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Woolfenden: We Must Win at Charlton to Stay in the Hunt
Friday, 16th Apr 2021 13:44

Luke Woolfenden has labelled tomorrow’s visit to Charlton as a must-win game as Town take on another side with the play-offs in their sights.

It may not seem appropriate to talk about a top-six finish to the season given recent results, with the Blues only securing two wins in 10 games since Paul Cook succeeded Paul Lambert in the Portman Road hot seat last month.

But the fact remains that Town still have a chance, albeit a slim one, of gatecrashing the play-offs and they head for South London for the second time in just four days looking for a very different performance and result than at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

The 3-0 defeat on that occasion was a massive blow, coming as it did on the back of three goalless draws in their previous four outings, and it is a sequence of results that suggests Cook and his players are entering the last-chance saloon tomorrow.

“It’s definitely a must-win game,” stressed defender Woolfenden, who has put together a run of five consecutive appearances that has seen him finish on the winning side only once, the 2-1 home win over lowly Bristol Rovers on Good Friday.

Woolfenden, 22, added: “Even when we have been drawing, the other results have generally been quite kind to us. The other clubs chasing the play-off places have also dropped points to keep us in the mix but we have got to the point now where we must win at Charlton to stay in the hunt.

“It’s a game between two teams that have a lot to play for. It could suit us that Charlton will be feeling the pressure as well because they would probably say they have also been under-performing this season. There will be a lot of pressure out there tomorrow.”

Town fans will hope that the players are eager to erase the memory of the Plough Lane defeat in midweek. “They are the tough ones,” Woolfenden admitted. “You go into it with everyone expecting you to win and to be fair, up until the first goal that was probably the brightest we had looked going forward in a few games.

“We had created a few chances and we were winning the ball high up the pitch, but once they scored from the corner they completely mugged us.

“It’s not good enough and as a group of players we need to recover from setbacks better than what we do, as opposed to just lying down and taking it.”

Asked if that suggested a mental frailty, he replied: “I think it must be. I don’t think there’s a lack of effort on the pitch so maybe it’s a lack of belief or something like that.

“I’m not really too sure and can’t put my finger on what it is. Whatever it is, it needs to improve. As a group of players we know it needs to improve. We’re not stupid.”

Manager Cook pulled no punches in his press conference this morning, admitting his huge frustration and disappointment with performances and results — and admitting that he took charge confident that he could lead the club to a play-off finish this season.

Woolfenden continued: “What the gaffer says to you [the media] is the same as what he says to us. To be fair, whether he thinks it’s needed or not, we all know our performances this season haven’t been good enough.

“Whether it has to be said or not, we all know it’s just a matter of us going out on the pitch and proving that we are good players, starting tomorrow at Charlton.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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Fixed_It added 13:49 - Apr 16
'...starting tomorrow at Charlton'. Maybe starting a few months ago might have helped!
8

johnwarksshorts added 13:51 - Apr 16
No chance. Let's get real, we ain't getting in playoffs with this bunch of players.
8

Sixto6 added 13:54 - Apr 16
In the hunt for 10th ?
4

BLUEBEAT added 14:00 - Apr 16
Wasn't Wimbledon the ‘must win' game?
7

belgablue added 14:03 - Apr 16
Maybe see if we can score a goal first.
5

dirtydingusmagee added 14:05 - Apr 16
IN THE HUNT FOR WHAT EXACTLY ? personally i think the team should be in the hunt for a job elswhere. Past caring about drivel from players week in week out ,season upon season . Does that sound harsh ? i hope so .
6

runningout added 14:05 - Apr 16
Club and players been too naive and a joke of a professional outfit for 10 years plus. Last 3 years has topped it off. Not one player has credit I'm afraid. Paul Cook has a job and a half to do, and had my full backing.
8

BlueArrow added 14:05 - Apr 16
Y A W N ZZZZZZZZZZ 😴
2

dirtydingusmagee added 14:07 - Apr 16
these players would even fail in the hunt for a ###kin Easter Egg.
5

Drifter3012 added 14:12 - Apr 16
Being a fan, every game is a "must win." Players can pick & choose though it seems.
"Do we need to win this week lads?"
"Not really a must win game is it."
"Okay let's not bother then. We still get paid a ridiculous amount of money though don't we?"
"Yep of course."
4

Barty added 14:17 - Apr 16
We have failed to score in 4 of our last 5 games so all i am hoping for is to score at least one more goal before the end of the season !
2

CheffyCooky added 14:18 - Apr 16
Boring zzz zzzz zzzz
Every game wearing the shirt is a must win, the penny is only now finally dropping
2

chepstowblue added 14:33 - Apr 16
Not a hope. The results now represent the performances. We papered over the cracks for many months, sneaking undeserved wins, and drawing games recently against lesser sides that we had no right to get anything from. I don't even bother working out the permutations of what's required, because we arent capable of it.Finishing the season 12th will be a true reflection of what we've been about.
2

SickParrot added 15:09 - Apr 16
Another must win game? Don't make me laugh. We couldn't beat partially sighted team at present.
4

istanblue added 16:34 - Apr 16
Give it a rest Luke. The 'season defining game' was at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday, which you lot completely failed in.
4

Help added 18:25 - Apr 16
That would be the same Charlton who are currently 2nd in the form table. Why am I bored of all these must win games. Every game from the start of the season is a must win game in case you did not know. This is tedious. Sometimes I wish we did not have to wheel out a player to talk squit. Squit is a Suffolk wording meaning, well work it out. Like Tuesday night without knowing the squad on Friday night I am positive we will lose against Charlton.
2

therein61 added 18:44 - Apr 16
After Cook sorts this club out and gets rid of the predictable must do this must win this(and don't turn up) things will be a whole lot different to now, all the negativity in this club will be gone and there is only one way we are going, sorry Wolfie i appreciate it was your turn to state the effin obvious but this manager will make your next comments worth reading.
1

ArnieM added 19:09 - Apr 16
Oh FFS Luke ...... give it up man. That ship has looooong sailed !
4

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 19:28 - Apr 16
How many minutes now since we have scored a goal? I have given up counting it has been so long.

If we miraculously got into the play-offs we'd have to win the semis 0-0; get through on pens and do the same in the final.

1

Cloddyseedbed added 19:31 - Apr 16
Boring, watch out Woolfenden you've seen what happened to Judge. Nobody, yes nobody is safe. If you haven't given your all since Cook has been here and indeed before be very afraid!
0

JewellintheTown added 19:40 - Apr 16
Part of me wants us not to get to the playoffs this season as this team of players doesn't deserve it, so next season we have a pretty much whole new team to gel together over a season until they rip up this league & and momentum for the same in the Championship.
Other part of me wants this waste of a team to get us up so next season Cook has more resources, better recruitment options. However that comes with the risk of a mostly new team not quite gelling quick enough & dropping back down.
Either way it's a roller-coaster but exciting to watch.
1

billys_boots added 20:02 - Apr 16
The teachers who put ‘must try harder' on my school reports had obviously never seen this Town team play.
2

Michael101 added 21:15 - Apr 16
Next week the players are having cooking lessons.then they MIGHT be able to beat a egg.
0

shakytown added 04:13 - Apr 17
Give it a rest fool. Just not getting thrashed will be an achievement for you and the other disinterested, lazy and soon to be former Ipswich players.
1

KernewekBlue added 12:45 - Apr 17
If you're serious about challenging for honours and promotion, EVERY game is a must win game!

I, like others, am fed up with an underperforming team and statements saying this game or that game is a must win match.

We blow any chance of promotion by rolling over far too easily against teams with smaller budgets, smaller squads, teams that, on paper, shouldn't be anywhere near our ability to compete... unfortunately, we don't play on paper, we play on grass!

Most other teams in this division have more drive, ambition and the will to win than we do... we have a squad with a losing mentality that appear to just turn up to games with no impetus, no heart and no soul... is it any wonder the fanbase are so disillusioned with it all year after year?

Drastic, wholesale change of the playing staff and the psychological outlook of the team can't come soon enough but it won't come cheap!

Every current player needs to man up for the rest of the season, grow a pair and set out to prove a point that they're not as useless as they look.
0


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