Can't tackle, can't head and too short

My thoughts when I realised that Matty Holland was playing alongside John Fortune, but to be fair to Holland I thought he was player of the match today, just edging out Jonjo Shelvey, who had an excellent first half, but faded in the second and was rightly substituted. For the third home game in a row Charlton failed to convert superior play into a win, so we are off the East Anglia tuesday week.

Parkinsons rather strange decision to play 4-5-1 at home, in a knock out competition and Holland at the back almost appeared to have paid off, until the two class players in Norwich's ranks came on, in the form of, former Addick target, Hoolahan and Lupoli, who scored the equaliser. Lupoli is an ex Arsenal youth and is on loan from Fiorentina to Norwich and showed the class we lack.

Overall it was a dissapointment again for a dominant Addick team and we should, have led 3-0 at half time, but a lack of a finisher meant we were again left ruing the day.

Deon Burton made his debut as a true addick. One of the things that has bedevilled the addicks for most of the 30 years that I have followed them* we have lacked a finisher in front of goal, Mendonca and Hunt were two glorious exceptions to the rule. I cannot understand playing 4-5-1 with a proven non goal scorer and I cannot understand turning a loan into a permanent deal for a player who has proved that he has nothing better to offer than the current incumbents.

Shelvey seemed to have been given a free role and was all over the middle of the park and pushing forward, he has laid down a challenge to parkinson,to start him against Forest and in my opinion that should be at the expense of Bailey.

Despite Hollands exceptional performance, I can't see him in the match next week, although his experience and calmness will be missed, but his lack of legs (and height) would make him a liability in such a match.

Moo2 had a good game and linked well in the 2nd half, Sam being fairly anonymous in the 1st. Bouazza too played well, although another bizarre decision from Parkinson was to replace Burton with Youga and put Bouzy up front. At this stage of the game a 4-4-2 formation was what was being called for, we had to show attacking intent and although we were pushing forward 4-5-1 was not the answer at this stage.

The crowd called for Dickson and eventually were rewarded at the expense of the days hero Jonjo Shelvey. Shelvey opened his scoring account and became the youngest ever Charlton scorer to add to his youngest ever debutant and what a goal it was. Sitting in the lower west, I watched as a ball was passed down to Bouzy, which I thought was poor and going out, but Bouzy collected it, chased it to the line and pulled it back to Jonjo who racing in volleyed it into the back of the net - celebrations abounded around the Valley.

The crowd was 12,700 with about 3,000 canaries out for tweet in london for the day, once again despite a good performance the fans booed the team at the end. I understand when we play cack, after Sheffield utd I did not boo but understand those that did, but when we do our best but its not good enough because we simply are cack, I don't agree. cack that is confident is bad enough, but cack that lacks confidence is ... well cack!!

*As a Chelsea supporter aged 14 I began going to the Valley in season 68/69, with Nigel and Roger Lane, that season they were in tier two and were fighting against relegation to tier three. They secured safety on the last day of the season - I think -under newly appointed Theo Foley, who replaced cult hero Eddie Fimani, within a couple of seasons I was a Charlton fan and since then have followed their trails and tribulations.

Black Adder Seeks Solace

Although We're in the stickiest situation since Sticky the Stick Insect got stuck on a sticky bun, the board have a plan that it as cunning as a fox what used to be Professor of Cunning at Oxford University, but has moved on, and is now working for the UN at the High Commission of International Cunning Planning.

Well you gotta laugh and for a few more follow the link

Glorious

Ok the last posting was up beat, today's defeat was not so glorious, did not hail the first step to safety. I don't know where we go from here, unfortunately Parkie has to go, performances - that I have seen- have improved but results have not, and its a results game. I am hoping that Sheffield United have heralded the departure of two Charlton managers in a single season, its not something I am pleased about but it is now necessary.

The Problem is who is next and do they have time?

A plea to the board, speak to us, tell us what you are thinking and be cruelly decisive.