Addicks defender Danny McNamara was left by frustrated by Saturday’s defeat at Cardiff City and admitted the performance was not good enough.
Charlton went down to a 3-1 defeat in south Wales. After finding themselves two goals down, Tyreece Campbell’s strike reduced the deficit to a single goal to give his side hope going into the break, but the hosts added a third in the second half to take control.
Speaking after the defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium, McNamara reflected on the performance, saying: “It was a frustrating defeat. We weren’t good enough all over the pitch. The gaps were too big, we didn’t pick up any second balls and goals define games and we conceded easy goals.
“It’s not like us and the performances we’ve been putting in at home don’t reflect those away from home,” he added.
“We’ve conceded seven goals in the last two away games, it’s nowhere near good enough and we need to take a good, long, hard look at ourselves.
“We had a chance at 3-1 when Chaz was one-on-one with the keeper and we said it in there [the dressing room] that if he scores that, it just papers over the cracks of a real bad performance.
“We weren’t good enough today, we know that, we own it and we’re going to put it right after the break.”
The loss in Wales comes as the Championship enters an extended international break, with the Addicks not in action again until Saturday, October 10th when they host Bristol City in SE7.
But McNamara insists that the break does not come at a good time following Saturday’s defeat, with the squad eager to put things right as soon as possible.
“If we win today, the break comes at a good time,” he explained.
“But we’ve now got a three-week gap. It’s going to take a while for us to get over that defeat and, for me, and I think the lads would say the same, we’d rather be able to get out there next week to try and put it right again.
“We now have to wait three weeks, but we’re going to try and put that one behind us now and our focus is on the next game.”
McNamara was able to take the positives and take stock from what has been a good start to the Championship season for Charlton.
The Addicks have gained 12 points from their opening eight games of the campaign with three wins, three draws and two defeats, giving Nathan Jones’ men a platform to build from.
“We’ve had a really good start,” he said.
“We’re on 12 points at the moment, so there are positives to take from it. Ideally we want more, but we can’t get too carried away with the first three or four games of the season. It’s a long season and nothing is won over those first three or four games.
“It’s been a great start, but we have to put this right in the next game now.”
Meanwhile, McNamara was quick to praise the travelling supporters, who remained in fine voice despite a disappointing afternoon on Saturday.
“We just want to put it right [for them],” he explained.
“They came in their numbers today, we didn’t put in a show at all and, even at the end, they stayed and clapped us off. So I just want to thank them for their support since the start of the season and long may it continue.
“I hope we can put it right for them in the next game and they’ll keep following us up and down the country because, trust me, it helps.”
