Charlton Athletic are doing one thing better than Coventry City and Ipswich Town - Nathan Jones must love this | OneFootball

The Addicks are the Championship's most effective team at winning possession in the final third so far

Charlton Athletic have emerged as the Championship's most effective team at winning possession in the final third this season.

Leading the division with 5.4 possessions won per 90 minutes, it perfectly aligns with Nathan Jones' high-intensity pressing style of play.

This achievement places the Addicks ahead of promotion-chasing teams like Coventry City, who currently sit top of the table, and Ipswich Town, highlighting Charlton's defensive aggression despite their mid-table position.

Prior to the international break, the South East London club managed four games unbeaten before losing to Preston North End - with Thierry Small's deflected effort proving to be the decisive goal against his former club.

"Super passionate" Nathan Jones has Charlton pressing more than Coventry City and Ipswich Town

The stat that sees Charlton lead the Championship in possession won in the final third is perhaps the perfect embodiment of Nathan Jones' style of play - the Sky Blues are second with 4.8, while the Tractor Boys are fifth with 4.5.

Welshman Jones has built his career on demanding extreme intensity from his players, both in and out of possession, and this metric proves his methods are taking root at The Valley in the second-tier.

During his successful tenure at Luton Town in 22/23, the Hatters were second only to West Bromwich Albion for high turnovers and led the Championship in 'pressed sequences' - showing their ability to consistently unsettle teams inside their own half.

James Bree, who has worked with Jones at three different clubs (including Charlton), explained the manager's demanding nature to South London Sport, "Everyone can see the gaffer is super passionate - he loves what he does."

"He is definitely intense but that is because he cares so much about the players. He sees the best version of the footballer and he wants you to show that every single day," Bree added.

The versatile defender's insight reveals why Jones gets so animated on the touchline - his intensity stems from wanting players to reach their potential, and when they fall short of his standards, his frustration becomes visible.

This approach has clearly resonated with the Charlton squad, who have embraced the high-pressing style that has troubled the second-tier many times before.

Nathan Jones' training methods that produce the Championship's most disruptive press

The foundation for Charlton's success in winning final third possession seemingly lies in Jones' approach to training.

Behind-the-scenes YouTube footage from Sky Sports Football shows the manager conducting "quick possession drills in tight areas" where players work on "playing out of pressure quickly" and "breaking lines to get into the pivots".

Jones then reveals that Tuesday is their "physical day" and "real intense day" - where he demands maximum effort from players in and out of possession.

This clever approach to building fitness and pressing triggers has made Charlton into one of the Championship's most difficult teams to play against, as obviously evidenced by their league-leading stat.

As previously mentioned, Coventry currently top the Championship table with 19 points from nine games, while Ipswich have shown impressive form with 13 points from eight matches, yet neither can match Charlton's ability to regain possession in dangerous areas.

With the Addicks being in 13th, one point behind the Tractor Boys having played an extra game, there's no denying it's steady progress for a team that secured promotion through the League One play-offs just months ago.

Having faced criticism from non-league managers during his difficult spell at Southampton, where his high-intensity approach struggled, this early Championship success proves his methods still remain very effective.

Then-Havant & Waterlooville boss, Paul Doswell - who is no longer at the club, said Jones was out of his depth at Saints to BBC Radio Solent in 2023. The latter was "baffled" by the comments, and replied saying he doesn't "speak about levels I don't know about."

Ultimately, for Charlton, leading the Championship in possession won in the final third is more than just a positive stat - it's proof to the rest of the league, and beyond in Doswell's case, that Nathan Jones' demanding methods are creating exactly the type of hard-to-play-against team he likes to have.