MATCH PREVIEW: Charlton Athletic vs Coventry City - New Years Day: 3pm Kick-Off

MarcusH26

Really tough one. Head says 1-3 defeat and Cov come out flying wanting a reaction. 

Heart says nick a 1-0 off a setpiece goal from Lloyd Jones and hold on for our lives. 

Chippycafc

Stroll in the park 0-3,or 4.

llama_child_21cws

2-1 Charlton. UTA

CafcSteve

If the below are available then I’d play:

Kaminski
Ramsey, Burke, Jones, Bell
Apter, Knibbs, Coventry, JRC, TC
Olafoe

Olafoe & TC caused their defence problems in the first half hour of the away fixture.
That changed when Leaburn replaced Bell.
Apter, TC & Olafoe all have pace.
Tell them to run at Coventry’s defence whenever they get the ball.

Jones will never do the above though.

Doomer Jon

I am optimistic. Last year we were awful until about now when Jones rolled the dice and got a starting XI that clicked (a lot even thought Godden wasn't up to much). 

I would start the same XI again. We should have won the game on Monday by a good few goals, given the chances we missed. 

Coventry were easily beat by Ipswich so are not as good as everyone thinks. 

CharltonManor1966

To get anything out of this game we will need to score twice. Stranger things have happened but can't see it. 0-2

bertpalmer

2121 said:

What happened to anderson? Sick ? Injured? 

I think we will take this 2-1

being sold?????

TootingRedArmy

Tomorrow’s Charlton v Coventry has the feel of the old Coventry legend Lady Godiva retold. Charlton arrive burdened by a run of poor results, taxed by defeats and doubts, while Coventry ride in as league leaders led by Fat Frank,  fearless, free-scoring, supremely confident. The imbalance echoes the myth of Lady Godiva, when power and pressure sat heavily on one side of the city.

Back then, Coventry’s people needed an act of defiance to change their fate. Godiva’s naked ride was a gamble against inevitability a belief that courage could humble authority. Charlton, too, need something bold tomorrow at the Valley. Against a free scoring Coventry side, Nathan hopefully has a masterplan to strip the game back to bravery, belief and exposing themselves to risk in the hope of release from the dreadful run we are cuurently on. 

Coventry, will expect dominance to be enough. Yet legends warn against complacency. One reckless pass, one lapse in discipline, a modern-day Peeping Tom moment and punishment can be swift. We have players capable of nicking chances in Kelman & Nibbs, so lets start 2026 with belief that tomorrow is the start of something. 

The Valley won’t be silent like medieval Coventry, but the message is similar: when nothing suggests change, it sometimes takes audacity to rewrite the story. Charlton’s task is really daunting. But myths, and football, are built on the idea that the impossible sometimes rides through anyway. There is no such thing as a sure fire winner or  loser,  so lets hope Charlton ride into The Valley and cause an upset ....COYA's 

swords_alive

bertpalmer said:

2121 said:

What happened to anderson? Sick ? Injured? 

I think we will take this 2-1

being sold?????

According to info in the match thread, he traveled Monday to Portsmouth. Docherty seen down the sea front prior to the match, whether he was with Roussillon and Anderson is unconfirmed. Can be sure Jones was furious. Roussillon no doubt got the blame as ring leader, and only Docherty made the squad. Anderson's whereabouts remains a mystery. Some suggesting transfer listed.  Behind the scenes is a bigger mess than on the pitch currently.

0-2 to Coventry.

up_the_valley

It's another game. Remember we we a whisker away from being 2 nil up at their place. Yes. We'll probably lose but im not sure it matters at this point if were playing top of the league or mid table. It's about the performance we put in that will determine our points gain from this game.

Scoham

I’ve got no expectations for this, the complete opposite of the Pompey game.

Definitely one where I’d take a point if offered, even though no one is unbeatable in this league.

CaptainBeefheart

Kaminski

Burke - Jones - Bell

Bree - Anderson - Coventry - Apter

Carey

Kelman - Leaburn


I think it should be something like this, Apter out in that wingback role with Bell behind him surely should be alright, with all the experience that he has and being a calm head. Slept mostly through the Pompey game but read that Rankin-Costello was decent so maybe him in place for Anderson? but think Anderson will be good at getting in their faces? 

PeaksAndValleys

Chunes said:

The team looked nicely balanced with Fullah at LWB away at Birmingham. It was only a draw that day, but arguably a game we should have won and our best performance in a while. I'm not sure why NJ has kept changing it. 

Hope we can get any kind of result tomorrow. 

What's happened to Fullah? He was all set to start again a few games ago (Oxford I think?) then last minute not even in the squad and Laq in on the bench. Haven't seen much about it since? 

JustFloydRoad

There we are 9th biggest homes wins of 2025. We are winning tomorrow

wolfgang

PeaksAndValleys said:

Chunes said:

The team looked nicely balanced with Fullah at LWB away at Birmingham. It was only a draw that day, but arguably a game we should have won and our best performance in a while. I'm not sure why NJ has kept changing it. 

Hope we can get any kind of result tomorrow. 

What's happened to Fullah? He was all set to start again a few games ago (Oxford I think?) then last minute not even in the squad and Laq in on the bench. Haven't seen much about it since? 

Perhaps he was seen on a seafront. NJ hates that sort of thing. Dates back to an incident in his childhood, as does his nail-biting.

LargeAddick

swords_alive said:

bertpalmer said:

2121 said:

What happened to anderson? Sick ? Injured? 

I think we will take this 2-1

being sold?????

According to info in the match thread, he traveled Monday to Portsmouth. Docherty seen down the sea front prior to the match, whether he was with Roussillon and Anderson is unconfirmed. Can be sure Jones was furious. Roussillon no doubt got the blame as ring leader, and only Docherty made the squad. Anderson's whereabouts remains a mystery. Some suggesting transfer listed.  Behind the scenes is a bigger mess than on the pitch currently.

0-2 to Coventry.

Sorry but where has this bollocks come from? Some twitter crap no doubt. Same as Rousillon eating a tub of Quality Street on the Norwich coach. This stuff gets repeated and some gullible people believe it. I don’t doubt that maybe Docherty and others were seen having a walk by the seafront. So what? It’s commonplace, or was back in the day, to see opposition players wandering down Bexleyheath Broadway or down Gravel Hill on the morning of a match, I’ve seem them a number of times. So if Doc and others were out having a stroll, stretching their legs, taking in some air why would Jones be furious?

Chunes

Have you ever been 'by the seafront' in Portsmouth. It's a desolate wasteland 😂

LargeAddick

I know it’s not a popular viewpoint but I do think we are a better team with Docherty in the side. I’m sticking my neck out that we win tomorrow, 2-1. 

ArmchairAddick

Chunes said:

Have you ever been 'by the seafront' in Portsmouth. It's a desolate wasteland 😂

Watching the hovercraft. 

Pretty much the main attraction in Portsmouth.

CharltonManor1966

ArmchairAddick said:

Chunes said:

Have you ever been 'by the seafront' in Portsmouth. It's a desolate wasteland 😂

Watching the hovercraft. 

Pretty much the main attraction in Portsmouth.

There is no way professional footballers go walkies before a match. They will all have travelled together and followed the same ore natch itinerary. But what has happened to Anderson???

Scoham

CharltonManor1966 said:

ArmchairAddick said:

Chunes said:

Have you ever been 'by the seafront' in Portsmouth. It's a desolate wasteland 😂

Watching the hovercraft. 

Pretty much the main attraction in Portsmouth.

There is no way professional footballers go walkies before a match. They will all have travelled together and followed the same ore natch itinerary. But what has happened to Anderson???

Like Fullah, probably nothing. With most players fit, a few have to be left out the squad.

NabySarr

The Red Robin said:

mayoboy said:

I think Coventry have hit the buffers. In December they have scored just 4 goals in 6 games, lost twice to Ipswich who we beat and won just 2 games from the 6. Can I suggest we buy the two videos from Ipswich where they won and study them in detail before the game. We just need to keep the ball in their half to stop them scoring and get Apter on the pitch from the start to start taking the corners and free kicks and then our players will start believing we have a chance to score from set piece situations.

Ipswich countered with real pace and speed in a 4-3-3 at times. When we win the ball we’re far too slow with it and it allows the opposition to reset and delay us. 

Tanto and TC caused them some problems in the first 30 of the away game. Would like to see them both start up front and do the same again with their pace. And then use the Kelman and Leaburn partnership from the bench 

cafc_4life

Can’t see past a pretty comfortable win for Cov.

Fearing another saints type game, as these can score at will when in the mood. 

BalladMan

JustFloydRoad said:

There we are 9th biggest homes wins of 2025. We are winning tomorrow

Joint 6th in Europe (not 9th) is not to be sniffed at.

iaitch

panther10 said:

Would not surprise me if we win this  typical after losing to norwich and pompey 

Yes we haven't heard the 'Top of the league you're having a laugh' chant for a while.

boggzy

I always presumed that Anderson was rested for Pompey so he could play today as a 'get stuck in and break-'em-up role'. But who knows?

The Red Robin

boggzy said:

I always presumed that Anderson was rested for Pompey so he could play today as a 'get stuck in and break-'em-up role'. But who knows?

But didn’t even make the bench. Weird.

Er_Be_Ab_Pl_Wo_Wo_Ch

We'll have to find a way to stay in the game, ride our luck for a bit. As others have said, it's just another league match. My expectations are low - we're in awful form and we're playing the league leaders. But hope is high, I've seen enough football down the years to know anything is possible. How we deal with setbacks during the game will be key for me - heads can't drop for a moment.

We must be a perfect opponent for Sakamoto, how we keep him quiet I don't know. He's been their standout player from the bits of their games I've seen.

ForeverAddickted

I know I'm always annoyingly positive, but just want to point out one thing... We're unbeaten in 2026, so hopefully has to count for something today... Right? 

BigDiddy

0-4 today as Coventry will want to atone for their defeat the other day. They are just too quick, good and have class all over the park.

We are weak all over and will be overrun in midfield.

Need some new loans or signings or we could end up back in L1.

Sorry for the negativity, but the last 2 defeats have been poor and losing against 2 poor sides is why i have little faith we will do anything today.