POST-MATCH THREAD: Preston North End v Charlton Athletic: Saturday 4th October 2025: KO 15:00

shirty5 · October 4

3 games in 8 days the way we play was always going to catch up with us if you stick with the majority of the personnel in the starting eleven

ElfsborgAddick · October 4

Fortune 82nd Minute said:

Not too disappointed.

Preston are a decent team with some good players. And 2 long trips in a week can't be easy even if the players aren't exactly travelling on a Megabus.

And just so typical that an ex-player scores against us. Why always us?

Thought Docherty had another outstanding game. And Kelman probably his best game for us so far.

Even so, we scarcely looked like scoring. And that is now one goal for our four main forwards in nine games. Something has to change soon because we can't carry on like that .

Hmmm I think you may be in the minority in not being too disappointed. That was not a good watch.

We did not have a shot on target.

BenHaimandBikey · October 4

Kelman has managed four shots all season in the league.

I doubt there's a striker in the league who has started seven games and taken as few as four shots.

I know it's a bit of a symptom of Jones's Sufferball™, but you can't have a player starting up top who is not a goal threat in this division. Let's switch it up.

ShootersHillGuru · October 4

Cutting edge or lack of it is starting to look like a real problem.

Crispywood · October 4

Defensively we’ve conceded 3 chances all game and one of those was just a lucky deflection. Defensively imo we’ve put in 1 bad defensive performance in out of 9 so no issues there. However we’ve got to change something going forward there’s not a single forward combo that works at present tempted to bring in Knibbs or Apter and go 3-4-2-1

Chris_from_Sidcup · October 4

ValleyGary said:

2nd half completely outplayed. We can’t do 3 games in a week the way we play, we have to adjust to this league better

Which is worrying because there are quite a few Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday games before Christmas.

TheHerminator · October 4

People suggesting today’s performance has them worried are the same that say we’re getting promoted after a win.

Balance is key

Scoham · October 4

I’ll just copy over what I said in the TC thread. I was happy enough with the first half.

We need pace and width on at least one wing, as good as Bree is he won’t be doubled up on by the opposition and that creates space. Not unlike Jones to revert back to solid consistent players, but at this level we need more creativity and flair in the final third on top of throwing on height, pace and power.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The problem for me wasn’t bringing TC off, it was not bringing Apter and/or Hernandez on.

NJ must understand what those 3 offer having so much faith in TC and signing the other two recently.

We need to evolve in the final third and just putting more height, pace and strength on hasn’t been as successful as it was last season.

Combine it with a wide player or two who loves taking players on - even if the end product isn’t there, it can also create more space for others, and make a team sit back more to avoid being countered.

Having Small and TC on either wing was arguably the most important factor in our improvement last season. As good as Bree is, he doesn’t offer a those strengths, and if you don’t start with that on both wings, at least end the game that way when you’re losing.

801912601 · October 4

Battled well and worked hard without creating any decent chances. Burke, Bree & Carey looked tired from early on. Lots of aimless balls fired forward where Kelman kept the ball well but couldn’t bring other players into play. TC causes problems but no end product. Our corners and free kicks were poor. Leaburn needs to cut out the little flicks and be stronger. Would like to have seen Apter come on and cause them problems with his pace. Nightmare journey for the brave fans who were noisy until going 1 done.
Need to use the 2 week break to work on our attacking play.

se9addick · October 4

ShootersHillGuru said:

Cutting edge or lack of it is starting to look like a real problem.

Sheffield Wednesday have already conceded 20
goals this season. If our strikers (whatever combination we ended fielding) aren’t capable of finding the net against them then we really will be in a bad place!

cafcnick1992 · October 4

TheHerminator said:

People suggesting today’s performance has them worried are the same that say we’re getting promoted after a win.

Balance is key

Basically the first team that has outplayed us all season too.

Rob · October 4

Preston are a good team. They kept it very tight. But, so did we in the 1st half. A very cagey game. Then they scored which was scrappy but the 1st goal was going to be key. And they scored a 2nd as we opened up a bit.

Overall we played ok but, really, Preston took their chances better than us.

I do feel we need to sort it out going forward. Campbell and Kelman just isn’t working although I thought Kelman played well. Campbell is an enigma. He can set the game alight but for a game like today, was it a wasted position having him out there? Difficult question to answer because it was when he went off that we seemed to lose our shape a bit. I feel it’s good having him out there as the opposition fear him so they double up. But, we do need to sort out how to play him and who to play with him.

I’m also not sure if Leaburn is working. It’s good having his height when he comes on but it’s so much tighter at this level and I just don’t feel he creates much. Maybe Olaofe should be given a start. But, who should he start with? Not an easy question but I’m sure NJ will sort it out. And, we have Godden coming back. But, how will he fare against Championship opposition. We also have Hernandez now. Give him a go?

Anyway, the Championship is such a big step up from league one and we’re competing well. But we need to sort it out up front and how they link with the midfield.

ShootersHillGuru · October 4

Let’s face it we look like a mid table Championship side that’s got a win and a loss in our locker. I’d have bitten your hand off for that scenario before the season kicked off. Disappointing today but we’ve got a very winnable game at The Valley up next and we need to get back up for that and Jones will ensure we are. I think I’d like to see a bit of a shake up in our attack though. It’s a complete dud at the moment. I think all of Olaofe, Knibbs and Apter have a genuine case for getting a start.

Ilovelondontown · October 4

Why are we suddenly struggling with the extra midweek game, thought that fitness was one of our strengths?
love TC but he doesn’t look like he’s enjoying himself at the moment?
imo kelman is slowly improving ?
We are very predictable, that needs to change?
all the train travellers good luck getting home,
Not a bad start to the season, hope heads don’t drop.

Lordflashheart · October 4

Nightmare journey up by train - tepid performance, with too many players looking knackered - currently on nightmare journey home by train, with options to get back to London dropping like flies

Mood is low in my little group

I was going to take in a bit of non league next Saturday, don’t think I can be arsed now

se9addick · October 4

Lordflashheart said:

Nightmare journey up by train - tepid performance, with too many players looking knackered - currently on nightmare journey home by train, with options to get back to London dropping like flies

Mood is low in my little group

I was going to take in a bit of non league next Saturday, don’t think I can be arsed now

“Tepid” is a very polite way to put it given your circumstances!

Hope you and all the travelling Addicks get home safely and quickly.

Greenie Junior · October 4

Hopefully we will start considering putting a pin in this Leaburn nonsense. Brings absolutely nothing and generally makes us worse. A big lump who is Slow & powderpuff.

Is there any sign of Godden coming back?

We were noticeably worse without Campbell too, which says a lot considering the stick he gets.

Much needed international break coming and hopefully a fully charged side ready for Wendies at home.

stoneroses19 · October 4

Current points average gets us to 61 points over full season. Will be over the moon with that.

Braziliance · October 4

TheHerminator said:

Braziliance said:

Absolutely dreadful.

Midfield can't contain the ball, defence had a bad day, which can't really happen as it is our only key to success, and to top it all off, all our strikers looked ineffective.

8 games minimum for all our strikers, 9 games in, a combined 35 appearances, and 1 goal to show for it. Woeful.

International break very much needed to dispense of a Sheffield Wednesday side that is a must win game.

Was it though?

It wasn’t great but we were beaten by the better fresher team. I’m not sure woeful is the correct description

Yes, it was absolutely dreadful.

Could barely string an attack together, 0 shots on target, couldn't keep the ball mostly. I don’t see any positives in that performance.

Woeful is the exact way I would describe 1 goal between 4 forwards in 35 appearances.

Thierry Small has 2 and he had no end product apparently (not entirely disagreeing with that)

Redrobo · October 4

I think some have forgotten that the aim this season is staying up.
Kelman and Campbell help us keep games very tight. Finishers are to help us keep what we’ve got or to nick a goal.
Jones came into the Club to keep us from going down to league 2, which he did by sorting the defence.

He then addressed the forward play and got us promoted.
Too early for me to try and be clever.
2 points a game is promotion form. We have taken four from three very difficult games, two of which were away. That is staying up form.
We are also good at home.
That is staying up form.

RonnieMoore · October 4

BenHaimandBikey said:

Kelman has managed four shots all season in the league.

I doubt there's a striker in the league who has started seven games and taken as few as four shots.

I know it's a bit of a symptom of Jones's Sufferball™, but you can't have a player starting up top who is not a goal threat in this division. Let's switch it up.

But he created 4 good chances in last two games one we scored from .. ask the question he had two shots on Tuesday that he made himself .. how many chances has been created for him to have a shot ? Perhaps that the problem not Kelman

2121 · October 4

Outplayed. Small and their striker were a level above, made us look slow.

Jones should have made changes to the starting 11, given the midweek game. The midfield looked tired. Wheres anderson and rankin costello? Etc

RonnieMoore · October 4

Braziliance said:

TheHerminator said:

Braziliance said:

Absolutely dreadful.

Midfield can't contain the ball, defence had a bad day, which can't really happen as it is our only key to success, and to top it all off, all our strikers looked ineffective.

8 games minimum for all our strikers, 9 games in, a combined 35 appearances, and 1 goal to show for it. Woeful.

International break very much needed to dispense of a Sheffield Wednesday side that is a must win game.

Was it though?

It wasn’t great but we were beaten by the better fresher team. I’m not sure woeful is the correct description

Yes, it was absolutely dreadful.

Could barely string an attack together, 0 shots on target, couldn't keep the ball mostly. I don’t see any positives in that performance.

Woeful is the exact way I would describe 1 goal between 4 forwards in 35 appearances.

Thierry Small has 2 and he had no end product apparently (not entirely disagreeing with that)

Bree got two but what does that mean Small
has one cause really today that was an OG by Ramsey I know the crap about it’s on target but fact is if Ramsey was not there it would have been a save for Kaminski … it was not “ woeful “ blimey we are in the championship playing a team in the top 6 and we held them comfortably until a very lucky goal changed the game .. we would have have got a point and then your be saying what a great team performance etc etc

SOTF · October 4

In terms of overall dominance, Preston are the best team we’ve faced this season.

Jebberson is everything we need our forwards to be. Aggressive, pressing, can play with back to goal, good in the air, brings others in to play and lasts 90 minutes.

As for us, I think we’re around our level now. We’re not a top 10 side in this league but I don’t think we’re in trouble either.

Good to get 2 weeks to look at lessons learned from 3 games in 7 days and get some freshness back in the group.

golfaddick · October 4

SELR_addicks said:

Todds_right_hook said:

gringo said:

It's not that long ago that we worried that some club would come in and nick Leaburn off us. I think at the moment we would struggle to give him away. He doesn't seem to have pushed on (perhaps his injury has affected him longer term) but It seems there is something missing at the moment.

The thing that is missing affecting Leaburns game is service!!!

He does look markedly slower than before his injury. Maybe I just have a poor memory but used to think he had a decent 5-10 yard sprint.

He's never been that good. Just like his old man. Split opinions although there were/are more for than against. At least his old man could attack the ball in the air (oh yes I forgot, he did get his head to a ball to flick onto Knibbs that set up our winner at Bramall Lane 🙄)

I'd start with Oloafe & Kelman for the next few games. Try that pairing & see how we fare.

Northern_Monkey · October 4

Few chances for both teams first half, relatively even. They didn’t create much but had more of the ball second half as we dropped our level a little. Don’t need to mention the lucky deflected goal, but they deserved the lead. The second was as a result of us pressing and left a gap at the back for them to make full use of. No drama, no surprises, we’ll get wins again soon.

scabbyhorse · October 4

Personally, I’d start Tanto and Hernandez against Sheffield Wednesday. Although I think Carey is a good player and has done nothing wrong, I’d also give Knibbs a start. Jones needs to try different combinations up front, as there’s zero chance he’ll change the formation.

RonnieMoore · October 4

As NJ says … we take stock we top half in the championship and lost one in 5 ….. not happy with first goal the ball went out was our throw but ref gave it to them .. small margins could not ask anymore of the boys

think that sums it up pretty well

CafcSteve · October 4

On the way back home now.

We were very poor from start to finish.

Coventry just wanted to get rid of the ball.

Kelman & Campbell didn’t threaten at all.

Knibbs seems to have no fitness.

Don’t even know what has happened to Leaburn.

Ramsay played well out of position.

Doc was superb & miles better than the rest.

Says it all when Dobson has more goals than our marquee striker signing!

Chris_from_Sidcup · October 4

Ilovelondontown said:

Why are we suddenly struggling with the extra midweek game, thought that fitness was one of our strengths?
love TC but he doesn’t look like he’s enjoying himself at the moment?
imo kelman is slowly improving ?
We are very predictable, that needs to change?
all the train travellers good luck getting home,
Not a bad start to the season, hope heads don’t drop.

I wouldn't say we're struggling, as that's our first defeat in 5 and we play the same amount of games as we did in league one. But the Championship is a lot tougher than league one and we generally have to do more pressing, defending and running as the opposition have more possession than us. In league one we'd be the team on top in a lot of games.

Another trip up north just 4 days after a tough game at Derby where we were on the back foot for a lot of it, didn't help. I know it's easy to say after the game but i felt Jones should've freshened it up more today.

POST-MATCH THREAD: Preston North End v Charlton Athletic: Saturday 4th October 2025: KO 15:00

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