We all know what Bowyer wants when he talks about "anyone talking about top 6 or promotion is lubricious". His Heart wants us and he wants his team to aim for it. He has a winners mentality. He knows deep down it is very likely. However, all the time we are there or there abouts he will be going for it. He hates losing. His head says "staying up is our priority". I think he will still have those targets. I don't think that will change. We are so lucky to have him as Manager. In being a Charlton fam since 1986 these are my standout managers Ciurbs, Powell, Lennie and Bows. I am sure if Bowyer goes it will be to Leeds if they don't go up. Sadly, if Leeds Utd don't go up, surely Bows would be their next target. I am hoping either Leeds or Charlton go up or both.
Mate... I've been supporting since 86, too... And that is basically all our managers except the dross under Roland and the spivs (plus pardew and Dowie).
I think Bowyer over time (if he stays with us this long) could potentially emulate all of them. If he is allowed the funds (hopefully with new owners) or even Roland pushing the boat out (unlikely). Lennie worked miracles with hardly any money. He was the right person for us at the right time. (Every time we play Leeds who can forget that play offs - magic even though I wasn't at the game). Curbs built a side that overachieved but each year it was he was improving the layer, level by level. Powell was allowed to build a side, fantastic man manager and nice guy but felt there wasn't a plan B to his game). What do we have now? A person that came in as Manager and I thought "this is a huge mistake" to me eating "humble pipe". He is our own Neil Harris that but is better. He has managed aided by Gallen (superb) and coaching staff to get a squad itself together against the odds to get promotion and then to do well in the Championship. No other Manager has had to deal with Bows has had to deal with. in being diplomatic with the current owner of the club and galvanise the fans. I am sure you agree mate that in all the times of following Charlton I have hardly witnessed the togetherness and singing of the crowd, every single one of these set of players giving their all. Half of our squad players are loans but every ingle one of them are giving their all and would run through walls for him. Then I look at the players like Leko. My only disappointment with him is what he does when he gets in the final third. Wins balls, chases them and doesn't release or pass to the right player at the right time which is letting his down. I am looking at Gallagher. He is only 19. Most players when they come in around that age you bring him on gently. Played a half game here, 2 games and bring him etc. Yet, he plays like he has played Championship football all his life. Bit harsh to compare him to David Beckham. If he could take free kicks like Beckham then yes. However, he takes the game by the "scruff of the neck", not afraid to get stuck in and graft for the team. One minute he is chasing down other midfielders and defender, next minute he is back with the defenders, taking the ball out casually in a relaxed and calm manner. He will definitely playing midfield for England first team at some point (and captaining them).
Noticed that in the last five years... Teams that have gone down have won less than ten games across the whole season
Of course we could lose more than we draw but do think we'll be fine already - i.e. Barnsley are 3-1 down against Brentford and are twelve points (four wins alone) behind us
If Bowyer is looking at 9 game blocks he would be looking at 10 points per block to give us 50 with a game to go. We have 17, so 7 ahead.
It is evident from the way that Bowyer speaks that he doesn't think in terms of 10 points from 9 game blocks. Anyway, that's form guaranteed to make you struggle all season.
Bowyer says that "the target is to stay in the division". Ok, can't argue with that but obviously that's just his worst case scenario.
Another Bowyer soundbite: "We set up to win every game". Even when we scrape a last minute draw, he says how disappointed he is, that it's not 3 points. To him that means something has gone wrong with the gameplan and players haven't performed.
And here's another: "We get to 50 points as quickly as we can, and then see how we can push on".
You only have to pay attention to what Bowyer says. In my mind, he's treating this season just the same as his approach last season. He's still aiming for 17 points in 9 game blocks.
He'll also know that he won't always get that; he didn't even in a promotion year, last season. But that's the target. And in the first 9-game block this season, he reached it.
That's proved to him that this team are capable of it. He won't expect anything less. He knows he might fall short, but he's gunning for the playoffs.
If Bowyer is looking at 9 game blocks he would be looking at 10 points per block to give us 50 with a game to go. We have 17, so 7 ahead.
It is evident from the way that Bowyer speaks that he doesn't think in terms of 10 points from 9 game blocks. Anyway, that's form guaranteed to make you struggle all season.
Bowyer says that "the target is to stay in the division". Ok, can't argue with that but obviously that's just his worst case scenario.
Another Bowyer soundbite: "We set up to win every game". Even when we scrape a last minute draw, he says how disappointed he is, that it's not 3 points. To him that means something has gone wrong with the gameplan and players haven't performed.
And here's another: "We get to 50 points as quickly as we can, and then see how we can push on".
You only have to pay attention to what Bowyer says. In my mind, he's treating this season just the same as his approach last season. He's still aiming for 17 points in 9 game blocks.
He'll also know that he won't always get that; he didn't even in a promotion year, last season. But that's the target. And in the first 9-game block this season, he reached it.
That's proved to him that this team are capable of it. He won't expect anything less. He knows he might fall short, but he's gunning for the playoffs.
I think you have to do a nine game block for promotion and a nine game block to avoid relegation this season. Is promotion likely? No, of course not. But being 2 points off the top having played just under a quarter of a season demands we do not totally dismiss the possibility. We lost a key player but Bowyer adapts - we had issues like that last season.
Barnsley lose again, 3rd bottom with 5 points. Twelve points behind us, which is a massive gap to have between 2 low budget promoted sides at this stage of the season.
Barnsley lose again, 3rd bottom with 5 points. Twelve points behind us, which is a massive gap to have between 2 low budget promoted sides at this stage of the season.
Funny how we drew with them and lost to Wigan whilst beating Leeds, Brentford and getting close to beating Forest.
Stoke and Barnsley both looked like good sides when we played them. I'm surprised that either of them are in the relegation places based on those performances.
I thought with Bows it would be a disaster giving his reputation and on what we know of him. I actually said that to him at the Bromley Addicks Q&A and said to him "I am glad I am so wrong and it is because of you I hve started to go to games and enjoy myself again, thank you so much" I survived !! He replied with "All he wants is to put out a team that will do their all, be proud to wear the shirt and make fans happy"
Stoke and Barnsley both looked like good sides when we played them. I'm surprised that either of them are in the relegation places based on those performances.
Confidence and self-belief is everything in football. You can't perform well without it - and when it's gone, it's gone.
Usually something big has to change to restore confidence and winning ways.
What we seem to be learning, although we probably knew already, that there are no easy games in this division. Birmingham, to be fair were the worst team we have played at the Valley and they got the best result!
The fouls committed data are an interesting read. (Sorry, I don’t know how to copy). We are joint second from the top of teams fouled against with an average of 14.78 fouls, which is a bit of a surprise given our low possession stats.
To me it indicates our attacking qualities and the skill we employ in doing that, but the rate of fouls against us when we are in possession must be horrendously high. A good example is our last game against Leeds. We only have 28% possession, but Leeds foul us 15 times to our 9. (We also end up with 3 yellows to their 1, which should have been a red!).
We were fouled in under every 2 minutes of possession. No wonder we aren’t scoring too many.
Big surprise is that Millwall have committed the fewest.
45 points is a fair enough target, when you get there, you may see that you need a few more points. The point of the target is to get there as soon as you can.
Yes, 40-45 is fine when you have 3 struggling teams and at this stage I don't see that happening. I think there will be a very elongated mid table section this season
I was going 45 was a bit low, there were three very poor teams least season, I was thought 50, I think we will have 50 by Easter easily though personally.
The secret is for the club to now work out why blocks 1,3 & 4 were relegation form & why blocks 2 & 5 were promotion form. Solve that conundrum & next year we will be Champions.
The secret is for the club to now work out why blocks 1,3 & 4 were relegation form & why blocks 2 & 5 were promotion form. Solve that conundrum & next year we will be Champions.
The secret is for the club to now work out why blocks 1,3 & 4 were relegation form & why blocks 2 & 5 were promotion form. Solve that conundrum & next year we will be Champions.
I think block 1 is the most obvious. Just have to look at the bench in opening 4 matches to see how lacking the squad was.
Whereas Bowyer's "blocks" at Birmingham have been consistent in the way they've been going downhill as the season has progressed:
12/27 10/27 9/27 9/27 6/24
When we were in the Championship under Bowyer we picked up 17 points from our first 9 games (21 from our first 12) and just 31 from our final 37 matches (27 from final 34) , winning just 7 matches in that latter run. Perhaps, though, the fact that 18 of our 48 games that season had one or less goals in total from both teams combined is a reflection of not just our lack of goal power but how the team was set up to play. This negativity was most obvious in a block of 19 games in the second half of the season when we went in to "survival" mode during which time 11 matches finished 0-0 or 1-0 to either side.
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Mate... I've been supporting since 86, too... And that is basically all our managers except the dross under Roland and the spivs (plus pardew and Dowie).
He is deffo v special though, eh!
Of course we could lose more than we draw but do think we'll be fine already - i.e. Barnsley are 3-1 down against Brentford and are twelve points (four wins alone) behind us
Anyway, that's form guaranteed to make you struggle all season.
Bowyer says that "the target is to stay in the division". Ok, can't argue with that but obviously that's just his worst case scenario.
Another Bowyer soundbite: "We set up to win every game". Even when we scrape a last minute draw, he says how disappointed he is, that it's not 3 points. To him that means something has gone wrong with the gameplan and players haven't performed.
And here's another: "We get to 50 points as quickly as we can, and then see how we can push on".
You only have to pay attention to what Bowyer says. In my mind, he's treating this season just the same as his approach last season.
He's still aiming for 17 points in 9 game blocks.
He'll also know that he won't always get that; he didn't even in a promotion year, last season.
But that's the target. And in the first 9-game block this season, he reached it.
That's proved to him that this team are capable of it. He won't expect anything less.
He knows he might fall short, but he's gunning for the playoffs.
You can't perform well without it - and when it's gone, it's gone.
Usually something big has to change to restore confidence and winning ways.
To me it indicates our attacking qualities and the skill we employ in doing that, but the rate of fouls against us when we are in possession must be horrendously high. A good example is our last game against Leeds. We only have 28% possession, but Leeds foul us 15 times to our 9. (We also end up with 3 yellows to their 1, which should have been a red!).
We were fouled in under every 2 minutes of possession. No wonder we aren’t scoring too many.
Big surprise is that Millwall have committed the fewest.
Sheffield Wednesday comfortably top.
up that target
1st nine: 6/27
2nd nine: 17/27
3rd nine: 8/27
4th nine: 10/27
5th nine: 19/27
12/27
10/27
9/27
9/27
6/24
When we were in the Championship under Bowyer we picked up 17 points from our first 9 games (21 from our first 12) and just 31 from our final 37 matches (27 from final 34) , winning just 7 matches in that latter run. Perhaps, though, the fact that 18 of our 48 games that season had one or less goals in total from both teams combined is a reflection of not just our lack of goal power but how the team was set up to play. This negativity was most obvious in a block of 19 games in the second half of the season when we went in to "survival" mode during which time 11 matches finished 0-0 or 1-0 to either side.