Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
JAKE’S UP FOR FIGHT
Forster-caskey is happy to play anywhere for Addicks after season of injury hell
JAKE FORSTER-CASKEY is impressing his manager as an emergency defender.
The former England Under-21 midfielder has started Charlton’s last two games at left-back having played only 11 minutes last season because of a knee injury.
Addicks boss Lee Bowyer hailed the 25-year-old’s performance in an unfamiliar role as “outstanding” after dismal Derby were sent packing.
Forster-caskey (right) said: “I haven’t played this position before but I’d rather be playing than not playing. If the gaffer wants me to play there, I will play there.
“I feel quite comfortable. I have slotted in and done quite well so I’m enjoying it.
“You get a bit more time on the ball than you do in midfield so in some ways it is slightly easier.
“But it is probably a bit different with the running, you do more sprinting up and down.
“It is easy to slot into a team that is working so hard and wanting to win every single game.”
Forster-caskey joked that he may have to get used to playing out of position after midfielder Conor Gallagher (top) – on loan from Chelsea – scored a stunner in the 67th minute.
“It doesn’t help me when he keeps putting it in the top corner,” he said.
Gallagher’s curling 25-yarder topped off a dominant Charlton display which was kickstarted by Macauley
Bonne’s sixth-minute opener. Naby Sarr headed in the second from Josh Cullen’s 47th-minute corner.
Derby defender
Curtis Davies took responsibility for Sarr’s killer goal. The Rams have now conceded a Championship-high six goals from free-kicks and corners this season, with set-piece reliant Wigan next up on Wednesday.
Davies said: “It’s a big concern. If you’re conceding at set-pieces you’re giving everyone the chance to beat you. It’s important we cut it out. I hold my hands up, I lost my man. It’s something I’ll always try to do better with and I’ll never hide from.
“But it’s something as a team we need to work on to, one, make sure we’re not conceding from them, and two, that we’re not giving away sloppy set-pieces.”