Dean Holden wants to see Charlton’s defensive unit gel better – with Corey Blackett-Taylor still learning wing-back role

Corey Blackett-Taylor is still learning his role as a wing-back says Charlton boss Dean Holden, who wants to see more cohesion from his defensive unit.

The forward-minded Addicks winger, who scored a second-half goal, was an attacking threat during the 3-2 home defeat against Aberdeen but the Scottish side were able to exploit the space behind him to devastating effect as they raced into a three-goal lead before the break at The Valley.

Blackett-Taylor did featured as a wing-back under former manager Johnnie Jackson but mainly played on the left-side of a front-three for Holden last season.

When asked if he has to balance Blackett-Taylor’s attacking prowess with his unfamiliarity in the defensive role, Holden admitted: “It’s not Corey’s preferred position. He’s learning.

“From an attacking point of view he was explosive at times, gave them real problems. He gets you up the pitch and the opposition on the back foot. Tyreece Campbell, when he came on, did well as well.

“Defensively, it’s not just about Corey. It’s about the positioning of the centre-backs behind him – getting really gelled as a unit. At times in the first-half, in that 15-20 minute spell, it looked like we’d only just met each other. When you watched it back, someone is out of position by three metres, or someone is not reacting to where the ball should be and very quickly it turns into a big chance for the opposition.

“We had work to do at half-time. We swapped things around. We put Lloyd Jones on the left and Lucas Ness on the right. We looked much better in that second half. They still had isolated chances. One ball into the box too easily beat our defenders and Ash (Maynard-Brewer) made a great save. But certainly at times in the second-half we looked much more a team – defensively.”

PHOTO: KEITH GILLARD