Charlton face a team one place ahead of them in the form table at Southend United today. The fact that the teams are 6th and 13th in the real table shows how much injury hit Charlton's form has suffered recently. Karl Robinson says that he will have three crocked players back at Roots Hall, but won't say which ones.
A sign of the club's difficulties is that they were only able to name six substitutes for the game. Perhaps younger supporters with recent Sunday league experience should have turned up with their boots. The one piece of good news is the return of Ricky Holmes to the line up. Ahmed Kashi also starts.
Southend have won five, drawn five and lost one at home this season, but have only conceded nine goals, compared with 13 for Charlton at The Valley.
The Shrimpers lost 3-1 at Scunthorpe last Saturday which probably says as much about the Iron as it does about Southend. Manager Phil Brown said after the game, 'There are certain things we are doing at the moment which we are getting punished for. Some of the stuff we are doing is okay, but only up to a point. That point is believing in our creativity in the final third.'
Whether Charlton are capable of punishing Southend remains to be seen. Charlton have scored 13 goals away from home this season, half the number of table topping Wigan. Peterborough, who are one point behind the Addicks, have scored seven more.
The most likely outcome looks like a draw to me. Charlton have been unbeaten in their last four Boxing Day fixtures (two wins, two draws). Whether that will be enough to maintain Charlton's tenuous hold on the play off places is doubtful.
1,200 Addicks are expected to attend. They won't have enjoyed the first half. Southend were 2-0 ahead at the break and Charlton had rarely threatened.
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