Lee Bowyer tells Charlton’s Darren Pratley: If you can keep Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze quiet, you can do the same to Milton Keynes’ Scott Fraser
BY LOUIS MENDEZ
Lee Bowyer gave midfield workhorse Darren Pratley a simple piece of encouragement ahead of Charlton’s win at Milton Keynes – if you can keep Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze quiet, then you can do the same for Scott Fraser.
The Addicks manager wanted the experienced Pratley to keep tight to MK’s highly-rated midfielder Fraser and ensure the Scot couldn’t cause Charlton the same problems he had during their 1-0 win at The Valley back in December.
Pratley had faced Eze during the first-half of a pre-season friendly at Selhurst Park in the summer – playing his part in keeping the game goalless for the 45 minutes that the former QPR youngster was on the pitch.
Bowyer asked Pratley to repeat the trick during the trip to Stadium MK and was delighted with the performance his veteran engine-roomer turned in.
Bowyer said: “[Fraser is] their best player. When we played them at our place, he caused us a lot of problems. Darren Pratley, he’s an experienced pro and a winner.
“I said to him before the game: ‘If you can keep quiet that Eze who’s just gone to Crystal Palace and you can keep quiet Bradley Dack, then you can do the same with this lad.’
“At the end of the day you have to respect every team you play against. Pratley’s job out of possession was to make sure that Fraser didn’t do anything to hurt us and I think he did it exceptionally well. Players like that, they’re priceless.”
Bowyer was also impressed by the display of Deji Oshilaja in the defence. The former AFC Wimbledon man has had to be patient for his turn at centre-half but has now played his part in two clean sheets in four games.
“I think he’s done well,” Bowyer explained.
“He’s been quite solid. At Peterborough, him and Pearcey both drop but taking that one thing away he’s done very well. On the ball, he’s not ran away from it, he’s wanted the ball. But most importantly, what his job is, he’s defended well. He’s defended crosses, been aggressive from goal-kicks and things like that.
“He’s done well. He’s got to continue that though. It’s no good doing it for two, three, four, five games. You’ve got to continue that. Every game we play in, you have to be at your best.”
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