Stoke City away. What was the score? Lost 2-1 I was disappointed with Saturday's result, not least because I actually thought we would use this game to show the rest of the league our intentions, but also because of my Stoke connections. My son's godfather is a Stokie, and I imagine that another stripey team kit is whiling its way down to Kent as I type!

I've had a couple of days to dwell on the result and it is early days and only Watford, who have kept a very settled side from the one that got relegated, have shown any kind of form plus Stoke, who I think will be in the mix this season, particularly due to their home form - two home defeats in 11 months. The others are still finding their feet and as we saw against Scunthorpe and will again this Saturday against Wednesday, superior skill and technical ability is not enough to win games.

Palace proved that you can be near the bottom at Christmas and still go up, but there are a number of reasons that a good start is important, and a good start should be viewed as 6-7 league games and not 2.

Pards has admitted he doesn't know his best team and I think that showed Saturday, with the team selection and then his substitutions. I hope Moo2kil's injury is not bad, but Sankofa should be able replacement. I actually thought we would start slowly and build and there is still enough for me to think that we will be happier in a months time.

Who was at The Brittania: Charlton Life.
Reports: Stoke City FC; cafc.co.uk; Telegraph; Mirror; Daily Mail; Guardian.
What Pards' said: "Stoke were like they always are, big, strong and powerful. At times we played round them but didn't capitalise."
A bottle of fizzy pop for: Andy Reid. Showed he can be a class above everyone else in this league but needs people around him, who can deal with the physical aspects.  ¶ 10:29