will we make play offs

[Sarah Star]

Can't say we definitely won't; can't say we definitely will. Can say we definitely won't make automatic promotion. Can also say we definitely won't be relegated.

We'll be there or thereabouts. Can't see us beating Norwich, so there'll be further angst to come, but although there's be 4 or 5 clubs who I can't see us beating, there's plenty of time to make up for it. 6th - and maybe 5th - spot is up for grabs and that's all we need for a chance at the big time again... if we want it.

[leww_rfc]

Yes. we were 22nd this time last year and still had to play Newcastle, West Brom and other teams up there.

[Einstein agogo]

I'm sure we will

[seahawk10]

I'm sure we will

I am a yes as well.

[Snowball]

Yes. we were 22nd this time last year and still had to play Newcastle, West Brom and other teams up there.

That's an amazing statistic

[Snowball]

70 points is the minimum (Blackpool last year) but that is rarely enough.

To be more-or-less on target for that we should be on 45 from 30.
We are 42 from 29, the spare game being at Sheffield United.
Win that and we are on target for 69 with 16 other games to play.

Even if we lose at Norwich we will have 15 games left to get 25-35 points.

25 points would mean 70 and almost certainly just missing out.
27 or higher and we have a real chance of snatching sixth place

We have 8 home games, every one winnable, though three are against Leicester, Millwall, Watford
and as well as the Sheffield game away we have Barnsley, Palace, Coventry. It's becoming a tall
order but could turn in a few days, especially given that IF we can pull of a result or results
awaty to Forest, Leeds, or Norwicn, not only do we gain points but they drop them

1 30 31 59 QPR
2 28 16 52 Nott'm Forest
3 29 13 51 Cardiff
4 30 09 51 Norwich <<<
5 30 10 50 Swansea
6 30 08 49 Leeds
7 30 09 45 Millwall
8 30 -1 45 Leicester
9 28 12 43 Watford
10 29 07 43 Burnley
11 29 12 42 Reading

It looks beyond us right now or we need a very, very good run.

But 2 points per game after Norwich (which we ARE capable of) would leave us on 74 points, almost certainly a play-off place.

Most importantly, now we've made it harder we cannot lose to any of those for bolded clubs and still make the POs. We could lose to Norwich and still make it.

Beat Watford, go above them, match them for the rest of the season. Ditto Leicester (obviously a huge danger). Ditto Millwall.

We have it in our own hands to finish above all three of them. But if any of those three win at the MadStad it's over.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Newcastle and WBA at home too, games that got us 1point.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

We have it in our own hands to finish above all three of them. But if any of those three win at the MadStad it's over.

I think I will come back to that at the end of the season.

[Snowball]

We have it in our own hands to finish above all three of them. But if any of those three win at the MadStad it's over.

I think I will come back to that at the end of the season.

Wee, it's a bit of a no-brainer, isn't it?

It's hard enough NOW, but lose any of the home six-pointers and it's near impossible.

Even draws will hurt us a lot. If we have to drop home points let it be against no-hopers
but let's beat Watford, Millwall, Leicester

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Cant see 70 points being anywhere near enough. The top 4 look nailed on with a big queue behind. 74-75 will be more like it.

Tranmere got 81 a few years ago and finished 7th

[trueroyal1871]

I had a gut feeling that we would win the league in the pre-season of 05-06 and I had the same feeling at the beginning of this season that we would go up via the playoffs. I think we'll sneak in 6th place by a point or even goal difference and then we'll go on to win the final against Brendan Rodgers' Swansea.

[muddyfeet]

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDet ... 12,00.html

seems to be quite relevant........

[Z175]

Yes. Without a shadow of doubt.

How many times have we clearly deserved to lose a game this season? (handful, Boro, qpr away) Ok we deserved a defeat to QPR at home etc but we restricted the leaders to no shots first half. We are highly competitive in this league and I think we have much more to come, as frankly we're only just off the playoffs and we have not seen the best of Kebe, Church, Manset, Howard and Tabb who did so well last year.

So 29 points from 17 games? 8 wins 5 draws 4 defeats. Easy!

And to those worrying about Norwich - how many times has Brian lost 2 games in a row?

Those pointing out that Cardiff, Swansea, Norwich, Watford and (of course QPR and Forest who are probably out of our sphere) have all had better seasons so far are correct. So far.

Cardiff and Swansea have a history here - often such leading teams don't make the top 6 and its those mid table sides who do. Guaranteed that one from us, Leicester, Burnley etc will make it and two of the above won't.

46 games isn't a marathon, its an olympics. We have just under half the season to go again and are starting much higher than last year.

Bring it home Brian!

[Croydon Royal]

I predicted at the start of the season that we'd finish between 7th and 12th, and all along I've seen no reason to change that. If we can win a couple of the bigger away games (Norwich, Forest, Leeds etc) then I agree with anR that we'll probably be going into the last few games with a mathematical chance of making the play offs, however if we struggle in those games then I imagine we'll be around 10th or 12th instead.

[Ian Royal]

Don't deserve to make the play offs. Will need to show the best form we've had all season to make the play offs. Aren't good enough to make the play offs.

We'll finish just shy in 8th or 9th narrowly missing my target place of 7th. I think we'll do better than 10th or 11th as results will pick up for a while after we've played Norwich, renewing hope we may just sneak in, only to ultimately fail reasonable comfortably.

[ZacNaloen]

Do you think the official site saw this thread?



http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDet ... 12,00.html

[Z175]

Some mediocre form could see us limp in. We'll go on a run beating Preston, Barnsley and Pompey believe me.
Basically its so tight in this league you lose a few and slip down, or you win a few and move up. I tip us to take a ton of points in the last two months of the season - looking at our fixtures the bookies will have us odds on in a lot of them. The 70 percent who think we won't make top 6 should try to make a lot of money betting against us in the games I've marked us down for 3 points from. Even if we take only 7 points from the next 7 games we'll still have a chance.

Pessimistic Scenario - We lose at Norwich and Forest, drop points v Watford, Sheff Utd, Millwall, Boro, Ipswich, Scunthorpe, Leicester and Leeds and still get to 70 points!

Norwich A - 42
Sheff Utd A- 43
Watford H - 44
Millwall H - 45
Palace A - 48
Boro H - 48
Ipswich A - 49
Preston H - 52
Barnsley A - 55
Pompey H - 58
Forest A - 58
Scunthorpe A -59
Leics H - 60
Leeds A - 61
Sheff Utd H - 64
Coventry A -67
Derby H -70

[Top Flight]

Of course they did.

And I can't see us making the play-offs this year.

Last year we had Gylfi, this year we don't. Gylfi was in smashing form in the 2nd half of the season.

[Agent Balti]

Almost certainly I'd say no. Just looking at the teams who we've NOT won against says it all. No wins against the top six, home or away. Only beaten Leicester and Burnley in the Top Ten. Couldn't beat Hull home or away and they are on the same points as us...maybe that's more of an indicator of where we are realistically.

We're more capable of losses to the likes of Bristol City and Middlesboro than we are to pull off a 'shock' result against Swansea or Cardiff. And I think that's the problem...we can't put teams away on a regular basis. However, as Friday night showed, there are times when we just don't turn up.

Solid, if unspectacular. We need more spectacular and at this time, post Sigurdsson, we don't have it.

[Mike Hunt]

Of course they did.

And I can't see us making the play-offs this year.

Last year we had Gylfi, this year we don't. Gylfi was in smashing form in the 2nd half of the season.

Last year we also had Kebe on the top of his game... have only seen glimpses of that form this year.