Start of the season I would have accepted a loss away at Huddersfield and two losses at home against County and Colchester. I get that everyone is worried about form but the fact is we've been more unlucky than poor, it's just people live in this bizarre parallel world where footballers keep up the same level from the first to the last day of the season.
I saw someone write that they weren't sure if Powell even knew how he'd got it right in the first place. Apologies, but this is my nomination for stupidest post of the season. Are we suggesting Powell accidentally has us a minimum of 6 points clear at the top of the league by some comedy shenanigans like a football version of The Great Dictator? We're currently having a little run that we surely must have expected to see at the start of the season at least, but now because it's coming at the end we're forgetting the outrageously good form we've shown so far this season and questioning everything.
Look, you can worry if you absolutely must, but can we please reign in the towel throwing and breast beating. We've been fantastic this season. We lost our unbeaten home record in March, we've been top since September and the performances dropped because we're comparing performances in August and September with those in March. If you were seriously expecting the team to be some fluid, easy on the eye machine for an entire season then you either need to play less Football Manager or just not watch football anymore as it doesn't happen - look at City. The reason United so often win the Premier League is because they grind out the results at the end, all too often with a 1-0 in the 7th minute of 3 minutes' stoppage time. Or does Ferguson just not know what he's doing?
No-one wants us to blow it and the only way we can affect it is on match day. Chins up
To be honest we probably dont even need to win all of them but I think we will. Some people say that the teams at the bottom will be fighting for their lives and will make it difficult. But there's a reason why they're at the bottom - they're not very good! There's a reason why we still have a clear lead at the top - we are the best side in the division! Also the sides at the bottom are not planning to win at The Valley, they're hoping to beat each other and the other sides around them.
Away fixtures to come:-
Oldham Carlisle Preston
Accept that Carlisle will be difficult but as long as we keep 11 on the field and don't give away any cheap penalties (the only way we've conceded in the last three games) then we should at least draw that. Oldham and Preston will be at worst two draws.
That's a minimum of fifteen points to come by my reckoning. A cool total of 97 for the season. I'm confident that we'll be celebrating promotion after the Wycombe fixture at the latest and celebrating being champions one week later.
We will not blow it - 8 points ahead with 7 to go. We prob only need 3 more wins (poss only 2 and a draw) to get across the finishing line. We could not have picked 7 better teams to play as they are all amongst the weaker in the division (Carlisle apart).
We have had a blip but hte games we have lost have been to Hudders away which is one of the most difficult games, Notts County who were bang on form and Colchester who are also bang on form. We simply do not have teams of that calibre to play any more.
Seriously, people need to look at table. Unless we completely collapse it would need 2 out of the 3 teams below us to have a near perfect run until the end of the season. Nothing I've seen this season makes me think any of that is going to happen.
The answer has to be yes but I don't think we will. After everything we have been through since Curbs left and being top for so long being so far ahead I don't think I could bear it. Seriously.
LenGlover - the teams who are battling for survival are there for a reason just as we are near the top for a reason. of course mentality and motivation comes into it but not all lower teams suddenly find bottle with a few games to go, and if they do it doesn't guarantee anything; they don't suddenly become better players than all of ours.
The other 2 or 3 teams involved firstly have to win 3 more games than us with 7 to go and we must lose the same amount , however 2 or the chasing 3 are playing eachother
LenGlover - the teams who are battling for survival are there for a reason just as we are near the top for a reason. of course mentality and motivation comes into it but not all lower teams suddenly find bottle with a few games to go, and if they do it doesn't guarantee anything; they don't suddenly become better players than all of ours.
I very much hope I'm wrong of course and we win our home games, which would be enough, but I seriously do not consider the scenario I've described as being beyond the realms of possibility after nearly 50 years of following the vagaries of Charlton!
We will do it! I think we have been at the top for so long that we are all becoming short of oxygen to the brain! We have not been playing the flowing football of the first part of the season but everyone has a wobble. On Sky Sport's last night they were raving about Southampton who are 5 points clear in the Championshi[p and definitely champions, so remember we are 8 points clear! (Biting nails, fingers crossed and lucky scarf on!)
Orient -Lisbie, Mooney and Spring all highly motivated to stick it up the Charlton fans L
Oldham- Still not out of the relegation woods but hopefully we will get a point D
Walsall- Highly motivated fighting for their lives. Our fans will get frustrated and turn on our own. L
Carlisle- Highly motivated battling for that last play-off place L
Wycombe- See Walsall L
Preston - A point hopefully D
Hartlepool - Nothing to play for so we step up to the plate W
87 points will it prove enough for automatic?
It's funny how so many teams there are so well motivated. Sucks for Charlton considering how important motivation is, all we have to play for is the league title. I'll be surprised if the players even bother to turn up
For fcuk sake guys we are not going to win every game keep the faith will ya we can do this. how about some of you get behind the boys and support them instead of moaning everytime we loose. if you dont like what your seeing at the moment then get out of our club and go support someone else!!!
Be very intersting to find out the ages of these posters. Suspect the anxious listers are most likely older and been through the 74/75, 80/81 and 00/01 end of seasons. Experience of watching Charlton over a number of years should not be seen as a lack of support or belief in the current team. Posts on here like when will be promoted, what wearing at last game, are just niaive. Each club has its own ethos and no matter who the players are the identity stays the same. It is in our DNA that we struggle at end of the season.
Reckon we will creep over the line but expect both Sheffied clubs to win the majority of their games so we probably need 3 wins and a couple of draws.
How about we all just worry about Orient and beating them. If we do that then this time next week we'll still be top with a 8 point cushion to 3rd no matter what Wednesday or Hudders do.
I suspect that I'm one of the older posters on here. I've forty-five years of service behind me and I was certainly around for the 74/75, 80/81 and 99/00 season finales (and 98 too of course). I've shared the nailbiting good times and heartbreaking bad times but I can't believe it has reached the point where Charlton Athletic supporters are in fear of playing the likes of Hartlepool, Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton bloody Orient! For heavens sake, all our remaining fixtures are winnable and we only need to win three of them. As others have said, get a grip, man up and do your bit!
I suspect that I'm one of the older posters on here. I've forty-five years of service behind me and I was certainly around for the 74/75, 80/81 and 99/00 season finales (and 98 too of course). I've shared the nailbiting good times and heartbreaking bad times but I can't believe it has reached the point where Charlton Athletic supporters are in fear of playing the likes of Hartlepool, Wycombe Wanderers and Leyton bloody Orient! For heavens sake, all our remaining fixtures are winnable and we only need to win three of them. As others have said, get a grip, man up and do your bit!
Comments
I saw someone write that they weren't sure if Powell even knew how he'd got it right in the first place. Apologies, but this is my nomination for stupidest post of the season. Are we suggesting Powell accidentally has us a minimum of 6 points clear at the top of the league by some comedy shenanigans like a football version of The Great Dictator? We're currently having a little run that we surely must have expected to see at the start of the season at least, but now because it's coming at the end we're forgetting the outrageously good form we've shown so far this season and questioning everything.
Look, you can worry if you absolutely must, but can we please reign in the towel throwing and breast beating. We've been fantastic this season. We lost our unbeaten home record in March, we've been top since September and the performances dropped because we're comparing performances in August and September with those in March. If you were seriously expecting the team to be some fluid, easy on the eye machine for an entire season then you either need to play less Football Manager or just not watch football anymore as it doesn't happen - look at City. The reason United so often win the Premier League is because they grind out the results at the end, all too often with a 1-0 in the 7th minute of 3 minutes' stoppage time. Or does Ferguson just not know what he's doing?
No-one wants us to blow it and the only way we can affect it is on match day. Chins up
Leyton Orient
Walsall
Wycombe
Hartlepool
To be honest we probably dont even need to win all of them but I think we will. Some people say that the teams at the bottom will be fighting for their lives and will make it difficult. But there's a reason why they're at the bottom - they're not very good! There's a reason why we still have a clear lead at the top - we are the best side in the division! Also the sides at the bottom are not planning to win at The Valley, they're hoping to beat each other and the other sides around them.
Away fixtures to come:-
Oldham
Carlisle
Preston
Accept that Carlisle will be difficult but as long as we keep 11 on the field and don't give away any cheap penalties (the only way we've conceded in the last three games) then we should at least draw that. Oldham and Preston will be at worst two draws.
That's a minimum of fifteen points to come by my reckoning. A cool total of 97 for the season. I'm confident that we'll be celebrating promotion after the Wycombe fixture at the latest and celebrating being champions one week later.
This is charlton of course we can
However this is like 2000 all over again. I think we will scrape over the line
if not at least we will be in the play offs wont we?
We have had a blip but hte games we have lost have been to Hudders away which is one of the most difficult games, Notts County who were bang on form and Colchester who are also bang on form. We simply do not have teams of that calibre to play any more.
Chillax people.
(as some American bloke said not so long ago).
I suspect it will all hang on the Hartlepool game and hopefully we will come through.
This is Charlton. We never do things the easy way but, come the crunch, we generally manage to do it.
Oldham- Still not out of the relegation woods but hopefully we will get a point D
Walsall- Highly motivated fighting for their lives. Our fans will get frustrated and turn on our own. L
Carlisle- Highly motivated battling for that last play-off place L
Wycombe- See Walsall L
Preston - A point hopefully D
Hartlepool - Nothing to play for so we step up to the plate W
87 points will it prove enough for automatic?
The other 2 or 3 teams involved firstly have to win 3 more games than us with 7 to go and we must lose the same amount , however 2 or the chasing 3 are playing eachother
Fuck me get a grip
On Sky Sport's last night they were raving about Southampton who are 5 points clear in the Championshi[p and definitely champions, so remember we are 8 points clear!
(Biting nails, fingers crossed and lucky scarf on!)
A nervy anxious atmosphere creates a nervy anxious team performance.
One of the more ridiculous posts i've ever read on here
Somebody at Charlton life knows whats happening so as the statement says be patient!
Reckon we will creep over the line but expect both Sheffied clubs to win the majority of their games so we probably need 3 wins and a couple of draws.