Am I the only one who seems to find Charlton's current dilemma surprising?

Too many people are blaming Alan Curbishley's exit on poor form. I'm not so sure. Some are blaming Iain Dowie's defensive choices. Sure, they had their fair share of clangers but I don't think  the demise of the whole club can be blamed on these guys. At this point, it is safe to say that the Addicks are heading down to the Championship.

What can they possibly do to climb out of the black hole? Well, first of all they should call Dowie and apologise. It's rarely, if ever, that a manager is fired until the board realise he has made a mistake. Perhaps Dowie's transfer targets were not as shrewd as they would have liked, but they appeared to be of sound logic and for all intents and purposes, you'd have to say that Dowie received the proverbial short end of the stick from both of these players. More was expected of them from everyone, not just Dowie and the Charlton elite.

Next comes the transfer market. It's clear that there are two defenders needed. Matter-of-factly, one of those defenders needs to be of a high class so as to hopefully rub off on the below-par actors that make up the back line. Charlton should look to some of the bigger clubs for loan activity. Matthew Connolly has left Arsenal for AFC Bournemouth in League One, but he would have been a great addition. And Tottenham have a plethora of young defenders who need a run, or at least some activity over the next few months.

Next, comes the giant Curbishley-shaped, Dowie-moulded hole in the managerial office. Alan Pardew replaced the Alan who existed before him. Too many cooks in the kitchen, or too many Alans on the bench for the Addicks? Charlton still haven't found any form, and have now exited the FA Cup to boot.

What about a striker? Poor Darren Bent. He's up there all alone, every match, foraging for anything that resembles a goal. Is it a poor striker partnership? Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has shown his taste for the Carling Cup this season, but nothing more. He's been waste-basket material at best. Marcus Bent has some interesting dimensions, but nothing that speaks of him as starting next to his namesake. Bent has proven he's more than a flash in the pan by scoring several goals already. His only means of supportive service comes from Andy Reid and Dennis Rommedahl. Other than that, the midfield is a barren mess of players who aren't quite sure where they belong.

Interesting, though, that despite the fact that Charlton realistically need four good players in the transfer window to make an actual fight out of the relegation battle (one forward, one midfielder, two defenders), it doesn't necessitate millions of dollars in expense. Again, looking for loan material for the following five months could be absolutely critical to Charlton's season.

The bigger clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, United, Liverpool) have too many players to name. Jeremie Aliadiere is a name at Arsenal that is constantly thrown around with transfer possibility. He needs starts, Charlton need creativity, pace and goals. Why not give the Frenchman time to prove himself worthy for Arsenal's top XI? What about Tottenham? They've got such an overstock of midfielders that they don't know what to do with them all. What about the new players that Liverpool have brought in? Some didn't fit the bill, others look like they'll be transferred out. Why not raid them for some quality?

Some people have written Charlton off, but let's all remember that incredible runs can happen. Last year, Everton and Newcastle both went on great winning sequences to see the season through. The last ten games resulted in fabulous positions in comparison with their previous record over two thirds of the season. Portsmouth famously escaped again by digging deep and throwing themselves at opposing sides.

 Charlton need a bit between their teeth. They need to start playing with the steely resolve that Curbishley would have invoked. Ultimately, they need to begin to believe. There's no place better to start than in the transfer window.

Can Charlton survive or is their fate already sealed? Sportingo.com would welcome your thoughts and comments.