This Week's Opposition: Charlton Athletic

A game of 2 halves last time out saw the Blues win by an incredible 4 goals to 1 over Reading on home turf. That scoreline now means that Pompey have accumulated 11 goals over their last 3 matches.

With 6 points the gap to 2nd placed Derby at the top of the table, the Blues head back on the road this weekend to take on struggling Charlton Athletic.

MANAGER

There is a new man in the dugout for The Addicks and that is former Luton Town and Southampton boss Nathan Jones.

Jones began his career with Conference outfit Merthyr Tydfil before joining Luton in 1995. After a short stint in Spain, he returned to England with Southend United in 1997.

Jones spent 3 seasons at Roots Hall, which included a brief loan spell at Scarborough in 1999. He then moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2000 and was part of the team that won 3 promotions in the space of 5 years.

The left-back joined Yeovil Town in 2005 and would go on to spend 7 seasons in League One, making over 200 appearances for The Glovers.

Whilst at Yeovil, Jones spent time as first-team coach of Yeovil Town Ladies and later player-assistant manager of the first team. Jones also coached for Charlton’s Under-21s and Stoke City.

It was only 3 weeks ago, on the 4th of February, that Jones was appointed as manager of Charlton. His first game in charge saw Charlton lose 2-0 at relegation-threatened rivals Reading on the 10th of February.

ONE TO WATCH

19-year-old forward Daniel Kanu is one to keep an eye out for this Saturday.

Kanu, born in Lambeth in November 2004, has been with the club since Under-11 level and signed his first pro contract at The Valley on the 12th February 2022, having scored 31 goals across all competitions for Charlton’s youth sides.

10 days later, Kanu made his senior debut for The Addicks by coming off the bench in the final 8 minutes of a League One defeat to Wigan Athletic.

Later on in November of the same year, Kanu scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 defeat away at Plymouth Argyle in the EFL Trophy.

As recently as the 7th of February this year, it was announced that Kanu had signed a new long-term contract with the South London side, for whom he has this season scored 4 goals and helped with 1 assist.

Kanu has 1 international cap behind him already, representing Sierra Leone as a second half substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Egypt in World Cup 2026 qualifying back in November.

TOP SCORER

30-year-old former Doncaster Rovers and Cheltenham Town striker Alfie May is currently Charlton’s leading scorer in all competitions this season.

May, who signed for The Addicks last summer, has managed 20 goals so far in 2023/24 - 16 of which have come in the league with 2 each in The FA Cup and EFL Trophy.

The Gravesend-born forward came through the ranks as a youngster with Millwall and began his senior career with amateur outfit Corinthian in 2012.

He floated around the non-league scene until January 2017, when at the age of 23, he made the jump up to the Football League with Doncaster.

In 3 years with Donny, May managed just 10 goals from 92 appearances but then found comfort at Cheltenham Town, where between January 2020 and May 2023, he scored 58 goals in 141 competitive appearances.

CURRENT FORM

The Addicks currently sit 20th in the League One table, just 1 point ahead of Cheltenham Town in the relegation zone. They have accumulated 33 points across their 33 games played to this stage.

In their last 5 matches, the results have returned 3 draws and 2 defeats. Their most recent game ended 3-3 against the Blues’ promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers.

Nathan Jones' side are in the midst of a tricky run of fixtures against sides challenging at the top of the division. Last week’s trip to Bolton is followed by this weekend’s meeting with Pompey and next Tuesday’s away match at Derby County.

This is now Charlton’s 4th straight season in League One - Last season they finished in 10th, 2 places and 8 points behind the Blues. This season they are battling in the bottom half of the table and hoping to avoid relegation, 19 places and 39 points behind.

Charlton are winless in their last 15 league games and their last victory came on the 28th of November - That a 2-1 home win against Cheltenham which, for context, came just 3 days after Pompey’s first league defeat of the season at home to Blackpool.

Can the Blues go an 8th game unbeaten and possibly even secure a 5th straight win in the process too, or will The Addicks see the end to their current horrific streak?

Tune in this Saturday (February 24th) at 2pm for Part 1 of this Pompey Live weekender as Connor Moseley, Jake Smith and Kirsty Roxanne present full coverage of Charlton Athletic vs Portsmouth in League One from The Valley.

Kick-off: 3pm!