Birmingham have the top spot and out of Wycombe and Wrexham for the the 2nd spot.
We really aren't going to get 9 points more than both Wrexham and Wycombe over the last 11 matches.
Stockport, Charlton and Bolton for the 4th, 5th and 6th place which will be a great 2nd half of the season for cafc and they can prove me wrong as I thought we were a 7th to 10th team back in August.
The worry for me is we have gone 3 games without scoring from open play but the positives are we have taken 7 from 9 from 3 tricky matches against teams in the top 9.
I want to see Charlton play good football on the deck and Gilbert plays at least 45 minutes and Small is as good on Tuesday as he was poor today.
I reckon Orient & Barnsley have gone & agree it looking like the top 8. I notice that Huddersfield dont seem to be playing on the weekend of the International break......which is the week before we play them. Might be a good idea that we dont play Peterborough that's weekend either. Both sides totally fresh for a big 6-pointer. Like today it's a must not lose match & like today it's the home side that is more looking to win it. Might have a big bearing on who makes it into the play offs as I suspect Bolton will be there so it might come down to 3 teams (Us, Stockport & Huddersfield) fighting 2 places.
78-80 points might be needed imo.
I can't see Hudders (or Reading or anyone lower for that matter) suddenly finding the form required to go 2PPG plus in the last ten which they would need to do to get to 78 points - I think 75 will be enough and if anything potentially even 74 unless one of the teams below has a DRAMATIC turn around in results.
Either way it shouldn't be beyond our capabilities to pick up 5 wins and a couple draws from our remaining 11 regardless and if we can't do that we probably wouldn't deserve to be top 6 anyway.
There will be twists and turns, ups and downs, blood, sweat, tears, moments that make your heart sing, and others that make it break, but when it all shakes out and the dust settles, I think we finish 4th
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Birmingham have the top spot and out of Wycombe and Wrexham for the the 2nd spot.
We really aren't going to get 9 points more than both Wrexham and Wycombe over the last 11 matches.
Stockport, Charlton and Bolton for the 4th, 5th and 6th place which will be a great 2nd half of the season for cafc and they can prove me wrong as I thought we were a 7th to 10th team back in August.
The worry for me is we have gone 3 games without scoring from open play but the positives are we have taken 7 from 9 from 3 tricky matches against teams in the top 8.
I want to see Charlton play good football on the deck and Gilbert plays at least 45 minutes and Small is as good on Tuesday as he was poor today.
We do still have to play them both though. Making up 9 points in 11 games sounds tough but if we were to beat them then it's making up just 6 points in the other 10 games, which is possible.
I actually think we have a good chance of catching Wycombe, they're not in good form, only 2 wins in 7 and needed an injury time goal to get a point at Peterborough today. Plus they have a horrible run in.
Catching Wrexham will be much tougher though as after the international break they play a lot of bottom half sides.
I reckon Orient & Barnsley have gone & agree it looking like the top 8. I notice that Huddersfield dont seem to be playing on the weekend of the International break......which is the week before we play them. Might be a good idea that we dont play Peterborough that's weekend either. Both sides totally fresh for a big 6-pointer. Like today it's a must not lose match & like today it's the home side that is more looking to win it. Might have a big bearing on who makes it into the play offs as I suspect Bolton will be there so it might come down to 3 teams (Us, Stockport & Huddersfield) fighting 2 places.
78-80 points might be needed imo.
I have that feeling that a rest would be good when you see there are lots of opportunities to slot in a midweek game later in the season.
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Which could quite easily happen to us, especially as we are not scoring many goals & when we do they have come from defenders.
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Which could quite easily happen to us, especially as we are not scoring many goals & when we do they have come from defenders.
‘Not scoring many goal’
Have you looked at the form table for the last 10/15 games?
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Which could quite easily happen to us, especially as we are not scoring many goals & when we do they have come from defenders.
We have the best goal difference in the last 10 games and have scored more than Birmingham.
Birmingham have the top spot and out of Wycombe and Wrexham for the the 2nd spot.
We really aren't going to get 9 points more than both Wrexham and Wycombe over the last 11 matches.
Stockport, Charlton and Bolton for the 4th, 5th and 6th place which will be a great 2nd half of the season for cafc and they can prove me wrong as I thought we were a 7th to 10th team back in August.
The worry for me is we have gone 3 games without scoring from open play but the positives are we have taken 7 from 9 from 3 tricky matches against teams in the top 9.
I want to see Charlton play good football on the deck and Gilbert plays at least 45 minutes and Small is as good on Tuesday as he was poor today.
I watched Wycombe earlier, they were poor! Posh completely outplayed them! I honestly don’t think Wrexham are up to much. If they lose Tuesday it’s still game on!
i'll give Golfie credit, he is pretty much the only one that posted in the first few pages and said no and has consistently still posted on this thread. There's a few that do not have that same credit with me. There's one or two that should have a little look at themselves. Just saying. This is my LOL back to you.
I reckon Orient & Barnsley have gone & agree it looking like the top 8. I notice that Huddersfield dont seem to be playing on the weekend of the International break......which is the week before we play them. Might be a good idea that we dont play Peterborough that's weekend either. Both sides totally fresh for a big 6-pointer. Like today it's a must not lose match & like today it's the home side that is more looking to win it. Might have a big bearing on who makes it into the play offs as I suspect Bolton will be there so it might come down to 3 teams (Us, Stockport & Huddersfield) fighting 2 places.
78-80 points might be needed imo.
We secured the point that we all wanted today and need to win our game in hand on Tuesday so as to maintain our 50% win rate. For that's essentially what's required to see this through.
One additional thought is that next Saturday is match 37 which is the deadline for suspensions. Coventry is one booking away and Berry two bookings from missing that vital six pointer vs Huddersfield.
And I totally agree that we should force the postponement of the Peterborough game. Beating Huddersfield will virtually guarantee a top six finish as that will reduce their potential points, as well as taking us closer to 78.
I reckon Orient & Barnsley have gone & agree it looking like the top 8. I notice that Huddersfield dont seem to be playing on the weekend of the International break......which is the week before we play them. Might be a good idea that we dont play Peterborough that's weekend either. Both sides totally fresh for a big 6-pointer.
Nah! It’s not like we’ll be playing midweek and they not. Let them have 2 weeks off to lose any rythmn. One game a week is ideal. Besides, calling off the Peterborough game will mean a three game week later in the season.
Wycombe - don't play midweek, then home to Wrexham on Saturday which ends a draw. Wrexham - Reading away in midweek then Wycombe away on Saturday. Both end as draws (some might want a Reading win but a draw would effectively kill their hopes of catching us). Stockport - don't play midweek then Bolton away on Saturday. Also a draw. Charlton - Crawley away, Wigan home. 2 wins.
Obviously it's unlikely we will get all the results as above but at the same time i don't think it's that far fetched the other games end as draws whilst we win. This would mean by next Saturday night the table is:
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Which could quite easily happen to us, especially as we are not scoring many goals & when we do they have come from defenders.
‘Not scoring many goal’
Have you looked at the form table for the last 10/15 games?
When posters like me express concerns that we're not scoring enough goals, we're wrong, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, never mind the form table, because we currently occupy the playoff places.
However we'll only be proved wrong if we're still there when the season ends, and I hope I will be, but because I believe we're too reliant on not conceding, I've predicted we won't, narrowly missing out.
You may laugh, but here's why. Last season, we scored 64 goals and finished 16th. To match that, we'd need to score another 18 from 11 and we're currently 12th in the table for goals scored after 35 games.
I suspect that because there are more teams in the mix this time around it will probably lower the points needed target. I forgot that Luton finished top that season.
Wycombe - don't play midweek, then home to Wrexham on Saturday which ends a draw. Wrexham - Reading away in midweek then Wycombe away on Saturday. Both end as draws (some might want a Reading win but a draw would effectively kill their hopes of catching us). Stockport - don't play midweek then Bolton away on Saturday. Also a draw. Charlton - Crawley away, Wigan home. 2 wins.
Obviously it's unlikely we will get all the results as above but at the same time i don't think it's that far fetched the other games end as draws whilst we win. This would mean by next Saturday night the table is:
I suspect that because there are more teams in the mix this time around it will probably lower the points needed target. I forgot that Luton finished top that season.
Re the mix likely to mean a lower points target, until the very last day Charlton were fixed on 5th in the league. In comparison, if we win Tuesday night we will be 4th and that position won’t be ‘adjusted’ when every team has played its 36th game.
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Which could quite easily happen to us, especially as we are not scoring many goals & when we do they have come from defenders.
‘Not scoring many goal’
Have you looked at the form table for the last 10/15 games?
When posters like me express concerns that we're not scoring enough goals, we're wrong, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, never mind the form table, because we currently occupy the playoff places.
However we'll only be proved wrong if we're still there when the season ends, and I hope I will be, but because I believe we're too reliant on not conceding, I've predicted we won't, narrowly missing out.
You may laugh, but here's why. Last season, we scored 64 goals and finished 16th. To match that, we'd need to score another 18 from 11 and we're currently 12th in the table for goals scored after 35 games.
This is incorrect though. The reason our goals for is like it is, is because of how we started the season - where yes we were too reliant on not conceding.
If you have a look since we turned it around 18 or so games ago we are one of the leading scorers in the league with one of the best goal differences.
If we carry on as we have been since the turn around - goals are not going to be an issue.
It's crazy how quickly Orient have dropped out of it.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
Which could quite easily happen to us, especially as we are not scoring many goals & when we do they have come from defenders.
‘Not scoring many goal’
Have you looked at the form table for the last 10/15 games?
When posters like me express concerns that we're not scoring enough goals, we're wrong, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, never mind the form table, because we currently occupy the playoff places.
However we'll only be proved wrong if we're still there when the season ends, and I hope I will be, but because I believe we're too reliant on not conceding, I've predicted we won't, narrowly missing out.
You may laugh, but here's why. Last season, we scored 64 goals and finished 16th. To match that, we'd need to score another 18 from 11 and we're currently 12th in the table for goals scored after 35 games.
We conceded 34 more goals last season than this one and had a -1 GD by the end of the season as well as finishing in our lowest ever position in the league. So yeah, I will laugh. I'm very glad we are matching NOTHING about last season.
We're also 3rd in the league with clean sheets, with both of our keepers keeping 8 clean sheets each.
To get top 2 we need to get between 27 and 33 more points, and we're relying on Wycombe and Wrexham to maintain their poorer form. It's also imperative that if we do drop points, it's not to either of them.
Essentially it's a very long shot and one that I think we just come up short on
Comments
We really aren't going to get 9 points more than both Wrexham and Wycombe over the last 11 matches.
Stockport, Charlton and Bolton for the 4th, 5th and 6th place which will be a great 2nd half of the season for cafc and they can prove me wrong as I thought we were a 7th to 10th team back in August.
The worry for me is we have gone 3 games without scoring from open play but the positives are we have taken 7 from 9 from 3 tricky matches against teams in the top 9.
I want to see Charlton play good football on the deck and Gilbert plays at least 45 minutes and Small is as good on Tuesday as he was poor today.
Personally think it’s 4 teams for 3 spaces. Any number above 74 points looks a really tough challenge for Huddersfield on their current form.
Stockport still have trips to Bolton, Wrexham & Wycombe before the end of the season. Still plenty of big matches before end of the season.
Either way it shouldn't be beyond our capabilities to pick up 5 wins and a couple draws from our remaining 11 regardless and if we can't do that we probably wouldn't deserve to be top 6 anyway.
On the 18th Feb they won away at Wrexham and would've potentially had their eye on the automatics. 5 games and 5 defeats later, they're as good as out of even the play off picture.
I actually think we have a good chance of catching Wycombe, they're not in good form, only 2 wins in 7 and needed an injury time goal to get a point at Peterborough today. Plus they have a horrible run in.
Catching Wrexham will be much tougher though as after the international break they play a lot of bottom half sides.
Have you looked at the form table for the last 10/15 games?
One additional thought is that next Saturday is match 37 which is the deadline for suspensions. Coventry is one booking away and Berry two bookings from missing that vital six pointer vs Huddersfield.
And I totally agree that we should force the postponement of the Peterborough game. Beating Huddersfield will virtually guarantee a top six finish as that will reduce their potential points, as well as taking us closer to 78.
Wycombe - don't play midweek, then home to Wrexham on Saturday which ends a draw.
Wrexham - Reading away in midweek then Wycombe away on Saturday. Both end as draws (some might want a Reading win but a draw would effectively kill their hopes of catching us).
Stockport - don't play midweek then Bolton away on Saturday. Also a draw.
Charlton - Crawley away, Wigan home. 2 wins.
Obviously it's unlikely we will get all the results as above but at the same time i don't think it's that far fetched the other games end as draws whilst we win. This would mean by next Saturday night the table is:
2. Wrexham P37, 70pts
-------------------
3. Wycombe P36, 69pts.
4. Charlton P37, 66pts.
5. Stockport P37, 63pts.
However we'll only be proved wrong if we're still there when the season ends, and I hope I will be, but because I believe we're too reliant on not conceding, I've predicted we won't, narrowly missing out.
You may laugh, but here's why. Last season, we scored 64 goals and finished 16th. To match that, we'd need to score another 18 from 11 and we're currently 12th in the table for goals scored after 35 games.
If we carry on as we have been since the turn around - goals are not going to be an issue.
If we can beat Crawley then gives us a bit of a cushion. I don't think top 2 is realistic
To get top 2 we need to get between 27 and 33 more points, and we're relying on Wycombe and Wrexham to maintain their poorer form. It's also imperative that if we do drop points, it's not to either of them.
Essentially it's a very long shot and one that I think we just come up short on