Lee Johnson has given his assessment of the weekend's upcoming match against Charlton Athletic at the Stadium of Light, in his Red & White matchday programme notes, sponsored by Signature Truck & Van.
Welcome back to the Stadium of Light ahead of today’s Sky Bet League One fixture against Charlton Athletic.
I would like to extend a warm welcome to our visitors, and to the Addicks supporters that have travelled to the North East this afternoon.
It’s great to be home after back-to-back away victories and although we also had those two cup wins, it feels like a long time since our last game on Wearside.
We endured a tough moment away at Portsmouth, but we have used that result to drive us forward and the boys have responded well to earn four wins from our last four games.
I thought our young players were terrific against Lincoln City and Manchester United U21s and they not only demonstrated their ability, but an understanding of our philosophy and the way we want to play throughout the club.
From the first team and academy to the supporters, we can all share a collective pride in the way they performed and I know they are hungry for more.
Following the international break, we returned to league action and our victory at Gillingham was the perfect tonic, as we got back to winning ways in the league despite travelling with a severely depleted squad.
It was a tough game and I wasn’t pleased with our first-half performance, but the first 25 minutes of the second period were excellent and I thought we really maintained that level for large periods at Crewe Alexandra.
Overall, it was a really professional performance against a good footballing side, who caused us problems in the first 15 minutes and pressed really well.
Once we broke through that and worked it out tactically, I thought we really took control and did the damage we needed to do to win the game.
I felt we had a couple of extra gears in us and I think the fans saw that, but I hope they enjoyed the performance because our following over recent weeks – in League One and the EFL Trophy – has been outstanding.
As a team and as a football club, we appreciate the sacrifices made by each and every one of you and we will continue to do all we can to reward the support you provide at home and on the road.
Today’s game will be another big test after a long week, but we want to cap it off with another good performance at home.
Thank you for your support,
Lee Johnson
To purchase your copy of Red & White Issue 07 - SAFC vs Charlton Athletic, find your nearest programme seller outside the Stadium of Light on Saturday or click here to buy online.