Andre Bikey hopes Charlton can sign a target man following the run of poor form that continued with Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Blackburn in the FA Cup 3rd Round.

Chris Taylor’s brace, either side of Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s second-half free-kick, sent Rovers through to the fourth round and left Charlton, who had Yoni Buyens sent-off towards the end of the second-half for two yellow-cards, without a win in eight.

With the January transfer window now open, forward Tony Watt is expected to arrive from Standard Liege. Bikey, however, is hoping that Charlton can still recruit a more physical striker.

“We don’t really have a target man,” said the 29-year-old.

“Many other teams have it. Blackburn, Cardiff, every team, but we don’t have it - we need someone who can hold the ball.

“It’s always important if a new face is coming in to help with the team.  

“It’s good for the club and good for everyone, it doesn’t mean that the players we’ve got now aren’t good,

“A new face will always make the squad better with the competition (for places).”

Manager Bob Peeters said Charlton only had 13 first-team players available for the Blackburn clash and when asked if he was fit, Bikey responded: “I don’t know.

"It’s not about being fit, it’s just everyone needs rest,” he said.  

“Igor (Vetokele) is not 100 per cent fit, he has had a problem with his Achilles, and he’s played with that.

“The Championship is one of the hardest leagues in the world so we get a lot of injuries, some players are tired so it’s not easy.”

The attention will now be on the league, starting with a home fixture against Brighton next Saturday, and Bikey is looking for his team-mates to show a positive reaction from the Blackburn defeat.

“Down there in the dressing room, there was some arguing, that happens, because everyone is frustrated," he said.

“The only thing you have to do is be together, start from the bottom and look forward.

“I think most important thing is the league, we don’t have to fight like last year and we have to look forward and be a little more focused.

“We are on a bad run, no one can question it, we need to start from the bottom and see what happens, there is still a long way to go.” 

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