Charlton Athletic boss Lee Bowyer critical of his players after League Cup exit

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Lee Bowyer was critical of his Charlton side after their League Cup exit last night to Forest Green Rovers.

Jake Forster-Caskey missed a penalty towards the end of normal time as the first round tie finished 0-0, the League Two outfit then converting all their spot-kicks in the shootout to book a trip to AFC Bournemouth.

Albie Morgan missed Charlton’s third attempt.

And Bowyer, who made 11 changes from the team which beat Stoke City 3-1 on Saturday, said: “There are pros and cons.

“The pros are nobody got injured and some players got good minutes. Chuks [Aneke], he needed it and he came through unscathed, so good.

“Ben [Amos] did well and I think Naby [Sarr] done well. They are probably the two who can look me in the eye and say they did well – the rest I don’t think did well enough.

“I have got players in the squad and healthy competition for places, so when the lads who didn’t get an opportunity on Saturday get one tonight I want them to have the attitude ‘I’m going to be the best player on the park and show I want to play on Saturday’. I want them to grab those opportunities – for one reason or another too many didn’t do that.

“That’s the disappointing thing for me. I want to win every game, nothing ever changes there, but a lot of the younger lads were just sloppy. Real, real sloppy in possession and didn’t take care of basic things. I looked at them and they didn’t even seem bothered if they gave the ball away. That is just frustrating.

“There are so many small details that make big differences. They are the ones on the pitch and making decisions. I’m disappointed – I’ve said that to them.”

Bowyer handed a debut to West Brom loanee Sam Field, whose lack of match fitness saw him miss out on the matchday 18 at the weekend.

“You can tell he is a bit rusty – in his sharpness and fitness – but he did some good things,” said the Charlton manager. “He needed the minutes.

“Jake [Forster-Caskey], you can tell he’s been out a long time. He got 90 minutes in.

“No disrespect to who we played tonight but they are a League Two side. I want young Albie to grab that [opportunity]. He has got so much ability. He has to be saying ‘I’m going to be the best player’ but it is just not happening.

“I see these young lads every day in training and know how good they are. They wasn’t on it – it was too lacksey-daisy.

“In the second half I don’t think we ever really got going. Albie played a great ball for Naby that got us the penalty but we missed it.”

PHOTOS BY KEITH GILLARD