Charlton Athletic manager Lee Bowyer has stated that his side looked good fitness wise in their friendly defeat on Saturday.

The Addicks faced a strong Arsenal side at the Emirates, and the Premier League side came out rampant winners as they hit six past Bowyer's struggling Charlton team.

A different XI was picked for each half by the manager, and fortunately for the Addicks, the squad came away injury-free from the fixture.

Charlton face Hull City in their first game back after the break and it could be pivotal in deciding either clubs fate in their Championship campaigns.

Despite the defeat on Saturday, Bowyer took the positives and insisted it was a good workout for his side, especially in terms of fitness.

Speaking to Charlton's official website, Bowyer said:

"It was a good workout. Obviously playing Arsenal, they are a proper side. It was a difficult workout and it was good fitness. Of course we were rusty, we were always going to be that but the lads worked hard and put all their effort in and we looked quite good fitness wise.

"It was a good test for us. Everyone came through unscathed which is important for me."

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The Verdict

It's good that sides are getting friendlies in ahead of the restart of the season as these crucial moments of fitness could prove pivotal in the long run when looking ahead to the end of the campaign.

Bowyer has to make sure that his Addicks side stay in the division and he has to find a new goal-scoring threat, what with Lyle Taylor not agreeing to play the rest of the season out.

It will be very interesting to see whether they can survive the dreaded drop or whether they plummet back to League One after a fiasco both on and off the pitch.