If there were no draws

Pretend you are in America and draws, or ties as they call them, just don’t exist. There has to be an outcome to every game, a winner and a loser otherwise no paying spectator goes home happy.

Charlton have ‘tied’ 12 games this season, but what if that wasn’t acceptable, and a panel of judges presided over a points decision. How many should we have won, for whatever reason, and how many did we really deserve to lose? I’ve taken a look.

Brentford (a) 1-1
“Brentford are a neat unit but in all honesty we will meet much stronger sides with better players,” I wrote after this opening game, but Brentford have gone on to be pre-Christmas play-off contenders and have lost just once at home. At Griffin Park, we were slow out of the blocks (not for the last time) but controlled large parts of the game until we were under the cosh late in the game when we conceded an equaliser.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Huddersfield Town (a) 1-1
We were fortunate to grab a late draw in West Yorkshire after struggling to break down a 10-man Huddersfield under caretaker Mark Lillis’ control.

If not a draw it would have been 0 points

Brighton (a) 2-2
Ahead twice, but we lost all three points in injury time. We appeared to be happy to sit back after we went 2-1 ahead frustratingly because my Brighton mate at the game told me we had enough about us to win.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Wolves (h) 1-1
Another game of two halves and we conceded a lot of possession. The common consent was that we got away with a point, Bikey’s goal celebration evidence of that.

If not a draw it would have been 0 points

Rotherham (a) 1-1
The Millers equaliser came from a Ben Haim mistake overplaying the ball. We were in the ascendency in the 1st half, but I think most people would agree we were not the better team at the New York Stadium.

If not a draw it would have been 0 points

Middlesbrough (h) 0-0
Another game of two halves at The Valley, but we did actually go for it in the 2nd half as Bob drove us forward with some attacking substitutions. One of those when no one probably deserved to win, but if I must..

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Birmingham City (h) 1-1
I wrote afterwards “Yesterday after a start that packed a real punch and an early goal, it was a real shame not not go on and win the game. Whether this was a lack of quality, ambition, fitness or just by design I don’t know.”

A pattern that has developed for sure, and although City deserved their point, this was Lee Clark’s Birmingham and they should have been there for the taking.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Sheffield Wednesday (h) 1-1
A draw after coming from behind thanks to Igor. It was a turgid 1st half display but Igor almost grabbed us a winner, which may have been undeserved.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Leeds United (a) 2-2
A hands to the pumps performance at the home of the Champions of Europe. We ended the game with 10 men after Wiggins was injured after Bob had made his three subs. Twice we came from behind, definitely a point won.

If not a draw it would have been 0 points

Millwall (h) 0-0
Not losing to Millwall is like a win in my book after years and years of despair, however if there was ever a day when they were there for the taking, then this November day was the day. George should still have us talking about him in cult-hero like circumstances.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Nottingham Forest (a) 1-1
A good point, but again we couldn’t hold on for all three points, but we were under the cosh for long periods of the 2nd half after dominating the 1st. Close to call, but I think we may just have edged it.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

Blackpool (h) 2-2
The worst team in the division by common consent were there for the taking, but after going in front we lacked any real adventure to go and secure all of the points that were low hanging fruit. A young goalkeeper’s mistake was to gift bottom of table Blackpool a point.

If not a draw it would have been 3 points

So, I make that 8 wins and 4 defeats, an extra 16 points. Of course each outcome is subjective and up for debate, not least by opposing fans, and of course there are times, when simply a draw is a very fair result and I would proffer that both Boro and Wednesday fell into that category.

The point is, pun intended, there have been far too many occasions when we should have gone on to win the game, but for whatever reason have been unable to, or afraid to.

We have been ahead 6 times and lost all 3 points to an injury time equaliser three times! Call for over time!