Powell: Wright-Phillips doesn't deserve recent flak (From News Shopper)

Powell: Wright-Phillips doesn't deserve recent flak

2:51pm Thursday 16th February 2012 in Sport By Paul Green

CHRIS Powell has backed Danny Haynes’ suggestion fans should hold back on criticising Bradley Wright-Phillips after his recent barren spell in front of goal.

Wright-Phillips began the season with a bang and struck his 14th goal of the campaign in the 1-0 win over Brentford on November 19.

However, he hasn’t been able to find the target since, prompting a small minority of fans to grumble, something Haynes hit out against after Tuesday’s win against MK Dons.

And Powell today echoed the sentiment by saying: “If they want to moan and boo, obviously it is up to our fans what they do when they come into the ground.

“But I would say ‘OK, he hasn’t scored for a while but has got 14 goals playing for a team that is top’ – if they think that warrants that (criticism) then I obviously think it doesn’t warrant that.

“Danny is obviously talking about his team-mate and sticking up for him, which is only right because that is what we are about. We are a squad, we are not individuals.

“We want to win and learn and do things together.”

Wright-Phillips isn’t the only front man struggling for goals at the minute with Yann Kermorgant the last Addicks forward to score in the 3-2 victory at Yeovil on Boxing Day.

But with Charlton still winning games on a regular basis and well clear at the top of League One, Powell isn’t particularly concerned by the statistic.

He explained: “Obviously our strikers haven’t scored and I suppose people will say ‘they’ve got to be scoring’ but we’ve proved at the moment even in a sticky patch when they haven’t been scoring we can still win games.

“If it comes from other areas then great but of course strikers want goals, that is what they live for.

“They are all working hard trying to make sure they are confident enough going into games but it just hasn’t happened.

“It is just one of those quirks that has happened for us recently but they will come through.

“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right boys out there and give them the chances.

“I think that’s the thing and if they have them and miss them that they are ready to go again for another chance because that is the mark of any good striker.”

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