I've been saying it for weeks now......top 2 not now achievable but nailed on certs for play-offs. Where do we want to be.....don't think it really matters although I'd prefer to be playing Pompey home & away rather than Sunderland. Mainly because we have a great record at Fratton park & is a lot easier to get there on a weekday evening or a weekend lunchtime (checkout last year's play off timings)
However, I would echo a PP above.....don't want to have secured a play off place with a couple of games to go & therefore players mentally take their foot of the pedal & limp across the line with abject performances away to the Gills & at home to Rochdale - both teams who we seem to struggle against for some reason.
Finally.....banged on about it for too many years to mention that goals win games, but in the play offs 3 0-0 draws can get you promoted if you're good at taking penalties. Oh, wait....
They're making the most of what they've got. Definitely not up to the standard Wigan were in this division...
Exactly.
They've kept the nucleus of last season's promotion winning team ..... with its spirit, familiarity and togetherness, and continued doing what they did last year.
They are a team in every sense because they work hard for each other. But they are still only a bunch of Third Division players.
Right now they're several points clear, but there's no guarantees in football. They are far from home and dry just yet ..... and not infallible.
Top two unlikely but not unachievable. We will need everything to align e.g. Vetokele to step up, Fosu to find his form, Taylor to stay on the pitch and for the teams above us to slip up. The last bit is not impossible - who would have predicted Pompey would slide as much as they have in recent weeks?
To get automatics i'd say we need to win 9 of the remaining 12, and crucially not give points to the sides around us. Unlikely on current form - Just don't have enough goals in us now Grant has gone. As good as Johnny Williams is he doesn't score enough goals, i believe he has 3 career goals, not great for an attacking minded player!
I think we have enough points for Bowyer to give it a go. It means playing 4-4-2 and the front to being Igor and Lyle. Then Fosu has to be in the side. In all honesty, then you have Williams, Aribo and one of Cullen or Bielik. That has to be as strong as any side in this League on paper, and we already know our defence is decent.
Simple really, goals win matches. Is anyone really confident that we have the squad that will suddenly go on a high scoring spree between now and May? Can't see it myself. Play-off spot should be achievable but I fear we will come up short. Just saying it as I feel it - hope I'm proved wrong.
Goals win you games but they also lose you games
Thankfully whilst our strikers arent producing our defence is... Whilst we remain solid at the back there is always a chance of nabbing a single goal or two
Yes, but our defence has been good for most of the season - BUT, you still have to score to win games.
That's was my point. Sooner or later our 'strikers' have to start putting the ball in the net - with the midfield weighing in with a few.
My head says we'll make the playoffs. But it'll be more due to the incompetence of those outside the top 6 right now failing to take advantage of our and Portsmouth's poor runs.
Anywhere between 4th and 6th for me depending on how Pompey and Donny finish.
My heart says we finish 4th or 5th avoid Sunderland then meet in the final again.
Sunderland's left back then goes on to miss the crucial penalty in a shoot out as we win 8-7 on pens, following a 5-5 draw and Naby Sarr scoring 4.
All of this is completely irrelevant as long as rolarse is in command
If by some miracle, which is what Bowyer has worked thus far, we go up who honestly believes the horrible bastard would put his hand in his pocket and let Bowyer strengthen, genuinely strengthen the squad?
If we don't we are bang in trouble in terms of recruitment anyway. Players are contractors and we are letting all of ours go seemingly
There were plenty of posters saying after our first half a dozen matches that we were going to be in a relegation struggle.
People look at today's table and recent form - and assume things will stay more or less the same.
It's been said, "The only certainty in life is change". Plenty of twists and turns to come yet.
Expect some surprises.
I think we probably won't achieve an automatic place. The squad is too unbalanced and we seem not to emphasise putting goals on the pitch enough, but what is in our favour is that if the following players are playing close to their best, they would start for any League One team, Sarr, Bauer, Pearce, Bielik, Cullen, Aribo, Fosu, Taylor & Williams. That is quite a lot.
Take each game as it comes but would obviously love to have that second leg at The Valley. Then I don’t care who we get in the final. Games at Wembley are nervous occasions and really level the teams out, especially at League One standard.
There were plenty of posters saying after our first half a dozen matches that we were going to be in a relegation struggle.
People look at today's table and recent form - and assume things will stay more or less the same.
It's been said, "The only certainty in life is change". Plenty of twists and turns to come yet.
Expect some surprises.
I think we probably won't achieve an automatic place. The squad is too unbalanced and we seem not to emphasise putting goals on the pitch enough, but what is in our favour is that if the following players are playing close to their best, they would start for any League One team, Sarr, Bauer, Pearce, Bielik, Cullen, Aribo, Fosu, Taylor & Williams. That is quite a lot.
As you said yourself, Muttley: "Top two unlikely but not unachievable."
I agree with that, but just pointing out that people are trying to predict the unpredictable based on how teams are playing right now - and assuming that will continue. Some teams will lose form and some will come back to life after a poor run - it's the story of the season so far: look at first half of the season runaway leaders Portsmouth, no wins in 8. Or Sunderland, who couldn't buy a win for several games, suddenly coming back to life with 2 wins on the spin.
Ourselves, we've got a decent defence that concedes few goals - maybe we go on a run with a sequence of 1-0 wins. Why not, we're well capable?
As we know, we recently got derailed when Taylor got suspended and Grant sold. What's to say that even current form teams won't lose key players and struggle? It's what happens this time of year.
12 Games - 8 Wins - 3 draws - 1 Lose = 27 Points (86 points)
Feels a bit optimistic, that would probably put us 3rd/4th, reality we will just hold on for 6th place.
Although on paper Portsmouth are the worst form, i would like to avoid them in the playoffs as i feel they always put on a performance in the cup/ bigger games.
Luton & Barnsley wont be caught, Battle for playoffs beckons
Comments
Need to get results against Pompey and Luton.
They're not.
However, I would echo a PP above.....don't want to have secured a play off place with a couple of games to go & therefore players mentally take their foot of the pedal & limp across the line with abject performances away to the Gills & at home to Rochdale - both teams who we seem to struggle against for some reason.
Finally.....banged on about it for too many years to mention that goals win games, but in the play offs 3 0-0 draws can get you promoted if you're good at taking penalties. Oh, wait....
They've kept the nucleus of last season's promotion winning team ..... with its spirit, familiarity and togetherness, and continued doing what they did last year.
They are a team in every sense because they work hard for each other.
But they are still only a bunch of Third Division players.
Right now they're several points clear, but there's no guarantees in football.
They are far from home and dry just yet ..... and not infallible.
1. Barnsley
2. Luton
3. Sunderland
4. Doncaster
5. Portsmouth
6. Charlton
Not looking forward to Keith Hill doing a job on us last game of the season to make it squeeky bum time
There were plenty of posters saying after our first half a dozen matches that we were going to be in a relegation struggle.
People look at today's table and recent form - and assume things will stay more or less the same.
It's been said, "The only certainty in life is change".
Plenty of twists and turns to come yet.
Expect some surprises.
02/03/2019
Doncaster Rovers (6th)
(a)
15:00
09/03/2019
Portsmouth (4th)
(h)
15:00
12/03/2019
Burton Albion (11th)
(h)
19:45
16/03/2019
Bristol Rovers (21st)
(a)
15:00
23/03/2019
Wycombe (12th)
(a)
15:00
30/03/2019
Bradford City (23rd)
(h)
15:00
06/04/2019
Plymouth Argyle (14th)
(a)
15:00
13/04/2019
Luton Town (1st)
(h)
15:00
19/04/2019
Oxford United (20th)
(a)
15:00
22/04/2019
Scunthorpe United (16th )
(h)
15:00
27/04/2019
Gillingham (17th)
(a)
15:00
04/05/2019
Rochdale (22nd)
(h)
17:30
That's was my point. Sooner or later our 'strikers' have to start putting the ball in the net - with the midfield weighing in with a few.
Anywhere between 4th and 6th for me depending on how Pompey and Donny finish.
My heart says we finish 4th or 5th avoid Sunderland then meet in the final again.
Sunderland's left back then goes on to miss the crucial penalty in a shoot out as we win 8-7 on pens, following a 5-5 draw and Naby Sarr scoring 4.
If by some miracle, which is what Bowyer has worked thus far, we go up who honestly believes the horrible bastard would put his hand in his pocket and let Bowyer strengthen, genuinely strengthen the squad?
If we don't we are bang in trouble in terms of recruitment anyway. Players are contractors and we are letting all of ours go seemingly
That might be a tad optimistic ?
Last season we finished with 71 and were 6th
Rotherham finished on 79 and were 4th and then won the Play off Final !
Donny (a) - DRAW
Pompey (h) - WIN
Burton (h) - WIN
Bristol Rvrs (a) - WIN
Wycombe (a) - LOSE
Bradford (h) - WIN
April
Plymouth (a) - WIN
Luton (h) - DRAW
Oxford (a) - DRAW
Scunthorpe (h) - WIN
Gillingham (a) - WIN
May
Rochdale (h) - WIN
12 Games - 8 Wins - 3 draws - 1 Lose = 27 Points (86 points)
Feels a bit optimistic, that would probably put us 3rd/4th, reality we will just hold on for 6th place.
Although on paper Portsmouth are the worst form, i would like to avoid them in the playoffs as i feel they always put on a performance in the cup/ bigger games.
Luton & Barnsley wont be caught, Battle for playoffs beckons