Lee Bowyer opted for a more traditional 4-4-2 formation as the Addicks beat Hull City 1-0 at the KCOM Stadium.
While Charlton have regularly play a 4-diamond-2 or a 3-5-2, Bowyer revealed that Albie Morgan, playing as a narrow left midfielder, allowed Deji Oshilaja, operating at left back, the opportunity to get forward at will and cause problems.
Speaking after the game the Addicks manager said: “Deji was very good. Both their wingers are all left-footed, so they are always going to drive inside, which is Deji’s stronger foot. That was a big part of why he played there today and I know what he gives me going forward. I remember Forest at home, ok he played right back then, but he gave us an outlet.
Albie [on the left of midfield] would naturally be narrow, which left a space for Deji, which I know he is good at. We worked on it a bit on Tuesday and he was excellent. Deji grabbed that opportunity, you need people to step up and he did that.”
Bowyer was also complementary of Tomer Hemed and full of praise for the five substitutes he used during the game.
He said: “Tomer Hemed, that’s only his second or third start for us, I thought he worked really hard for us. I thought, him, Macca [Macauley Bonne], everyone worked as a team and you could tell how hungry they were to win.
“Fair play to Chuks, on Thursday, he wasn’t down to travel with us but he came up to me. We were going to give him a few extra days to make sure he was over a little groin problem he had but he came up to me and said ‘I want to be part of this’ and that is what we need, people who are willing to put their body on the line and fight. Chuks did that today. Him and Jonny Williams coming off the bench were excellent, they worked so hard. Chuks caused them problems.
“Young Albie [Morgan] has come back into the frame. He took care on himself while we were in lockdown, he looks so much fitter than he did when he left. Aiden McGeady the same, so much fitter than the player we got in January and he looks good. He’s a threat, whenever you get him the ball in and around the 18, he can create something.
“Fieldy came on at a good time to added a bit of solidarity in the middle of the park because they had the extra man in there all day. Alfie [Doughty] got the ball and ran and created problems.”
