Podcast recorded on Sunday 30th July. Prediction for Charlton is 5th. Question marks around Dean Holden, but says if he gets it right we could be title challengers.
I've heard it said that this is a "weak" L1 this season. I disagree. If Charlton finish fifth I'd say we've done pretty well.
That’s based upon Ipswich and Wednesday going up, with Reading and Wigan coming down. Barnsley have lost their manager and captain. Weaker but it gives a lot of clubs a feeling of opportunity. Plus more pressure on managers to deliver.
https://therealefl.co.uk/2023/07/27/the-real-efl-2023-24-league-one-prediction/amp/ Consensus on this website is play offs for us.
I’m surprised by these predictions. I would put us down for top 10 than top 6. I haven’t been to any of the pre season games. I don’t think we have done enough business to put us in the play off picture. That could all change over the next month. Right now we look dodgy at the back and May could be isolated up front. Playing CBT as a left wing back concerns me too. Does Holden know what formation gets the best out of our players? I’d guess 433, but with a big question mark over the left back position. Regardless, I’m excited about Saturday and glad to be posting about players and tactics instead of moaning about ownership and takeovers. I’ll save that for September
In short, I think we will finish around 9th. I hope we stay in the play off picture. I fear a slow start and injury problems might panic the new owners into going back to square one, with a new manager and new ideas. This might write off another season.
Usual problem of starting with an unfinished squad. I genuinely don't know how anyone can be too accurate with a prediction when the boss is saying we ned to ship a couple out and bring in new faces, but as it stands, I find it hard to believe we are promotion material. But remember Sunderland away a couple of seasons back hen we barely had a squad, and went up via the play offs. Plus I imagine there are a lot of other clubs like us waiting for the bigger clubs in the Prem and Championship to loan out some of their players. Let's hope we can grab a win saturday and start getting points on the board early.
Very surprised to see the predictions of us so high, I have us around 8th, maybe sneaking playoffs. Not sure how we managed 10th last year to be honest
Somebody told me that our wage bill is the 4th or 5th highest in League One. If true that is surprising to me, but it should mean a play-off finish is the minimum expectation. Is this a sudden increase? If not, the tales of "Tommy Skintgaard" last season may have been exaggerated. Granted though, having a good season is about a decent squad and training, not just good wages.
Bit too much optimism out there right now I think. I'd judge we have a 75% chance of finishing in the top half, 50% top 9, but only about 30% top 6. I think competition for 5th & 6th is going to be fierce this season.
