CHARLTON manager Chris Powell admits he faces a selection dilemma ahead of tomorrow evening’s League Cup encounter with Leyton Orient at The Valley.

The O’s tie will be the Addicks’ first competitive game of the season after the Championship campaign was delayed by the London Games.

Charlton travel to Birmingham this weekend for their league opener and Powell will be keen to avoid any injuries to his preferred starting XI ahead of the trip to St Andrews, meaning fringe players could be set to feature tomorrow.

“I’ve got to see how everyone is,” Powell told Charlton Live after Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win at Fulham.

“On the one hand you would prefer the game to be after your first league game, you want a clear week leading up to your first league game and always do.

“But it is what it is because of the Olympics so I’ve got to balance it right.

“The happiness and the euphoria of last year we have to sadly say that has gone now because it is a new season, a new league with new teams.

“But we are going to be in there competing and making sure this season is going to be a season that makes us take another step forward.

“That is what we will be aiming to do.

“We’ve worked ever so hard to get here and we are going to keep working even more now to be competitive and make sure we make a statement.

“It is a big game for us Birmingham away, a tough game.

“They are going to have a real loud crowd.

“I know what they are like up there but we will be ready.”

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