Come On, Pards, We Need A Win!

Not normally a pessimistic person, one would think that a single point gap to safety would put me in a supremely confident mood. And after months of blowing the trumpet about never giving up it would appear that salvation, it is Easter after all, is close at hand.

But Pards, I have to warn you, I've seen the future and I don't like it. Its called Spurs and they arrive for our last home game on May 7th. Although they lost last night to Sevilla 2-1, they looked far too useful for us to consider the last derby of the season a Home Banker. Although there was no sign of our nemesis Defoe, the two up front, Keane and bulgarian Berbatov, looked to be a bit of a handful. And with Zokora and Tainio bossing the midfield and taking no quarter they are obviously a team looking at a European trophy as well as a place in Europe next season. A league game in early May may not have the same urgency as a UEFA cup quarter final but who can tell. With the UEFA semis Second Leg on 3rd May and the final on May 16th our best hope is that they get to the final and see the Valley trip as unimportant. Strangely, last night there was no sign of Danny Murphy.

So even after all the talk about the positive Valley, the chances of 9 points from our remaining home games are not a formality. And looking ahead to Monday, although Reading have lost their last 3 away games they have already beaten Pards this season with a 1-0 win at Upton Park in October. They can also point to credible away draws at both Everton and Chelski this year.

It all points to the fact that todays game is probably our easiest (!) game left and with visits to Everton, Blackburn and Liverpool to come, is our best chance of getting that away win that will bolster our chances. There's no time for playing for a draw, even though Lawrenson has finally turned up for work and gives it a 1-1 with a "I think Charlton would take a draw if they were offered one before the game. That would be enough to keep the pressure on the teams just above them."

But as we know, nobody offers you anything in football and the simple truth is that we need 3 points today, Pards, to really put it up the teams above us and give them some sleepless nights. And to get above that bloody line that's getting so irritating!