Stating The Obvious

I know, but there are two things we desperately need at Charlton Athletic at the moment. Three actually if you include a home win. The first two though are 1) another decent striker and 2) a Plan B.

At the moment we have Plan A and very little else although Plan A has worked extremely well away from home this season. In fact it has a 100 % success rate. Darren Bent up front in a 4-5-1 formation, two wide players, a midfield trio of Smertin, Kishishev and Murphy, a dependable back four and Stephan Andersen. Sorted. Except it doesn't work at home, even when Benty is playing, and when he isn't it goes decidedly pear-shaped. The man most fans considered able to be a Benty replacement in times of injury (or sickness), Jay Bothroyd, seems very unlikely to be up to the task and asking JJ, Bartlett or Lisbie to help out would be a very big ask. Even when Bent plays the formation isn't suited to the fact that at The Valley we need to take the game to the opposition and ask the questions. Away from home we can soak up the pressure, let our midfield take control and then impose our game on the opposition. This won't work at The Valley, hence the need for a Plan B. Plan B will rely on a fit Benty and another decent striker to play alongside him but one who can also perform the lone striker role if Benty is unavailable for whatever reason. There are players out there who could do this job for us and it is vital that Curbs signs one in early January otherwise our season could once again disintigrate before our very eyes.

Now, as to a Plan B ...... well, that's up to Curbs but I expect to see one in place ahead of the Manchester Utd game.