DEAN Holden says Charlton will be aiming to repeat last year’s League Cup exploits when they head to Newport this evening.
The League One Addicks enjoyed a memorable run to the quarter-finals which ended with a night to remember at Old Trafford in early January shortly after Holden was appointed boss.
In recent years the League Cup has been seen as an opportunity for managers to make wholesale changes.
And although Holden acknowledges there will indeed be differences to the side which enjoyed a 1-0 Valley victory over Leyton Orient on Saturday, he is seeing the Newport tie as an opportunity for Charlton to go as far as possible in the competition again.
The SE7 chief said: “We have to use it for those reasons (squad rotation) purely because lads are not up to speed.
“We had a game during last week over at Slough, but certain players couldn’t play because it was on astroturf, so we will make sure that the players that need minutes will get minutes.
“There will be changes but I just said to the players in there (after the Orient win) ‘I don’t believe we will be weakening the team – far from it’.
“We are building a really good squad.
“The perception, or externally, is it might look like we make quite a few changes. Whatever we decide to do, we are going there to win the game.”
Holden added: “This club has not had a winning mentality for quite a while now.
“The reason everybody enjoyed Old Trafford so much is because the players last season took care of the earlier rounds when they are not so glamorous.
“We will go there with the right attitude and hopefully win the game.”
