Blimey, to read the posts on here we are already dead and buried.
Why is everyone talking about overhauling Charlton when both Stoke and Huddersfield are still very much in it. I fear it is because they have both changed management and some people automatically think this will bring them better results than us.
We are the early game on Saturday and a decent 3-0 win could see us leapfrog both Stoke and Huddersfield who would then feel the pressure of having to win. Huddersfield at QPR is no gimme and Stoke face Charlton which in my opinion could go either way. The next two games are important and could go a long way to securing our safety, but they are not crucial as there are still a significant number of opportunities for us to pick up points before the end of the season.
I know its an old adage, but lets take it one game at a time.
We have shown that we can mix it with the higher placed teams in the division and Preston are susceptible to dropping a clanger now and then. Lets get at them and use the confidence gained over the last two games to get us across the line with the points, then move on to the next game.
Up the Tic's
Speaking for myself, I don't think they're targets because they've changed manager. I think they're targets simply because they're the teams closest to us in terms of points and they're showing poor form.
I personally think Huddersfield are there for the taking. They had a weak squad when they went down from the Prem, and I don't see them as being that good a Champ side either to be honest. Did I expect them to be down this end of the table? No. But neither did I expect them to be near the top of the table or even play offs. And as much as I like Cowley and the work he did with Lincoln, he was a risky choice as he doesn't have Champ experience.
Stoke on the other hand do have some good Champ players, from the outside looking in their issue is a bad dressing room and the early season failings of Jones who like Cowley, did a good job in Lg1 but looked to struggle in the Champ. With a manager like O'Neil - who although hasn't got Champ level experience, did do well with Shamrock and Northern Ireland - I expected (and still do expect) them to gel together and pull away from danger. Obviously the longer they don't pull away means theres more the pressure on them, and it keeps them as a target for us to catch.
To drag other teams into the mix -Charlton look to be in a bit of a spiral, and only being 4 points away from us makes them prime targets to be dragged into the fight. Given how things went in the transfer window, optimistically, I'd say we can drag a couple of the teams above them into the mix too. Middlesbrough look to have established some form (although shakey), but Reading haven't won in over 5 games, Hull have lost 4x in a row and sold their biggest goal scoring threat in Bowen, QPR no longer have the in form Nahki Wells, and Birmingham, Derby and Sheff Wed could be dragged in to the fight by way of potential points deductions from FFP breaches and selling the stadiums to the owners.
Our unexpected upturn in results has given us a real chance and for me has changed the tide of expectation. Had we lost either one of the Yorkshire games, I'd think we're down. But that we in fact won both means its game on. Cooks done something I never expected him to do and changed his tactics, we're getting some of the luck we were missing earlier, so the signs are more promising. Hopefully we can maintain the form and momentum, drag more teams into the mix, pull away from them, stay up and regroup.