Season over with 12 games to go.

As far as I am concerned, the season ended today with Charlton's dismal 1-1 home draw with 17th placed Shrewsbury Town. After the routine 2-0 win on Tuesday over a very poor looking Northampton side that lacked any ambition whatsoever, some were once again talking about making the play-offs. Understandable when we were only a point away but entirely unrealistic given the number of games in hand other teams above and below us have and, more importantly, how we have actually been playing in 2021. 

Today's match was another bitter disappointment. The replacement of Jake Forster-Caskey by Darren Pratley in midfield sounded the alarm bell. Once again it meant the double-clogging duo of Watson and Pratley. Millar was doubled-up on once more and any attacking contribution was left to Albie Morgan on the right. 

As a consequence we managed three efforts on target that I can recall. Stockley got on the end of a cut-back from Morgan in the first-half but his first time shot was too close to Burgoyne who managed to smother it. In the second period, after Stockley had been subbed, Chuks Aneke should have scored but he slammed a delightful low ball in from Washington high onto the bar. The only other effort was a 78th minute solo equaliser from the tireless Washington who wriggled around in the box and found a yard before cutting a shot back across the keeper. 

With the game poised at 1-1, Shrewsbury opened up and had two very good chances to win it as they penned us back but fortune evaded them and we held on for the point. Some of our players looked forlorn at the end as the penny finally dropped that we aren't good enough this year. Indeed, it would have been ridiculous to think we could have been promoted through the play-offs after the season we have had but it shows just what a poor league this is.

Bowyer did well at the start of the season to get a tune from a hastily assembled squad who, let's face it, were largely the leftovers of other club's transfer business. The run in October with Famewo and Innis at the heart of a solid back four gave promise of a serious assault on the title but that fall apart with the injury to Innis and Famewo. The signings in January brought hope of adequate replacements but it proved a false dawn. 

Ronnie Schwartz has yet to find his feet. He actually looks a class below League One but I honestly think it's because he needs to be played balls to finish. He doesn't have the stature to win aerial challenges or batter his way onto the ball in the box. Whether or not we ever find a way to play for him remains a big question and I suspect he will have moved home before we do. Jayden Stockley has proved his aerial value upfront but we need a forward pairing who play together and we don't have them. Stockley is too similar in style to Aneke and there is, really, only Conor Washington to consider. Interestingly, Washington bagged two in the week and was very bullish in the press this week saying he was aiming "to finish top dog" amongst our stickers. I thought that was laughable given some of his quiet performances this season, but he was our man-of-the-match today and his goal moved him into double-figures. 

Our real problem, however, has been in defence. We spent too long complaining and blaming the defence (whoever was tried) when in reality, I think the problem was midfield. Bowyer's preference to play out from defence has been something of an Achilles heal because far too often it comes back within seconds and we are under pressure. Time and again it gets played around the back four and the keeper only for Amos to leather it downfield hopefully. I say hopefully because, again, our midfielders struggle to hold possession and if it's too far, it turns into Stockley heading on to no-one.

It's been suggested that we lack any variety in midfield or any real pace. I think there may be something in that. Watson and Pratley have been a liability for most of the season. Both have been very useful at times to slow play and break up opposition play when we have been winning. However, too often this season we have been losing and they simply don't add anything going forward. Both usually appear as a two extra centre-halves at the base of the midfield who join the back-passing.

Millar has had his moments but he's been double-marked in most games for the last while and he's struggled to get crosses in as a result. Andrew Shinnie is infuriating as there is a good player in there but we only see it flashes. Morgan and Forster-Caskey have blown hot and cold and Alex Gibley hasn't even managed that. Matt Smith has looked promising but we haven't seen enough of him and he will return to Arsenal before we have.

Sorry to say it but this squad isn't good enough and we have flattered to deceive this season. the nature of running a full complement of loanees means most will move on next season and we will need to rebuild. If Bowyer is to remain in charge, and it looks that way, he needs to be supported and then judged finally next season. I have been a fan overall and his record shows he can win promotion but he has really struggled to turn the corner this season and I would not have complained if he has been sacked. We have become a laughing stock at home and being humiliated match after match is intolerable. I don't think he has known our best eleven because we haven't shown it - certainly not since Inniss and Famewo were inured. 

For me, we seriously lack movement as a team. Our players don't seem to find space like the opposition. Instead we seem to rely upon passing to feet but that usually means players are immediately under pressure and it's difficult to hold possession like this. It shows up when we take throw-ins and invariably there is no-one to aim at and no-one making space. 

Our crossing is generally poor. far too often we get into good positions and then can't get the ball off the ground or beat the first man from set pays. Whilst I am on a roll, we don't shoot much from distance either. Often that's because we don't have players making space for a ball but when we do, it's been poor. 

Finally, we you look at the stats from games, this side seems to be incapable of creating nearly enough chances to win games. Far too often we look to keep it tight or fail to create much on those occasions when bossing the game. We were like that on Tuesday but got the break-through with a penalty. Today we were similar but Chuks missed his big chance and we didn't get a sniff after Washington scored. 

We are in serious danger of becoming a run-of-the-mill League One club. We need to go up next year with something to spare and have the nucleus of a squad that can be competitive in the Championship. Easier said than done and it will take some decent investment from Thomas Sandgaard. Lee Bowyer will need to get a fighting spirit well as some genuine quality back into the side.