PNE 2 Addicks 1 Thud. What was that? Me falling back to earth. Who said a week is a long time in football. Maybe it was Pards? I have to say I have a little feeling for Preston, after seeing them last season and now with the addition of The Beast, Barry Nicholson and a fit Neil Mellor, they might surprise a few people. Certainly it appears they were well worth their win yesterday.

Sat at home trying to follow it on the updated scores is of course impossible but even at the half we hadn't sounded convincing this despite us leading and Luke Varney hitting the post.

It is hard to believe that just one change could cause so much disruption to our midfield but clearly it did. And poor JonJo struggled again, and I now wonder if we won't see him for a while. Pardew may have started with a 4-4-2 and made a straight swap for Sam by putting Bailey on the right - I don't know maybe he played there for Southend? But then went to a five-man midfield for the last 20 minutes of the first half before doing what unfortunately has been customary by trying round pegs in square holes as we chased the game late on.

The fact is that we just don't have enough players and in certain positions there are no back ups, such as centre half (Primus is not fit), right back and out wide. Although last week gave us all a massive lift (I still wouldn't change it for the world), I think we expect a topsy-turvey season and that is so far, what we have had.

A word from Pards: "Head Scratching."
Addick thoughts: cafc.co.uk; Doctor Kish.
PNE thoughts: PNE OS; Alan Irvine's post match comments.
In the press: BBC Sport; The Times; Sky Sports; Kent Online.
Next: A week off , then 13-goal Wolves and Big Chris come to visit.  ¶ 09:46