Consecutive losses have brought an end to the positive start for Charlton manager Michael Appleton, prompting him to shift his focus towards the upcoming January transfer window. Appleton, the former Lincoln manager, saw his team’s unbeaten streak disrupted last week when they were defeated 3-1 by his former club at the LNER Stadium, despite taking an early lead courtesy of Alfie May. The disappointments continued over the weekend as promotion contenders Bolton secured a 2-0 victory at the Valley. With his team conceding five goals in just one week, Appleton acknowledged that the squad might have an imbalance in the forward department, and he is already thinking about addressing this issue in the upcoming January transfer window.
“In preparation for their upcoming match against Wigan, the team’s manager emphasized the importance of maintaining a clean sheet as their primary objective. He commended their previous performance in this regard during an away game at Shrewsbury. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that the current squad is heavily skewed towards the frontline, hinting at potential adjustments in January. Until then, the team must capitalize on their strengths.
The Addicks’ top goal scorer is Alfie May, with nine goals, while Miles Leaburn and Corey Taylor have also been active in the opponent’s penalty area, contributing 3 and 4 goals respectively. However, the team’s defensive performance has been less consistent, having only secured two clean sheets in nine matches since Appleton took over.
Their next opponent, Wigan, has the highest expected goals against (xG) in the division, indicating that scoring goals should not be a challenge, especially if the manager continues to focus on the team’s strengths, as he suggests.
Nevertheless, the defensive vulnerabilities in Appleton’s side leave them susceptible to conceding goals, an issue he appears determined to address in the upcoming transfer window, which is a couple of months away.”
The Charlton team doesn’t struggle to score goals – in their recent run under Appleton, they’ve netted an impressive 19 goals in just nine games, showing their offensive prowess. However, their defensive side appears vulnerable.
Lloyd Jones and Michael Hector have faced difficulties dealing with fast-paced forwards, and teams employing a compact three-forward setup can create situations where Charlton’s defense is overwhelmed. This issue isn’t insurmountable – bringing in a couple of new players and Appleton’s tactical adaptability depending on the opponent’s formation could be beneficial.
Nonetheless, fans of Lincoln and Blackpool are aware that Appleton tends to stick to his attacking principles. This season’s offensive statistics illustrate the success of this approach. Charlton supporters might have to be patient until January to see if new signings can help shore up their defense, a crucial step if they want to contend for promotion.
Leave a Reply