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POST-MATCH THREAD: Preston North End v Charlton Athletic: Saturday 4th October 2025: KO 15:00
Comments
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I see that people are windering why Apter’s not getting a look in. Probably he’s had a disagreement with NJ.
NJ doesn't like wingers, he always wants to convert them either to a striker (as with TC) a midfielder, or a wingback (as with Apter). Maybe this conversion is not working as NJ demands.7 -
Totally agree .. performance was very good kept a decent side to a couple of long shots and one chance .. people think we playing Crawley every week this is the championship , we are 12 months ahead of where we planned to be and yet we are top half and lost once in 5 … Kelman followed up his excellent performance on Tuesday with another one today ..crookester said:I seem to be in the minority in that I think we played pretty well in the first half. I had us as marginally the better team. Kelman's best half for us in terms of link-up play but he and TC never really looked like scoring. Ramsay had Small in his pocket.
Preston came out a much improved side in the second half. They were on top before the subs but really did start to turn the screw after Campbell went off and Small started finding space.
Bree and Carey were subdued today and sadly the subs didn't add any impetus.
It's great that NJ tries to change things when we're losing but I do think he can be too gung ho. Am not sure he needed to make so many changes, so quickly, in response to their goal, and the outcome was similar to the QPR game in that we lost our shape.
A tough game and I'm sure most neutrals would have expected this result. Time to dust ourselves down, keep working on the forward play in training and go and smash the Wendies after the break.3 -
What’s to say we tried, but he wanted an established Championship side instead. We were the weakest Championship club in the transfer market over the summer with Wrexham and Birmingham spending big. Despite doing well over the summer I think we lose sight of how hard it is to upgrade your team coming into division.Lincsaddick said:Wise after the event? .. Koné would/could/should have been signed2 -
I think you answered your own point. Sufferball describes it well. We can’t afford a prolific strike force so we’re going to grind teams down and nick the odd win. Our only chance of survival.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.0 -
https://substack.com/home/post/p-175279549?source=queue&autoPlay=true
Post-match pod is up on Rich's Substack - recorded during our emergency cab ride to Preston station to try and escape back south. Includes interviews with Nathan Jones and Lloyd Jones.2 -
Were they in the cab with you then 🤭.LouisMend said:https://substack.com/home/post/p-175279549?source=queue&autoPlay=true
Post-match pod is up on Rich's Substack - recorded during our emergency cab ride to Preston station to try and escape back south. Includes interviews with Nathan Jones and Lloyd Jones.3 -
PWR.
Didn't watch nor follow as I was in Whitstable on family duties.
Thanks to all that went up to Preston from London, not easy but essential.
1) The squad was in Derby on Tuesday, back to London, back up to Preston on Saturday; not ideal.
2) The ex-player curse with Small's goal.
3) Not a bad side PNE by the sounds of it.
So I'm not too disheartened.
We've been playing well, just make sure you learn something when you lose.
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Crap defending for the Small goal0
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Believe me, I'm a very half-empty glass sort of guy when it comes to Charlton - a life time of disappointments gets to you eventually! But even so, some of the comments on here tonight about how bad we were are miles over the top.ElfsborgAddick said: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.
Fact is we've lost to a good team who have some good players and who I suspect will finish a lot nearer the top than the bottom. Why can't we just admit we were well beaten by a better team rather than pretending we were absolutely hopeless which we weren't. And frankly we are going to get beaten by better teams in this league from time to time.
That said, at half time there was little between the 2 teams and in the end we've only lost to a flukely, deflected shot and a goal that looked offside.
What is worrying is the lack of goal threats. And with one goal between our four main strikers in 9 games it is surely time to try something else. And what better time to try it than in our next game against Sheff Wed.
Honestly not concerned tonight about our prospects of staying up comfortably although if we don't beat Wednesday next game I might reconsider!6 -
Just listened to NJ & LJ interview, have I watched a different game?Thought we lacked energy, created nothing, wasted so many balls?
fine margins???1 - Sponsored links:
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Your penultimate paragraph could eventually be our downfall.Fortune 82nd Minute said:
Believe me, I'm a very half-empty glass sort of guy when it comes to Charlton - a life time of disappointments gets to you eventually! But even so, some of the comments on here tonight about how bad we were are miles over the top.ElfsborgAddick said: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.
Fact is we've lost to a good team who have some good players and who I suspect will finish a lot nearer the top than the bottom. Why can't we just admit we were well beaten by a better team rather than pretending we were absolutely hopeless which we weren't. And frankly we are going to get beaten by better teams in this league from time to time.
That said, at half time there was little between the 2 teams and in the end we've only lost to a flukely, deflected shot and a goal that looked offside.
What is worrying is the lack of goal threats. And with one goal between our four main strikers in 9 games it is surely time to try something else. And what better time to try it than in our next game against Sheff Wed.
Honestly not concerned tonight about our prospects of staying up comfortably although if we don't beat Wednesday next game I might reconsider!
I trust Jones to get things right.1 -
Teams we’ve beaten: 24th (A), 21st (H), 10th (H)
Teams who’ve beaten us: 3rd (H), 4th (A), 6th (A)
Teams we’ve drawn with: 8th (H), 9th (A), 20th (A)
Looking like a firmly mid table side but still plenty of games to play.
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Remember Curbs saying:
"Don't let the highs get you too high.
And don't let the lows get you too low"
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Losing Edwards seems to have unbalanced the side. We miss his energy and pace at the back.
We also seem to be muscled off the ball to easily by some of these strong physical Championship sides. Leaburn is one of the biggest culprits despite his size.
We were competitive first half but it all went to s**t when we started to make the subs.
Oh and the ref and linos were s**t as well.
Shout out to those who made it there. I was about to abort having got as far as Leeds but the train eventually came in. I almost wish it hadn't!6 -
I followed the game via the app alerts while watching a local non-league game so all I've really heard was the brief summary that Radio 5 give to Championship games. The only facts that the journalist could fit into the time allotted were the names of the scorers and that we'd been booing Small until he scored. If it was worth mentioning for someone who only had time to fit in one fact, I guess it must have been pretty obvious. How many times now have we offered free extra motivation to ex-Addicks like this? It's just plain daft.2
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Once again our next game is against a team looking for a reaction after a pasting !! We get no luck lol0
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At the game, after a stressful journey, and I only travelled from Manchester! Got there in time, even had a pint in Wetherspoons, nicely positioned on the walk from the station to the ground!
Onto the game, not much to report that other posters have commented on. Our outstanding player was Docherty, his energy throughout the game was immense. I don't know if it's my imagination, but he seems to have gathered a yard extra in pace compared to last season. There was a point late on where he went toe to toe with Small, I was expecting him to be roasted, and he wasn't.
My concern, and I've stated this over the years, that games are won and lost in midfield. It's not about how good your forward line is, defense has to be sound, that's a taken. our midfield are excellent in protecting the back four, mainly Coventry and Docherty. Sonney Carey has more attacking licence, he is the one trying to bust a gut to support the front two.
For 60-70 mins this works, but I have noticed in the last 20 mins, we appear to lose midfield numbers. Against Derby, and again against Preston. My arguement in bringing on very attacking subs, today Leaburn, Tanto, and Knibbs, reduce the effectiveness of midfield. Whether it is bringing on Rankin- Costello or even Anderson (I know he wasn't on the bench), but we must retain midfield stability. My tactic does then limit the number of attacking subs, but time and time again, introducing more attacking subs diminishes our midfield strength, so we don't have the ability to create chances.
My advice to Nathan, a more balanced approach, yes, change up the forward line , but more importantly don't weaken the midfield, because, if you do, you'll never have enough posession to create the chances for the gamechangers to finish.14 -
Even worse for the second goalandipandi said:Crap defending for the Small goal0 -
The annoying thing is, Preston don’t look like a good side at all.7
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Not at it today, we weren't great but neither were Preston despite what some of their fans think was a very even game really with them edging it, was looking like a nailed on 0-0 job but our subs killed us right off.
0 shots on target says it all about us today, the demo crew of Tanto, Leaburn and Knibbs' may have worked a bit but can't be relying on the 60minute bomb squad to bail us out if behind as there's just not enough there, Knibbs and Leaburn looked a bit leggy which isn't what you want from your subs.
Both goals the defence went missing.
Officiating was utter pants.
Kelman worked his nuts off today and had his best game, his link up play was top drawer so there was that at least.
Meh.4 - Sponsored links:
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It was a disappointing result, but this Preston side can obviously defend and we, by design, are not a side that has a huge amount of quality for the level. There were a few that weren't at the levels we expect of them. I just felt that Preston looked broadly better than us in most areas on the day.
We set up every week to grind teams down and try and win by the odd goal. Against teams that are stronger defensively, we are looking for that one mistake, one lapse of concentration, one set piece, or refereeing decision to go our way. We're just not going to unlock defenses in the way other top teams have done so far this season. We play with 3 CBs and 2 DCM in every game, so we'll tend to play tight every game. It is easy to forget that we're still relatively new to the level some times and this won't be the last time we get beat resoundingly away from home. Preston's first goal was coming, and then the second one came almost directly after Coventry came off - I foretold this tale to my (broadly uninterested) wife that we'll concede whilst watching the stream, and even she was impressed how quickly my sad prediction came true. Death, taxes and CAFC losing their defensive shape if they ever take Coventry off.
I get the frustration of anyone who made the journey - the trains were notably awful and we carried very little attacking threat in the game, which will no doubt upset our travelling support. It's another dose of reality for those thinking we were going to easily stroll to a top half finish - despite being close, there's some solid teams in this league. Away from home vs. any team that has some defensive nous, we're always going to be pretty much on a knife edge.
There's going to be more games like this this season and the outcomes of those games are not something that I'd try and put even pence on to try and predict. Utterly volatile and they'll go in utterly unpredictable ways.
It is what it is. Majority of our points should come at home. Any points away are a just there to help us chip away at the total we need to stay up. Don't lose your heads, y'all
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This league is so tight. We need to find a way for TC and Kelman to start getting goals3
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Probably by not playing them together.BigRedEvil said:This league is so tight. We need to find a way for TC and Kelman to start getting goals
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If we had got a point from this game it would have been brilliant. We held our heads high and competed. This is far better than most neutrals would have predicted at the start of the season. We go again. Faith in Jones and the Squad. UPA.7
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Just switched channels & caught 3 mins of the Derby v Saints match from the ITV highlights. Both keepers called into action countless times. If there had been no keepers the game could have ended 8-8.
If Preston hadn't played with a keeper today they would have still kept a clean sheet. 0 shots on target in 90 minutes is a disgrace. That will be our downfall. As I bang on year after year, clean sheets only get you so far. You still have to put the ball in the onion bag down the other end.11 -
It is quite possible that none of our 4 League One strikers are good enough to score enough goals in the Champ. After all, nobody else in the Champ was rushing to buy any of them. They all have some good qualities, TC and Kelman pressing, Olaofe powerful, Leaburn has some skill. But whether they can make it in the Champ is unproven to say the least after 9 games.sam3110 said:
You could I suppose, I'm not personally worried that much yet, but we need to find a strike partnership soon that clicksTheHerminator said:
Could you spin this maybe as it’s incredibly encouraging that we are where we are considering our strikers aren’t scoring, and that if we do get them going we’ll be a really good side.sam3110 said:Thought this would happen, very typical Charlton that our manager slags off an ex player and he scores a (heavily deflected) goal in answer. Derby were bemoaned by their own fans and pundits that they don't shoot enough and if you don't hit the target you won't score, and had the lowest shots on target in the league. I wouldn't be surprised if we're close to the bottom on that stat too, we're nearly a quarter of the way through the season and our strikers aren't scoring, but more importantly you can count on one hand for each of them the attempts they've had on goal, and that's the worrying part
If not we’ll keep grinding out results anyway
It may be that NJ will have to get the owners to fork out in January if at least one of the 4 does not step up very soon.0 -
We were not in the Champ in all these years???Callumcafc said:Points after 9 games from each of the last seven seasons when we were last at this level:
25/26: 12
24/25: 13
23/24: 11
22/23: 11
21/22: 6
20/21: 19
19/20: 177 -
We play with two wingbacks. He is not one.jimmymelrose said:I see that people are windering why Apter’s not getting a look in. Probably he’s had a disagreement with NJ.
NJ doesn't like wingers, he always wants to convert them either to a striker (as with TC) a midfielder, or a wingback (as with Apter). Maybe this conversion is not working as NJ demands.0 -
I thought that their No 5 Harrison Armstrong was a really influencial player for them. Playing in midfield he was strong and kept Preston driving forward, doing some powerful running from deep lying positions, so looked him up on Wiki. He's only 18 yrs old !! but on loan from Everton, so Preston will only have him for the season. ( or half a season) But this then gets into the debate that Jones, generally doesn't like to develop other teams players, who will only be there for 6-12 months. We have Bree on loan for half a season, but he is in the last 6 months of his contract, so I guess that Jones is looking to sign him permanently, wages and fees permitting.
So the question has to be asked, do we sign more loan players in the future to significantly strengthen our side, or are we committed to developing our Academy footballers, because that is the future of our club. Everyone loves 'one of our own' and, in some respects, thats written into the DNA of the club.
My preference is continue along the path that Jones is committed to, and I think the club as a whole, but I have seen this season some very good lone premiere league loanees for clubs playing against us.
Is there a balance to be had here, one or two stars in the making, on loan in January, to guarantee our Championship survival, or do we want to continue on our present path.
I don't know the answer, perhaps bringing in loanees in January is a bad idea, because a large chunk of the season will have passed, they will have to get up to speed with Jones's philosophy.
I'm rambling, I just wanted to put this out there for debate, having seen many gifted loanees play for our rivals in the Championship, and what's best for our club.2
