‘Three managers can’t be that inept at coaching defensive responsibilities’ – Nathan Jones on the tough decisions to make after Charlton’s draw at Cambridge
Charlton boss Nathan Jones reckons the Addicks’ defensive frailty must be down to the personnel he has available.
His side were held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Cambridge United after former Addick Macauley Bonne took advantage of some lackadaisical attempts to deal with a long ball over the top five minutes after the break.
The South Londoners had led in the first-half thanks to Connor Wickham’s impressive turn and finish.
Alfie May hit the post in the closing stages but the Addicks were forced to settle for another draw – their 19th of the campaign.
The point does extend their unbeaten run to 13 and mathematically confirms their place in the third tier for another season – a run that looked in danger before Jones took over from Michael Appleton in the Charlton hot seat.
“It’s personnel,” said Jones when asked about his frustration at the concession of another sloppy goal.
“In terms of moving forward, we’ve got some tough decisions in the summer, and we’ll have to make those so that we’re nowhere near where we are now next year.
“We should just be better. That’s just been symptomatic. The whole squad, in terms of three managers, five clean sheets. That’s the issue. We’ve got to change that. That’s personnel. I’m not sure three managers can be that inept at coaching defensive responsibilities.
“We have a very strong, bold goal for this football club. We want to be nowhere near where we are this season. This club shouldn’t be languishing in League One. Over a few years, things have happened but now we want to look forward. We want to really take the club forward. How quickly we do that will depend on a number of factors but we’re all committed to taking Charlton to a better place than where we are now.
“I’m frustrated. There are positives. We created enough chances to win the game. It’s another point, another game unbeaten. It’s away from home. The conditions were brutal and we haven’t been done so there’s a pleasing element to it. But when I’m looking at how I want us to evolve, how I want us to move forward, we have to be better. We have to be more clinical in their box and score good chances when we got them.
“That’s happened on a number of occasions now. Northampton, it happened in midweek (against Wigan), it’s happened here. And then we have just got to defend our box better. It’s a poor goal to give away from every single aspect.”
PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS