Charlton TV duo pull apart defending in 2-1 loss at Wigan Athletic

Charlton TV pundits Alan Curbishley and Steve Brown were both highly critical of the team’s defending in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Wigan Athletic.

The Addicks have kept one clean sheet in nine matches.

Charlton saw Elliot Lee’s headed opener cancelled out from the penalty spot, Will Keane converting after Callum Lang was brought down by Sean Clare.

The South Londoners’ vulnerability from set-pieces was again underlined as Wigan’s 74th-minute winner came from a corner.

Jason Kerr beat Ben Purrington at the back post with Stephen Humphrys holding off George Dobson to turn home from close range.

Former Addicks boss Curbishley told the club’s in-house broadcast: “The penalty against Ben Purrington wasn’t given. They got in behind Ben on another occasion – so we had a couple of little scares. But when they did get the next penalty appeal the referee had no option but to give it.

“It should never have happened – Matthews should’ve made a challenge before the ball got anywhere near the box. He’s got to go to ground, give a corner away, Clare can’t go near him and he sticks a leg out. Lazy defending – just stick your leg out and put your arms up.

“We’ve scored a wonderful goal and had to work hard, won possession and then five or six passes, and then we give a sloppy goal like that away and then a set-play again.

“We look as if we’re going to concede every game from a set play.

“I’ve got a lot of time for Ben Purrington but he gets pinned – doesn’t get off the ground. Dobson is grabbing and grabbing him [Humphrys] – get this side so he can’t get his foot around it.

“Two players got away from our players and were free – one of the Wigan players runs towards the near post and he could’ve just had a free header. Who is marking him? It looks like we’re zonal and some people are marking.

“I’m thinking stick Inniss in the centre of the six-yard box and let him go and attack it, if it is zonal. He is wasted on the line.

“You know full well the opposition we’re got coming up will be looking and saying: ‘If we can get good delivery and good movement then we’ve got a chance against these’.”

Former centre-back Brown, who played under Curbishley in the Premier League, added: “He [Lang] should never get out of that position. He’s on the sideline, just nudge him out or make a sliding challenge and give away the corner. That’s why we’re losing games – not just Matthews [at fault].

“If you’re in a back three, back four or back five you defend your box like it’s your castle. That is your job in the team – keep clean sheets if you can or keep the scoreline as low as possible. That is not defending for your life. [From] neither of them.

“I was expecting more from Wigan – they’ve got three games in hand to go nine points clear of Rotherham. They are kind of done and dusted with the league.

“We’ve lost first contact and lost second contact [for Humphrys’ goal] – that often leads to a chance against your goal.

“You concede from one set piece, then another – it becomes an issue. All you can do, as you [Curbishley] did with Mervs [Mervyn Day] is get back on the training ground, set it up and go through it again. And people have got to be brave. We got to the point where we hoped someone else wins it when actually you need four or five wanting to win it.

“There are question marks against what we’re doing as a team defensively when we’re in our defensive third – we’re not going one-v-one strong enough and winning these duels enough.”

PICTURES: KYLE ANDREWS