MATCH THREAD : Coventry City V Charlton Athletic : Saturday 29th November 2025 : KO 15:00
Hi one and all, and welcome to todays match thread…
Well, this is it, a trip up the M1 and a meeting with current league leaders Coventry City at "The Coventry Building Society Arena", (formally known as "The Ricoh Arena")…
Coventry certainly have taken The Championship apart so far this year, and currently have a 10 point lead on second place Stoke City, with a GD of +30, having suffered defeat just the once, (so far) this season at Wrexham, so today will be a stern test for us, and we will do well to travel home with a result, a point would be good, but don't forget we're only 4 points outside the top 6 also…👌
Nathan confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Amari’i Bell and Onel Hernández are both available for this weekend's game, the hosts will be without Oliver Dovin and two of the division's leading scorers in Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Haji Wright, which could prove very helpful…
We've locked horns on 39 previous occasions, winning 11, the Sky Blues 15 and the remaining 13 ending all square, the last meeting came at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Boxing Day in 2018, when the hosts claimed a 2-1 triumph.
We'll be sporting our red home kit this weekend, which will be nice…COYR
Team…
Amari’i Bell returns to the Charlton side following a spell on the sidelines, while Harvey Knibbs and Tanto Olaofe also start as Nathan Jones makes three changes to his side for today’s game.
Bell hasn’t played for the Addicks since limping off against Swansea City earlier this month but was included on the substitutes' bench on Tuesday. With the three changes Greg Docherty, Luke Berry and Miles Leaburn move to the bench.
Kayne Ramsay, captain Lloyd Jones and Macaulay Gillesphey are expected to start in a back three in front of Thomas Kaminski.
James Bree and Bell are likely to operate as wing-backs with Conor Coventry, Knibbs and Sonny Carey making up a midfield three behind Olaofe and Tyreece Campbell.
Docherty, Berry and Leaburn are joined on the bench by Will Mannion, Joe Rankin-Costello, Karoy Anderson, Ibrahim Fullah, Onel Hernández and Rob Apter.
Charlton: Kaminski; Ramsay, Jones (c), Gillesphey; Bree, Coventry, Knibbs, Carey, Bell; Olaofe, Campbell
Subs: Mannion, Docherty, Anderson, Rankin-Costello, Berry, Fullah, Hernández, Apter, Leaburn
Comments
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Don’t think much of the home support.16 -
Got the Formula 1 Sprint Race to look forward to before this, just hope there are no Red Flags which drag it over into the Football - Dont want to end up missing any early goals... Although equally feel that AddicksAddick should ask for a refund on his ticket, bit annoying having that mesh obscuring his view today2
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ForeverAddickted said:Got the Formula 1 Sprint Race to look forward to before this, just hope there are no Red Flags which drag it over into the Football - Dont want to end up missing any early goals... Although equally feel that AddicksAddick should ask for a refund on his ticket, bit annoying having that mesh obscuring his view today
Much as I like F1, the only sprint race I want to see is us heading towards their goal, with a positive outcome...6 -
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For some weird reason I’m quietly confident about this one. They were bigging up Coventry on their preview on talksport and Perry Groves predicted a goal fest for Coventry. Let’s hope he’s eating his words come 4.55pm.
Commentary on talksport 2 for anyone interested.6 -
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Bell starts and Roussillon doesn't make the squad at all. Knibbs and Tanto replace Leaburn and Doc1
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Very pleased to see Bell back5
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That's the least defensive cover I think I've seen on a 9 man bench.9
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Good to see Bell chiming again, also note no appearance of new comer JR either...1
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FYI, not everybody will have a seat. I was sat in mine and was asked to move by several stewards as they needed to keep the section clear.
Given that we have sold out, anybody arriving late will either have to stand on the steps, or 'sit' in the seats we aren't allowed in.0 -
So after all that Roussillon is nowhere to be seen and Bell is starting!
Doing the same thing time and again is the definition of insanity, every time we drop Docherty and put Carey deeper, and start Knibbs, we've looked crap. Gillesphey has been shown up at LCB recently, so we continue with it anyway. Campbell needs a rest and is always doubled up on because there's no pace on the other side of the pitch, so we continue starting him with Bree on the right.
Sigh.6 -
Seems weird announcing that signing yesterday, saying he was cleared to play today, then him not even being in the squad. No real defensive cover either unless you count a utility player in Rankin Costello and Hernandez & Apter who none of us want to really see at wing back. Surprised Gough didn’t make the bench. Great to see Bell back though although I can only see him doing 60 minutes at most. Happy to see Tanto up top. Think we might surprise many this afternoon.3
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That team looks stronger. No Docherty & Leaburn. Weak link still Gillesphey. Good to see Knibbs & Olaofe starting. Very good that Bell is back.2
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At least we've got a return of the back six (including the Goalkeeper), so should hopefully be a bit more defensive balance, which in turn should help further up the pitch - Knibbs pushing Carey back is a bit annoying though, as it usually results in us taking away our own threat... Still Harvey was unlucky not to score against Wrexham last time out, so you never know today.
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Agree, weird to put it mildly.Talal said:That's the least defensive cover I think I've seen on a 9 man bench.
If one of the defenders gets an early knock and has to go off, we are struggling to replace him.
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like the look of that mainly because bell is back and doc gets a rest. wouldve rested campbell looks shot of confidence at the moment and has been basically playing without any breaks for monts with international duty, looked terrified to even take on his man against stoke and whether these are the instructions hes been given or not its really his main attribute.
anyway just get through this one dont concede too many and a massove game coming against portsmouth that we need points from. COYA0 -
Gillesphey has been weak for me, because he's not had any protection / support from his wing-back. Take the Southampton first goal on Saturday for example, where Hernandez acted like a broken NPCRob said:That team looks stronger. No Docherty & Leaburn. Weak link still Gillesphey. Good to see Knibbs & Olaofe starting. Very good that Bell is back.
Time to prove me right I hope Macca3 -
Looking forward to Hernandez getting on with 10 minutes to go and netting the winner, all of a sudden we have a new hero...
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Bell is back, everything is fixed. 10-0 win.4
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I fear that midfield is going to struggle big time but let’s hope I’m wrong!3
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Really expected to see Roussillon on the bench st least.6
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I'd prefer a 0-10 win myself...Garrymanilow said:Bell is back, everything is fixed. 10-0 win.
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Always Charlton firsteastterrace6168 said:
I'd prefer a 0-10 win myself...Garrymanilow said:Bell is back, everything is fixed. 10-0 win.1 -
Tanto and TC tells you how we’re going to try and play.Sit in and get in behind.
Ive watched Coventry once this season to 10 man Watford. Watford’s pace, even down a man, caused them a lot of problems.5 -
Bell back brings so much more balance to the side. But worried what we do if he needs to come off? Especially given he was apparently only fit for 15 mins on Tuesday.
Hopefully Tanto and Knibbs show us the players they definitely can be!0 -
The most important aspect of this game is some kind of defensive solidity. If we lose by one or two we can consider that a step forward, given the opposition. Then we can have confidence against Pompey next week.0
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Disappointed not to see Roussillon on the bench. That midfield worries me4
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I suspect to get something from this there'll be many moments of riding our luck. Happened at Ipswich, could happen again. Bell back in the team is encouraging. Could this be Knibbs' breakthrough game?
Hoping for no injuries or suspensions picked up today affecting the Portsmouth game. I may be wrong but Conor Coventry may be 1 yellow away from a suspension?
Placed an insurance bet to cover the event of a drubbing as Coventry are dishing them out every other week regardless of opposition.1 -
This will either be a heroic last stand defense by Charlton with maybe a winner snatched at the death or our goal difference ends up in minus double figures.0
