Dean Holden reveals significant injury blow ahead of Charlton Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers | OneFootball

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Football League World

·23 March 2023

Dean Holden reveals significant injury blow ahead of Charlton Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers

Article image:Dean Holden reveals significant injury blow ahead of Charlton Athletic v Wycombe Wanderers

Charlton Athletic will be aiming to claim a third successive win on Saturday when Wycombe Wanderers make the trip to The Valley.

However, Dean Holden's men's efforts to make that a reality have been dealt a blow with Miles Leaburn picking up a hamstring injury at Cambridge United last weekend.


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The 19-year-old bagged the opener in Charlton's 4-1 win at Morecambe and 2-1 triumph at Cambridge United last week and will be sorely missed in the frontline.

Macauley Bonne and Daniel Kanu will be available to Holden to replace Leaburn, but the Addicks' results have been much worse over the course of the season when the 19-year-old has been sidelined.

One positive is that it does not sound like anything long term for Leaburn and Holden explained the situation when he spoke to the South London Press.

He said: "It’s a day-to-day thing with Miles.

"His symptoms seem to be settling down as the week goes on.

"We’ll have to make a call later in the week if he is fit enough to come back into the squad again.

"He was feeling something at half-time, in terms of his hamstring, and he’s had issues previously.

"We were never going to take the risk with him.

"You can’t take a risk with a young player like that - the size of him and the speed he plays at.

"Hopefully it’s not as bad as first thought.

"He’s still growing into his body and adapting to men’s football.

"The speed and explosiveness that he plays with, we’ve got to be very mindful of it.

"He’s such a really talented young player, and we’ve got to be careful, when you talk about over-use and overloading.

"Maybe it is something that people don’t want to hear, but you’ve got to be really mindful of it - particularly with the young players when they come in.

"It’s his first season in men’s football.

"You have to make sure the players are looked after.

"There is a lot of pressure and stress, not just physically but psychologically as well.

"Miles has had a brilliant season.

"We’re really pleased with where he is at."

The Verdict

As long as he swiftly returns to the high performance levels he has shown this season, in regard to trying to keep him in the summer it is not a bad thing for Leaburn to be taken out of the shop window.

Holden will probably lean towards Bonne over 18-year-old Kanu, with the former Queens Park Rangers man's future on the line ahead of his deal expiring in the summer.

Bonne has not yet found the net in his second spell at The Valley, starting six games and being subbed on six times since arriving in January.

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