In Bowyer we trust?

Tonight Charlton play MK Dons at Stadium MK.   For what is worth, my forecast in the West Sussex Badger League was a 1-1 draw, but then I thought we would manage to beat Swindon 2-1.

At home the Franchisees do seem to be draw specialists, having won four, drawn five and lost just two in the echoing spaces of their stadium.   It was at least the most comfortable away venue I have ever visited in terms of leg room.  They are 15th in the real table, but well ahead of Charlton in the form table (not difficult).

I suppose where I differ from those Charlton fans who lost faith in Bowyer is that my expectations for this season were relatively low given the turmoil in the summer and the way in which we lost out over the salary cap.  The result has been a squad thin in quality and to some extent in quantity.  

Given the strength of some of the other teams, I thought that automatic promotion was unlikely, but that we could make the play offs which is still possible.  As Curbs says, if you are going to have a blip, it is  better to have it now.

I am not convinced that a different manager could have achieved much more with the materials at hand.  In modern football the manager gets the blame for almost everything, but Bowyer doesn't tell his defenders to make schoolboy errors on the pitch - and it's not just down to the selection and the formation. Having said that, I think that Curbs has a point when he keeps saying 'a consistent team gets consistent results.'

I am not sentimental about Bowyer being an ex-player, nor do I think he is beyond criticism: sometimes his relative inexperience shows (the same could be said about Lampard who was handed the poisoned chalice too soon).  However, I think the right time to make a decision about the future will be at the end of the season.

It will then necessary to be realistic about the calibre of any replacement manager, if indeed that is the decision.  Personally I would at least consider Jason Euell, but I can see the argument for an outsider. Then you are faced with a choice with the 'been there, done that' crowd who in my opinion get appointed too often or taking a risk with a younger, less experienced manager.  But that, of course, is what we did with Bowyer.