Going down with Parkinson's

And now, the end is near....

Barnsley (a), Oakwell, 21/02/2009

After last Saturday's convincing and ultimately impressive defeat of fast fading Plymouth, this weekend sees the Addicks make the long trip up the M1 to Oakwell, to face Barnsley- the team who back in November, fired one of the last nails into the coffin of then Charlton manager Alan Pardew.


3-0 down at half time- how the Valley faithful vented their fury- and it hasn't in truth got much better since. However, tomorrow could see Charlton record back to back victories- and if they can, with home games over the next fortnight against albeit improving Doncaster, plus Watford- maybe, just maybe the great escape might be on.

For all that to happen though, the Addicks must beat a Barnsley side boasting former Addick Jamal Campbell-Ryce, scorer of a wonder goal midweek, as Barnsley completed a rare double over South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

And it won't be easy. Despite a poor recent run, the Tykes will be boosted by that result, and will present a formidable barrier to Charlton's hopes of survival. That said, Charlton must be lifted by last week's defeat of Plymouth, and following that result, I expect Parky to send out an unchanged starting XI tomorrow, something unheard of by Charlton's recent standards....

NLA predicts: Barnsley 2 (Macken 13', Campell-Ryce 57') Charlton 1 (Bailey 78')
Att: 13,769

Plymouth Argyle (h), The Valley, 14/02/2009

Well, Paul Sturrock doesn't seem to feel there is any pressure on his side tomorrow.

Take it from me, Paul- or Luggy as you are bizarrely called- there is. You are bottom of the form table, in freefall, and tomorrow are up against statistically the worst side in the division.

Let's make no bones about it, we ARE going down. There is no recovery from a 10 point deficit with 15 games to play, especially with our soft centre. So Plymouth will not have a better chance of ending their sorry run than tomorrow.

If they can't beat us at football, then "Luggy" can always resort to their tried and tested tactic- get that thug Krizstian Timar to try and end a few more of our players' careers. He's quite good at that, you know. Mind you, as it's not Eduardo, it doesn't matter..

This is the side I expect Parky to pick tomorrow:

Eliot, Murty, Ward, Hudson, Youga, Sam, Bailey, Racon, Soares, Spring, Dickson.
Subs: Weaver, Basey, Ambrose, Burton, Kandol.

NLA predicts: Charlton 3 (Spring 16', Bailey (pen) 44', Soares 79'
Plymouth 1 (Fallon (pen) 89')
Att: 21,089

Burnley (a), Turf Moor, 31/01/2009

Well, what a difference a week makes.....

That horrific winless league run is over after 19 games- and poor Neil Warnock did seem to get a bit upset about it. Bless. Hope those grapes are still tasting sour Neil. But before we could feel like a corner had been turned, the news came through that we would be without Jon Fortune plus Andy Gray for the rest of the season.

Ho hum. So Parky has thus been busy in the transfer market. In have come Darren Ward and Tresor Kandol, until the end of the season- with comments about the latter far from complimentary so far. As ever, I will give the new boys my fully backing, starting with tomorrow's tough task in East Lancashire.




And tomorrow's game is massive. As I write, Doncaster are beating Norwich, meaning we really need a result tomorrow if we are to build on Tuesday's victory, and plot an unlikely escape act. And although we face a Burnley side that has impressed everyone this season- in both league and cup- there is no doubt their squad is now feeling the effects.

But we still face quite a task to contain them. In Chris Eagles and Robbie Blake, they boast two of the division's finest attacking talents, and our makeshift defence will do well to claim a second straight clean sheet.

This is the team I expect Parky to send out to battle come 3pm tomorrow:

Eliot, Murty, Ward, Youga, Basey, Sam, Bailey, Racon, Soares, Shelvey, Burton.
Subs: Randolph, Moutaouakil, Holland, Ambrose, Dickson.

NLA predicts: Burnley 2 (Lafferty 12', Blake (pen) 66') Charlton 0

Att: 10,989

Please let me be wrong!

Sheffield United (a), Bramall Lane, FA Cup sponsored by e-on 4th Round, 24/01/09

To the few expected travellers making a third trip to the Sheffield in less than a month, I salute you. I am expecting a third defeat in South Yorkshire, and a pretty comprehensive one at that, as we steel (no pun intended) ourselves for the derby on Tuesday night.

Throughout this truly horrific season, I have felt we have hit rock bottom. We did it against Barnsley, Sheffield United (twice!), Blackpool and Nottingham Forest. However, I have had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that we will reach the bottom at about 9.45pm on Tuesday night. I pray to God I am wrong, but with the supporters justifiably livid and an AGM scheduled for Wednesday at 11am, it promises to be another lively week in SE7.

Aside from all of this, we have a football match to win tomorrow- and thankfully Parky is unable to call upon any of our horrific loanees, so this is the side I feel the manager will pick tomorrow.

Randolph, Moutaouakil, Hudson, Fortune, Basey, Sam, Shelvey, Ambrose, Bailey, Gray, Dickson.

Subs: Eliot, Youga, Holland, Racon, Todorov, Wright, Wagstaff.

NLA predicts: Sheffield United 2 (Sharp 16', Kilgallon 67') Charlton 0

Att: 15,339

Sheffield Wednesday (a), Hillsborough, 17/01/2009

A packed Hillsborough awaits us and I think Wednesday have to be applauded in offering cheap tickets for all fans tomorrow to try and attract a big attendance in these financially worrying times.

That said, we desperately need to build on Tuesday's triumph at Norwich, and the squad have been bolstered- albeit for one month only- by the arrival this week of Tom Soares on loan from Stoke.

We have to prove Tuesday was no flash in the pan- and this is the team I believe Parky will send out in search of back-to-back wins. (Doesn't that sound good?)

Randolph, Murty, Hudson, Fortune, Basey, Soares, Bailey, Shelvey, Ambrose, Sam, Gray.
Subs: Eliot, Dickson, Todorov, Youga, Holland.

NLA predicts: Sheffield Wednesday 2 (Jeffers 24', Tudgay 67') Charlton 0
Att: 29,884

Norwich City (a), FA Cup sponsored by e-on, 3rd Round replay

So, back to the Cup on Tuesday evening after another disappointment on Saturday, which more or less encapsulated the season. Good opening half hour, go behind and that's your lot.



This is the side I think Parky will send out tomorrow night.

Eliot, Moutaouakil, Hudson, Fortune, Basey, Sam, Bailey, Holland, Ambrose, Gray, Mc Leod.

Subs: Randolph, Youga, Shelvey, Burton, Dickson, Wright, Wagstaff.

NLA predicts: Norwich 1 (Fotheringham 66') Charlton 1 (Gray 77')
Norwich win 4-2 on pens.

Att: 12,957