Charlton boss Lee Bowyer dumbfounded by side’s inability to take on instructions – as one player is told they are set to be dropped for costing too many goals

BY LOUIS MENDEZ

Charlton manager Lee Bowyer has told one of his players that they are set to be dropped due to consistently costing the Addicks goals.

The Valley chief says he’s dumbfounded by the inability of some his squad to take on the instructions he provides them with, as their play-off hopes continue to falter badly.

The South Londoners were soundly beaten 3-0 by Blackpool at The Valley on Saturday as their horrendous home run continues – they’ve now gone eight games without victory on home turf, conceding a humiliating 23 goals in that time.

Deji Oshilaja was at fault for the Tangerine’s opener after being penalised for a foul on Ellis Simms in the penalty box – with Jerry Yates dispatching the spot-kick. Matthew Virtue added a second after being afforded all the time in the world outside the area, before Yates added his second and Pool’s third from the spot when Ben Watson was harshly adjudged to have fouled the visitors’ top scorer.

Darren Pratley and Chuks Aneke were both red carded in what was a disastrous afternoon for Bowyer’s beleaguered side.

The South Londoners head to Wigan on Tuesday evening but one of Bowyer’s men has already been told that he won’t be involved.

“My job is to win games,” explained the Addicks boss.

“I just said to the player: ‘You will not be playing Tuesday – 100 per cent you will not be playing Tuesday. Because you keep costing goals. You keep giving opportunities away, you keep costing us goals.’ I said: ‘This is your careers but this is also my career.’

“This is the start of my career as a manager. I’ve been doing it three years. When people keep costing you goals and making you lose games, that affects me. I know I haven’t become a bad manager. I’m telling the players the right things. I’m telling the players the right things every single day.

“You don’t have the players that have come and gone on to better things if you’re not good, if you don’t know what you’re talking about. That’s me, that’s my coaching staff. But, for whatever reason, some players in this team just can’t take the information. Just can’t stop making the same mistakes. I can’t control that, I’m sorry. That’s things that I can’t control. All I can do now is bring them out of the team.”

When asked for his thoughts on the display against the Tangerines, in which Jayden Stockley did see a goal ruled out for offside, Bowyer added: “I’d say that we gave a team a head start again. Then, the officials made it difficult for us. It turned out to be a bad day.

“It’s not just been today though, over the last few weeks. Stockley is onside – 100 per cent. I’ve seen it back. On Tuesday night [against Burton Albion], we had a goal disallowed that was onside. That’s two in two. I can keep going if you want. Refereeing decisions just going against us. Chuks Aneke, never been a red card. Did you see the penalty for their third goal? An absolute disgrace. No one has touched him and he’s fell on the floor and gets a penalty. I’d love to see what sort of things they’re going to say now, because we’re going to send all these in. It’s an absolute disgrace some of these decisions that’s gone on today.

“Did we play well? No. Were they better than us? I thought the first 45 minutes, both played 4-4-2. It’s going to be a battle. They competed and won the second ball better than us in the first-half. Again, we gave a team a goal head start.

“We tried to change things around at half-time because we just didn’t even pass the ball. A lot of players looked nervous. Changed it around and before you could get going, we started okay but went down to 10 men. Then that’s it. They get the penalty and then we go down to nine men. Game over.”

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