Carlos Carvalhal blamed Wednesday’s recent busy schedule for our comprehensive 3-1 defeat at struggling Charlton.
The home side hadn’t won in the league since August but looked the more energetic and hungry side and thoroughly deserved the three points.
We were two goals behind at half-time, Johnnie Jackson powering home a header and Simon Makienok adding a second just before the break.
Any hopes of a second-half revival were quickly ended when Reza Ghoochannejhad turned home a third goal on 55 minutes and, although Fernando Forestieri pulled a goal back 17 minutes from time, the result was never in doubt in the closing stages.
Head coach Carvalhal reflected on our first defeat in 12 games, saying: “We have played a lot of games with high intensity, for example against Arsenal, and we have kept four clean sheets but we did not have the energy.
“Charlton played with high intensity and we could not match their style. It was not about complacency, it was about the lack of energy. Players could not deal with it. It can happen.”