Source: SKY_Sports
Ex-factor for Curbs
Alan Curbishley popped into the Goals on Sunday studio to reflect on the contrasting fortunes of two of his previous clubs.
The former Charlton boss has seen the Addicks plummet from the top half of the Premier League to the foot of the Championship table since his departure, while West Ham have made steady progress since he left Upton Park earlier this season.
Reflecting first on the Hammers, he was quick to praise the impact that Carlton Cole has made as a loan striker this season.
Curbishley said: "What suits West Ham with Ashton out is Cole playing down the middle on his own. He can do that and I played him as a lone frontman a lot last year.
"He brings people into game, he's got great movement and they are passing it well now. People are looking like they want to join in and they're comfortable.
"I had Carlton Cole at Charlton and Paolo Di Canio was there at the time and we spoke about him.
"You could see that Carlton has got everything. He just needs to take one or two more of his chances because perhaps his finishing lets him down.
"But this year he's picked up his goals and he's got the confidence that he's leading the line. He's been given a run.
"Last year I found it difficult pairing him and Ashton together and played him a lot of times on his own when Dean was out. That suited him.
"Gianfranco's got a little bit of a problem when Dean gets back because he's a terrific player. The two of them perhaps are not compatible.
"But at the moment the system they're playing suits him."
Form
Curbishley also said the defence and goalkeeper have provided the backbone for West Ham's good form, along with the return of key players such as Scott Parker from injury.
He continued: "Also give credit to the back five because they've kept a lot of clean sheets this year, which always helps.
"Last season, up until this time of the season West Ham's defensive record was the best outside the top four. It got smashed to pieces in March because we shipped four at Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs all in one week.
"But the back four plus Robert Green have kept clean sheets and that always gives you the confidence that you can go and score a goal.
"The other thing is one or two players are fully fit like Scott Parker, who was in and out last year and never got his game going.
"I think he's been really instrumental along with Matthew Upson, who's in the England team now.
"And with Carlton Cole the spine is strong."
Fall
However, it has certainly not been a strong season for Charlton who have suffered a dramatic fall from grace since Curbishley's 15-year tenure ended in 2006.
The club are currently cut adrift at the bottom of the Championship, looking certain to be relegated to League One, and Curbishley admits he has been stunned by how far his former team has fallen.
However, he said chopping and changing managers too often in the last two years has contributed to their downfall.
"I just think about how quickly it's happened," he said.
"You've got no divine right to stay in the Premier League because it's so tough, but within two-and-a-bit years they find themselves looking at going into Division One.
"I went there on Tuesday to watch the game against Doncaster and a lot of people were bewildered at why and how it's happened.
"But it has, so you've got to get on with it. It's very disappointing.
"It's to do with bad decisions. I was there for 15 years and now they've had four managers in two years.
"The decision-making has obviously had a big effect. It's not worked and when you get on that downward spiral it's very difficult to get out of it.
"I could perhaps have imagined Charlton coming out of the Premier League, but I can't imagine them going down to Division One in such a short space of time."
