Mini league

As we approach the Christmas period we find ourselves treading water furiously whilst holding a baby elephant. Still, despite our recent form of one win in seven, there are 3 teams below us in the table. Any breathing space there was a couple of weeks back however has been swallowed and since two of those teams have sacked their managers.

Alan Curbishley used to say that you had to ignore the bigger picture and worry about what’s around you and ‘just’ win your mini league. By all means get stuffed at Old Trafford, but make sure you bounce back and win the six-pointer the following week.

That was why the Yeovil result was so galling, even though we were a point better off than we were after last Saturday against a team that I picked to be automatically promoted before the season began.

I don’t foresee a record points season, so 50 points would probably see you win your league and reward you with another season in The Championship and last season that relegation mini league was about half of the table.

I suspect it will be less this year but looking upwards from where we sit Middlesbrough, Bolton, Millwall and Birmingham all look susceptible and we meet five fellow mini-league members before the end of January.

Powell gave a rallying cry earlier this week, and I think most of us agree that this team has a very different feel to it than the one that got relegated under Parky/Pardew. Let us hope that that spirit can put a smile back on our faces tomorrow afternoon.

Meanwhile young striker Dom Dwyer is on trial with the Addicks at the moment. Dwyer is English but plays in the U.S. for MLS Champions Sporting Kansas City. A potential loan move maybe in the offering.