The Season Starts Now

I don't often indulge in 'this is the team I'd pick for Saturday/rest of the season' as we can have no idea what goes on through the week off the pitch (who is carrying knocks/who's been hitting the bottle etc) and because having never earned a crust in the game I'm usually happy to defer to those who do. But there's an exception to every rule (like Palace surviving a season in the Premiership).

Start by acknowledging the situation: we are fully embroiled in a relegation fight, with no cushion; we have a 16-game mini-season to play starting now, one which includes away trips to the three teams currently occupying the relegation places. Forget the form table, forget when it was since we last won, the season starts now with a clean slate. No points targets for survival (yet). For me this also means no thoughts of player rotation (other than necessary rests), no thoughts of 'this formation for this game, try something different next time' (and it goes without saying no input on team selection from anyone not there every day); we need clarity and yes, if you like, back to basics. Decide on a first-choice line-up, tell those not in it - including those who perhaps expected to be shipped out on deadline day - to be ready to play their part - and if their reaction is poor tell them to get lost unless and until the attitude changes for the better.

Also accept certain other realities. The head coach is one that few supporters would have put at the top of their list to replace Peeters, the owner and the board's attitude to engagement with the fans inspire shall we say mixed emotions; but they are in situ and every Charlton fan wants to avoid a return to the third-tier. This means for Luzon accepting that your only chance of love/appreciation is to replicate what Riga achieved last season. You can't rely on the fans to inspire the players at present, but you put out a side with purpose and commitment and they will respond positively. Don't feed them BS, we all know that last night's first-half showing was shockingly dire and that you can't realistically expect to give a decent team a two-goal start, or to feel disappointed to lose by the odd goal when your team has coughed up enough chances for them to have doubled their goal tally.

So to the team. We don't have a forward capable of playing on his own, nor do we have a midfield combination that suggests we'd benefit from a five-man set-up, and the time isn't right for trying five at the back. So it is 4-4-2. If Henderson is fit, he comes back, asap. He looked assured before his injury, Dmitrovic looks a decent keeper but with some doubts about dealing with high balls, Etheridge has had his chance for now. Solly and Wiggins are the first-choice full-backs, with Gomez and Fox/Wilson their back-ups.

Central defence is less easy, largely because we've no idea whether Johnson is sharp enough to start a game. If he is, he comes in (of course in an ideal world Morrison would still be here). The assuredness of Ben Haim and Bikey-Amougou in the first half of the season has gone, Onyewu by all accounts didn't take his opportunity at Middlesbrough. If Johnson is ready, the choice to partner him is just which of the other three complements him best (and on that front I really can't say). It's a gamble on his preparedness and sharpness, but it's also time for a change. Norwich were decent enough last night but that doesn't explain the number of chances we let them in for. Johnson describes himself as a leader, and a defence has only one real leader/organiser on the pitch. That suggests to me that for now Ben Haim may be the one to give way and for Bikey to get fully focused on the job in hand.

The midfield four for me is perhaps surprisingly straightforward, assuming that Veljkovic is out of the picture for now. Jackson and Cousins aren't a perfect combination but with Buyens now looking a pale shadow of the cultured and effective player of earlier in the season (I was only mildly surprised last night that he didn't pick up a second yellow) and is due a rest; whether it's fatigue or mental attitude I don't care, at the moment he's not doing the job. We know that Cousins' best position is central midfield and we know that Jackson will give his all, and probably chip in a goal or two. Plus the emphasis has to be on protecting the defence and clean sheets. Berg Gudmundsson continues to impress me, even though last night wasn't one of his more effective games. He does need to increase his defensive workrate and with him on one side we need outright pace on the other, which of course means Harriott, with Wilson available for fresh legs.

I don't think anyone questions the front two pairing. Again, not an ideal combination for the long term, but last night Vetokele and Watt together showed that they can work together, make chances for each other, and unsettle defences. I'm disappointed that Ahearne-Grant came into the picture and disappeared from it so quickly. I don't know where he stands now, but absent a loan signing he and Church are my back-ups. Church is a decent player, just not a prolific goalscorer. Starting with both Vetokele and Watt means not much in the way of a Plan B, but we simply don't have that luxury.

Who are the spare parts? Bulot blotted his copybook last night with a poor display (which begs the question regarding the thinking behind his selection), LePoint I simply have no idea about, Moussa remains sidelined.

So for me it's: Henderson/Dmitrovic, Solly, Wiggins, Johnson, Bikey-Amougou, Berg Gudmundsson, Jackson, Cousins, Harriott, Vetokele and Watt; subs: Dmitrovic/Etheridge, Gomez, Ben Haim/Onyewu, Wilson, Buyens/Bulot/LePoint, Church, Ahearne-Grant.