Nathan Jones’ verdict after Charlton Athletic beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at the Riverside
Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones gestures(Image: PA)
A delighted Nathan Jones says his Charlton Athletic side took confidence from Oxford United and Leicester City’s recent draws at the Riverside, but insisted they didn’t replicate their game plan.
Charlton went one better than their Championship relegation rivals on Wednesday evening, with Conor Coady’s goal securing a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Teesside.
It was a huge missed opportunity for Boro, as they failed to capitalise on Ipswich Town’s draw at Stoke City 24 hours earlier. It was also a third successive home game without a win.
And, concerningly, all three games have been a similar story. Kim Hellberg’s side have struggled to find a way past the low-block, despite having so much possession, and so many shots.
Asked after if he picked much up from Oxford and Leicester’s recent draws here, Jones said: “I wouldn’t say we followed their lead. I mean, we defend differently from them, and we have a different shape.
“But did that give us confidence that they are a very good side away from home, and probably finding it slightly more difficult to put teams to bed at home? Well, yeah.
“We study every game. I’ve watched four or five games, my analysts probably watch eight. I went to the game on Sunday. But we play differently to other teams, we defend differently and we defend our way. So what we had to do is back our structure against their fluency and luckily we got the win.”
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Offering his overall thoughts on the game, and a big win for his side, he added: “I’m delighted with both the application of the players and the result. Look, would we have liked to be a bit more fluid? Would we have liked to have a bit more possession? A few more chances? Of course.
“But we are very respectful of the level of quality that they have here. You know, we’re seven months back in the Championship. Middlesbrough have been either in the Premier League or trying to get out of this league for 10 to 12 years now.
“I remember coming here as an assistant at Brighton with Middlesbrough getting promoted to the Premier League. So they’re much, much further ahead in their development than we are.
“I went to watch them at the weekend and they were really fluid and they were confident. I don’t want to use the word arrogant, but they bordered that in terms of how they played, how they went about it.
“And we knew that we had to defend well tonight if we were going to keep a clean sheet and get anything from the game. And I felt we did that.”
On Coady’s goal, which came via a long throw, he concluded: “We’ve scored a few from set plays. I don’t care how we score, I really don’t. You know, we felt tonight with the way they play, the dominance they have, how good a side they have, that our best chance of scoring would be from a counter-attack – of beating their press and getting out and going quickly – or a set play.
“ And our two best chances came from Conor Coady who scored, and then we had a glorious chance with Charlie Kelman on the counter-attack. So we knew that.
“But as I say, I don’t care how we score, I really don’t. I’m just really pleased that we came up here, we made five changes coming into the game today, and I’m just really pleased that we got the win.”
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