Charlton Athletic boss wants defensive additions before transfer window closes

Jones warns that Addicks "exposed" if they suffer any selection setbacks after naming youthful backline in EFL Cup loss at Cambridge United

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones has made it clear he wants more additions to his squad - namely in defence - before the transfer window closes on Monday.

The Addicks boss was speaking after tonight’s 3-1 defeat at Cambridge United in the EFL Cup second round.

Picture: Kyle Andrews

Jones once again made 11 changes for the tie, as he did in the previous round against Cambridge United.

The hosts moved into a 2-0 lead before the half-hour mark.

James Brophy produced a clinical first-time finish from Elias Kachunga’s low cross from the left-hand side of the penalty area in the 15th minute.

United went further ahead on 29 minutes. Kylian Kouassi showed pace and power to muscle ahead of Zach Mitchell, the young Charlton centre-back losing his footing before Cambridge’s number 20 swept the ball past Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

Charlton cut the deficit before the interval.

Ibby Fullah’s swerving shot from distance deceived Cambridge keeper Jake Eastwood in the 44th minute.

But Cambridge restored their two-goal cushion early in the second half when Zak Bradshaw drilled home after Ashley Maynard-Brewer had made a last-ditch save from a dangerous low cross.

Jones said: “I am disappointed - on so many levels. I’m disappointed for the fans who turned up, 700 or 800 on a Carabao Cup night, but that is the first time I’ve ever lost to Cambridge in my managerial career. At no point tonight did we look like we were going to win the game.

“That is the frustrating thing.”

The Welshman handed debuts to Ollie Hobden and Keenan Gough. Hobden started at right wing-back with Gough coming into the backline for the final quarter of an hour.

“I’m not just concerned with Hobden and Gough getting debuts,” said Jones. “Gough has been fantastic. I’m more concerned with winning games and whatever that it - people have to earn the right to play.

“We are stretched defensively. So if we had played the defensive team then we run the risk at QPR, because we are stretched at the minute. That was the thing, why we made those changes.

“It will be a learning curve for everyone because I won’t allow that (performance) to creep into our environment. I’m disappointed with that tonight, I really am.

“We have to (bolster the defence). We have to. We have allowed people to leave but we have to strengthen in that area - because if we don’t strengthen in that area then it only takes one or two injuries and then we’re exposed and, with the greatest respect, the Championship is different.”

Asked by South London Sport: Charlton Athletic Edition if making additions would be dependent on more exits, Jones said: “No. We got seven out on loan. So we have done remarkably to get those ones who needed things.

“We need to bring in around that area. At the minute we are fine. But to play one game a week, maybe two in the Championship, if anything happens to any of ours then we are exposed.”

So what numbers is he hoping for?

“Let’s see,” said Jones. “We have to bring in strength but we need to try to improve. We don’t just want to bring tokens in. We have to bring in people that can play at Championship level and step in and do what we need them to do, that is the key.”

Reece Burke is back in training but the summer addition from Luton Town has not featured since the opening game in pre-season at Dartford.

“He is involved now, in terms of everything, but I didn’t want to risk him tonight playing 90 minutes or a load of minutes because, again, if anything happens then we are exposed,” said Jones.

“We want to be as strong as possible on Saturday and then we have the international break to get people minutes and up to speed. This is a big, big week for us, leading into the window.”

Jones pulled no punches about the loss.

“We were way, way off our levels,” he said. “We got out-battled and outfought. They didn’t have to do much.

“They will say it is a really good first goal but we get the press wrong, we let a runner go, we get done, we don’t mark in the box. There are three or four things in all of those goals that we can do better and that we do really well normally. We didn’t.

“I just didn’t see any fight, any energy - normally we outwork and out press teams. Tonight I can’t remember us doing that.

Picture: Kyle Andrews

“I don’t think anyone took their chance, maybe Ibby Fullah because he had one or two moments of real quality. It is a makeshift team, it is not in rhythm because we changed it. We wanted people to get minutes. That is a bit on me, but I expect us to be better with the quality we had out there.

“It wasn't just the young ones. There was a lot of experience there with Joe Rankin-Costello and the three front ones, who we paid a lot of money for. We had Macaulay Gillesphey and Ashley Maynard-Brewer. We probably had six players there that have played, and will play, a hell of a lot of Championship games for us. That is the disappointing thing. We were second best all over.

“Some of them (the attacking players) are getting up to speed but they need to do more. It was an easy night for them tonight. Until we went totally under-21s at the end we didn’t really test their goal with any regularity.

“We just didn't do the basics very well and that’s something we’re normally very good at.”

---

---