Charlton Athletic 1 v Oxford United 1

Before the game we heard Paul Mortimer and Alan Curbishley both saying that today was a potentially pivotal game and that we desperately needed to win ugly to break the run of poor results we are in. Sadly, we didn't manage to do it and it was another troubling watch.

The first half was absolutely woeful. As bad as any we have seen at the Valley in League One. Not a single attempt at goal and we were one-down after ten minutes as our defence parted to allow Marcus Browne a shy at goal from 25 yards.

It was easy to see the three at the back, Lavelle, Innis and O'Connell, as they struggled to clear their lines. The real problem was what was in front of them. Nominally a four man midfield of Sessegnon, Dobson, Fraser and Egbo with Payne, Stockley and Rak-Sakyi upfront. Unfortunately, there was no shape whatsoever. Fraser went missing and Dobson was forced into 30 yard hopeful balls every time he got possession. Egbo was playing too far forward and Sessegnon was tucked in front of their right back. Payne and Stockley were lost. It really was a hard watch. Oxford looked every inch like a side below us in the table but still looked very comfortable.

We strolled off to boos but the lack of numbers meant the noise wasn't satisfying enough for the angry home fans, so the Covered End gave a rendition of "effing useless" just to reinforce the point.

These were the players who were given a tour of the Charlton Museum in the week and whom we had to suffer hearing them saying how much it meant for them to understand just what supporting this club meant to its fans and how it would put fire in their bellies for Saturday etc. It was absolutely pathetic.

Garner stormed off down the tunnel before his troops and our players were sent out early with Leaburn and Kirk on for Sessegnon and Lavelle. Our players stood in groups talking and you could feel them saying "well, let's get a goal and shut the fans up." Within ten minutes of the restart Stockley headed home a back post chip from Kirk after we had forced several stabs at goal. Suddenly it looked easy but despite more obvious effort we didn't really look that comfortable. 

There were a few more chances at either end but both sides seemed happy for a point. I might be wrong but we are in a world of trouble if that was the case. In the last seven we have lost 3-1 twice and managed five 1-1 draws. It's two wins from 11 and that is relegation battle form. It might also have been worse. Inniss committed yet another atrocious tackle and you felt that another red might be in the offing before the end. That really would be it for me if he manages it again.

The pre-season guff from Sandgaard and Garner about attacking football and 'high press, low block' has been completely exposed. We don't have the players for it and it was only a second-half switch to a basic 4-4-2 that allowed us our first chances of the game. I suppose Sandgaard can probably still dream about this if he still believes his son is qualified to be our judge of incoming players based upon his supposed hard shot.

Everyone knows there are very few goals in this side and that by the time we get to the January transfer window the most likely options will be to strengthen to avoid a possible relegation or to hold onto our money until the Summer. That pre-supposes, of course, that Sandgaard will have been shocked into opening his wallet and U-turning on 'break even.' It also assumes he won't have found another buyer and scuttled back to America with his tails between his legs.

The Club Shop is empty but for replica shirts and a couple of track suit tops. The prices are still ridiculously high and interest continues to decline everywhere. Sandgaard thinks he can double revenues in this climate which is even more laughable than his 'high press, low block.' The official attendance was given as 12,806 (1,058 Oxford) which confirms that Sandgaard is once again inflating the figures with ghost comps. as the actually home support was probably very close once again to 7,000. The train strike and heavy A2 traffic won't have helped but the idea that we would have sold anything like 3,000 matchday tickets to home fans in the current environment is for the birds.

It's really hard to see what changes. Ben Garner keeps talking about "hard work" but that's because there is nothing else he can say. Chuks Aneke aside, we don't have an injury crisis and he is injured more often than not. I'd also say that we don't have a lot of evidence for "hard work." These 'one half performances,' suggest quite the opposite. It's almost as if the players believe they are better than they are and that they can always get back into a game having lost the lead. There is some evidence for that at home but we don't seem to have enough momentum or desire to win matches and it makes us a soft touch away from home and the ire of our home support.

Everything now points at Thomas Sandgaard. there really is only one way out for him from here, particularly given his 'break even' strategy. He is in desperate need of someone to take on his losses.