Defensive worries compounded

Charlton's players gave their all against Chelsea at The Valley last night and Mannion made some great saves.   It was also pleasing to see Miles score.   And the mist really did roll in from the Thames.

The complete absent of Kaminski from the line up was explained by Nathan Jones in terms of rotation which appears to be a new departure in this position.

But now it's back to the grind of staying in the league and Nathan Jones has told Richard Cawley that his defensive worries have been compounded after last night's game.

Amar'i Bell pulled up with a hamstring problem on 74 minutes and not long afterwards Tyreece Campbell felt something and had to be replaced.

The Addicks were already without Kayne Ramsey, Reece Burke and Josh Edwards.

Shell shocked supremo Jones told Cawley that he would like to bring in five defenders during the window, but only two are really feasible and one of those is likely to be Bree whom many fans think has faded from a good start.

Bell chimes with Addicks

Amar'i Bell reckons that the Charlton squad shows the same 'hunger' that saw his former club Luton promoted to the Premier League against all the odds.

'When somebody has something to prove and a hunger to achieve that is always going to work well, especially when there are so many people who want the same thing,' the 31-year old told the Football League Paper.  'Even myself, having got to the Premier League before, has made me hungrier to do it again.'

'What we have got now isn't the Luton spirit,' he insisted.  'It's a spirit the manager created with the character of all the personnel he broughtt in.   He knows what he wants to get out of the lads.  He drivesd standards and has an intensity that he wants to play at.'

'The fans have been amazing.   They give us extra motivation and help.   To hear them going crazy when we've made a goal-line clearance or put that strong tackle in lifts your energy levels.'

Surgery for Edwards

Left wing-back Josh Edwards has undergone surgery on the ankle he injured against Blackburn Rovers, reports Richard Cawlwy.. Nathan Jones: “Josh has had a surgical procedure which was the best scenario, because it sped up the process. That will be more weeks than a short-term one.”

Cawley asked Nathan Jones about Amari'i Bell, who didn't feature in Jamaica's second World Cup qualifier in midweek. NJ: "A bit of stiffness of certain stuff. Rather than risk him they kept him around. "Amari'i is back with us today. We'll assess him and see how he is to go on the weekend. He has played a lot of football and more consecutively than he did last year, so we have to be careful. Jamaica were respectful of that."

CAS Trust preview of game against Sheffield Wednesday: https://www.castrust.org/2025/10/red-white-black-and-back-on-track/

Josh Edwards injury worry

Richard Cawley reports, ‘Nathan Jones just told me that Josh Edwards set to go for a scan on his ankle and see a specialist. I'm not totally quoting him but his answer was along lines of "it doesn't look a great one"

.’Nathan Jones told Richard Cawley that the Scot sees a specialist tomorrow (today), so we see where we are. ‘He landed awkwardly and tweaked ligaments on the inside of his ankle, which is a bit of a rare one. We’ve got the international break coming up, which allows us to get a couple of weeks out of the way.’

Amari’i Bell, who has been so composed on the left side of a back three, was asked to continue in the left wing-back spot he slotted into once Edwards hobbled off at the weekend.

We have another tricky away fixture at Preston on Saturday.   I won't be covering this as I am going to Spain for a few days to see the branch of my family there, not least my great-granddaughter.

As my middle daughter's farm is in a remote location off grid, I won't have much internet access so I am taking a break from posting.

More links with Luton

I met the local Hatter this morning.   He confirmed that Thomas Kaminski is a very good keeper and that he is a real loss for Luton.   He was certainly their best player last season.  If it hadn't been for his saves, Luton would have been relegated by mid-season.  He is a great shot stopper.   The Hatter thought that he did not have any obvious weaknesses.

Richard Cawley reports on another link with Luton:  'More big Championship experience added to the Charlton squad as they hand a two-year deal to Amari'i Bell.  This signing reunites the Jamaican international with Nathan Jones, who was a key factor in him signing for Luton Town. Bell released by the Hatters at the end of last season.'

More on the left back's career: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amari%27i_Bell