'Charlton must curb poor defending'

Alan Curbishley today insisted Charlton must plug their leaky defence if they are to end their recent dismal run.

The Addicks have slipped to 10th in the Premiership after picking up just one win in their past four games and badly need a morale-boosting result at Aston Villa tonight.

"Obviously we are in a bad run and we have to get ourselves out of it somehow," said Curbishley, whose team have gone behind inside the opening 10 minutes of each of their past four matches.

"We have to get back to where we were, not letting goals in so early, and give ourselves a chance. Over four games we have scored six, but have not picked anything up."

The Charlton manager says his team must "get back to the basics of keeping a clean sheet" at Villa Park.

He said: "If they beat two of our men and put over a great cross that [Juan Pablo] Angel sticks in the top corner then I would take that - but they are not the kind of goals that are going in.

"We have to work hard to stop these goals going in and hopefully turn things round."

Curbishley knows Charlton's form will have to improve dramatically if they are to grab a European place, but he has not given up. He said: "We've had a run of one point out of four games and suddenly you go to Villa Park and it could turn around - that's what football is about."

Jonathan Fortune is doubtful for tonight's game, but Luke Young, Kevin Lisbie and Radostin Kishishev could be recalled after injury and Talal El Karkouri has completed a three-match ban.