In the Bleak Midwinter

Wigan Athletic 3 Charlton 0

I see that Silent Night has been knocked off the top of the Songs of Praise list of people's favourite carols for the first time in living memory, or possibly the first time since the list was compiled, by In the Bleak Midwinter, words by Christina Rossetti, music, astonishingly, by Gustav Holst. Even more astonishing to me is the fact that Silent Night has ever been anyone's favourite at all, as it has none but the most basic tune, and very boring words. But there was someone at work this evening who said she thought that that song about sleigh bells glistening (I think) was beautiful. It's the perception business all over again.

Reading about this startling change at the top of the carol hit parade just now made me realise that we are indeed in mid-winter, or is it the start of it? Anyway, the shortest day kicked in here in Madrid just a couple of hours ago, and as mid-winters go, it is certainly bleak for Charlton, who will find themselves in relegation trouble if this goes on much longer. But where to point the finger?

Surely not at Alan Curbishley? Though there are those down SE7 way who would like to see a change, yet they are curiously silent as to who, exactly, they would like to have in his place. There are a number of individual players who are not much liked by the regular Charlton bloggers, but it seems to me that as, week in, week out, Charlton crash to defeat after defeat, the culprit is someone different every time, someone who might have been a hero just a couple of months before.

Anyway, the Lancashire area jinx struck again, as I had feared it might ever since Wigan were promoted, You can read the Inspector's account of his day trip to the frozen north here.

Is there anything to be done? Well I am off to the north west of England myself in a couple of days to spend Christmas with my cousin, she of the Imperial Leather from last summer. Anyone know of a good exorcist operating in the Burnley area?