What a bothersome time to be a Charlton fan. 

The draw with Rotherham United last Saturday highlighted many of the struggles that are facing the club as we head into a potential relegation battle in the second half of the season.

And the foul mood amongst large swathes of the support, which has been painfully obvious on social media recently, reared its indignant head at The Valley during and after the laboured performance against the Millers. 

When both Jose Riga and Bob Peeters were appointed, they were afforded time and patience by the Charlton fans.

Of course, both of those also had reasonable starts on the field to life in SE7.

Guy Luzon, to give him his dues, marshalled a decent performance away in the goalless draw with Wolves in his first game.

But as I said in my previous column, the way his appointment appears from the outside to have been rushed through has meant he starts life in this role with a massive deficit in supporter goodwill.

When after a sluggish 60 minutes of the game with Rotherham the Israeli Alex Ferguson decided to hook Igor Vetokele and replace him with Tony Watt, the upper Covered End responded with a chorus of discontent.

They felt the wrong player had been removed and weren’t shy in making their feelings known to the man who crouches like Andre Villas Boas and celebrates goals like Paolo di Canio. 

It’s going to take whopping turnaround in performances and results, masterminded by Luzon, to give the new head coach any hope of garnering the backing of the disgruntled punters.

In order to achieve such a thing, he desperately needs reinforcements provided for him by our illustrious owner.

It was painfully obvious to all and sundry that new arrivals were a must during the transfer window.

Luzon told me after the game at Wolves he hoped to get “two or three” singings over the line before Jim White declared the window had slammed shut.

Christophe Lepoint joined in midfield, but efforts to entice a couple more players before the deadline to The Valley failed.

Once again, this caused social media to be abuzz with disenfranchised Addicks questioning the direction in which the club is going.

Financial Fair Play rules are presumably being adhered to, which must be seen as a positive, but it’s clear the squad is a striker short at least of being able to compete at the moment.

When the goals dry up, the confidence of the squad follows.

If this free fall continues, the trapdoor to League One obscurity will hinge ominously open once again.

Last season, substandard Liege players were sent Charlton’s way in January.

As the loan market will be dipped into once again to try and answer goal-scoring questions, it’s of vital importance that the quality of loanee reflects and respects the level of football Charlton are playing at. (spoiler alert – it’s better than the Belgian reserve league).

The snapping up of Roger Johnson on Tuesday came somewhat out the of the blue.

Coined ‘The Relegator’ in some quarters due to an unenviable record of recent demotions, the signing was met with, at best, a mixed reaction by Charlton fans.

I will give him time before I make judgement. I’ve already been caught out once this season, having presumed the excellent Tal Ben Haim would prove a farcical acquisition.

The ‘mixed’ reaction to the signing is an indication of the unwillingness to take any decisions made by the current regime at face value by many supporters at the moment.

With the way the performances have deteriorated, a confusing transfer policy and a network managerial merry-go-round, a lot fans are questioning everything at the moment.

This is being countered in some cases by people claiming a jittery outlook is proof you don’t qualify as a ‘real supporter.’

The truth, in my opinion, is quite the opposite.

To be apprehensive at the moment doesn’t show any lack of affection for the club we’ve all grown up watching.

We’re part of an experiment that hasn’t happened too often previously in the football world, and so far has had mixed results.

Wanting to protect the club we are all stakeholders in from misadventure is natural. 

We don’t want the blind leading the blind. We want to feel a lot more comfortable we’re in the hands of someone who is running the club sensibly and for the benefit of the club as well as themselves.

It’s not a lack of support that drives that inquisitiveness in individuals. It is completely the opposite.

Come on you reds.

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt