"It's a funny old game Saint." One of the TV catchphrases I grew up with when Jimmy Greaves and Ian St. John dominated football chit-chat. It certainly is a funny old game at times and this week has really underlined it. A dismal second 1-0 defeat at home to play-off rivals Scunthorpe and our play-off hopes lay in tatters.
We bounced back in midweek with a solid 1-0 win ourselves at Shrewsbury and they only went and did it again yesterday at Fratton Park, effectively ending Pompey's own play-off ambitions.What to make of it? Really not sure but with only two games left we will be reliant on the performances of others, in particular Plymouth and Scunthorpe, who also have to play one another. I haven't done the permutations because first we need to beat Blackburn Rovers at the Valley next Saturday which will be a significant task before going to Rochdale who may still be fighting for their League One status.
Whatever happens, Lee Bowyer has emerged with real credit and must have a good shout for being appointed on a longer term although an announcement of a takeover would likely throw that into doubt. There were rumouring yesterday of a takeover announcement at the Blackburn game but given the long line of false hope, we just need to believe it when it actually happens.
I was at Park View Road yesterday, back seeing the Wings after a few months absence and my attendance continued the lucky omen with Welling winning comfortably, 3-1 over Weston-Super-Mare. It was a cracking day and over 500 turned up to see Welling take an early lead and consolidate it with a powerful Jack Parkinson header before half-time. Bradley Goldberg hit the post with a brilliantly improvised overhead kick which no-one saw coming and it was Wings all the way.
After the break the visitors pulled a fine goal back before Jack Jebb scored the third having used an arm to control the ball which only the linesman and referee failed to see. Goldberg smacked the bar before the finish but Welling took the points regardless and still have an outside hope of a play-off finish.
Personally, I think Charlton have too much to do but I would have laid heavy odds against us winning at Shrewsbury and Portsmouth this week, so who knows? I have said before that we won't make the play-offs and it doesn't feel like we deserve to be there but I guess the table doesn't lie at the end of the season. Millwall crept into the play-offs last year and made it up and look what has happened to them this season....
We bounced back in midweek with a solid 1-0 win ourselves at Shrewsbury and they only went and did it again yesterday at Fratton Park, effectively ending Pompey's own play-off ambitions.What to make of it? Really not sure but with only two games left we will be reliant on the performances of others, in particular Plymouth and Scunthorpe, who also have to play one another. I haven't done the permutations because first we need to beat Blackburn Rovers at the Valley next Saturday which will be a significant task before going to Rochdale who may still be fighting for their League One status.
Whatever happens, Lee Bowyer has emerged with real credit and must have a good shout for being appointed on a longer term although an announcement of a takeover would likely throw that into doubt. There were rumouring yesterday of a takeover announcement at the Blackburn game but given the long line of false hope, we just need to believe it when it actually happens.
I was at Park View Road yesterday, back seeing the Wings after a few months absence and my attendance continued the lucky omen with Welling winning comfortably, 3-1 over Weston-Super-Mare. It was a cracking day and over 500 turned up to see Welling take an early lead and consolidate it with a powerful Jack Parkinson header before half-time. Bradley Goldberg hit the post with a brilliantly improvised overhead kick which no-one saw coming and it was Wings all the way.
After the break the visitors pulled a fine goal back before Jack Jebb scored the third having used an arm to control the ball which only the linesman and referee failed to see. Goldberg smacked the bar before the finish but Welling took the points regardless and still have an outside hope of a play-off finish.
Personally, I think Charlton have too much to do but I would have laid heavy odds against us winning at Shrewsbury and Portsmouth this week, so who knows? I have said before that we won't make the play-offs and it doesn't feel like we deserve to be there but I guess the table doesn't lie at the end of the season. Millwall crept into the play-offs last year and made it up and look what has happened to them this season....
Great while it lasts, but you can't imagine Bowyer wanting to remain in charge if there was no takeover either. It's a shame but his position is precarious regardless of success. Funny old game indeed!
ReplyDeleteWas there on Saturday Dave with George, great support from Charlton it has to be said. Was in the pub after the game with my nephew and a load of Pompey, they thought we'd win the play offs, if we get there of course and they also said that we had the best support they'd seen all season.
ReplyDeleteWe looked very solid and closed Pompey down very quickly, the one criticism from our display was the quality of the final ball into the box, oh for Ricky Holmes. I think we'll draw with Blackburn and beat Rochdale.
Bowyer should be a shoe in for me, if the AFC are the successful bidders and they then go and appoint Kewell, I fear we will be somebody's "project" club again, galvanising the support by keeping Bowyer (by any successful bidder) would be a great move, if not, I'm sure Bowyer will now have a number of suitors to choose from.
PH
2-0 at Shrewsbury.
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