Charlton Athletic manager Michael Appleton has previewed his team’s trip to Port Vale on Saturday as well as giving an injury update concerning some key players.
The Addicks have slipped down the League One table in recent weeks, after a six match winless run. As a result, they now sit in 14th place, one place higher yet on the same points as Saturday’s opponents Port Vale.
Appleton’s seat is certainly beginning to get warmer by the game after that said poor run of form. The clash with Port Vale could very much be a must-win game for the manager with the club potentially opting for change in the January transfer window.
Their opponents Port Vale have not been in great form themselves, losing on New Year’s Day to then-bottom of the table Carlisle United. Both teams will be looking to find the winning thread once again in a match which seems firmly in the balance on paper.
Charlton could be dealt a significant blow prior to their clash with Port Vale, with the news of talisman Alfie May potentially not being available for selection. May would miss the New Year’s Day loss to Oxford United with a back injury, which could also keep him out for a longer spell.
With 15 goals in League One so far this season, it is easy to see just how important May is to the club. Yet despite having the top goalscorer in the league, Charlton still find themselves in 14th. That potentially speaks levels about the rest of the team, something which could potentially be addressed in January.
The club are obviously worse-off without the striker and it would come as a big blow if he didn’t make the trip to Port Vale on Saturday.
Speaking to club media about the injury to May, as well as Chem Campbell, who scored in the loss to Oxford, Appleton stated.
“Alfie is 50/50 for tomorrow. He is improving which is the main thing and we’ll know more later.
“The only one from Monday who is a slight doubt – obviously it’s not great timing because of where he’s at – is Chem. He rolled his ankle on Monday and, again, it’s touch and go with him whether he’s going to be available for tomorrow.
The manager also previewed the clash with the Valiants, giving a fair assessment of their weekend opponents.
“They’re a tight-knit group. Obviously they’ve got [Uche] Ikpeazu up front who can deal with the ball and once he gets hold of it, he brings the three midfield players into play and they can be dangerous.
“James Wilson is someone who can play in numerous positions for them and scores goals, so they’ve definitely got a threat and we need to be mindful of that. We need to make sure that we try and lock the door, but at the same time hopefully improve on amount of chances and opportunities we get in the final third and make sure we take more care with them.”
Writer’s View
It is paramount that Charlton pick up all three points on Saturday or Appleton’s job could be in serious doubt. Given their budget compared to teams around them, they simply must be doing far better than they currently are.
Not having May as well as Campbell available would only decrease their chances of a victory and thus the likelihood of Appleton keeping his job. It’ll be a very interesting game to monitor as both teams have something to prove after recent poor results.
Senior Editor
