Nathan Jones was delighted with his side's performance on Saturday afternoon as they clinched a 1-0 win over Preston North End at The Valley.
The Addicks made it three league wins on the spin, in a result that sent the team to the top of the table.
“I was really pleased," he exclaimed.
"These [Preston] have had our number, three games, three defeats – whether we deserved it or not is another. They play the same way, a 3-5-2, they roll the number 10 in to create the diamond and cause us problems, and I think they tried to do that today."
"We knew what they were going to do, I thought we were aggressive. We moved the ball reasonably well first half but not with any tempo and that’s why we made the change at half time to really create that tempo in the second half and I thought we did, I thought we were excellent. I didn’t feel we were under any pressure in the second half apart from a few scrambles."
"I wanted us to go on and get the second, which would have effectively killed the game but I’m really pleased. These are a good side, their well coached, they’ve got a good manager and they’ve had our number, so it was really good to show they we’re evolving, that we’ve got better and we’re learning.”
“They [Preston] are very well-coached with a good manager," he continued.
"They have had our number in recent games, losing the last three, so it was really good to show that we are evolving and we have got better and that we are learning.”
Karlan Grant bagged his first goal back at the club with a fine finish in front of the Covered End.
“He [Grant] was better when he went into the 10," Jones said.
"We played him wide and he drifts in but we didn’t have any penetration from the right hand side, so that is why we wanted to bring Alli on, and he was excellent second half, a real threat and Karlan created a bit more and we had a bit more zest about us.”
Saturday also saw Charlton side keep their first clean sheet of the 2026/27 Sky Bet Championship campaign.
“I am very pleased with the defensive effort - I always am - very rarely do we buckle," he said.
"We did in midweek, but we gifted Spurs two goals, in the league so far defensively we have been excellent. And we have changed shape, so it is different. Different decisions, different things so I am really pleased we handled them.”
Nathaniel Chalobah was forced off the field though injury and was replaced by Alan Mwamba.
“Chalobah came off he had a bit if stiffness in his thighs, he has been struggling all week," Jones said.
"We have to look after him, we know we aren’t going to get 46 games out of him but the quality he gives us when he does play is what we look for.”
The Addicks currently sit top of the Championship table - the only side remaining in the EFL with maximum points.
“We are not going to get carried away. We are going to enjoy it, of course [the top of the table] is a wonderful place to be," he explained.
"It’s nine points, from three games, it’s the maximum we have got, and we have a positive goal difference. Everyone would take three results out of three, but we know it is a long, long season.”
Six Charlton academy graduates played against Preston at The Valley on Saturday afternoon.
“Let’s be honest it has been wonderful. It is part of my job, the academy produces, and we align, there is a pathway there. Anyone who is in our academy and wants to play first team football, if you are good enough you will be given the opportunity and that is the message.”
“I love being at home, it feels home. It was not the biggest crowd of the season, but it has been a wet day, and the fans had to travel to Tottenham in midweek, and they were excellent today. The roar when we score and the final whistle, they are enjoying it, we are enjoying it and we are in a decent place.”
Nathan Jones' side are on the road next week, with trips to West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City next up on the calendar.
“We have two tough away games coming up against two ex-Premier League sides, and two teams with big budgets and ambitions, hopefully we can go there and continue our good form."
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