Frustrated Stoke City boss Mark Robins says his struggling side “look like they don’t know how to score a goal”, adding it was “an absolute joke” that not enough desire to get into their opponents’ box was shown in Wednesday’s defeat at Charlton.
A persistently long injury list has hampered the Potters’ play-off challenge for much of the Championship season and the 1-0 loss at The Valley was their third defeat in the last five games and extended their run without a win to six matches.
Stoke, who were second after 11 games, remain in 14th place, four points off the top six, but have played one more game than three of the four teams in the play-off spots and two more than third-placed Ipswich Town.
Although they had 63% possession against the Addicks, they mustered only two shots on target and had an expected goals ratio of 0.5.
“It was hugely disappointing,” Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.
“We didn’t take our chances. We didn’t take our chances to shoot. And we didn’t get bodies in the box enough for the rest of the game which is an absolute joke.
“Once we got on top we played in a way that gave us the opportunity to go forwards and create good opportunities.
“From back to front we were OK, but it looks like we don’t know how to score a goal at the moment.”