Charlton return to The Valley on Red, White and Black Day looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat to Preston, where fine margins and a few contentious calls went against them.
Nathan Jones didn’t mince his words after that one — and he’ll want his Addicks to turn frustration into fire against a low-flying Sheffield Wednesday side still searching for form in the face of challenges on and off the pitch. At home this season, they have drawn one and lost four with a goal difference of 1-14 and they arrive at The Valley smarting from a 0-5 thrashing by Coventry. However, what many may not have noticed is that away from home they have been pretty impressive. A narrow 2-1 defeat at Leicester on the opening day has been followed by 2-2 draws at Wrexham and Birmingham and a 2-0 win at Portsmouth. You have been warned. They are not a side that can be easily written off.
Although the 5-0 loss to Coventry doesn’t show it, The Owls have made an effort to become more defensively solid over the last few fixtures. Liam Palmer and Yan Vallery have switched positons with the former now operating at RWB and the latter partnering Barry Bannan in a double pivot. Bannan is less mobile than ever and on the ball he loves to spray a long pass, hitting sixty more than his nearest outfield teammate. Wednesday as a team are fifth in the league for most long balls, which Nathan Jones will be delighted with as Lloyd Jones’ biggest strength is heading every long ball that comes within 15 yards. Creatively, Wednesday are poor. This will likely be a cagey game for sixty minutes or so, but the fitness of Nathan Jones’ side should then create an advantage. The key before that is keeping Bannan quiet. Sonny Carey will need to be nipping at his ankles for as long as he can to disrupt the quarter back.
The Valley is poised for a packed house. The club expects to surpass 20,000 in attendance, marking the fourth time this season that a crowd over that milestone have gathered at The Valley. The pull of Red, White and Black Day and the drama of hosting a historically gritty fixture like this one with a full Jimmy Seed Stand will only add to the electric atmosphere.
Over the last decade, Charlton and Wednesday have clashed in a number of contested, high-tension matches, fostering a rivalry that’s more than just league proximity. It's one with both bite and banter, characterised by classic Johnnie Jackson free kicks and friendly-ish debate over which of us can call ourselves the bigger club.
But, while we’ve resolved recent ownership and financial uncertainties, Wednesday’s off-field struggles have resurfaced with renewed force and demonstrations against owner Dejphon Chansiri are to be expected. The Owls have again faced serious issues with unpaid wages. Even non-playing staff have launched industrial action via Unite in protest at the delays. That contrast — our relative stability versus their turmoil — adds an intriguing subplot to Saturday’s showdown.
Nathan Jones says his squad are looking forward to a home game:
"Sheffield Wednesday fans always travel well. They’re an excellent football club, with good fans that can create a wonderful atmosphere. But it's a day where we're at home and we're looking forward to being at home after two away fixtures, and we have to maximise that."