Charlton head to Hillsborough knowing this monster of a league offers no easy answers

“This is a monster of a league.”

That was the verdict of Nathan Jones after defeat to Preston North End and it frames Saturday’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday perfectly. On paper, this looks like an opportunity. Wednesday sit rock bottom on minus four points after a twelve point deduction followed by a further six point penalty. They have won just once all season and now hold an unwanted place in history with a run of thirty seven games without a win - the longest in Football League history. However, taken in its full context, Wednesday's story isn't just one of poor performance on the pitch.

This is a club that has been through chaos off the pitch. Ownership issues, points deductions and the loss of key players have left them a shadow of what they might have been. And yet, in recent weeks, there have been signs of resistance rather than resignation.

They held runaway leaders Coventry City to a 0 0 draw away from home last weekend and gained another draw against our relegation rivals Leicester City on Easter Monday. These are two results that suggest this is not a side simply waiting for the season to end. They may be going down, but they are not going quietly.

That is what makes this fixture dangerous. Sheffield Wednesday have nothing to lose. They are free from expectation, free from pressure, and seem determined to show serious intent in the closing weeks.

Their only win of the season, against Portsmouth back in September, feels a long time ago, but the recent draws hint at a team still capable of disrupting others. For Charlton, the danger of this being a potential banana skin lies within as much as without. At times recently we have been our own worst enemies when a comfortable closing few weeks of the season seemed to be there for the taking.

It’s hardly surprising that Wednesday rank at the bottom of the division for most statistics. They do have a higher average possession than Charlton but that’s unlikely to be indicative this weekend. Charlton are likely to dominate the ball. That sort of game has been tough for us a lot of the season. Sonny Carey and Tyreece Campbell don’t have space to drive into and there isn’t really anywhere for Lyndon Dykes to direct his flick-ons. We have no creative playmaker in the midfield. Luke Chambers has done okay tucking in but he hasn’t created a clear cut chance from deep. If he’s fit, this might be a game for Matty Godden as he has a habit of finding a chance from nowhere. Realistically long throws will probably be our main threat once again. It may be uninspiring but it is effective and our last three goals have come as a result of a long throw. Let's hope Harry Clarke is back and his aim is on target.

The Addicks remain on forty nine points after a run of three defeats and two draws in their last five games. The pattern has been frustratingly consistent. Chances created, but not taken. Games controlled, but not finished. Time and time, week after week, these are matches that should have been put to bed as Nathan Jones said post-match v Preston. However, they weren't put to bed, because we have struggled to capitalise on chances in front of goal.

That is why Hillsborough feels less like a routine assignment and more like a test of nerve. Charlton need a win. Not just for the points, but to restore momentum and remove any lingering doubt.

There is also a wider, slightly ironic consequence to Sheffield Wednesday’s struggles. Their exceptionally low points total has distorted the relegation picture. The bar for safety has effectively been raised, dragging more teams into the equation for longer than might otherwise have been the case. In a strange way, their crisis has had a ripple effect across the division.

Charlton should still have enough. But “should” has been a pointless word in recent weeks. Some of the teams below us are on a bit of a roll and 52-54 points might be needed to make sure of safety.

The task now is simple. Be clinical. Be composed. Treat the game with the seriousness it demands. Because in a "monster of a league", even a team without a win in thirty seven games can still pose a threat.