Your average Charlton fan does not ask for much, a few wins here and there a decent run, and of course players and managers that have a bit of a clue what they are doing, and one of the vital things is to beat our rivals Crystal Palace, now I do not think that is to much to ask. Last night Charlton played Crystal Palace and lost.... and it seems to me that Alan Pardew cannot do a thing about it, after our defeat at the weekend he was bleating on about how he has players in the reserves champing at the bit to play and that after the Saturday's game he would give some of them a go, so we will lose last night and there is Pardew saying the same thing, a large percentage of these players were signed by Pardew, some have failed to live up to their billing and his judgement is shown up to be pretty poor, lets look at who he has signed, £1.1 Million on Izale Mcleod, 1 goal in 18 appearance, Paddy McCarthy £650k stayed a year then left for Palace, Andy Gray £1.5 million 6 goals in around 30 appearances, Luke Varney £2 million, 10 goals in 48 appearances, Martin Cranie (loan) Linvoy Primus (loan and knackered), none of these have set the Valley alight, Luke Varney seems ok but Andy Gray is just a big lump, nothing more... Pardew appears to not know what he is doing, he continues to play Kelly Youga who as every game goes looks more and more like a waste of time, when he has Grant Basey a Welsh International in reserve, and a far better player than Youga who seems to like passing the ball as long as its not to one of his own team, Lloyd Sam is played every week, his passing is woeful and as wingers go he looks a good keeper!
Pardew likes nothing more than having the ball lumped up front, great when you hae a 6ft 4 striker, but when you have Luke Varney 5ft 11 playing as the lone striker it does not work! any fool can see that, sadly I have come to one conclusion, Pardew must go, he talks a good game, but when push comes to shove he is found wanting, the trouble is the Club can not afford to sack him from a financial point of view. Its going to be long long season.