Scotland 21 v Italy 8

Half-time at Murrayfield yesterday and I had my doubts that Scotland would avoid the Wooden Spoon. We had enjoyed plenty of possession but were going sideways against the Italian line rather than through it. Out forwards turned-up but the Italians', strangely didn't. Richie Gray stole their line-out ball at will and they were content to get the ball out or kick rather than play to their strengths which is when they rampage forward in the loose. I'm not complaining.

After the break Scotland stepped it up and two tries within a matter of minutes from two under-performers (Walker and De Luca) put the game beyond the Italians. I was pleased because the plane home today was full of them and I didn't have to button my coat to hide my Scotland shirt. The celebrity on the plane home this week was cheeky-chappy Danny Dyer. I'm guessing he hadn't been to the game  but looked like he had had a good night on the town.

That brings me then to main purpose of this Blog, Charlton Effing Athletic. It's hard to know what to say at the moment, but not only did Dagenham & Redbridge beat us but they were very good value according those who went. One point in the last 24 and if Chris Powell can't arrest the slide quickly you have to wonder if the Board will be forced to bring in someone else in order to halt the slide and avoid an unthinkable relegation. It doesn't get any easier in the coming nine days when we face Southampton at the Valley (Tuesday) and then Bournemouth away (Saturday) and Rochdale away (a week on Tuesday). I can't see us winning any of those and we are there for the taking and potentially a hammering as well. 

I said all season I had us to finish outside the play-offs and I maintain that our squad of players is at least average for this division if not a little better than that. When you consider our current form, then it's very hard not to see Chris Powell as the common denominator. I am not advocating he goes (yet) but he has to do something to get a performance. That's what management is all about and it's looking increasingly like he's lost the dressing room. If that's the case we are in serious difficulty.  I am almost tempted to say we might need to go down again to rebuild but you wonder where it will ever stop? The fact is, you become a non-league side if you finish at the bottom of League 2, so going down again is something we cannot contemplate as a club and must do everything within our power to avoid. If Powell hasn't got what it takes to get a couple of results soon, I am afraid we simply have to try someone else irrespective of the cost or the pain in ditching a Charlton hero.