'If you can't play well then make sure you don't lose - we weren't really at it'
Nathan Jones felt double defensive injury setback contributed to below-par Charlton Athletic display
Nathan Jones readily conceded that his Charlton Athletic side were not at their best in today’s 1-1 draw against Swansea City at The Valley.
Charlie Kelman put the Addicks into the lead just moments after the second half started.
The summer signing from QPR got on the end of Conor Coventry’s looped ball forward and finished over goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
Picture: Kyle Andrews
Kelman’s first goal for Charlton since he made a switch from QPR also opened his account in the Championship.
It was the 23-year-old’s 36th appearance in the second tier, although plenty of those were not starts prior to joining the south Londoners.
There was no disguising the fact that Charlton did not play well.
Adam Idah levelled for Swansea with a sharp turn and finish from the edge of the penalty area.
Idah and Kaelan Casey had close-range headed chances with Josh Key also smashing an excellent opportunity off target in stoppage time.
Charlton dropped from sixth to eighth in the standings.
“If you can’t play well then don’t lose,” said Jones. “Today we weren’t really at it. It continues the unbeaten run (now four matches) and this is the Championship - there are no easy games. It means you can regroup, have a look at it, debrief and be better in the next game.
“In the first half we have had some chances to have taken the lead but when we did go ahead we didn’t really have any control.
“Swansea played well today. They passed the ball better than us in the second half and kept the ball better that us. We needed to show more control. The second half it was too open for what we would have liked.
“These have been in the Championship for a long time and have spent a lot of money. They have got good players. Adam Idah has just gone for £7million and £5million. He scores from outside the box. They’ve had players who have been internationals. This is what we are competing with. We are disappointed we haven’t won a game against a side that has either been in the Premier League or the Championship for a number of years.
“That’s the toughest Swansea team I have played against for a while. Normally Swansea games are very different - they try to pass you to death and we tend to beat them. They have got a bit of both. They try to pass the ball but have more of a steely edge than a lot of Swansea teams.
“It’s good to see Alan [Sheehan] (Swansea head coach and formerly a player and coach working under Jones) doing well, but I’m disappointed we haven’t been able to impose ourselves today.”
Amari’i Bell and Reece Burke went off injured before half-time and both will surely struggle to be available for Tuesday’s home fixture against West Bromwich Albion.
“To lose two centre-halves is going to disrupt you,” said Jones. “Amari’i was his hamstring and Reece was his foot. We were going to get to half-time and change Reece anyway, because he was feeling stiff. But within a minute of us making the decision to keep him on a little longer he has done something to his foot. It’s frustrating. Losing those two is always going to stretch you. It seemed to rock us a little bit.
“That is what we have got the squad for. It gives someone else an opportunity. We will dust ourselves down and be ready to go.”
Kelman’s goal was an early birthday present. He turns 24 tomorrow.
Charlie Kelman celebrates his first goal for the Addicks
Picture: Paul Edwards
“I’m delighted for Charlie, on a personal level,” said Jones. “He has worked tirelessly and generally been in good form, but strikers thrive on goals and their record is all about goals. He has got that monkey off his back. Now we hope he kicks on.
“It doesn’t matter who scores, as long as we score one more than the opposition. But it is good for him. Strikers tend to go on runs - hopefully he can.”