With the remaining fixtures, as they are, if we are to have any chance of making the Play Offs, we have to somehow turn the Valley into a fortress. We could not ask for an easier set of remaining home fixtures but when you've only scored 14 in 12 there, you do become wholly reliant on keeping clean sheets. If Rotherham were to just draw their game in hand then they will leapfrog Lincoln meaning that all bar two of our games at home are against teams in the bottom half of the table:
9 home wins plus 2 draws at home and 1.3 points a game when away (our current average) would take us to 79 points - almost certainly enough to get us into the Play Offs given the even level of ability of the teams in the division.
So win nine of those games and draw two.
Nice thought, but just how long have you been following Charlton ? 5 years or 50 years.
We both know it’s possibly but highly unlikely.
60 years actually, all the way back to the likes of Len Glover and Billy Bonds. The odds are against us but the one thing I do know is that it is possible especially in what is probably one of the weakest third tiers for many years. We have done it in recent times too - in 2018/19, at exactly the same stage, we had just 4 more points and took 47 points in our final 21 matches to finish third and go up via the play offs. I'm suggesting that 5 points less than that in those 21 games will be enough to reach the knock out stages.
4 of our next 5 or 5 of our next 7 are at home. We will get to mid February with only six home games left (and eight aways).
If we are at that point and we are further away than we are now then I can’t see it happening. Not with away games at Wrexham and Wycombe right at the business end, especially.
Conversely, if we finally put a run together where we win 5 or 6 of the next seven (making it 9 or 10 wins out of 13) then we could be firmly in the top six picture three weeks from now and everyone else has to worry about playing a Charlton team that can’t stop winning games of football.
I keep having a recurring dream of us at Wembley. It's 5-5 in the dying minutes and Chuks, with his very first touch and repaying all the years of help and support, picks the ball up in the Wrexham area where he unleashes one of his trademarks shots, ..which predictably smashes against the Wrexham crossbar.... It cannons back to a helpless George Dobson who's standing with his back to goal ...and ricochets off his backside and into the back of the Wrexham net!
Not one of the top 6 at the start of the day won this week. 7th 8th 9th and 10th did though.. its getting tighter and tighter up there and it's only going to get closer. Wycombe might be second but only 2 wins in 6 now. Hudders being reeled back into the scrap - Wycombe v Barnsley and Brum v Huddersfield on Tuesday while the chasing pack are playing bottom third sides...
oh and next Saturday? Orient v Stockport and Reading v Bolton!!
Some people were saying that we have too many points to make up. It really wasn't very long ago they were saying it. Well we are right in it now. Yes, there are teams around us and effectively there are 8 teams looking at four places. And we are one of them. The thread should probably have been can we make the play offs?. The answer is of course we can. That doesn't mean we will, but the season is very much alive for us. Very much.
P.S. I think we will finish top six... But for some reason I dont think we'll win the Play-Offs
I’m the opposite, I still think we will miss out but if we did sneak in I’d be pretty confident
We’ve done well against the good teams, Jones low margin style of play is what you often see in play off matches. And he has shown he can come up with game plans to nullify opponents and also make in-game tactical tweaks. I think he’d be a very good play off manager
Teams above and around us will not win all their games, particularly so because they will have to play each other. Our sole focus shouldn’t be about which number in the table we are at any time between now and May and are aiming for but to simply go out each match and win it. We can worry about where we are at the end of the season.
The reaction yesterday of the players after those 3 points demonstrates that they knew what a massive 3 points that was. I firmly believe the squad has the bit between its teeth now and think that they can get promoted. Belief can be a very powerful emotion and I don’t think this lot will let up now. Really confident of playoff spot ! I actually think we will get 4th
Very important win yesterday and we have 3 of the next 4 home at home as well.
We absolutely need to win as many home games as possible simply because we still have 5 of the top 7 to play away from home which is going to be tough. But if we can win at least 7-8 of our remaining 10 home games then i think we'll have a great chance.
I have always said ( for the last four seasons ) that as a minimum at this stage I would like us to be competitive and within 5 points of the play offs at the end of the transfer window. This is actually the first time where i think it could be viable.
I would like some improvements in the playing squad to maximise the chance of breaking through.
Although I respect Nathan's view about home grown players I feel the right loan could help us to a possible play off push as effectively it would be like a six month contract and he has given those to the likes of Wickham , Lualua, Hylton and Potts. All of whom signed for the short term as players, so why not take advantage of a similar arrangement for a decent youngster?
P.S. I think we will finish top six... But for some reason I dont think we'll win the Play-Offs
With not necessarily convincing play but still effective play we’ve narrowed what some thought a couple of months ago was too big a gap to bridge to get into the mix for a play off spot. Who is to say that continuing that progress couldn’t also bridge the similar sized gap to the three teams in the mix for the automatic spots ? Be there or thereabouts and we’d be a form team going into the play offs and it’s the form team that will win them. We just need to keep going out each game and trying to win it. Let others worry about us because whether we agree with it or not Charlton is a big club and psychologically they won’t want us chasing one of those spots between now and May when they’ve had a relatively cosy first half of the season so far.
We’re capable of going on a run of winless games as well as a run of remaining undefeated (yes I know we could draw 7 on the spin and that’s both of the above done ) but I’m more alluding to the fact we look more solid rather than spectacular and incapable of blowing teams away . the league is shit , the 6th spot points will be low cos everyone can beat everyone so we’re definitely in the mix .
Making a decent effort of it currently for a team that many had written off.
Personally I think it might come down to if we can keep certain players fit. I’d be a bit worried if any of our CB’s especially Jones got injured, as well as Coventry and even TC at this rate.
Comments
If we are at that point and we are further away than we are now then I can’t see it happening. Not with away games at Wrexham and Wycombe right at the business end, especially.
Conversely, if we finally put a run together where we win 5 or 6 of the next seven (making it 9 or 10 wins out of 13) then we could be firmly in the top six picture three weeks from now and everyone else has to worry about playing a Charlton team that can’t stop winning games of football.
It's 5-5 in the dying minutes and Chuks, with his very first touch and repaying all the years of help and support, picks the ball up in the Wrexham area where he unleashes one of his trademarks shots, ..which predictably smashes against the Wrexham crossbar.... It cannons back to a helpless George Dobson who's standing with his back to goal ...and ricochets off his backside and into the back of the Wrexham net!
We are going up!!
oh and next Saturday? Orient v Stockport and Reading v Bolton!!
Bolton vs Northampton
Burton vs Reading
Exeter vs Leyton Orient
Stockport vs Shrewsbury
Wycombe vs Barnsley
35 points required from 20 games (10 home, 10 away).
12 wins, 8 losses
11 wins, 2 draws, 7 losses
10 wins, 5 draws, 5 losses
9 wins, 8 draws, 3 losses
8 wins, 11 draws, 1 loss
One loss in our last 9 & five wins in our last 7 - if we can keep that kind of form up, it'll be comfortable.
We'll probably have another dip at some point between now and May but hopefully it lasts no longer than 2 or 3 games.
We’ve done well against the good teams, Jones low margin style of play is what you often see in play off matches. And he has shown he can come up with game plans to nullify opponents and also make in-game tactical tweaks. I think he’d be a very good play off manager
But we are safe from relegation.
We absolutely need to win as many home games as possible simply because we still have 5 of the top 7 to play away from home which is going to be tough. But if we can win at least 7-8 of our remaining 10 home games then i think we'll have a great chance.
I would like some improvements in the playing squad to maximise the chance of breaking through.
Although I respect Nathan's view about home grown players I feel the right loan could help us to a possible play off push as effectively it would be like a six month contract and he has given those to the likes of Wickham , Lualua, Hylton and Potts. All of whom signed for the short term as players, so why not take advantage of a similar arrangement for a decent youngster?
the league is shit , the 6th spot points will be low cos everyone can beat everyone so we’re definitely in the mix .