Nathan Jones has explained his decision not to include Collins Sichenje in the starting lineup for Charlton Athletic’s clash with West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday evening.
The Harambee Stars defender had earned his first start in the previous match against Southampton, where Charlton Athletic secured a 1-1 draw, and he was substituted late in the game after an encouraging performance.
Following that display, many supporters anticipated that he would retain his place in the team for the trip to face West Bromwich Albion. However, despite the positive expectations, he was named among the substitutes for the encounter.
Nathan Jones has since pointed out that injuries and squad management influenced his selection decisions. He noted that one of his players was unavailable due to fitness concerns, while Collins Sichenje was not selected to start because of the demanding schedule.
The Charlton Athletic coach added that the defender had limited recent game time, making it difficult to ask him to begin another match within a short turnaround. He added that these adjustments, combined with other disruptions before kick-off, affected the team’s preparation.
“We lost Lloyd Chamberlain, who shouldn’t really play. We couldn’t play Collins because of the second game in three to four days, since he hasn’t played football. So again, you know, those things, the massive disruption before the game,” Nathan Jones told Charlton Athletic media.
Nathan Jones also reflected on the draw between Charlton Athletic and West Bromwich Albion, describing the encounter as an open and fast-paced contest, particularly after the interval, when his side struggled to impose their usual structure.
The coach explained that although his team managed to produce a decisive moment to get on the scoresheet, they were unable to maintain consistent control throughout the match, which he said does not align with the standards and principles they work on in training.
Despite the challenges, Nathan Jones acknowledged the quality within the opposition’s ranks and admitted that competing at this level requires resilience and consistency.
While he felt his side could have secured more from the fixture, he maintained that earning a point against such strong opponents reflects progress and indicates that the team remains in a competitive position overall.
“We didn’t. It was a bit of a basketball game second half. We showed a moment of quality and scored, but we didn’t have any control in that game, and that’s not how we train. We train, and we work, and we do stuff,” he added.
“So all these things, you know, and as I said, this level is brutal. It’s tough, tough, you know, it’s good players. I mean, you look at their squad, their squad’s fantastic. They’ve got a fantastic squad when you look at it. So for us to be competing, I’d be disappointed that we only come away with a point. It shows that we are not in the worst place.”
