Charlton 2-5 Sheffield United

First things first, apologies for the lack of blogging recently. I started a job in Germany the week after the Barnsley game (shudder) and have been knee deep in bockwurst and financial statements since then, without too much time to get down my thoughts on Charlton's plight. Anyway, I was able to make it back for the game today with relatively high hopes given the encouraging reports I had read from the away games against Plymouth Argyle and Birmingham City. I should have known better really ...

Going to watch Charlton at the moment is akin to going to school knowing the chief bully is there waiting to nick your dinner money: you know it's going to happen, but you have to go anyway. This game proved to be no different and has left me thoroughly disillusioned and frustrated. When James Beattie's goal went in after seven minutes, you knew it was going to be 'one of those afternoons'. Linvoy Primus's header a little under ten minutes later offered some hope to The Valley faithful but once again we showed we are masters of throwing away any kind of promising position.

Two soft Sheffield United goals before half time left most wondering whether it was too early to leave with 45 minutes still to play. Those who decided to stick with it probably wished they hadn't after a calamitous Kelly Youga own goal and an excellent Alan Quinn strike within ten minutes of the restart turned a sound beating into a thrashing. Hameur Bouazza reduced the deficit shortly after but by then most of the crowd were either a) on their way home or b) calling for Pardew's head. Some sense of loyalty made me stay until the final whistle. We conjured up a few decent chances in that time without any end result.

So what to make of all this? For me, Pardew's position is untenable. We are now eight games without win, and for all his chopping and changing we look no closer to getting one. He looks short of ideas and the team look short of confidence, leadership and inspiration. I don't blame him for sticking with the same side today that took to the field at St. Andrew's, but how can the performance have differed so dramatically? Weaver's confidence looks shot to bits, there was little creativity in midfield and Andy Gray looked like a lost soul up front. Linvoy Primus was probably our best player on the pitch but that is hardly an accolade given the dross that surrounded him. What must Martyn Waghorn think he has got himself into? Left on the bench and thrown on when the game was dead and buried.

I've just read Pardew's post match interview. His assessment? "Bloody Awful". That is to put it mildly Alan. I honestly don't know where we go from this. Pardew seems intent on digging his heels in and the board don't have the b*llocks or, perhaps more accurately, the money to sack him. We are stuck between a large rock and a very hard place. I think that our next two games could be telling. I don't expect us to get anything out of the QPR game but I certainly do expect us to beat Southampton this time next week. If we don't, it's time for somebody to front up and do something about this because what I saw today was humiliating. Ideas anybody?!