Charlton boss: Some of our promotion rivals set to face a demanding and draining schedule
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer reckons the fact that nearly all of their promotion rivals have played fewer League One fixtures is not a major disadvantage to the South London club’s play-off hopes.
The Addicks will aim to dent the promotion prospects of Portsmouth at The Valley this weekend.
Kenny Jackett’s team are a point ahead of their opponent’s in fifth and have played two games fewer.
Arguably of greater concern are the clubs below Charlton. Eighth-placed Accrington, who recently triumphed 2-0 in SE7, are only four points behind and have five matches in hand. Sunderland , in seventh, have got two matches in hand and trail their 2019 play-off conquerors by just a point.
Charlton have played 25 of their 46 games – comfortably more than Ipswich and Oxford (both 22).
But Bowyer believes that having a more congested schedule throws up extra problems.
Bowyer said: “I don’t think it is a massive benefit [to those clubs] – you have still got to go and win the games. We’ve witnessed it, and every other team has, every game is tough.
“Hull went and lost on Tuesday to Accrington Stanley. People say: ‘Accrington Stanley, they are not going to be doing anything’ but they are a tough side, they are a good side.
“MK, they are a good side. They are stronger this year than last year. They have got some good players. Rochdale…..they are all tough.
“The teams with games in hand have got to go and win them. What it will do is make teams play Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday like we were. We had three away games on the spin and it’s tough to do that – physically and mentally. Players end up picking up injuries because of it and you become a little bit weaker. It’s not easy.
“Teams might have three or four games in hand but will they win all of them? I can’t see it. I might be wrong, but I can’t see it.”
I think Lee Bowyer has a good point there. As happened with Charlton, we had a couple of games in hand and blew the chance to move into the top 2 at one stage. This division will always be tight, but teams only have to lose a couple of good players through injury or suspension, and it is a whole new ball game. However, if a couple of the teams with games in hand do go on to win them, it means that Charlton must go on good consistent run so as to keep pace. This division looks harder than ever to get out of !!