Charlton boss Bowyer reveals injury worry over Joe Aribo and not totally happy with display against Gillingham
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer was not totally pleased with his side’s performance in today’s 2-0 win over Gillingham – and also revealed an injury worry over Joe Aribo.
The midfielder was replaced in the second half.
Goals from Ben Reeves and Tariqe Fosu in the first period ensured that Charlton made it seven wins from their last eight games.
“I’d probably say it was the worst we have played for a while,” said Bowyer. “We were scrappy at times, we gave the ball away sloppily – that ain’t like us.
“But we deserved the win. We controlled the game okay.
“We gave silly little fouls away and they got a little bit of pressure off that.
Photograph by Keith Gillard
“In the second half we got in good areas but, I don’t know why, we don’t like killing off teams for some reason. I just said to the lads ‘that’s not you at your best – just get yourselves home and ready for the next one’.”
Fosu impressed against Wimbledon the previous weekend and it was his defence-splitting pass which saw Reeves open the scoring. He then curled home a beauty from 20 yards.
The attacker has struggled to replicate his performances from last season.
Bowyer said: “He looked a bit sharper last week against Wimbledon. In the first half he was unplayable, like the Tariqe we had last season. We’ve just got to be patient with him. You don’t go from a good player to a bad one in no time at all.
“He was catching up fitness wise and hopefully now he has caught up.
Photograph by Keith Gillard
“Joe Aribo came off struggling with his knee. Lyle [Taylor] came off – he’s ill. Joe said his knee was real sore. Fingers crossed Joe will be alright, him being out is the last thing we want.
“We were sloppy today. The pitch wasn’t great.
“We got a clean sheet and we haven’t had many of them. They [Gillingham] missed their striker [Tom] Eaves. He’s the top goalscorer in the league, so maybe we were lucky there as well.
“We’d be the same. When we haven’t had Lyle for a couple of games this season we ain’t the same side, you can tell.”
Bowyer is hoping to have Jamie Ward and George Lapslie back in his matchday 18 on Boxing Day.
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Yeah I agree with wot King Lee says but we don’t need the takeover cos ourn are doin so well under King Roland so less keep it as it is n not let them exenophobes get their way cos ourn are goin up as things are.