Charlton Athletic 0 v Bristol City 2

"You used to be good, but now you're shit, you used to be good but now you're shit." Not quite Cockney charm, Scouse humour or Weegie wit but passes for clever if you're the dim half of a small city whose name you can't even pronounce properly. Also painfully accurate if you're a supporter of Charlton Athletic.

Tonight's disaster was very predictable for a side short on confidence and obviously uninspired by the off-field rumours of a possible takeover by Arab billionaires. Unfortunately, it also says more about Alan Pardew's lack of management influence with the squad and his ongoing inability to affect games that we lose the lead in. How long is it since we have come from behind to win a game?

To be fair to the suspension-hit side we put out (Weaver, Youga, Cranie, Primus, Moutaouakil, Bougherra, Holland, Bailey, Varney, Gray and Ambrose) we started as well as we have all season and we should absolutely have been one up within 20 minutes and possibly two. The brief appeared very clear - break from midfield quickly, support the attack and shoot on sight; not something we have become accustomed to under under Alan Pardew (or Alan Curbishley). Varney shot straight at Basso in the opening exchanges. Bouazza forced a sprawling save from the keeper and Varney a double save minutes later. Andy Gray was narrowly wide when flicking on a Bailey drive and Darren Ambrose warmed Basso's fingers after that. For the regulars amongst you, you will know what came next. Charlton tried to break quickly from a rare City attack, Nicky Bailey was robbed in possession outside his box when he had options left, right and behind, and the diminutive Lee Johnson fed Adebola whose calm pass into the path of Lee Trundle made the opener.

It was a travesty but one we are so familar with at the Valley. The game changed from that minute and City should have gone in two-up at the break at Adebola slid in at the far post but somehow failed to make a connection on the stroke of half-time.

Pardew held faith with the side who had bossed the game for the first 20-odd minutes, but Gary Johnson had seen enough to decide that the game was there for the taking. City came out and attacked as if they were seeking an equaliser with minutes left on the clock. An attempted Cranie clearance on the half-way line was charged down by Adebola who honed in on goal and only a smart save by Weaver denied the second. A minute later Liam Fontaine found himself one-on-one with Weaver but again Weaver managed to paw his effort clear. However, Weaver could do nothing about about the inevitable third attempt of the second half when Gavin Williams picked up the loose ball from a Primus/Adebola tussle, and curled a superb shot over the Charlton stopper and into the top corner for the second City goal.

Pardew made two hasty substitutions at this point with Dickson and Sam coming on for Gray and Ambrose.  Gray had won a number of flicks in the first half and hit the post but he continues to mark his defender so closely that he restricts himself to half-chances and he needs to learn that he should be finding space and that it's defenders jobs to mark him, not the other way around. Ambrose actually had a positive first half flitting between attack and midfield but you felt his mojo had gone with the second goal.

Dickson ran around in headless chicken mode but he was worth the punt. Lloyd Sam saw too much of the ball, partly because Bouazza and Bailey had gone into hiding, but he did at least come close with a run a shot across the face of goal and supplied the cross from which Varney should have headed a consolation goal. The game faded out and City sub Nicky Maynard could have made the scoreline even more flatterring if he'd taken his chance. Bouazza was also subbed for Todorov but you wouldn't have noticed either player if the boards hadn't gone up.

The surprisngly good crowd of 21,207  (800 Bristle?) were well on their way before the end as my piccie will testify. We were booed off by those who were left and Saturday is now a train crash waiting to happen. If the Arabs are coming, can they make it quick?