Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones has revealed that forward Chuks Aneke will return to the squad for this weekend’s League One fixture against Wigan Athletic after missing the win over Crawley Town.
The Addicks beat the League One relegation candidates with a first half goal from Thierry Small to see them pick up their ninth win in 12 games and move up to fourth in the table, firmly in the play-off spots. However, Chuks Aneke was a notable absentee from the squad.
Why Was Chuks Aneke Left Out of the Charlton Athletic Squad?
Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones confirmed that the forward was left out of the squad as a precaution as his side look to manage their squad entering a pivotal point of the season. Speaking to the South London Press he confirmed the news:
“We don’t take chances. Chuks was fine after the (Stockport) game, no problem. We wanted to use the squad and to have Chuks available for the weekend. We probably didn’t want to expose him tonight.
“It’s about using the squad. We’ve got to keep everyone fit and everyone right. We’ve left Bezza (Luke Berry) out tonight and put (Alex) Gilbert in because he has looked a little bit jaded in recent weeks. It is about using and trusting your squad.”
Can Charlton Athletic Earn League One Promotion?
The Addicks appeared to be hitting some of the same stumbling blocks as they did in the previous campaign earlier in the season. A struggle to score goals coupled with a failure to control games for any length of time saw them drop down the table and seemingly away from promotion contention.
However, Nathan Jones, to his credit despite earlier criticism has masterminded a return to form that has seen his side push up the table and put his side firmly in the play-off picture. Whilst it is likely too late for an automatic promotion push, the Addicks do now only find themselves five points behind Wycombe Wanderers and Wrexham in the battle for that second spot.
Charlton are also gaining ground on the two, topping the form table over the last six games. Even if they do not climb into the automatic spaces, the momentum and belief instilled in the side by Nathan Jones should land them in a good position to enter the play-offs.