Shay saves the day

Another draw, this time on Saturday 0-0 away to Charlton, once again prompts what is becoming a recurring question here on SWSL: two points dropped, or a point gained?

As a side aiming to put right this season’s wrongs by again securing a Champions League place, and this time prevailing in the qualifier, we might be expected to put away sides like Charlton, who possess excellent team spirit and collective drive but arguably lack real star quality (Parker and Di Canio aside, perhaps). Their home record isn’t good, and sides like Arsenal and Man Utd go to The Valley fully expecting a three point haul, while the likes of Man City and Leeds have both won there fairly comfortably this season.

[Woah there, you're fast in danger of upsetting regular reader and Charlton fanatic Inspector Sands there - quick, redressive action needed...]

All the same, they’re a decent side, and well-placed in the league themselves, so a clean sheet away from home for our much-maligned defence (especially considering the untried combination of personnel Bobby entrusted with the job) is not to be sniffed at, even if we did depend rather too much for comfort on goalkeeping acrobatics to keep the likes of Jason Euell at bay. Having been overshadowed by Shearer and Robert for the majority of the season, Given underlined that we have more than one or two match-winners – or match-savers – in the side. So, right now, I’d say this was a point gained – of course, things might look rather different come the end of the season.

All this leaves us in sixth place going into Christmas – respectable after the terrible start we made, but there’s a good deal of room for improvement.