Two-Faced Charlton

Supporting Charlton, or more pertinently, writing a blog about Charlton can certainly leave you vulnerable to accusations about being two-faced. One minute all is doom and gloom, the next we are two games away from a Cup final and European qualification.

All in all, our unusually erratic form over the course of this season has made us very hard to assess, and frankly if the cup is 'half full' one minute, and 'half empty' the next then it is hardly surprising.

1 defeat in 9 home League games (half full); no away wins since Oct 22 (half empty). The acquisition of Darren Bent (half full); the Murphy/Smertin departures (half empty). The prospect of beating 'Boro (half full); the prospect of losing to 'Boro (half empty).

I maintain that all other things being equal it has been a disappointing season, albeit one with enormous potential upside if we can conjure up two wins against mediocre opposition in the Cup. Our points total is in line with recent seasons (assuming no end-of-season collapse again) although some of the football has lacked sparkle. I think it is reasonable to offer some criticism when due (and praise) and there are aspects of this season that warrant an unbiased negative assessment. Admittedly if I occasionally drew a deep breath before writing, some of the more extreme 'Curbs Out' or 'Charlton are sh*t' views might rightly be omitted.

I think it was Inspector Sands who suggested that blogs had replaced fanzines thanks to the former's immediacy, and readers of this blog at least will know I bemoan a perceived lack of ambition at the club. This is particularly frustrating given that just three more wins this season would have seen us right in the mix for a Champions League place, such is the League's mediocrity.

My argument rests on the idea that behind the 'big four' there exists a potential vacuum ready to be filled by a well-run progressive small club, whilst some of the 'older established' clubs like Villa and Man City begin to stumble under the weight of their post-football bubble debts. In recent seasons Bolton have taken the lead in this respect (a club no larger than us), and if Charlton can grasp the opportunity then no-one will be more pleased than me.

Perhaps it's just a question of patience whilst the unpredictability of individual games throws your emotional balance into disarray. It's a bit like investing - most people would be better off deciding upon their views (ie. picking some stocks) then only looking at their portfolios twice a year. Then again if I only updated this blog twice a year, I wouldn't get many readers.