Budget decisions for next season start soon

Richard Cawley has been talking to CAFC chairman Gavin Carter.   The chairman more or less confirmed that this season the Addicks had had one of the lowest budgets in the Championship, simply noting that crisis club Sheffield Wednesday's playing budget was lower.   

He also pointed out that the metrics were not straightforward.   Confidential discussions did  take place with other clubs when visiting them for matches.   He realised that fans were not keen on key performance indicators, but they were a key decision-making tool.

One of the reasons the board liked Nathan Jones was that he had shown at Luton that he could manage a constrained budget.

Discussions about next year's budget will begin towards the end of March,  It was evident that the board was waiting to see what the finishing position would be.

The owners are open to the injection of fresh capital, but are more focused on the quality rather than the amount

Congratulations, Lyndon Dykes

Lyndon Dykes has been called up for Scotland's international friendlies.  This means that he may have a chance of joining their World Cup squad

He has proved to be a good signing at Charlton despite initial scepticism.

Welshman hits centenary

Richard Cawley reminds us that Nathan Jones chalked up 100 league games in charge of Charlton at the Kassam Stadium on Saturday.

The last manager to achieve this feat was Lee Bowyer in 2020.

Under Jones the Addicks have won 41, drawn 32 and lost 27,   His win rate is 41 per cent.  Arguably too many draws.

I wouldn't rate Jones as anywhere near Jimmy Seed, Alan Curbishley and Lennie Lawrence (or Chris Powell who suffered from the barmy Belgian).

But he is doing a job for us, getting us out of League One and probably keeping us in the Championship.  I don't think we're quite safe yet and Saturday's fixture against Norwich is tricky.

One thing most fans would agree on is that some of the players are not good enough for the Championship and we need them to find their level in League One or Two.   No names, no pack drill as there is understandably disagreement about some names.

But with a second season in the Championship, a good stadium and training ground and a London location, we should be well placed to attract some quality players next season.

Penalty pain then joy for Charlton

After holding Oxford to 0-0 in a low quality first half, Kayne Ramsay bundled over Oxford starlet Will Lankshear in the box.  (Lankshear was being watched by England Under 21 supremo Lee Carsley).  Mannion dived the right way for the penalty kick, but Brannagan put the ball in the bottom corner.on 57 minutes.

Richard Cawley put out an appeal for video of the penalty incident.   Some Addicks there doubted that it was a penalty.   (Referee Matt Donohue is often VAR at top flight matches).

Shortly afterwards it was almost 2-0 to the hosts.   Will Lankshear gets through and plays a lovely chip over Addicks keeper Will Mannion.  Mannion just gets enough on it to slow it down and give Lloyd Jones enough time to get there and clear the ball off the line.   Good goalkeeping there from Mannion.  (Most Addicks supported his selection).

Coventry was replaced by Jayden Fevrier.

Stanley Mills, son of Danny Mills, was booked for a foul on Luke Chambers.   Danny Mills and Steve Brown were seen in conversation before the game,

Into the last 10 minutes of normal time and Charlton are really going to step this up to get anything from this game, they haven't created anywhere near enough.

The Addicks have had just two shots in the entire match so far and have not tested Jamie Donley in the Oxford goal   Both Leaburn and Campbell have disappointed (although many would say that Campbell never looks interested).   Losing Dykes in the warm up was a real blow.

Ibrahim Fullah and Joe Rankin-Costello were introduced in place of captain Greg Docherty and Luke Chambers.

The Addicks were awarded a late penalty and Kelman scored on 90+3 minutes.   He shot low into the bottom left-hand corner with the keeper diving the right way but unable to connect.

Dumbo Ciaron Brown grabbed hold of the shirt of Lloyd Jones and pulled him to the fkoor after Fullah had put in a decent cross.

Two points off Oxford, one for Charkton.

Mercurial supremo Nathan Jones told Richard Cawley that he blamed his players for the disappointing result: They didn’t stick to the game plan and they didn’t do a single thing I said at half-time. That is why we came unstuck and conceded.'

Oxford dream or nightmare?

It would be very Charlton to do the unpredictable at Boro and then fail to claim any points at Oxford United on Saturday, although I am hopeful of at least a point which means two points off Oxford.

This is not, of course, the Oxford of dreaming spires but more that of Blackbird Leys.   I must say that I find a three sided ground a bit of a joke with people perched on the tops of vehicles to see the action.  However, they now have plans for a new stadium to the north of the city.

The dreaming spires are represented by non-league and former amateur team Oxford City.   They were once headed up by Norman Chester, the warden of Nuffield College who wrote a prescient but now forgotten official report on the state of football.  Actually finding their ground is a real challenge.

Of course, I remember when Oxford played at Headington, recalling their origins as Headington United. It might be said to be a ground with 'character' with a series of individual stands.   We bought some of the seats and the turnstiles at Leamington.

Enough history.  Oxford have made a bit of a recovery recently, beating Blackburn 1-0 at home during the week.   At home they have won just five matches, drawn six and lost seven.

Oxford are unbeaten in seven home fixtures with Charlton (won four, draw three).  The Addicks last won there in 1998.   This was also the last time we did the double over them.

I'm not sure whether this matters, but Oxford have only won one of the last twelve home games that have kicked off at 12.30.

I was interested to see that Charlton are now above QPR in the table.  Each season there is usually a team that gets dragged into it late on and I wonder if it could be the Super Hoops this year.   It would be just repayment for QPR super fan Lord Young of Acton using his Spectator column to attack Charlton fanzine editor Rick Everitt.

In their preview, CAS Trust emphasise the extent to which Oxford rely on set piece goals.   Our defending at corners still concerns me.

They also note that the two clubs are close together in the form table which suggests a tight contest.

Dykes was taken ill during the warm up and replaced by Miles Leaburn.  Zach Mitchell joined the bench,

In the opening 25 minutes, the Addicks had 60 per cent possession but neither side had any shots.  After Harry Clarke put in some excellent defensive work, there were chants of 'Sign him up' from the Addickted.

A late tackle by charm merchant Helik caught Leaburn on the shin.  The Charlton man was in some pain and the home player received a yellow card.

The home side applied more pressure after 30 minutes and Luke Chambers was booked for a needless foul, but the free kick from a dangerous position went over.

0-0 at half time.  As Louis Mendez commented, 'Not a great spectacle'  Charlton had more possession, but failed to create chances.

To the Londoners 1-0

Charlton's unexpected win at Middlesbrough tonight eased their relegation fears.   The winning goal came from Conor Coady, viewed by many pessimists as a useless signing.

Kim Hellberg's home side dominated possession throughout the game but not for the first time of late lacked a clinical touch in attack and were frustrated by the well organised visitors.

Wing-backs Matt Targett and Callum Brittain were wasteful in good positions early on, while Aidan Morris thumped the crossbar during a strong first-half spell.

The Addicks had their moments on the break, though, and Charlie Kelman should have done better when his shot was saved by Sol Brynn at his near post.

The pattern of play continued in the second half until Coady, on his 400th career league start, got ahead of his marker to touch in a mammoth throw from Harry Clarke.

The goal, his first for the club, all but silenced the home fans.

Boro kept up the pressure, ending the night with 34 shots on goal, but Will Mannion in the Charlton goal was largely untroubled until he saved well from Hayden Hackney late on.

Charlton, who had won just one of their previous 12 on the road, now look comfortable in 17th place with a nine-point cushion to the relegation zone. 

Negativists struggled for a narrative with avatar Desmond from Deal saying in despair: 'Just when Jones looks like getting his P45, he pulls a rabbit out of the hat.'

One leading moaner said before the game, 'Jones has lost the plot.'   

But as the coach explained to Richard Cawley: '“It was a gamble because I’m sure social media would have been going ‘oh, they’ve taken this game lightly’, ‘they don’t think they can win it’ or ‘they are preparing for Oxford’. I imagine that is the case - I don’t read social media. So you’ll have to tell me if that is true or not,” said the Welshman.

“But we have to utilise the squad. It demonstrates the trust we’ve put into them.We’ve had to use the squad because we’ve got seven first-team players out at the moment. Josh Edwards, Collins (Sichenje) and (Reece) Burke. Three defenders - you can’t take too many risks in that area. (Luke) Berry, Harvey Knibbs, (Matty) Godden, Thomas Kaminski.  All huge players.'

Boro game poses difficult choices

Curbs used to call them 'bonus ball' games when you were away to a much stronger side.   If you did win them, it was a great plus.    Many of us can remember the 4-2 'Black Sabbath' win at Highbury or winning 3-0 at Everton.

However, Curbs also emphasised that what mattered was beating the teams around you.   So the really crucial match this week is not tonight's game at Middlesbrough, but the six pointer at Oxford United on Saturday.   The early kick off to suit Sky gives the Addicks even less recovery time.

Boro will be motivated to win tonight after the victory by Millwall yesterday put them just one point behind in the automatic promotion race.

After some signs of faltering, Boro won 3-1 at Birmingham and then brushed the Super  Hoops aside 4-0 at Loftus Road.   Although we didn't manage it, QPR often collapse under real pressure.

We do need to avoid a pasting tonight.  Goal difference may yet matter and it wouldn't be good for confidence.    Boro have sometimes seemed nervous at home, leading to five draws.

Clearly the strategy should be to defend and counter attack, but that still leaves some difficult decisions about players.  Lloyd Jones, a key player, is one card away from a ban, but we don't have many other options.

Remarks made by Nathan Jones to Richard Cawley suggest that he now sees a real competition for the keeper slot.   In one sense that is welcome, but it still means a difficult choice with armchair managers ready to pounce.

Boro have lost just one of their last thirteen games against Charlton.   They are unbeaten in their last five games at home, conceding just one goal.

There are quite a few northern Addicks who go to these midweek games 'oop north and I hope we put on a display for them tonight.   My guess would be 3-0 to the Boro. but a draw is possible.

Reporting on the line up, Richard Cawley says it looks as if key players are being rotated/rested.