A Europa League champion and an Intertoto Cup winner are among Charlton Athletic’s top five most costly acquisitions.
Following rumours that the Welshman would stay in League One to manage his boyhood club, Cardiff, Jones inked a new five-year contract with Charlton. Jones is the most polarising player in the Football League, but he can create a highly successful business if you give him the right resources. Fans of Luton Town can confirm that as well.
Here are three things the Charlton manager should prioritise to offer the Addicks a chance to remain up now that the Championship season is fully focused on them. It may sound harsh given that Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Will Mannion have been the choices between the sticks for Charlton, but football is a merciless game. Jones won’t want to replicate the mistakes made by Plymouth Argyle and his previous employers, Luton, by letting goals slip away from him.
Although Maynard-Brewer and Mannion are good choices, there are several goalkeepers that Premier League teams have released who might step in and greatly strengthen the defence. The left-back position is one significant hole they will need to fill. Thierry Small chose to join Preston North End on a free transfer even though they defeated Leyton Orient in the play-off final.
Small is a major loss but the 20-year-old can simply be replaced. It will be widely monitored if they go with a more seasoned alternative, such as an ambitious move for Aaron Cresswell on a free transfer, or try to sign a young youngster once more. He has also been a constant presence for Jones, so the Charlton manager will have to sift through the transfer market to find a worthy successor.
“They hardly ever win when they don’t score,” said Michael Owen. It may sound absurd, but it’s true. The Addicks’ talisman this season was Matty Godden, who led the line with 22 goals across all competitions. Miles Leaburn also contributed with 10 goals.
However, Godden is 33 years old, and while he has demonstrated his ability to score goals throughout time, can they truly count on him to perform well once more? Nobody scored in double figures except for Godden and Leaburn, thus having someone to lighten their load would be crucial to their survival.
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