Charlton Athletic boss in striker admission

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Charlton manager Lee Bowyer admitted that he could not pair Lyle Taylor and Macauley Bonne together at the weekend because of a lack of numbers in the centre-forward department.

Summer signing Bonne, snapped up for £200,000 from Leyton Orient, made his debut in Saturday’s 2-0 friendly win at Welling.

But he made way at half-time with Taylor, the Addicks’ top-scorer last season, coming on.

Chuks Aneke, signed on a free after his Milton Keynes contract ended, also played the second period but was in a slightly withdrawn role as a number 10.

Asked about Bonne’s display, Bowyer said: “He did okay. He worked hard.

“At the moment, because we have only got two strikers we have got to play one striker each half. There’s nothing we can do about that.

“It’s going to take him a while to blend in with the lads – the standards are different to what he has been used to. I’m sure we’ll keep working hard with him and he’ll be fine.

“He didn’t do anything wrong. He held the ball up, worked hard and looked a threat at times.”

Bowyer is hoping to add up to two players this week. But he knows that loans will come later. Charlton are expected to sign five – the maximum amount allowed to feature on a matchday.

“We know we have got to bring in seven or eight,” said Bowyer. “There is no getting away from that fact.

“We are working hard each day. We know what we need to strengthen the squad. That is not taking away from the lads I have got here – they are great as well.

“But the loans we’re going to be bringing in – probably five loans – not too many let loans go out this early. You get one or two but we have been concentrating more on the permanent side of things.

“The loan things happen later on. We will be definitely looking to do some good business in the loan market.”

PICTURES BY PAUL EDWARDS