Charlton Athletic boss won’t settle on just one formation this season – and outlines playing plan for Chris Gunter

Lee Bowyer says he will mix and match his formations this season – and reckons Charlton Athletic new boy Chris Gunter can play a multitude of roles.

The 31-year-old, capped 97 times by Wales, signed on a free transfer this week.

And Bowyer followed up Gunter’s capture by signing former Cardiff City, Wigan and Grimsby striker Omar Bogle, who was also unattached.

The Addicks chief started with a 5-3-2 formation in their last League One action – a 0-0 draw against Sunderland – but predominantly played a back four when they won promotion via the play-offs the last time they were at this level.

Asked about which he will use, Bowyer said: “I’ll do a bit of both. What I’m trying to do is get the personnel so I can change in game. I’ll always start with the formation I think is right but I’ll always have a plan B.

“Against Sunderland we ended up playing three formations. We both played three at the back and they used their outside centre-halves better than what we did. That’s why I changed. I thought ‘okay, we’ll put an extra man up top to try and prevent that happening but we’ll still have an extra man in midfield’. They changed again.

“It was difficult because we had one fully-fit striker at that point and it limited what we could do.

“We know Gunter can play right-back but he can also play right wing-back. And if we play three at the back he can maybe even play the right-sided centre-half at times, because he has the physicality to be able to do that.

“He is very composed in possession. Your outside centre-halves have to be good on the ball and I know he can do that as well.”