18 more points to play for, probably need another 7 for promotion and 9 for League title but where will they come from Oldham v Charlton (next Saturday) [Win] Charlton v Warsaw (Easter Monday) [Win] Carlisle v Charlton (Saturday) [Draw] Charlton v Wycombe [Draw] Preston v Charlton (Saturday) [Loss] .... another dodgy Yorkshire Ref! Charlton v Hartlepool (Saturday) [Win] 11 points, that should do it! AllHell
Sheff Wed have a tough game next Sat @ Hudders then games at Colchester and Brentford (their home games are all win-able) Sheff Utd are away to Franchise and home to Stevenage but other than that are all win-able as well their last game of season is away to Exeter.
Oldham v Charlton (next Saturday) - scrape a draw Charlton v Warsaw (Easter Monday) - scrape a win Carlisle v Charlton (Saturday) - lose Charlton v Wycombe - win - confirm promotion. Preston v Charlton (Saturday) win to confirm title Charlton v Hartlepool (Saturday) lose One thing we do need is a good thumping win, say, 4 or 5 -0 to boost our goal difference. If we can do that then we should have enough advantage there so that Sheff U will need 2 wins and a draw to get above us.
Preston is in Lancashire, so they are hardly likely to be favoured by a Yorkshire ref. I think our mediaeval historian Ponders needs to give you a quick refresher on the Wars of the Roses.
Before the first Oldham match we all made our predictions for our final points total. I am exactly on target so far after 20 matches. To achieve my forecast target of 95 points we need to win all three home games and get one point away, probably at Oldham. I am not expecting anything from the visits to Carlisle and Preston. I cannot see both Sheffields matching 95 points to deny us promotion but a great run could see one of them snatching the title. While the latter would be slightly disappointing, I am more concerned about our getting some fluency back in preparation for next season in the Championship. Unless we can up our game we will be struggling there. At present I wouldn't rate us above Millwall, for example.
Also agree. Sometimes i look at our consistently poor performances and wonder ' how the hell are we top?' is this symptomatic of a poor division?, is it a sign of an incredibly profligate defence? Is it luck ?(of which, we are definitely stil in negative BTW) - or is it something else that i cant quite grasp.? Is it a mixture of all the above? Does anyone else have the same feeling? One thing is for sure, we are going to have to improve our performances measurably to even compete in the Champs next season. Then again, Southampton crept through last season (at this time of the season they werent even in the top 2 last year). After watching Cardiff v West Ham a couple of weeks back, i thought, we have nothing to fear, but after watching Reading yesterday, then we def do (but then again, Reading are likely going to the Prem). If we continue our recent performances into next season, we will be relegation favourites for sure, however, i'm sure that Sir Chris will use his obvious skills in spotting players who can do a job, and lets hope we can do a Southampton. I think we all know defence will be strong, however the midfield needs a lot of injection to give it some creative juices - because we seem bereft of creation right now.
Oldham v Charlton (next Saturday) - scrape a draw or win Charlton v Warsaw (Easter Monday) - win Carlisle v Charlton (Saturday) - lose or maybe scrape a draw Charlton v Wycombe - win, the Doc has been a big defensive help for them and can't play Preston v Charlton (Saturday) win to confirm promotion, Preston seem to be imploding at the moment Charlton v Hartlepool (Saturday) win in a blaze of glory
It is partly that we have had the breaks in the games against our rivals for promotion (apart from the recent Huddersfield game). They have been better than us for long stretches of matches but we have come away with 3 points when we only merited one and with one point when we could easily have lost. Another reason is that we have better individual players. Someone did a magnificent recruitment job before the season began. Obviously CP is mainly responsible, but who else shares the credit I wouldn't know. To make forty-odd changes to the playing staff and end with only three duds (Alonso, Euell and Clarke), and a handful on whom the jury is still out, is a record Sir Alex would envy. To pick up Wiggins, Morrison, Kermorgant, etc, for peanuts was brilliant. Another reason is that CP seems to be liked and respected by the players. Hard to keep a big squad content. He seems to have messed up with the Benson/Clarke swap and the Hayes situation looks a bit murky, but otherwise he has kept everyone with the program, whereas Preston, whom some tipped as promotion rivals, have deep-seated problems with morale (which I forecast before the season started), and so, surprisingly, did Huddersfield (forcing a change of manager). Against that, some of his tactical decisions have looked a bit naive. But I think the main reason is that we have excelled in the parts of the games even knowledgeable fans don't always notice, and that would be down to coaching and could explain why Alex Dyer was respected at West Ham, though he is rarely mentioned on this board (and never positively). A player might position himself ten yards away from the ball, and it might never come near him, but merely by being in that position he could have stopped a dangerous run or pass by our opponents, or he might be a decoy which enables our player to make a telling pass to launch an attack. Things like that are hard to spot as we have our work cut out following the ball and wondering what the hell the officials are up to. But there is a clue in the role of Jackson. Often when we do well he doesn't seem to have done much, but when he is missing or 90% fit we don't look the same outfit. I think most of us have recognized that in his case, but the same might apply to our other players to a greater or lesser extent. It is the things they are doing when we don't notice them that are helping us to pick up points. The only way to tell is to keep your eyes on just one player through 90 minutes and assess what he is doing and why. That is what scouts do, and why they come up with recommendations to sign, or not sign, players that can seem surprising to fans. But I think the only other people who would want to spend the whole match doing that would be the players' proud mums!
Yes Mikey, agree, have since season started. I am starting to avoid alot of threads, just depressing reading fellow fans negativity. Top of the league 6 clear with 6 games to go, and all some can see is how poor we are. Stumps me their. What other scenario right now would make those happy ? No losses, 21 clear and 3 goals conceeded all year ?
Sort of agree Oz, some people just have to moan. However, we havnt been playing well since the start of this year, and i think we all realise that this form will be 'sussed' in the champs. We are not pleasing to the eye to watch at the moment, and tend to struggle through our games - however, i take this as a good sign. I believe we will likely win the title by a substantial margin in the end ( i hope so, i dont want to lose my ton !)
Sorry to be negative, but the last time I can remember Charlton finishing a season strongly was our first season in the Premier league after our second promotion. Correct me if I'm wrong?
The thing is that everybody just seems to forget, is that in any league and let alone all sports just not football, teams always have ebb's n' flows throughout a season, even the top of the top. It is part of sport, literally. Just try and remember how much worry most of us had pre-season.. we didn't know how and when we would gel. Just try guys, to revel and take in the moment, the current, dont miss or skip the success with premature thoughts of next season, seriosly. Really impotant im ny opinion. In preparation for next season i have no doubt their will be additional signings and we will be ecstatic for the season kickoff ! Remember how we went pretty good against tottenham and the high short previews like that caused us. Suck em' in boys, these are what they call good times !! (Your tonne is set, it's as good as gold).
I think United will pretty much win all, at most I can see 2 draws for them. Fortunately, I think our amazing early season form will push us over the line. I'm also a lot more confident for our away game to PNE after reading about all the problems between manager and players. Just hope Westley is still in charge for our match.
I think the attached table illustrates this and largely accounts for the margin in points between us and our promotion rivals. We are the only ones who have been able to turn most of those draws into wins (somewhat fortunately on several occasions, perhaps). MK Dons in particular have failed to win a single match against their promotion rivals. Let's hope they break that duck when they play Sheffield Utd at home, though a draw might be good enough for Charlton. Against the "lesser" teams the top five are much of a muchness, but we have picked up 17 points where it most mattered.
