Take a look at the teams we play towards the end off the season, we seem to get the poor teams out of the way. Seen as though we only just beat poor teams I can't see us having a good run in.
If we had 10 extra points & were right in the mix then the last 6 weeks of the season would be very interesting.
Unfortunately we're not & so all we can look forward to is how we will be helping or hindering Sunderland, Hull and Peterborough fight it out for the top 2.
Not getting carried away just yet... Still think we'll fall short but dont think we'll be as low as some think.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
We have 12 games left. I reckon we need to win 9 of them to make the playoffs. Not impossible, but definitely very unlikely given our form since last November.
when are these other teams playing their games in hand , it's getting on my nerves , i want us all to have played the same games and i wonder at what point we'll all be on the same games give or take 1
*prays Dazzler/forever/callum have a quite day and nothing to do
when are these other teams playing their games in hand , it's getting on my nerves , i want us all to have played the same games and i wonder at what point we'll all be on the same games give or take 1
*prays Dazzler/forever/callum have a quite day and nothing to do
17th March: Accrington v Sunderland
23rd March: Blackpool v Peterborough Northampton v Oxford
13th April Wigan v Sunderland Wimbledon v Ipswich Blackpool v Accrington Crewe v Portsmouth Doncaster v Burton Oxford v Shrewsbury
27th April Accrington v Portsmouth Peterborough v Doncaster Shrewsbury v Lincoln Sunderland v Blackpool
4th May: Blackpool v Doncaster
So Doncaster and Blackpool play their last game in hand midweek before the last game of the season.
Breakdown of teams that each side has to face in the top 11, so going back to Blackpool:
Hull: Four teams Peterborough: Seven Teams Lincoln: Six Teams Sunderland: Eight Teams Doncaster: Six Teams Portsmouth: Four Teams Ipswich: Two Teams Charlton: Seven Teams
So we can worry about our run in being difficult but its only really Ipswich who have an "easy" run in
Not getting carried away just yet... Still think we'll fall short but dont think we'll be as low as some think.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
It is only impressive because, in reality, our bar has been set so low - we beat the teams in 20th & 21st and drew with the 9th placed side. We scored 3 goals in total which isn't exactly setting the world alight. All of the teams in the top 6 have scored more than us and they've all conceded less too. Can we rely on keeping enough clean sheets to make those goals count?
Our true position is 11th (PPG) and w are chasing a maximum of two play off places and quite possibly just one. We have 8 of the top 12 still to play too so the odds are still very much stacked against us. If LB can get us into the play offs then I will really change my current view of his capabilities and even if we get knocked out then he will deserve another crack at taking us up next season.
These final dozen games will define our season and there has to be some sort of indication of what might be expected next. There is a very real prospect of the likes of Hull and Peterborough being replaced by Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham so it is unlikely to be easier to gain promotion next season than this. And that's without taking into account Wycombe who have a Manager who knows how to get a team out of this division and gets the most out of his players on what will, no doubt, be an extremely low budget.
Not getting carried away just yet... Still think we'll fall short but dont think we'll be as low as some think.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
It is only impressive because, in reality, our bar has been set so low - we beat the teams in 20th & 21st and drew with the 9th placed side. We scored 3 goals in total which isn't exactly setting the world alight. All of the teams in the top 6 have scored more than us and they've all conceded less too. Can we rely on keeping enough clean sheets to make those goals count?
Our true position is 11th (PPG) and w are chasing a maximum of two play off places and quite possibly just one. We have 8 of the top 12 still to play too so the odds are still very much stacked against us. If LB can get us into the play offs then I will really change my current view of his capabilities and even if we get knocked out then he will deserve another crack at taking us up next season.
These final dozen games will define our season and there has to be some sort of indication of what might be expected next. There is a very real prospect of the likes of Hull and Peterborough being replaced by Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham so it is unlikely to be easier to gain promotion next season than this. And that's without taking into account Wycombe who have a Manager who knows how to get a team out of this division and gets the most out of his players on what will, no doubt, be an extremely low budget.
Its only impressive because the bar has been set low but we can only beat whats in front of us
We havent been doing that enough so its good to see the up turn, long may it continue but as I said I'm not getting carried away on these seven points and two clean sheets we've been able to pick up
But our true position is erm... 8th, because we're erm 8th - You cant guarantee that we'll drop to 11th (or even be as high as that) when all those games in hand have been played can you? - I thought last season taught enough people that PPG is only worthy of being a midly interesting stat
Sport isnt something that you can decide and should never be decided on a bleeding calculator!!
As for the minor dig about Wycombe having a Manager who knows how to get out of this Division. I'm glad that we're once again picking and choosing our own history
I think a lot will depend on the availability of Inniss and Famewo. It's not out of the question that they could both feature in our run-in, which would give us a very good chance of a play-off place, imho. Watson has improved to the extent that I can now see why he was so successful at Forest. We also have strikers who are all scoring reasonably regularly, and will pose a threat to any L1 defence. The only concern I have is the midfield which is struggling to produce the spark of creativity needed to unlock the better defences we will come up against. I'd practically abandoned all hope after the Blackpool debacle, but after the three recent solid performances a flicker of hope has returned.
I'd much rather be playing the teams at the top than the bottom in our run in
Why? Our record this season against the top 6 is abysmal.
always feel like we perform better against sides that have a bit more of a go at us, less pressure on us against sides higher in the table - plenty of reasons
I'd much rather be playing the teams at the top than the bottom in our run in
Why? Our record this season against the top 6 is abysmal.
always feel like we perform better against sides that have a bit more of a go at us, less pressure on us against sides higher in the table - plenty of reasons
18/19 side I’d agree yeah, not this side they’ve looked all over the place in the big fixtures. I reckon the home games we’d perform better if we had a crowd.
It's a funny old division with few sides being consistent. If you look at the last ten games, the top team is Burton, who are actually 18th in the table. The bottom half of the last ten games league table has Accrington, Portsmouth, Lincoln and Doncaster in the bottom half. Only four teams have more than half of their last 10 games - Burton, Sunderland, Blackpool and Peterborough.
With 3 for a win and only 1 for a draw, it's all about who strings together a few wins. I would say that the top four of Hull, Peterborough, Lincoln and Sunderland will make the play offs or better, but one could slip away, leaving three possible spots to fill among a load of teams. We are not out of it, but we will need to win some games and avoid too many draws (as well as defeats, of course). Who knows?
Not getting carried away just yet... Still think we'll fall short but dont think we'll be as low as some think.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
For a friendly they might have just gone with local/US based players but as they have 2 world cup qualifiers i'm sure he will be.
Need a minimum of twenty points to even consider finishing in top 6. Anything fewer than that we will miss out. We’ve made a good start in the last 3 matches but we need that to continue.
Saturday is another must win if we are serious about being in top 6. Still think we will probably miss out. However, Doncaster and Pompey being out of form has given us a chance of keeping our hopes alive. If we can get 4/6 points in our next two home games I will start to get my hopes up again.
Not getting carried away just yet... Still think we'll fall short but dont think we'll be as low as some think.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
It is only impressive because, in reality, our bar has been set so low - we beat the teams in 20th & 21st and drew with the 9th placed side. We scored 3 goals in total which isn't exactly setting the world alight. All of the teams in the top 6 have scored more than us and they've all conceded less too. Can we rely on keeping enough clean sheets to make those goals count?
Our true position is 11th (PPG) and w are chasing a maximum of two play off places and quite possibly just one. We have 8 of the top 12 still to play too so the odds are still very much stacked against us. If LB can get us into the play offs then I will really change my current view of his capabilities and even if we get knocked out then he will deserve another crack at taking us up next season.
These final dozen games will define our season and there has to be some sort of indication of what might be expected next. There is a very real prospect of the likes of Hull and Peterborough being replaced by Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham so it is unlikely to be easier to gain promotion next season than this. And that's without taking into account Wycombe who have a Manager who knows how to get a team out of this division and gets the most out of his players on what will, no doubt, be an extremely low budget.
Its only impressive because the bar has been set low but we can only beat whats in front of us
We havent been doing that enough so its good to see the up turn, long may it continue but as I said I'm not getting carried away on these seven points and two clean sheets we've been able to pick up
But our true position is erm... 8th, because we're erm 8th - You cant guarantee that we'll drop to 11th (or even be as high as that) when all those games in hand have been played can you? - I thought last season taught enough people that PPG is only worthy of being a midly interesting stat
Sport isnt something that you can decide and should never be decided on a bleeding calculator!!
As for the minor dig about Wycombe having a Manager who knows how to get out of this Division. I'm glad that we're once again picking and choosing our own history
I never said that it should be decided on PPG but I used it as indication of what our true position. If the season were to end tomorrow we would not be deemed to be erm 8th. We would be deemed to be erm 11th. But I'm happy to have any even money wager you care to offer on each of the following:
that Oxford, who have not lost two consecutive games since October, will pick up the one point needed to overtake us from their two games in hand
that Accrington, who have only twice all season lost two games, on the trot will pick up the one point needed to overtake us from their two games in hand
that Blackpool, who have picked up 20 points from their last 9 games, will achieve the 3 points from the 4 games in hand they have over us
And the comment about the Wycombe Manager is no different to the one that I have made about Daniel Farke which has proven to be correct in so far as he knows what it takes to do so and is likely to have much the same squad at his disposal. It was also made in the context of comparing him against the much bigger clubs coming down in the shape of Wednesday and Birmingham coming down. I'm sorry that you chose not to interpret it that way.
Not getting carried away just yet... Still think we'll fall short but dont think we'll be as low as some think.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
It is only impressive because, in reality, our bar has been set so low - we beat the teams in 20th & 21st and drew with the 9th placed side. We scored 3 goals in total which isn't exactly setting the world alight. All of the teams in the top 6 have scored more than us and they've all conceded less too. Can we rely on keeping enough clean sheets to make those goals count?
Our true position is 11th (PPG) and w are chasing a maximum of two play off places and quite possibly just one. We have 8 of the top 12 still to play too so the odds are still very much stacked against us. If LB can get us into the play offs then I will really change my current view of his capabilities and even if we get knocked out then he will deserve another crack at taking us up next season.
These final dozen games will define our season and there has to be some sort of indication of what might be expected next. There is a very real prospect of the likes of Hull and Peterborough being replaced by Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham so it is unlikely to be easier to gain promotion next season than this. And that's without taking into account Wycombe who have a Manager who knows how to get a team out of this division and gets the most out of his players on what will, no doubt, be an extremely low budget.
Its only impressive because the bar has been set low but we can only beat whats in front of us
We havent been doing that enough so its good to see the up turn, long may it continue but as I said I'm not getting carried away on these seven points and two clean sheets we've been able to pick up
But our true position is erm... 8th, because we're erm 8th - You cant guarantee that we'll drop to 11th (or even be as high as that) when all those games in hand have been played can you? - I thought last season taught enough people that PPG is only worthy of being a midly interesting stat
Sport isnt something that you can decide and should never be decided on a bleeding calculator!!
As for the minor dig about Wycombe having a Manager who knows how to get out of this Division. I'm glad that we're once again picking and choosing our own history
I never said that it should be decided on PPG but I used it as indication of what our true position. If the season were to end tomorrow we would not be deemed to be erm 8th. We would be deemed to be erm 11th. But I'm happy to have any even money wager you care to offer on each of the following:
that Oxford, who have not lost two consecutive games since October, will pick up the one point needed to overtake us from their two games in hand
that Accrington, who have only twice all season lost two games, on the trot will pick up the one point needed to overtake us from their two games in hand
that Blackpool, who have picked up 20 points from their last 9 games, will achieve the 3 points from the 4 games in hand they have over us
And the comment about the Wycombe Manager is no different to the one that I have made about Daniel Farke which has proven to be correct in so far as he knows what it takes to do so and is likely to have much the same squad at his disposal. It was also made in the context of comparing him against the much bigger clubs coming down in the shape of Wednesday and Birmingham coming down. I'm sorry that you chose to interpret it that way.
But the season isnt going to end early now is it, if I does I'll happily have this comment pointed out to me until the end of time... So other than an interesting discussion point its pointless to consider that we're currently 11th.
Unfortunately I wont take you up on a bet as dont wager - Given the timing of the games in hand though there is absolutely no guarantee that the points difference will remain the same (it might increase or decreas) by the time we're all at 45-games.
Fair enough with regards to your point about both Ainsworth and Farke.
I think it actually works in our favour playing all the teams above us, lets face it they're just the best of a bad bunch and are all very much beatable.
Nothing worse than going on a winning run just to match those around us, they're the teams we need to drop points. If we're make to make the play offs they have to be beaten anyway.
I think the tide has turned and we will finish strongly. Remember we did beat the likes of ipswich portsmouth and a draw with sunderland. Yes we lost to lincoln but the team is much different now. The hull game was during the bad run. If the players show the same attitude as in the last few games we may make the play offs.
I think the tide has turned and we will finish strongly. Remember we did beat the likes of ipswich portsmouth and a draw with sunderland. Yes we lost to lincoln but the team is much different now. The hull game was during the bad run. If the players show the same attitude as in the last few games we may make the play offs.
two wins against sides in the bottom four and a dull, dreary 0-0 with Oxford doesn't yet prove to me that the tide has turned
Disappointing that we are playing relatively few teams in competition for 5th and 6th place - teams that it would be helpful to prevent from taking as many points as poss. Playing AFC and so on may be great but it allows our competition to keep winning.
The 6th placed team in the last 5 seasons or so have finished with anything between 69-74 points. So 75 points would've guaranteed top six. But it would've been possible with 70 one year.
Given some of the teams cut adrift at the bottom this year, I think it's likely to be 73-74 points required for a top six place. So we need 22-23 points from the last 12 games.
If we can pick up 10 points from the next four games, that leaves us needing 12-13 points from that more difficult run of eight games to end the season.
We have 12 games left. I reckon we need to win 9 of them to make the playoffs. Not impossible, but definitely very unlikely given our form since last November.
Seven wins and a couple of draws would all but guarantee it in recent seasons.
when are these other teams playing their games in hand , it's getting on my nerves , i want us all to have played the same games and i wonder at what point we'll all be on the same games give or take 1
*prays Dazzler/forever/callum have a quite day and nothing to do
When the table is a jumbled mess like this season, it's best to forget about what everyone else is doing and focus on getting as close to a target points number (in my head, it's 75) as possible.
Comments
Unfortunately we're not & so all we can look forward to is how we will be helping or hindering Sunderland, Hull and Peterborough fight it out for the top 2.
Said last night that if we can get six points from the next two home games then it'll suddenly get more interesting with regards to our "rivals" and their games in hand again as they are going to build up.
I predict a measure of frustration again though.
This impressive run will last up until the Crewe game which'll be cancelled because of the International Break - We'll return the following game against Doncaster and it'll be like going back in time when we faced Gillingham in November. Part of me hopes that Canada wont call up Millar so we'll have to play Crewe just without Washington and Gunter
*prays Dazzler/forever/callum have a quite day and nothing to do
Current points: 51
Fixtures:
Shrewsbury Town (17th) H 3
Bristol Rovers (19th) H 3
AFC Wimbledon (23rd) A 3
Crewe Alexandra (12th) H 3
Doncaster Rovers (5th) A 0
Lincoln City (3rd) H 1
Sunderland (4th) A 0
Ipswich Town (7th) H 3
Plymouth Argyle (15th) A 3
Peterborough United (2nd) H 1
Accrington Stanley (10th) A 1
Hull City (1st) H 1
Forecasted total: 73
Forecasted finish based on previous seasons: 6th
Accrington v Sunderland
23rd March:
Blackpool v Peterborough
Northampton v Oxford
13th April
Wigan v Sunderland
Wimbledon v Ipswich
Blackpool v Accrington
Crewe v Portsmouth
Doncaster v Burton
Oxford v Shrewsbury
27th April
Accrington v Portsmouth
Peterborough v Doncaster
Shrewsbury v Lincoln
Sunderland v Blackpool
4th May:
Blackpool v Doncaster
So Doncaster and Blackpool play their last game in hand midweek before the last game of the season.
Breakdown of teams that each side has to face in the top 11, so going back to Blackpool:
Hull: Four teams
Peterborough: Seven Teams
Lincoln: Six Teams
Sunderland: Eight Teams
Doncaster: Six Teams
Portsmouth: Four Teams
Ipswich: Two Teams
Charlton: Seven Teams
So we can worry about our run in being difficult but its only really Ipswich who have an "easy" run in
Our true position is 11th (PPG) and w are chasing a maximum of two play off places and quite possibly just one. We have 8 of the top 12 still to play too so the odds are still very much stacked against us. If LB can get us into the play offs then I will really change my current view of his capabilities and even if we get knocked out then he will deserve another crack at taking us up next season.
These final dozen games will define our season and there has to be some sort of indication of what might be expected next. There is a very real prospect of the likes of Hull and Peterborough being replaced by Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham so it is unlikely to be easier to gain promotion next season than this. And that's without taking into account Wycombe who have a Manager who knows how to get a team out of this division and gets the most out of his players on what will, no doubt, be an extremely low budget.
We havent been doing that enough so its good to see the up turn, long may it continue but as I said I'm not getting carried away on these seven points and two clean sheets we've been able to pick up
But our true position is erm... 8th, because we're erm 8th - You cant guarantee that we'll drop to 11th (or even be as high as that) when all those games in hand have been played can you? - I thought last season taught enough people that PPG is only worthy of being a midly interesting stat
Sport isnt something that you can decide and should never be decided on a bleeding calculator!!
As for the minor dig about Wycombe having a Manager who knows how to get out of this Division. I'm glad that we're once again picking and choosing our own history
Watson has improved to the extent that I can now see why he was so successful at Forest. We also have strikers who are all scoring reasonably regularly, and will pose a threat to any L1 defence.
The only concern I have is the midfield which is struggling to produce the spark of creativity needed to unlock the better defences we will come up against.
I'd practically abandoned all hope after the Blackpool debacle, but after the three recent solid performances a flicker of hope has returned.
With 3 for a win and only 1 for a draw, it's all about who strings together a few wins. I would say that the top four of Hull, Peterborough, Lincoln and Sunderland will make the play offs or better, but one could slip away, leaving three possible spots to fill among a load of teams. We are not out of it, but we will need to win some games and avoid too many draws (as well as defeats, of course). Who knows?
Saturday is another must win if we are serious about being in top 6. Still think we will probably miss out. However, Doncaster and Pompey being out of form has given us a chance of keeping our hopes alive. If we can get 4/6 points in our next two home games I will start to get my hopes up again.
I never said that it should be decided on PPG but I used it as indication of what our true position. If the season were to end tomorrow we would not be deemed to be erm 8th. We would be deemed to be erm 11th. But I'm happy to have any even money wager you care to offer on each of the following:
that Oxford, who have not lost two consecutive games since October, will pick up the one point needed to overtake us from their two games in hand
that Accrington, who have only twice all season lost two games, on the trot will pick up the one point needed to overtake us from their two games in hand
that Blackpool, who have picked up 20 points from their last 9 games, will achieve the 3 points from the 4 games in hand they have over us
And the comment about the Wycombe Manager is no different to the one that I have made about Daniel Farke which has proven to be correct in so far as he knows what it takes to do so and is likely to have much the same squad at his disposal. It was also made in the context of comparing him against the much bigger clubs coming down in the shape of Wednesday and Birmingham coming down. I'm sorry that you chose not to interpret it that way.
Unfortunately I wont take you up on a bet as dont wager - Given the timing of the games in hand though there is absolutely no guarantee that the points difference will remain the same (it might increase or decreas) by the time we're all at 45-games.
Fair enough with regards to your point about both Ainsworth and Farke.
Nothing worse than going on a winning run just to match those around us, they're the teams we need to drop points. If we're make to make the play offs they have to be beaten anyway.
The 6th placed team in the last 5 seasons or so have finished with anything between 69-74 points. So 75 points would've guaranteed top six. But it would've been possible with 70 one year.
Given some of the teams cut adrift at the bottom this year, I think it's likely to be 73-74 points required for a top six place. So we need 22-23 points from the last 12 games.
If we can pick up 10 points from the next four games, that leaves us needing 12-13 points from that more difficult run of eight games to end the season.