Ben Watson has been booked in every Charlton game – as boss Bowyer explains pitfalls of his position

Ben Watson has been booked in every single Charlton appearance so far – and Lee Bowyer reckons it is down to his role in the team.

The experienced midfielder has been cautioned five times but one of those was in the EFL Trophy.

It means Watson will be suspended when he goes in the referee’s book again.

The 35-year-old got eight bookings for Forest last season, not reaching five until after Boxing Day.

Bowyer said: “It’s the game. He sits there in front of the back four and protects – most of his fouls are tactical ones.

“Alfie [Doughty] went rushing out [against Blackpool] and when the fella stepped inside it meant Ben had to bring him down otherwise he was in at the back.

“You do probably make more fouls than you’d like in that position. Krystian Bielik was the same with us. He got a lot of bookings because they are the last line before you’re in on our back four.”

Bielik got 15 yellow cards during his season-long loan from Arsenal in 2018-19.

Bowyer said: “Sometimes they make fouls and it really is not their fault.

“What’s frustrating is you see other people make those type of fouls and they don’t get yellow cards, so it can go the other way. Some of his [Watson’s] yellows have been unfortunate, they’ve gone against him.”