will we make play offs

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Looks a lot more likely than 3 games ago, really need good results at Leeds/Forest.

2nd April is Leeds v Forest!!

All we can do is keep winning, as has been said it is now in our hands, win the last 9 and we make the play-offs, simple really.

[PEARCEY]

Looks a lot more likely than 3 games ago, really need good results at Leeds/Forest.

2nd April is Leeds v Forest!!

All we can do is keep winning, as has been said it is now in our hands, win the last 9 and we make the play-offs, simple really.

As long as avoid defeat at Forest and Leeds I think we will be fine. We don't need to go there and win those games as things currently stand.

[kc]

What date would the playoff final be?

[East Stand Ste]

Dunno...a bit more optimistic now....one thing for sure is that the trip to Forest is going to be very interesting!!

[Snowball]

Looks a lot more likely than 3 games ago, really need good results at Leeds/Forest.

2nd April is Leeds v Forest!!

All we can do is keep winning, as has been said it is now in our hands, win the last 9 and we make the play-offs, simple really.

ABSOLUTELY. ONE OR BOTH OF THEM HAVE TO BE HURT

Imagine we've beaten Preston 2-0 in our GIH... This is where we'd be and top of the form charts, too



1 38 +37 76 5-0-1 QPR
2 38 +15 67 3-3-0 Norwich C
3 38 +17 66 3-1-2 Swansea C
4 38 +14 63 2-2-2 Cardiff C
5 38 +09 61 2-2-2 Leeds Utd
6 38 +20 60 5-1-0 Reading
7 38 +13 60 0-3-3 Nottm For

Leeds beat Forest and we beat Pompey (very tough game)

5 39 +10 64 Leeds Utd
6 39 +21 63 Reading
7 39 +12 60 Nottm For

Forest win away..

5 39 +21 63 Reading
6 39 +13 63 Nottm For
7 39 +08 61 Leeds Utd

They Draw

5 39 +21 63 Reading
6 39 +09 62 Leeds Utd
7 39 +12 61 Nottm For

Fixtures April 2nd


Leeds v Nott'm Forest
Hull v Millwall
Burnley v Ipswich
Cardiff v Derby
Coventry v Watford
Middlesbrough v Leicester
Norwich v Scunthorpe
Preston v Swansea (Not a given for Swansea.)
Reading v Portsmouth (A draw won't be the end of the world, even a defeat might be OK if Leeds draw)

[Mr Angry]

Well, I will put my hands up and say that, after the Cardiff, QPR, Norwich and Sheffield Utd games, I genuinely couldn't see us making up the gap, and yet, a few weeks later, the team has shown depths of character and ability that has been genuinely amazing; had we got ourselves into the position we are now in with a fully fit squad, it would have been an achievement, but to have done it having to use squad players (Bryn was written off as someone unable to play 2 games a week the season we got to the Premier League FFS!) is remarkable.

As has been said, if we make it to the Play-offs, we will have something none of the others who make it will have - momentum.

We are coming from outside the pack, with pretty well no pressure (though it may start now we are getting closer); whereas teams like Leeds, Forest, Leicester et al have been there or thereabouts for much of the season and are crumbling as the prize gets closer.

If we get there, Brian must be in the running for Chamiponship Manager of the season, surely? (As well as Manager of the Month for March)

[PEARCEY]

Agree with most of that Mr A apart from the reference to Leicester who have been bottom half for much of the season and have only hit the top half of the table in the past month or so.

[weybridgewanderer]

this game in hand is not a banker, they are fighting for their life and they have strung a couple of results together

lot of football to be played but thing do look better than a few weeks ago, now we have won 3 league games on the bounce!!

[Mr Angry]

Agree with most of that Mr A apart from the reference to Leicester who have been bottom half for much of the season and have only hit the top half of the table in the past month or so.

Yeah - I think I put Leicester in due to the "Sven effect" ie: the meejay going on about them so much. Mind you, they have spent a FORTUNE on players this season, so the pressure on them to succeed must be huge!

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Well, I will put my hands up and say that, after the Cardiff, QPR, Norwich and Sheffield Utd games, I genuinely couldn't see us making up the gap, and yet, a few weeks later, the team has shown depths of character and ability that has been genuinely amazing; had we got ourselves into the position we are now in with a fully fit squad, it would have been an achievement, but to have done it having to use squad players (Bryn was written off as someone unable to play 2 games a week the season we got to the Premier League FFS!) is remarkable.

As has been said, if we make it to the Play-offs, we will have something none of the others who make it will have - momentum.

We are coming from outside the pack, with pretty well no pressure (though it may start now we are getting closer); whereas teams like Leeds, Forest, Leicester et al have been there or thereabouts for much of the season and are crumbling as the prize gets closer.

If we get there, Brian must be in the running for Chamiponship Manager of the season, surely? (As well as Manager of the Month for March)

Don't want manager of the month thanks - its a bloody curse! Will happily go under the radar for the next 2 mths.

[Z175]

The teams in the top six have the points. They have better ppg and would be marginally expected to stay ahead. There's not much in it, but it's hard to justify the view that we're more likely to get into the playoffs than Forest or Leeds.

Forest have not won for 7 games. Their next five games are all six pointers against the teams around them.

I would say its unlikely they suddenly find better form than us...

[rhroyal]

It's hard to call as we're approaching the time of the season where teams at the bottom present a real threat. Equally a lot has been made about momentum; it only takes 1 bad result to lose it and then we can wave our chances goodbye.

Pompey at home is a big one, they're on pretty decent form and are somewhat a bogey team. If we beat them, I'd back us to follow it up with a win against Preston. After that there's the crunch game at Forest, a team rather out of sorts who I could also see us beating. Win those 3 and it's time to start getting carried away. We'd then face Scunthorpe away; a couple more demoralising results for them between now and then could make our job easier. With luck they'll have little hope by then.

Hopefully by the time we play Coventry and Derby in the final 2 matches, they're both pretty much safe so that they will roll over a little. Sheff Utd at home is an interesting one, as if they build upon yesterday's win and build a little form they could provide a real test by then. Equally Leicester are rather erratic, but could seriously harm us on a good day. And then there's the crunch game at Leeds.

The truth is, we all know that this is an erratic league where very little separates the 24 sides. We're in form, you'd expect that a few of Mills, Pearce, Fedders, Griffin, Cummings, Leigertwood, McAnuff and Hunt would be fit by the time we return in 2 weeks; we're in a healthy position. A position we may not be fortunate enough to find ourselves in again in 12 months time.

I'd also agree that if we do make the play-offs, we'd have a real chance. An in form team that is playing well, when 2 of Swansea/Cardiff/Norwich will be demoralised and in a bad way after missing out on auto. Right now, any team in their right mind would accept Cardiff in the play-offs. My worry would be if us and Burnley make it in, catching Forest and Leeds. I could see them as another in form team and a threat.

So many unknowns, I'm happy just to be in the mix and have a bit of excitement going into the final straight.

One final thing; Cardiff are on poor form and not far ahead of the pack. I'd love it so much if they miss out on the top 6 altogether. Cheating financial doping scum, I hope their overspending catches up with them in the summer. With the squad they have, they should be nailed on for auto and I'll take delight if it all falls apart again.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

The teams in the top six have the points. They have better ppg and would be marginally expected to stay ahead. There's not much in it, but it's hard to justify the view that we're more likely to get into the playoffs than Forest or Leeds.

Forest have not won for 7 games. Their next five games are all six pointers against the teams around them.

I would say its unlikely they suddenly find better form than us...

The poor form from Forest has got to turn around at some point though surely? I fancy us to do it if we beat either Forest or Leeds & win most of our home games. If we were to beat Pompey & then Forest v Leeds was a draw the table could look very interesting on 2nd Apr. We'd be 1 point behind Forest & 2 behind Leeds & still have the game in hand.

These next 2 games look bloody hard for us though against Pompey & Preston. Both in form at the minute & I can see pts getting dropped. Hope not though.

[Svlad Cjelli]

I feel it was pre-destined that we'd reach the play-offs the day that I bought tickets for Roger Waters performing The Wall at the 02 on 18th May.

[Ian Royal]

We are coming from outside the pack, with pretty well no pressure (though it may start now we are getting closer); whereas teams like Leeds, Forest, Leicester et al have been there or thereabouts for much of the season and are crumbling as the prize gets closer.

We've been sitting on the shoulder of the play offs for a lot of the season, but fell away a few months ago and are now hauling it back in again.


EDIT: Was it Billy Davies who got Derby up to be utterly humiliated? It seems to me Forest have been right up there on the edge of automatics recently, only for him to say that they aren't ready for promotion and it would be a disaster for the club. They then seem to fall away miserably towards the end of the season.

If it was Davies at Derby, has that experience made him nervous of getting promoted and getting another humiliation? Is there a psychological weakness that that makes him criticise his team and then destroy their confidence so they fail?

Just something that popped into my head the other day.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

Hate Davies so would laugh if they balls it up. The money they've spent I honestly thought they'd win the league this year. Massively underachieved IMO.

Would like to see Cardiff & Forest fall away regardless of who else makes it.

[Ian Royal]

Hate Davies so would laugh if they balls it up. The money they've spent I honestly thought they'd win the league this year. Massively underachieved IMO.

Would like to see Cardiff & Forest fall away regardless of who else makes it.

Cardiff and Leeds for me. Although Cardiff losing to Swansea in the play offs would be massively Lolsworthy. Especially if we then beat Swansea in the final.

[MmmMonsterMunch]

I don't mind Leeds - think they're a good club with a great set of fans & had to suffer big time for any financial irregularities whereas the likes of Cardiff & Pompey continue to get away with it.

Do not want to play Swansea at any point though.....I actually hope they get auto for that reason. Other than them, I fancy our chances against any of the team in the play-off zone currenty.

[Once were Biscuitmen]

We will make the play-offs, but then fate will once again screw us royally by QPRs points deduction meaning we play them in the Semis....

[zummerset]

Whatever happens I have just spent a happy half hour reading the table and fixtures with a big smile. Come on URZZZZZ....