'sublime' football for the fans to savour

By Nick Martindale on December 13, 2007 12:00 AM |

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THE cheers that rang out around The Valley just before five o'clock on Saturday were born as much of relief as they were celebration.
Relief partly because the 3-1 defeat of Ipswich kept Charlton in touching distance of the top two teams, but also because the way they played - particularly in the first half - suggested that the recent blips at home were just that.
There was some much needed reassurance, too, that when everything falls into place this is a side that is capable of beating just about anyone in the division.

After a baffling run of four consecutive away wins alongside four home defeats in five games, manager Alan Pardew was perhaps more relieved than anyone.
"We were sublime in the first half, and perhaps matched our performance against West Ham here last season," he said after the game (December 8). "We've been terrific on the road, so it was nice to show our home fans what we can do.
"Home form is very important; we all know that if you haven't got good home form, you won't get promoted. We were really charged up and never gave Ipswich a sniff of the game.
"We did have some hairy moments in the second half but we always looked like we could go and hurt them on the break and could step up a gear," he added. "I hope the fans have gone home focusing on the first half because if we reproduce that regularly we are going to win a lot more than we lose here."
After some baffling selection decisions in recent weeks, Pardew deserves his share of the plaudits for what was one of Charlton's best performances of the season.
Sticking with the 4-5-1 system that has been so effective away from home, he deliberately shuffled his midfield to scupper any Ipswich game plan.
In the first half, the tactics worked a treat as Charlton dominated possession. As well as former Ipswich player Darren Ambrose's brace, Chris Iwelumo hit his eighth of the season.
"I was conscious that Ipswich would know how we would play so I changed it a bit," said Pardew. "I felt
Ipswich might tie Reidy up in the midfield, so I changed it around and gave Ambrose a bit more licence, so it was the same formation but a shift in personnel. It worked in Darren's favour and freed him up a bit. His two goals were terrific and I thought he was a threat all day."
But while this line-up was deliberately designed to confuse the opposition manager, Pardew will have little choice but to change his team again for this weekend's vital promotion clash with second-placed West Bromwich Albion in the early kick-off on Saturday (December 12).
After Jonathan Fortune's needless dismissal for violent conduct on 90 minutes, the Addicks boss will be without one of his most consistent performers for the next three matches, while Lloyd Sam and Danny Mills are also suspended for the top-of-the-table clash after picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season against Cardiff and Ipswich.
"Jon had a bit of a crazy moment there," admitted Pardew. "The biggest disappointment for him is that he'll be fined and will be out of the first team. After the season he's been having that will be a bit of a downer for the lad."
Such instances are when the strength in depth Pardew has built up really comes into its own, with Jose Semedo likely to replace Sam in amove that would see Ambrose go to the right, and Yassin Moutaouakil and Madjid Bougherra in for Mills and Fortune respectively. Jerome Thomas could also return to the side after missing the past three games with a dead leg.
Yet with Chris Powell having to leave the field after taking a blow to the head, Ben Thatcher a long-term absentee and Grant Basey having undergone a hernia operation, Charlton could find themselves without a recognised left-back if Powell fails to recover in time.
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