George Jones reports from the ABAX Stadium
Karl Robinson lamented his side’s performance in the final 20 minutes of Saturday’s defeat at Peterborough United.
Charlton performed well for the first 70 minutes in Cambridgeshire - particularly in the first half - and went close to breaking the deadlock through Lee Novak, Ricky Holmes and Tony Watt.
But two quick-fire strikes from Martin Samuelsen and Marcus Maddison in the final 15 minutes won the game for the hosts and afterwards Robinson gave a honest assessment of his team’s performance and their recent results.
“The last 20 minutes was not good enough,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.
“I thought we were the better team in the first half but at this moment in time we aren’t as good enough as the opposition in both boxes.
“First half, all of our strikers had chances but we didn’t take them. Second half, and after we had to make the forced changes, it became disconnected. We tried to change our shape to rectify only having one fit striker on the pitch.”
He added: “We worked a lot on things this week and structurally we were very good in the first half. It seems to me that when the going gets tough we capitulate and we become weak in some ways.
“We know the run of results is nowhere near good enough; at no stage has anyone said it wasn’t. There are things that need to change but the most important thing for us is the games we are playing now. The results aren’t good enough and they have to improve.”
Robinson had to withdraw Watt in the second period, with the Scot struggling with an ankle knock.
He said: Tony hasn’t trained. He rolled his ankle in training on Thursday and had to go inside. He struggled with it, had a fitness test this morning and had to play with painkillers.
“He rolled it again in the first half and gingerly got up from it. Taking him off was more of a protection thing. We can’t afford to lose him for three or four games because he’s playing so well.
“Lee Novak has had a problem with his groin over the last few days too. He was in a better position to play than what Tony was and didn’t need a fitness test this morning.”
The Addicks sit four points above the relegation zone but Robinson says the pressure of being sucked into a relegation battle is not something that should influence them.
He said: “You should always be under pressure so it should be something that we are used to.
“The results aren’t good enough at the moment and the players and I aren’t performing like how we should be.
“We have to take responsibility for that because where we are now is not acceptable. I know what has to change but we have got to make sure that we win more games than what we are at the moment because the mentality of the group is nowhere near good enough.
“I include myself in that as well as the players and at no stage am I going to come out and try to defend the indefensible.”