andersen, Young, Perry, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Spector, Powell, Kishishev, Murphy, Thomas, Ambrose, Rommedahl, Bent, Bothroyd, Myhre, Kiely, Johansson, Fortune, Hughes, Holland, Sam.