NATHAN Jones isn’t placing big importance on pre-season results after his experience at Stoke City – but he admitted Charlton were “miles off it” in their 2-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane at the weekend.
Ryan Johnson and Josh Kelly were on target for Johnnie Jackson’s Dons.
There were 1,002 Addicks supporters in the 3,156 crowd.
“I’m really disappointed with lots of stuff. It’s not about the result, it’s about the performance really,” Jones said on Charlton’s website.
“First half we weren’t aggressive enough. We were categorically different the other day [in their 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace] where we were really aggressive all over. Today we were a mile off in terms of that.
“In possession we weren’t fluent enough. We really weren’t fluent enough today and that’s the most disappointing thing.
“We played in front of them, we didn’t penetrate enough and then when we did we went long at the wrong time.
“It’s a bit of a wake-up call for me in terms of, going forward, what I need to do. So it’s served its purpose in that way, albeit in a disappointing way.”
It was Charlton’s second defeat in five pre-season games.
Jones added: “We’re building into a season and that’s what it’s about. You can’t get too down and you can’t get too high. We should have beaten Crystal Palace, but you don’t suddenly think we’re the best team in the world. It’s about keeping a nice equilibrium in terms of what we do.
“I was unbeaten at Stoke in pre-season and I lost my job fourteen games later!”
On what else he wants in the transfer window, Jones said: “We need to move one or two on and then we need to bring one or two in, in terms of strengthening and finalising the squad. I would have liked it to be done by now. Obviously it’s not been but look, we keep working right until the end of the window and trying to strengthen the side.
“We’re working with big numbers at the minute, and that’s something we have to change. We have to get to a place where we’ve got a settled squad and we know exactly what we want to do.”
Charlton’s last friendly is against Portsmouth at The Valley on Saturday at 3pm.
