MATCH PREVIEW - Coventry City vs Charlton Athletic - Saturday 29th November 2025 - 3pm Kick-Off
Coventry City vs Charlton Athletic
Saturday 29th November 2025 - 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: David Webb
Introduction
A blip was always going to come at some point this season, our remarkable start to the 2024/25 campaign, fighting for the Play-Offs, getting at points within touching distance of the top two... Well it was never going to last was it? - Injuries like five years ago, are seeing the Addicks drop like a stone back towards where we all thought we'd be. Yet the last two results have been a concern, especially as even our rock solid defence has been less than reliable over the last two games... and as the saying goes... If you can't score... Don't concede... Yeaaa about that!!
The Opposition
Name: Coventry City (1st) - Manager: Frank Lampard
Ground: Ricoh Arena
Previous League Result: Middlesbrough 2-4 Coventry
I don't even know what we need at the moment, other than an extended break allowing absent individuals to make a return. We could I suppose do with facing a team that we'll ultimately be fighting a relegation battle with, Oxford perhaps? - But then we don't want to drop points to a league rival.
Suppose the worst thing that could happen is we could make the away trip to a side that are currently walking away with the Division, Coventry City sit ten points ahead of second place, they've lost just one match (none at the Ricoh Arena), have scored 47-goals (that's nineteen more than the next best), and have a strong defence to go with it... Even when they do get pegged back, like on Tuesday night, they find another way to score, they in truth are a certain CharltonLifer's wet dream - Perhaps this is the best time to face the Sky Blues, after all time and again, Charlton have frustratingly known when to produce when the odds are stacked against them.
Its certainly an impressive reaction as well from Frank Lampard, who is rebuilding his reputation after struggles as a Manager at Chelsea and Everton - As a Championship Manager though, his record is impressive, having guided Derby and Coventry into the Play-Offs, albeit with no success. This season though, and it'll take a monumental mistake for them to miss out on a first return to the Premier League since 2001.
Charlton Team News
Injuries surely continue to have an effect on how the Addicks line up in these matches, take Tuesday night for example where we saw the back line change on three occasions early in the first half - Its an echo of last season as Nathan Jones desperately tries to find an alternative formula whilst we await the return of key individuals. One of those; Amari'i Bell was fit enough to return to the bench on Tuesday night... Jones admitted post match though that his Left sided Defender was only fit enough to play 15-mins at most at Stoke, so its likely he'll have to settle for a spot on the bench again.
As a result I suspect we'll see a back four with James Bree and Kayne Ramsay as our Full-Backs, stopping Brandon Thomas-Asante (the League's top scorer, with ten goals), will be vital to getting any kind of result out of the match - Stranger things have happened in the past though!!
Kaminski
Bree - Jones - Gillesphey - Ramsay
Coventry - Docherty
Carey - Knibbs
Olaofe - Campbell
Substitutes Bench: Mannion - Apter - Bell - Fullah - Costello - Anderson - Berry - Gough - Leaburn
Comments
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- Coventry have lost just one of their last 15 home league games against Charlton Athletic (W9 D5), with this their first meeting with the Addicks since a 2-1 victory on Boxing Day 2018.
- Charlton Athletic lost both league meetings with Coventry City when they last met in 2018-19 – they’ve never lost three in a row against the Sky Blues before.
- Coventry have won 10 of their last 11 league games (L1), while at home they’ve won each of their last five; it’s their longest since a run of seven in October 2021.
- Charlton have lost each of their last three league games, conceding more goals in that time (9) than their prior 10 games (7).
- Coventry’s Ellis Simms has scored more goals in his last two games (3) than in his previous 25 Championship appearances (2).
4 -
Wouldn’t let me have 10+ goals so this is the best I can do.23 -
Shooting practice for them
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Looking forward to this our fourth free hit in a row.10
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Never know... Keep it 0-0 for the first five minutes and who knows what'll happenEugenesAxe said:Shooting practice for them30 -
as long as that?ForeverAddickted said:
Never know... Keep it 0-0 for the first five minutes and who knows what'll happenEugenesAxe said:Shooting practice for them3 -
Well I've got to keep up my reputation on here as a blind optimistEugenesAxe said:
as long as that?ForeverAddickted said:
Never know... Keep it 0-0 for the first five minutes and who knows what'll happenEugenesAxe said:Shooting practice for them8 -
Fair play to Coventry, does feel like an inevitable battering, which before the season even started I did prepare myself to expect and us be on the end of a few, just a shame it could be 3 games in a row.
The main thing I hope is that it doesn't get the team too down, NJ will keep them in good spirits I'm sure, just don't want the players being shot to pieces after these games to be the reason we start looking shaky against "easier" opposition.
Get a few players back from injury and things will start to look up, we're in a better position all round than last time we were here, I get the comparisons, but its a different time and we are in a better place. We'll get some wins under our belts soon enough! COYR!6 -
Also, out of all the Midlands teams, think Coventry are the one I have the least distain for. Birmingham, Wolves I can't stand, West Brom indifferent I suppose, and my next door neighbour supports Villa and he's a proper tosspot.6
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Wrexham beat them this time last month
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Godden hattrick incomingEugenesAxe said:Wrexham beat them this time last month6 -
I’m very confident we will stop Thomas-Asante…because he’s injured
Ellis Simms on the other hand has 3 goals in his last 2 games and will probably be adding to that tomorrow3 -
Coventry to score four or more ( Home unquoted on correct score market ) is 6.5 (11-2) on the betfair exchange. No Brainer.1
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The scary thing about Coventry isn't just that they've scored 47 goals but that they've created an xG of 35.1. That's the highest in the league (and double ours) and suggests they're also great at scoring from low quality chances. Over a season that will even out but the scary thing is our game plan relies on giving teams those low quality chances. Combine that with out makeshift defence this could get ugly again6
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Charlton surprise win, 4-5.1
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There were shades of experimenting by Nathan Jones in the second half at Stoke, I also think he left the substitutions late because he didn't want to take another heavy beating, I don't think it would have affected anything but player confidence is a fickle thing. As everybody has pointed out, we go to the Ricoh with nothing to lose and will almost certainly lose, but Nathan needs to find out just how much depth he has in this squad, is Knibbs and Costello worth a start, same with Olaofe. We need to get some defensive nous back but I am of the opinion that only one goal at Stoke was the result of poor defending and that was the third. So can we get lucky and get a decent referee and can our players lift their heads after two disasters, lets hope so.2
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What’s our record defeat?
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Not that long ago when Charlton and Coventry supporters stood side by side in protest at our respective shit ownerships and for that reason I actually dont mind Coventry at all. They steadied the ship under new owners,built year on year in the Championship and now look at them. Thats the model we are looking to replicate and I get the feeling under our owners and NJ we will do that. Patience is key for us supporters. That being said, we will get dicked tomorrow, Im going for 3-0. Think we will look alot better tomorrow than of late for some reason. These arent the sort of games that will define our season. COYR.15
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Best case scenario a 2 or 3 goal defeat... worst case doesn't bear thinking about! I honestly think we will keep the scoreline sensible although I can't see us scoring unless we can nick one from a set piece. I really hope that we can get through to half time goaless and then we could bring on Bell to shore us up for the second half.1
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was it 11-1 against Villa?Photollery said:What’s our record defeat?3 -
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Unfortunately comfortable home win, 3-0 again.0
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Don't remind me, I was there until the end. November 1959.lancashire lad said:
was it 11-1 against Villa?Photollery said:What’s our record defeat?
Goalkeeper Duff went off injured when it was only 6-1. Townsend and Leary had a go in goal.
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For this game I would go for chaos. Some coaches/fans dont like it when their team adapts to accommodate the opposition but this may be the time to do it. I remember in the Prem when we'd been on a bad run, Curbs played 532 at Spurs which looked like a white flag. But we soaked up pressure, caught them on the break and won 3-2. So i'd go defensive, have "ugly" players in midfield, go man for man (like Ramsay did on the winger Tuesday after the horse had bolted), a couple of outlets, and see if somehow we can get a point or even a smash and grab.
Kaminsky
Bree Jones Gillepshey Bell Ramsay (yes left back and just stay there defending).
Docherty, Coventry, Anderson (energy and chaos just dont try to pass forwards),
Carey (front of diamond and can run with the ball for chaos theory)
Campbell (just run next to carey for extra chaos theor)
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Noooooo going man for man is precisely why Southampton were able to dismantle us. We don't have the pace in the squad for the recovery runs needed in a man for man systemMortimerwasgod said:For this game I would go for chaos. Some coaches/fans dont like it when their team adapts to accommodate the opposition but this may be the time to do it. I remember in the Prem when we'd been on a bad run, Curbs played 532 at Spurs which looked like a white flag. But we soaked up pressure, caught them on the break and won 3-2. So i'd go defensive, have "ugly" players in midfield, go man for man (like Ramsay did on the winger Tuesday after the horse had bolted), a couple of outlets, and see if somehow we can get a point or even a smash and grab.
Kaminsky
Bree Jones Gillepshey Bell Ramsay (yes left back and just stay there defending).
Docherty, Coventry, Anderson,
Carey (front of diamond)
Campbell1 -
12-0.
7-0 after 12 mins.
9-0 after 25 mins.
11-0 at HT.
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Sort of what I'd go for but Bell won't start unfortunately so don't know what the answer is in defence. I know it'll be unpopular but I thought Hernandez was a lot better at RWB than LWB against Saints so maybe everyone can shift across one? Agree with the midfield though, thought Anderson did ok when he came on at Stoke and he does bring energy to the table albeit he's limited elsewhere in his game.Mortimerwasgod said:For this game I would go for chaos. Some coaches/fans dont like it when their team adapts to accommodate the opposition but this may be the time to do it. I remember in the Prem when we'd been on a bad run, Curbs played 532 at Spurs which looked like a white flag. But we soaked up pressure, caught them on the break and won 3-2. So i'd go defensive, have "ugly" players in midfield, go man for man (like Ramsay did on the winger Tuesday after the horse had bolted), a couple of outlets, and see if somehow we can get a point or even a smash and grab.
Kaminsky
Bree Jones Gillepshey Bell Ramsay (yes left back and just stay there defending).
Docherty, Coventry, Anderson (energy and chaos just dont try to pass forwards),
Carey (front of diamond and can run with the ball for chaos theory)
Campbell (just run next to carey for extra chaos theor)
If we can start solidly and frustrated them then we can grow into the game. If it's still coconuts after 70 minutes then we are in a chance of nicking something, maybe even three points. Head says a defeat but a 1-0 away smash and grab isn't out of the question.0 -
If Jones doesn't go with a 5 man midfield we will get absolutely hammered.
Low block for the first 30, strangle the game, spoil as much as we can. If we concede early again it will get ugly very quickly.
As good as we have been prior to this run, I can;t get away from the fact that in the not two distant past we have been capable of going on mamoth winless runs in league 1, could easily happen again.2 -
One thing for certain is that this is going to be a tough watch ! I hope our fanbase stick with the team whatever happens on Saturday. The last week has been painful but not many teams will get points from these games when they play them. Get out of this period and forget it, move on and hopefully we start to pick up points again in the games we should.
Fully aware that he wont do it but if I were NJ I would pick a team with a few curve balls in it, we have nothing to lose and we know that starting the same normal team is going to get hammered anyway4 -
Not expecting anything from this game tbh.
Same when we play Middlesbrough so anything from either of those games will be a bonus.
But next month we play pompey twice plus Oxford and Norwich.
Those are the games we must get points from.
As for tomorrow's game I think we have too many injuries to cause Coventry many problems.
Keep it tight for the 1st 20 minutes or so and hope for the best i suppose.
Safe travels to all who are going.4
