Charlton Athletic’s manager believes his team is close to Championship quality despite a narrow FA Cup loss to Preston
London: Charlton’s manager Nathan Jones is feeling optimistic about his team’s potential. After a close match against Preston in the FA Cup, he said they’re “not far off Championship level.”
The game was rescheduled due to a frozen pitch, and Charlton had to make the trip back to Lancashire. They started strong, but a mistake led to Preston scoring first.
Charlton quickly equalized thanks to Luke Berry, but Preston regained the lead shortly after halftime. A late save from Preston’s keeper kept Charlton from pushing the game into extra time.
Jones expressed frustration over the goals conceded, noting that they were uncharacteristic errors. He praised his team’s performance, saying they created more chances and tested the Preston keeper.
He highlighted that they were inches away from taking the lead and felt they deserved to be level at halftime. However, they struggled to maintain that momentum in the second half.
Jones emphasized the need for consistent performances in the league to truly compete at the Championship level. He believes they have a solid squad and are in a better position now with more players returning from injury.
He pointed out that their midfield can compete with Championship teams and that they have the quality to challenge. Jones is confident that with the right performances, they can achieve their goals this season.
