Charlton’s failure to take a bigger percentage of their chances has been a constant frustration this season. But is their record worse than their rivals?
Karl Robinson set his team a target of averaging two goals per game, and thus far they have scored 16 times in 9 games, so they are close to that target.
The Addicks have scored more goals than runaway leaders Shrewsbury, and only Fleetwood, Peterborough and Wigan have found the back of the net more frequently than Robinson’s team.
Charlton have struggled to keep a clean sheet though, they have conceded in each of their last six games. The last time an opponent failed to score against the Addicks was Rotherham back in August.
Individually the defenders are good players, but Robinson’s open style of play puts his team at risk to a counter attack.
Charlton are not the tallest team either, which leaves them vulnerable at set plays.
So it will always be a case of having to score more than the opposition, as opposed to trying to keep a clean sheet and nicking a goal on the break.
That being the case, the Addicks are short of front line strikers to back up Josh Magennis.
Despite making a scoring debut from the bench at Oldham, Rangers loanee Joe Dodoo does not look ready to take on the loan striker’s mantle yet.
Charlton have failed to win any of their last four games, and face a tough trip to Fleetwood on Saturday.
After that, they entertain Peterborough – with Magennis and Jay Dasilva missing on international duty – at The Valley.
Doncaster will be the visitors a week later, then Robinson’s men travel to Oxford and Bradford. It is a difficult set of fixtures and the Addicks will need to convert a greater number of chances to harvest a decent points return.
One option is to bring more firepower in from the free agents market. This is not ideal, as the players will lack match sharpness.
But a quality player could use his experience to make an impact from the bench, or deputise when Magennis is absent.
Robinson has mentioned that his substitutes need to be able to change the course of the game.
Here are four players who could worth offering a short term deal to.
Though he is now 35, Rickie Lambert has a proven goal scoring pedigree, though Roy Hodgson is apparently interested in taking him to Palace.
But if he is available, Lambert has experience of the lower leagues and really sprang to prominence at Bristol Rovers.
Leon Best is 30-years-old and it is surprising that he is without a club after being released by ipswich in the summer.
Another unattached 30-year-old is Oxford born Dexter Blackstock who was at Rotherham last season.
Grant Holt is now 36, but played 30 times for Hibernian during the 2016/17 campaign, but is now without a club.
The above quartet are obviously not long term solutuions, but they could make a short term impact before the transfer window reopens in January.
TAGS: Charlton Athletic