play-offs?

[facaldaqui]

If I was a bookie, I'd give odds of 50-1. It defies commonsense that our run of form would continue at this level with constant wins. Also it's a bit too euphoric to read too much into a series of home wins against teams in dodgy form. We aren't the finished package: we only scored one from open play yesterday, and it looks like we're again stuck without a recognised right back.

However, there's an outside chance. If the lower half teams keep playng with their present resilience, they'll repeatedly take points off upper half sides who, like last year's top six, will suffer from the promotion and play-off jitters. However, that scenario has a downside, because we may creep closer to the playoffs without creeping that far from the relegation spots, with most teams crushed together mid table. If our present relegation-fighting spirit turns into complacency, we could just as easily slip back into trouble again.

I'm not frightened of promotion, though. The guaranteed sharp rise in income would mean we could strengthen the team, whereas if we stay down, Madejski will have to cloth cut again.

[Wycombe Royal]

18-1 is what Bet365 are offering for us for promotion.

[glass half full]

The cup run will have brought in some useful income to mitigate against further cuts - I hope!

[Rex]

The cup run will have brought in some useful income to mitigate against further cuts - I hope!

I should think this is being rapidly absorbed by the loanees. I'm not sure there will be much if any at all left by the end of the season.

[Maguire]

I think finishing 9th or 10th (which we should be able to do) would represent a decent achievement this term given what happened in the close season.

[Ian Royal]

I think finishing 9th or 10th (which we should be able to do) would represent a decent achievement this term given what happened in the close season.

Think it would be superb. I thought 12th would be a fairly good achievement going into the season, before our atrocious start.

"Our squad just isn't good enough."

[glass half full]

The cup run will have brought in some useful income to mitigate against further cuts - I hope!

I should think this is being rapidly absorbed by the loanees. I'm not sure there will be much if any at all left by the end of the season.

It will, at least, have given us a bit more of a cushion but it would be refreshing to see no further retrenchment.

Am I being too optimistic?

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

It won't happen, but we were so good yesterday. We could win every game left this season, no team could handle us playing like that. Though I'm pretty sure City's short comings let us play as well as we did.

Finished mid table Pards 1st season and built on that. The club is in a very different place to how it was under Pards, but I think we can all look beyond this season and feel very excited.

[facaldaqui]

The cup run will have brought in some useful income to mitigate against further cuts - I hope!

I should think this is being rapidly absorbed by the loanees. I'm not sure there will be much if any at all left by the end of the season.

It will, at least, have given us a bit more of a cushion but it would be refreshing to see no further retrenchment.

Am I being too optimistic?

I suspect you are. A lot of Hobnobbers are presuming a logical scenario of "consolidate mid-table this season, push for promotion next season", but if we have to cut cloth in the summer, the team could be weakened again. Madejski will quote the loss of parachute payments. High earners such as Ingimarsson, Gunnarsson, Cisse, Matejovsky could move on, though I think the last two are contracted to stay. Hopefully we will keep hold of Sigurdsson for another year, but it could be another Doyle scenario, where we take in a big fee and spend much less on a replacement. In which case, our present team, which is far from perfect (despite their improvement, I don't like relying on Church and Long up front, for example), will have to be partially rebuilt again.

The ace in our pack, though, may be Brian McDermott, son of Coppell. He may indeed be smart enough to perform miracles on a challenging budget.

[Ian Royal]

Confidence and form. The only difference between 4th and 22nd in the Championship most years.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Tbh honest I don't seen how losing Marek, Bryn, Ivar, Cisse even Rasiak and Cummings would make us that much weaker.

The cloth may be cut, but only to allow us to bring in better players.

[Ian Royal]

Tbh honest I don't seen how losing Marek, Bryn, Ivar, Cisse even Rasiak and Cummings would make us that much weaker.

The cloth may be cut, but only to allow us to bring in better players.

Wouldn't like to see Rasiak go, or Cummings if we can't keep Griffin. I think he's got potential. But the rest are definitely loseable. In fact probably best for the club's ability to move on if they do go.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Tbh honest I don't seen how losing Marek, Bryn, Ivar, Cisse even Rasiak and Cummings would make us that much weaker.

The cloth may be cut, but only to allow us to bring in better players.

Wouldn't like to see Rasiak go, or Cummings if we can't keep Griffin. I think he's got potential. But the rest are definitely loseable. In fact probably best for the club's ability to move on if they do go.

Certainly wouldn't let Cummings go without a quality replacement such as Griff. I think Cummings is slightly better than Kelly, but one is a lot cheaper. Rasiak has something to offer, but if getting him of the wage bill ment we could sign Khish, then I think it's a no brainer. That is if we could sell either of them.

Although he didn't play well yesterday, do still think Iwelumo could give us more of a plan b.

[Ian Royal]

I'd take Iwelumo as a replacement for Rasiak.

[facaldaqui]

Certainly wouldn't let Cummings go without a quality replacement such as Griff. I think Cummings is slightly better than Kelly, but one is a lot cheaper.

I've seen no evidence that Cummings is better than Kelly. Did not Kelly play when we beat Brum last season, without ever getting into difficulty? Maybe Brian can make a player out of either one. I imagine that's what Madejski will expect, rather than pay someone like Griffin. (Of course, I'd rather keep Griffin--same as I'd like to have kept Harding.)

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

I'd take Iwelumo as a replacement for Rasiak.

Only at Championship level shurley???

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I'd take Iwelumo as a replacement for Rasiak.

Only at Championship level shurley???

It's our Chairman's lack of amibition.

[Ian Royal]

I'd take Iwelumo as a replacement for Rasiak.

Only at Championship level shurley???

Well that's where we'll be next season, so yes...

[NR_Royal]

QPR W
Boro L
Leic D
WBA L
Ips W
Cov W
Card D
Newc L
Pboro W
Scunny W
Watf W
Pres W

I think we can get 7 wins from 12, with 23 points from 36. That would put us on 67 points, which wasn't enough last season, but could be this season.

[Terminal Boardom]

Both full backs on loan and a CD on loan. Severe strengthening needed in the summer whether we make the play offs or not. It would be a disaster if we went up this season as we do not have the strength in depth. As for the play offs, you are having a tin bath if anyone really believes we will make them.