We are not playing next week. With a rake of midweek fixtures to be played, this time next week we can easily slide 3 or 4 places down the table. I'll go for us finishing 9th.
I'm more hopeful now of a top 6 finish even if we temporarily lose our place this coming week. The biggest issue is that we still have to play almost all the other promotion chasing teams. But that can be turned to an advantage IF we can beat them. Wins for us will deny them vital points. Big early test for Nigel Adkins. He has to get a better tune out of the players than Lee Bowyer did. I'm going to believe Adkins can do it.
We haven't been able to cope with high energy teams who harry us for ages. Playing Aneke would help a bit, and I'd expect Pratley to come back in, but both these players pick up silly bookings. Washington is indispensable, and losing him for a few games would be a blow. Altogether the odds are against us getting top 6.
I'm not 100% sure but I think Chuks Aneke's yellow card yesterday was his 10th of the season. That should mean a 2 match suspension now, unless I have misunderstood the current rules. I know he had a red card rescinded recently. But I believe that was a straight red (not related to his yellow card count). Anyone who knows for sure, please confirm or correct me...
Our next four games are against Doncaster, Lincoln, Sunderland and Ipswich. After the Ipswich game I fear that our season will be effectively over.
Looking on the bright side, over the last 5 games of all the top teams in League One, only Sunderland and Hull City have gained more points than Charlton. Of course all our upcoming opponents could beat us. But all these games are play-off 6 pointers. We have no more room for slip-ups. But we aren't out of the game just yet. We have to go all-in.
Personally I think, we should be planning for next season now ... perhaps giving one or two under 23 a go to see what we got
Unless we do win regularly now, Elfs will be right and our play-off chances will be gone with maybe 5 or 6 games still to play. If that's what happens, I fully agree it would then be the right time for Adkins to give some young players a chance. But while there is still a chance (even a slim one) of a top 6 place, I think we should field our strongest possible team.
We give too many goals away to get to the Play offs. We have scored a lot of goals this Season but letting them in has seen us where we are. I think we will finish 8th or 9th. There needs to be a massive clear out in the Summer. I would get rid of Amos, Gunter, Oshilaja, Watson, Pratley, Matthews. Purrington Madison's, Oztumer. I would offer new contracts to Pearce, Shinnie, JFC, Aneke, Washington. I would try to buy Stockley and let the rest of the loan players go back to their Clubs. It will be a massive rebuilding job but it needs to be done.
I can give you a couple of midfielders that should be forcing their way into the first team, Junior and Henry.
Four League One fixtures tomorrow night... (not tonight as I originally typed) The only two that could affect our League position are Northampton Town V Oxford United 19:00 Blackpool V Peterborough United 19:00 If Oxford win they'll push us down into 7th place on goal difference. If Blackpool win they'll do the same. So worst case, Charlton could slip to 8th on Tuesday night Or, with luck we might stay 6th Stay positive chaps... Up the Posh and Cobblers!
It’s going to be a long two weeks lardy - I’m not a lover of international breaks - she’s started on the garden