Parky wants a performance
Charlton boss Phil Parkinson is determined to finish the season on a high note, starting with the visit of Preston North End on Saturday (3pm).
The Addicks have eight games left to play this term, five of which are at home, and Parkinson is keen to give the Valley faithful something to smile about following a wretched campaign.
Like many of Charlton's results this season, Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers was undeserved.
But it leaves the Addicks 14 points adrift of safety at the foot of the Championship, and time is running out.
Parkinson, though, said: "The pressure is off in one way, but in another it's not as we've got to put pressure on ourselves to make sure we put in a good performance on Saturday and put demands on the players so that they put in a good performance. It will be nice for the home supporters to finish the season on a high and that's what we intend to do."
Alan Irvine's Preston will go into the game in seventh place in the league, but without a win in their last five games on the road.
However, Chorley-born Parkinson, who grew up a Preston fan, believes the Lilywhites can pose problems to his team, with in-form striker Jon Parkin a man the Charlton chief knows well, having worked with the burly hitman during their time at Hull City.
"Preston have got a good home record but a poor away record," said Parkinson. "One of their key players is Jon Parkin - he's done really well for them.
"He's a big physical presence at the top of the pitch. I think everyone knows Jon isn't the most mobile of players, but he's a threat and he's a goalscorer. If the ball comes into the box we have to make sure we're strong and combative to deal with what he has to offer.
"Paul McKenna is a good footballer in the midfield, too, so we know it's going to be another tough game. We've just played two of the top teams in Wolves and Reading and we're up against another team with hopes of the play-offs, so it's another good test."
Looking back on last weekend's unfortunate loss to Wolves, Parkinson continued: "It was another game where we came off the pitch thinking our keeper has had little to do, yet we've conceded two goals.
"The second goal was a freak goal and apart from the penalty - which never was a penalty, I still don't know what that was given for - Robbie [Elliot] had very little to do.
"But it's about getting those clean sheets. We've been scoring recently but we need to keep it tight at the other end."
Addicks manager Parkinson has doubts over defensive duo Danny Butterfield and Kelly Youga, plus goalkeeper Elliot, for the fixture with North End, while Dean Sinclair will not kick a ball in anger for at least six months after undergoing knee surgery on Wednesday.
Jose Semedo is close to a return to full-time training, though, after his ankle injury, and Jonjo Shelvey will be involved in Saturday's squad before linking up with the England U17 party after the game for next week's European Championship qualification matches against Portugal, Serbia and Hungary.
"Danny Butterfield has got a problem with his back. He hasn't trained all week so we'll see how he is in the morning," stated Parkinson. "Rob Elliot also has a problem with his back but he trained on Thursday so we'll see how he is on Friday as well.
"Nicky Weaver played for the reserves on Wednesday so he could come into the squad in place of Rob, but Darren Randolph has been training well.
"Kelly has missed a bit of training after picking up a hamstring strain at Wolves but all three are making good progress.
"Semedo is doing some fitness work with head of sports science Nick Davies and we expect him to be back in full training next week."
On Sinclair, who recently returned from a loan spell at Grimsby Town, Parkinson said: "Dean has had an ongoing problem with his knee for, I would say, the last 12 months.
"I don't think he's been the same since his last knee injury, so he had an operation on Wednesday and that will keep him out for about six months."
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