fulham away. what was the score? lost 2-1 After dominating the game two goals in two minutes, and one for, surprise, surprise, Santa Claus is enough to ruin any evening and the feeling of dread straight after Fulham’s 2nd was easily detectable amongst the army of Addicks behind the goal at Craven Cottage.

I write this however whilst sitting on the plane back to Chicago, and after watching the game again this morning on Sky, I still feel surprisingly upbeat. Don’t ask me why. Maybe it was the thousands of Addicks who turned up last night to show how much we really care. This club is going nowhere without us having a part to play.

Then maybe it was the way we again tried to dominate the game with some crisp attacking play, a trait driven into them by Dowie’s perseverance. Perhaps it was because Dennis Rommedahl showed the Addicks faithful why he can be the player we always hoped he could be. Or was how Romm and Benty looked when they came over to our end at the final whistle – shit they had faces like they really cared. Then was it the continual impression Amady Faye makes on me or the stirring and athletic display from Diawara.

Ok, I wasn’t born yesterday. It’s tough, the season is going to be a long one and we, the board and the players are looking to Iain Dowie to do something about it. And the pressure, of course, mounts.

Dowie was undone by Coleman’s tactical substitution, Reid or Hughes should have been replaced by the time McBride handled and scored all in one movement. Our final ball was too often poor and we didn’t make their goalkeeper do enough. And please can someone else look like scoring apart from Darren Bent?

Shall I go on? Ok, Reid has a lot to prove – at some point he will not still be getting fit. El Kak is not good enough, although I thought he did alright last night. And JFH needs to be on the bench and I will think this out loud…. start Marcus Bent Saturday. There I said it.

One thing that was a winner last night was Operation Craven. The power of the fan, the Charlton fan is not dead. Us, we, whatever, were magnificent last night. From standing outside the Eight Bells two hours before the game, seeing many familiar faces and some unfamiliar ones, until the very end, the backing showed us and the players how much we care. It just confirms what a few blogs, some message boards and word of mouth can do.

And my overriding feeling last night after the game, this morning in bed, now on the plane is that there is only one place I want to be on Saturday - The Valley. What is it about Charlton? It bloody does it to you, doesn’t it?

Dowie watch: ID looked on helpless after Fulham scored two goals in two minutes following us dominating the first hour of the game. It appears that he will not sacrifice the way he wants us to play football, whereas Curbs would have had a completely different view. The Addickted still seem to be with him, despite the media trying to pretend otherwise, but for how long?
Quote: "The magnitude of pressure that goes with the job is increasing all the time, every time you don't get a result."

Opinions from others that were there: cafc.co.uk; All Quiet; The Times; Frankie Valley; Addickted.net; Addicks Diary; Charlton Athletic Online; fulhamfc.com.  ¶ 22:13