Bowyer impressed with Charlton's youngsters in 2-2 West Brom draw

Manager Lee Bowyer’s hands may have been tied this season with the extensive injury list forcing him to look at his U23 squad for players, but a look at the bench in Saturday 2-2 draw with West Brom shows how much faith he has in his youngsters.

Jonny Williams, Tomer Hemed, Jason Pearce, Jake Forster-Caskey, Ben Purrington and Albie Morgan were all sat in the dugout as Charlton welcomed the now league leaders to The Valley, as Josh Davison, Ben Dempsey and Alfie Doughty were all selected from the off.

The trio of 20-year-olds impressed.

Davison scored his first league goal for the club as he led the line.

Dempsey held his own against a midfield containing one-time Tottenham and England international Jake Livermore.

While Doughty put in yet another performance that have got many believing he should be one of the first names on the team sheet.

Whilst there are other youngsters that have sparkled in Charlton’s indifferent season so far, James Vennings being one, it’s Doughty that has caught the eye.

Against the Baggies the left-winger by trade was asked to play wing-back, a position that up until Doughty was given his chance, Purrington had nailed on.

Bowyer spoke glowingly of Doughty, admitting himself that he was surprised at how seamless he’s fitted into life in the Championship.

“I’m proud of him,” Bowyer said.

“He’s grabbed his opportunity and he should be proud of himself.

“If I’m honest, he’s been better than I thought he would be.

“The last ten 15 mins he was off his feet, he can’t sustain it, but he’s been very, very, very good.”

The surprise may be because Doughty was playing in the Conference with Bromley up until Charlton called him back from his loan in October.

Eight appearances and a winner against Bristol City later, he’s now one of, if not, the go-to attacking threat in the Addick’s strip.

Josh Davison

Bowyer, a product of the Charlton Academy himself drew comparisons with Dougthy, and many of the youth at the club, and admitted he’s set himself the task of ironing out some the flaws that they have, flaws the Charlton boss admitted he also had.

“All our lads, the young lads, they’re all very comfortable and good in possession,” he said, “but they all lack the same thing out of possession, they switch off.”

“It’ll come with age, I was the same.

“They need to learn the defensive side.

“I have to be careful not to be too harsh on the young lads.

“Alfie, today (Saturday) you could ask, ‘could’ve he stopped the cross for the second goal? ‘

“But I’m asking him to play in a position that he’s not really use to.

“He’s a winger, not a wing back, and now he’s playing against a top top winger, (Matt Phillips), who’s played in the Premier League and he’s one-v-one with him out wide, how can I criticise him?!

“I can’t, he’s learning.

“I was the same when I went to Leeds, George Graham left me out of the side for seven or eight weeks.

“’Unless you do the defensive side of the game, you won’t play again,’ that’s what George Graham said.

“I was thinking, ‘he ain’t going to drop me, I’m flying, I’m scoring goals and assisting.’

“What did he do, he dropped me until I learned for the team, because that’s the most important thing, until I start doing the defensive side of the game you won’t play again.

“That’s what these young lads need to learn, the defensive side of the game.

“That will only make them better, it made me better, it made me an all-round player.

“Alfie is doing well, but needs to learn.”

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