Addicks focus on league after cup defeat

"I felt we controlled the first game and the biggest game [against West Brom] is still to come," said Pardew. "That's the one at The Valley and that's the one that will matter.
"The one silver lining to whoever lost, whether it was Tony Mowbray or me, was that we get a week break - and maybe two - in what is now a really busy schedule."
The prospect of a return to the Premier League - with all that it means to fans and finances - is such that anything else must be secondary and the 4-1 win over Blackpool last Saturday (January 12) was the result that really mattered.
Ironically, it was the original FA Cup tie that provided at least some of the inspiration for what could well have been Charlton's best home display of the season.
Pardew rested big players such as Jerome Thomas and Chris Iwelumo for the initial cup clash but those called into the first team proved hard to dislodge.
Kelly Youga, Luke Varney and Izale McLeod all retained their places against Blackpool and contributed to a priceless victory.
"It was an excellent win for us," said Pardew. "We've got the fans back where we want them and we had some great performances on the pitch. I thought Varney in particular was outstanding."
Yet the former Crewe player - who scored a sublime goal to put the home side 2-0 up after just 10 minutes following Madjid Bougherra's opener - was just one of many players in red who stood out.
Darren Ambrose, Youga and McLeod were all worthy of mentions but it was the Chinese international Zheng Zhi (see interview above) who really caught the eye, with a goal in each half rounding off the kind of performance
that Pardew was hoping he would deliver when he brought him back to The Valley on a permanent basis.
"He's a good player and I thought he and Matt Holland were excellent," said Pardew.
"We had ZiZi last year so the situation is a bit different for him. He feels comfortable at the club and one of the reasons he came here was he liked the atmosphere."
Despite the impressive win, Charlton remain in fifth place but closed the gap on three of their promotion rivals, with Watford losing and Bristol City and Stoke City only drawing.
In many ways the Addicks are fortunate to be anywhere near the play-off - let alone the top two - positions after a woeful Christmas period. But somehow they are still in touch and the next two games - away at Watford and home to Stoke - are pivotal.
Even four points could see Pardew's men emerge at just the right time as real challengers for a top-two slot and the display against Blackpool at least means the players can go into those matches with renewed confidence.
"We had a look of the side that I envisaged at the start of the season: a side with energy and pace, looking for goals," said Pardew.
"We must have had 20 shots against a side bang in form.
"I felt there were signs against West Bromwich Albion last week that we were coming into some form, and hopefully we can take that into next week.
"Once we go to Watford, we'll have played the top six away from home.
"Then they've all got to come here, so we are not in too bad a position if we can keep this sort of form and atmosphere going. We are going to go close."
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