Play-Offs is definitely a long shot but not quite out of the question yet with 20 games still left. More realistic is for us to finish top ten this season and give it a real go next season. If we are not in the top 6 this time next year I fancy that KR will be gone.
How anyone can realistically believe that there is even a remote chance of us reaching the play offs this season beggars belief. You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief. Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
The reason why I say the playoffs are still a possibility, is that none of the teams up to 5th look impregnable. Indeed when you look at the last 10 games, the records are incredibly similar. We wouldn't need to be sensational to reach 6th, just slightly better than we've been, as our GD is better than nearly all the teams above us
How anyone can realistically believe that there is even a remote chance of us reaching the play offs this season beggars belief. You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief. Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
I think I am watching a different team how many teams teams have you seen that are a lot better than us.
How anyone can realistically believe that there is even a remote chance of us reaching the play offs this season beggars belief. You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief. Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
I think I am watching a different team how many teams teams have you seen that are a lot better than us.
How anyone can realistically believe that there is even a remote chance of us reaching the play offs this season beggars belief. You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief. Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
I think I am watching a different team how many teams teams have you seen that are a lot better than us.
The top 9 certainly are............we need to improve dramatically to add the consistency required to overtake at least four of those and the other four that are 10th-13th t present....................and that is not going to happen with the piecemeal squad that we currently have at Robinsons disposal.......dream on if you think otherwise
How anyone can realistically believe that there is even a remote chance of us reaching the play offs this season beggars belief. You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief. Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
I think I am watching a different team how many teams teams have you seen that are a lot better than us.
League table and results cannot lie.
When you look at the last 10 matches, the records of the teams around us are basically the same, everyone is as bad as each other
It really wouldn't take much of a run to rise to 8th/9th, and from there you always have a chance of reaching the playoffs
The reason why I say the playoffs are still a possibility, is that none of the teams up to 5th look impregnable. Indeed when you look at the last 10 games, the records are incredibly similar. We wouldn't need to be sensational to reach 6th, just slightly better than we've been, as our GD is better than nearly all the teams above us
last night's results and the results over the past two weekends indicate the old cliché is true .. any team is capable of beating any team anytime .. IF we start winning we are capable of getting into the play offs .. The Blades are panicking a bit .. they have signed two mediocre strikers .. Hanson is a punt, question is, why did Bradford let him go to a bitter rival .. is he a 5th columnist ? Saturday will be a BIG indicator of our new squad's potential .. let's hope that .. a) we have a nearly full strength team available and b) the game is not frozen off
Won't get into the playoffs but we will have some false optimism inflicted on us at some stage. Inevitable that The Scum will squeak into sixth place so they get the opportunity to beat each other up at Wembley again.
I know it's easy to get negative here, but there were recent signs of improvement, and, were it not for a referee's blunder, we might still be glowing in the aftermath of breaking the Millwall hoodoo. Now we've got injuries and suspensions to deal with, it's tempting to think that the fates are against us.
But I prefer to think of recent signs of improvement: the ebullience of the Bristol Rovers match, the fact that Konsa and Aribo looked to have given the midfield the boost we've been looking for, the fact that Holmes and Solly are back, the fact that Watt might light up a match (or at least entertain) someday soon, the fact that Byrne and especially Page look promising. Yes, it's probably too late for the playoffs (20% chance?), but if it is, then we have the makings of a very decent side for next season.
Presuming Roland doesn't screw it up in the summer that is.
Not only is it impossible for the teams at the top to all get maximum points from their games, we all know that teams lose form, lose players, have blips, can fade away. All Charlton has to do is start winning games and chipping away at each team that sits above us in the league. Quite often a team gets promoted having seemingly come from nowhere in the run in. This year that team will be Charlton
Not only is it impossible for the teams at the top to all get maximum points from their games, we all know that teams lose form, lose players, have blips, can fade away. All Charlton has to do is start winning games and chipping away at each team that sits above us in the league. Quite often a team gets promoted having seemingly come from nowhere in the run in. This year that team willmight be Charlton
I thought we were told promotion back to the Championship was the priority this season. KM told us this herself because lessons had been learned. I can't help thinking that the evidence thus far suggests that the dunce hat remains appropriate. I will be genuinely amazed if we get top 6. I will be genuinely astounded if we get promotion. That is not a deliberately negative view, just an opinion based on where we are in the league, and general consistency level so far this season.
60 points remaining, but the gap is widening all the time come the bury game we can have a bit more insight into where were heading, with it being football for a fiver day lets get it full and play up as much as possible, i cant stomach much more of the scouse lads bill about fans etc, how well the team are playing, i would say that's our transfer dealings done for this window. hardly look like a team to be reckoned with, hopefully roland sees how much he underestimated it and sells up.
How anyone can realistically believe that there is even a remote chance of us reaching the play offs this season beggars belief. You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief. Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
I think I am watching a different team how many teams teams have you seen that are a lot better than us.
League table and results cannot lie.
Our problem elfs is all season we've been to worried about losing a few games these draws can be turned into wins.
No 1 s London so all the teams above us have been a lot better than us when we've played them.
Just to add to the "Will we reach the Play-Offs Argument"
Barnsley were the team to finish 6th last season; this time last year they were 17th with 33-pts and 8-pts to make up, in total they lost just three more games (two of those came at home), drew five more games and won 11 times to finish on 74-pts.
We're nine points behind Rochdale but we've got two games in hand so win those two (despite being against Scunthorpe and Rochdale) then we're potentially just three points away... Dont forget sides like Fleetwood and Rochdale arent used to being this high in League One so we'll also see how they handle the pressure come the latter stages
It can all change so quick, Sheffield United looked like they were going to run away with it but one point from their last three games and suddenly they could be caught and just get a play off spot.
Peterborough were in good form when they beat us but got spanked by Bury the other week and now Oldham.
Lots of games to go, if and its a big if we got a run of wins then who knows.
Just to add to the "Will we reach the Play-Offs Argument"
Barnsley were the team to finish 6th last season; this time last year they were 17th with 33-pts and 8-pts to make up, in total they lost just three more games (two of those came at home), drew five more games and won 11 times to finish on 74-pts.
We're nine points behind Rochdale but we've got two games in hand so win those two (despite being against Scunthorpe and Rochdale) then we're potentially just three points away... Dont forget sides like Fleetwood and Rochdale arent used to being this high in League One so we'll also see how they handle the pressure come the latter stages
whereas some of those we are relying on have barely played any league football (Aribo, Konsa, DaSilva, Page)
The average points tally for sixth place is 74 - we achieved the required 38-41 over the last 20 games in winning promotion in 97/98, 99/00 and 11/12, but with vastly better (relative to division) and more settled teams that crucially were already used to winning. It's not impossible for us to finish sixth from where we are - and there was one recent year when 69 was enough - but it's very unlikely based on the history and the maths. And that's without factoring in the injuries, suspensions and gaps in the squad.
play offs are gone; lets be realistic I don't think we will make them this year. I think Karl Robinson is our man and we will push on next year. I tipped Fleetwood for the playoffs in the betting thread earlier in the year. Good manager who was tarnished by his time at Wigan.
The average points tally for sixth place is 74 - we achieved the required 38-41 over the last 20 games in winning promotion in 97/98, 99/00 and 11/12, but with vastly better (relative to division) and more settled teams that crucially were already used to winning. It's not impossible for us to finish sixth from where we are - and there was one recent year when 69 was enough - but it's very unlikely based on the history and the maths. And that's without factoring in the injuries, suspensions and gaps in the squad.
If the average 6th place points tally has been 74 then win 13 of our remaining 20 games and that gives us a total of 75 points without any draws to boost the number up. We only lost 6 league games from the first 26 and we've moved in the right direction to strengthen where the team's gameplan had weaknesses.
With Magennis, there might be a chance, without him, it seems unlikely to me.
Much as we should get promoted out of this division, and as much as those within the club said that was the aim and anything less would be failure (they were foolish to say this publically imho), even in the summer I felt it was unlikely we would bounce straight back.
Firstly, the stats suggest it is not ever as easy to do that as people tend think. Secondly, the club was an absolute shambles at the end of last season, as hinted at by some of the basic things Slade said he found were not in place when he arrived. Add in the total overhaul of the squad that needed to happen (and happened late - so late it is still being completed) and the general disaffection around the place, and the idea we would turn that all around in one summer never seemed likely.
I expected us to be top half by now, but I hadn't banked on us changing managers (and playing style, dramatically) again mid-season. Even if Slade had done enough to keep his job, I didn't expect us to be any more than in the frame of the play-off picture at this time.
The jury is still out on Robinson. As other's have said, the kind of form required to sneak in is not impossible, but we are still rebuilding and have now lost a key player.
I hope we somehow get it done, but my more realistic expectation for the second half of the season is for Robinson to get the team playing consistently in the way he wants and for us to be winning games more regularly by the end of the season. Then for a reduced turnover of players in the summer, with a few fresh faces arriving to strengthen us and maybe a Kashi or Magennis or two to return fully fit and healthy. Hopefully given the second half of this season and pre-season with the squad, Robinson will have things the way he wants them and the players will all be integrated and onboard, and we can hit the ground running next August.
I'm not the biggest fan of Robinson's personality, but I really believe he has to be given a proper amount of time to stabilise and build. If he doesn't get us close to getting up next season then that is maybe the time to reassess, but he should get something of a free pass this year, as long as things don't get demonstrably worse.
My worry is that Robinson can't do enough over the next few games to stop Roland's axe swinging again and we go back into the state of flux that has been doing so much damage over the last 3 years.
The average points tally for sixth place is 74 - we achieved the required 38-41 over the last 20 games in winning promotion in 97/98, 99/00 and 11/12, but with vastly better (relative to division) and more settled teams that crucially were already used to winning. It's not impossible for us to finish sixth from where we are - and there was one recent year when 69 was enough - but it's very unlikely based on the history and the maths. And that's without factoring in the injuries, suspensions and gaps in the squad.
If the average 6th place points tally has been 74 then win 13 of our remaining 20 games and that gives us a total of 75 points without any draws to boost the number up. We only lost 6 league games from the first 26 and we've moved in the right direction to strengthen where the team's gameplan had weaknesses.
Why not assume we win all 20? My point is that to get to 74 we need the exceptional level of performance of 1998, 2000 or 2012. Personally I haven't seen any evidence the squad is capable of that and it is a huge challenge to move from the results in the first 26 to the required total in the final 20 - the previous teams cited were all performing better already.
It's obviously not impossible, but looking at what we know it is highly unlikely.
The average points tally for sixth place is 74 - we achieved the required 38-41 over the last 20 games in winning promotion in 97/98, 99/00 and 11/12, but with vastly better (relative to division) and more settled teams that crucially were already used to winning. It's not impossible for us to finish sixth from where we are - and there was one recent year when 69 was enough - but it's very unlikely based on the history and the maths. And that's without factoring in the injuries, suspensions and gaps in the squad.
If the average 6th place points tally has been 74 then win 13 of our remaining 20 games and that gives us a total of 75 points without any draws to boost the number up. We only lost 6 league games from the first 26 and we've moved in the right direction to strengthen where the team's gameplan had weaknesses.
Why not assume we win all 20? My point is that to get to 74 we need the exceptional level of performance of 1998, 2000 or 2012. Personally I haven't seen any evidence the squad is capable of that and it is a huge challenge to move from the results in the first 26 to the required total in the final 20 - the previous teams cited were all performing better already.
It's obviously not impossible, but looking at what we know it is highly unlikely.
It can be done, our problem has been drawing too many matches
Rochdale in 6th (who've played 1 game more than us) have won 6 more matches than us, but also lost 4 more matches as well, as they've drawn NINE fewer games than we have.
Our GD is in fact 2 better than theirs, it's the lack of narrow wins that's killed us, those 1-1s turned into 2-1s at the end.
Comments
You are all obviously watching a different football team to the shambles that I have had to endure this season. We have no consistency apart from being very inconsistent. We have had an odd game where we looked reasonably good without being streets ahead, but generally we are just an average league one side which is about half a team short of realistically challenging in this league. Roland will continue to degrade the squad if he is not removed. We need a major overhaul if we want to start talking about promotion with any real belief.
Hope springs eternal in the human beast I suppose.
It really wouldn't take much of a run to rise to 8th/9th, and from there you always have a chance of reaching the playoffs
The Blades are panicking a bit .. they have signed two mediocre strikers .. Hanson is a punt, question is, why did Bradford let him go to a bitter rival .. is he a 5th columnist ?
Saturday will be a BIG indicator of our new squad's potential .. let's hope that .. a) we have a nearly full strength team available and b) the game is not frozen off
Now we've got injuries and suspensions to deal with, it's tempting to think that the fates are against us.
But I prefer to think of recent signs of improvement: the ebullience of the Bristol Rovers match, the fact that Konsa and Aribo looked to have given the midfield the boost we've been looking for, the fact that Holmes and Solly are back, the fact that Watt might light up a match (or at least entertain) someday soon, the fact that Byrne and especially Page look promising.
Yes, it's probably too late for the playoffs (20% chance?), but if it is, then we have the makings of a very decent side for next season.
Presuming Roland doesn't screw it up in the summer that is.
Oh.
Yes, I see now.
KM told us this herself because lessons had been learned.
I can't help thinking that the evidence thus far suggests that the dunce hat remains appropriate.
I will be genuinely amazed if we get top 6.
I will be genuinely astounded if we get promotion.
That is not a deliberately negative view, just an opinion based on where we are in the league, and general consistency level so far this season.
No 1 s London so all the teams above us have been a lot better than us when we've played them.
Barnsley were the team to finish 6th last season; this time last year they were 17th with 33-pts and 8-pts to make up, in total they lost just three more games (two of those came at home), drew five more games and won 11 times to finish on 74-pts.
We're nine points behind Rochdale but we've got two games in hand so win those two (despite being against Scunthorpe and Rochdale) then we're potentially just three points away... Dont forget sides like Fleetwood and Rochdale arent used to being this high in League One so we'll also see how they handle the pressure come the latter stages
Peterborough were in good form when they beat us but got spanked by Bury the other week and now Oldham.
Lots of games to go, if and its a big if we got a run of wins then who knows.
They seem to have got it together on the pitch and boardroom, good luck to them.
If so called big club fans talk of us as little, plucky Charlton then we all get annoyed so why do it to other clubs?
Much as we should get promoted out of this division, and as much as those within the club said that was the aim and anything less would be failure (they were foolish to say this publically imho), even in the summer I felt it was unlikely we would bounce straight back.
Firstly, the stats suggest it is not ever as easy to do that as people tend think. Secondly, the club was an absolute shambles at the end of last season, as hinted at by some of the basic things Slade said he found were not in place when he arrived. Add in the total overhaul of the squad that needed to happen (and happened late - so late it is still being completed) and the general disaffection around the place, and the idea we would turn that all around in one summer never seemed likely.
I expected us to be top half by now, but I hadn't banked on us changing managers (and playing style, dramatically) again mid-season. Even if Slade had done enough to keep his job, I didn't expect us to be any more than in the frame of the play-off picture at this time.
The jury is still out on Robinson. As other's have said, the kind of form required to sneak in is not impossible, but we are still rebuilding and have now lost a key player.
I hope we somehow get it done, but my more realistic expectation for the second half of the season is for Robinson to get the team playing consistently in the way he wants and for us to be winning games more regularly by the end of the season. Then for a reduced turnover of players in the summer, with a few fresh faces arriving to strengthen us and maybe a Kashi or Magennis or two to return fully fit and healthy. Hopefully given the second half of this season and pre-season with the squad, Robinson will have things the way he wants them and the players will all be integrated and onboard, and we can hit the ground running next August.
I'm not the biggest fan of Robinson's personality, but I really believe he has to be given a proper amount of time to stabilise and build. If he doesn't get us close to getting up next season then that is maybe the time to reassess, but he should get something of a free pass this year, as long as things don't get demonstrably worse.
My worry is that Robinson can't do enough over the next few games to stop Roland's axe swinging again and we go back into the state of flux that has been doing so much damage over the last 3 years.
It's obviously not impossible, but looking at what we know it is highly unlikely.
Rochdale in 6th (who've played 1 game more than us) have won 6 more matches than us, but also lost 4 more matches as well, as they've drawn NINE fewer games than we have.
Our GD is in fact 2 better than theirs, it's the lack of narrow wins that's killed us, those 1-1s turned into 2-1s at the end.
We're asking a midtable team to hit promotion form consistancy in order to just scrape into the playoffs.