Ipswich preview

It is not clear what Charlton have to do to give up fifth position in the Championship, but we must give up at least a place if we lose at Portman Road tomorrow.

Given that the Tractor Boys will begin the day in tenth place, it shows how thin the line ultimately will be between a play-off place and midtable mediocrity. Unfortunately, whilst it may be the result of a combination of travel and work-related fatigue, it's hard for me to summon up much excitement about tomorrow's encounter, or indeed the rest of the season.

Our best hope thereof is to limp across the play-off line, at which point the slate will be wiped clean for the contenders. A four-way battle meanwhile for the two automatic places may conceivably work in the favour of the teams finishing 5th and 6th, since they will not be wondering 'what might have been'.

The performance at Burnley appears to have been a marked improvement, but the result was the same. In light of Ipswich's outstanding home record, we will have our work cut out not to record three consecutive defeats for the first time since October.

Portman Road has been the site of some famous away wins in recent years. Few of us will forget the day Carl Leaburn sealed a hat-trick with a penalty in 1995/96, nor Kevin Lisbie's stunning late winner 2001/02. Meanwhile, although an unlikely prospect at this point, the omens for a possible play-off rematch against Ipswich would be good given our two previous victories in 1986/87 and 1997/98.

Although partly injury-enforced, Charlton fans often find themselves scratching their heads at yet another unpredictable Pardew team selection. As Liverpool fans will tell you, when such rotation leads to good results, the manager can be labelled a genius. When they do not, he quickly becomes a 'tinkerman'.

I expect Pards to tinker as follows: Weaver, Halford, Thatcher, Sodje, McCarthy, Thomas, Ambrose, Zheng, Holland, Gray, Lita. Subs: Elliot, Fortune, Semedo, Varney, Iwelumo.

NY Addick predicts: Ipswich 2 (Counago 2), Charlton 0. Att: 25, 938.