Curbishley praise for 'magnificent' Euell

Charlton manager Alan Curbishley praised Jason Euell’s performance as the Addicks completed back-to-back Barclaycard Premiership victories for the first time in 2002 with a 3-1 win over Blackburn at The Valley.

Euell was employed in a roaming role behind the front two once again and, as at Manchester City last week, proved a constant menace to the opposition’s defence.

After a dour first half which Blackburn edged, substitute Paul Konchesky opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick, only for David Thompson to hit an immediate leveller past Dean Kiely.

But Richard Rufus headed the hosts, who had scored just five times in their previous 11 matches, back in front and Euell smashed in his third goal of the season at the death.

“Jason Euell dragged us back into the game, I thought he was magnificent and coming from deep he was a danger,” said Curbishley.

“People have been saying his best position might be behind the front two and perhaps, after Sunday, he might think that himself.

“It has suited him coming onto stuff rather than having his back to the goal all the time.

“He has got the athleticism, he can get around the pitch and I think he showed his stamina with two efforts in the last five minutes.”

But it took some tactical intervention from Curbishley to swing the contest as he sent Konchesky on and opted for a 4-4-2 system after the break.

“I think the first half, for various reasons, was the worst we have played this season,” he added.

“Before the game I was tossing up whether to stick with the same formation as last week or shape to match up against them.

“We never got into the game in the first half and I was desperately hoping to get to half-time without conceding.

“Because of our shape compared to theirs they kept on causing us all kinds of problems without much effort.

“We changed our system and got the response – they had all the play in the first half and didn’t get their rewards while we did in the second.

“I have been asking the players for a run to kick-start our season and hopefully two wins on the trot is the start of one.

“But I am never sure about phrases like ‘turning the corner’. We have managed to get two results – and if we could put three or four together it can get you right out of it – but the Premiership is a tough league and three or four defeats can put you right back in it.”

The win pushed the south-east London club up to 15th place in the top flight and was the first time they had scored more than two goals in a game this season.

Curbishley added: “We haven’t scored many, but we haven’t been creating too many chances either – but hopefully this will breed confidence.”

Having lost their opening four Premiership games at The Valley this term, Charlton might have been forced onto the back foot when Egil Ostenstad broke through within seconds of the restart – but Kiely blocked his initial effort and the Norwegian’s second attempt struck a post.

But it was referee Uriah Rennie and not injury-hit Blackburn’s finishing which angered Graeme Souness.

Former Liverpool boss Souness blamed Rennie for failing to give a penalty when Jon Fortune appeared to haul down Andy Cole during the first half – and claimed Charlton’s second goal should not have stood.

“That’s the period we are in at the moment – from our point we feel hard done to,” said Souness.

“At 1-1 we thought the momentum was with us and we would go on and win the game.

“Their second goal came from a corner and immediately before that there was an offside.

“There was a penalty for us in the first half and, without harping on about the referee’s performance, these are things that change games.”

Souness plans to talk to Turkish striker Hakan Sukur, who is currently without a club and recently saw a move to Rangers break down, within the next week.