Smerts-offski Alexei Smertin joined the "Charlton lack ambition" club today when he joined Dinamo Moscow. It is disconcerting when players that the club pay and the fans support, take a swipe at them as they walk out of the door, particularly when Curbishley praised his professionalism yesterday: "I'm sure Alexei will just have to get on with it because he is a top pro."

This whole loan thing has done us no favours in recent times and the Carlton Cole and Smertin situation proves that we have no rights of veto on anything. With Sorondo injured, only Jonathon Spector's recent form can show Curbishley's loan policy in any good light but then critics say that we are just improving him for Alex Ferguson's benefit.

As for Smertin, people raved about him early in the season, to me he didn't seem up for the fight when it started to go wrong and his timing does look like he was unsettled by the Danny Murphy affair and yet another who didn't get Curbishley or his policy.

It does now leave us very light on options in midfield. With Romm and Thomas still not fit and Barry Fuller out on loan, no you right, Curbs would rather play himself than throw a youngster in, we have to very grateful that Jason Euell's January move to Birmingham fell through.  ¶ 10:34