Would you take 4th place now?

[Millsy]

I'm sure you all heard the interesting disagreement on BBCRB at this question.

In case the Q isn't clear from the title: if you had the option of taking a 4th place finish right now (vs playing out the rest of the season to see what happens) would you accept it?

Don't let your bias of who said what sway you but IIRC Dellor was a bit stumped before deciding he wouldn't jump at 4th on the current showing and would wait it out thinking we can do better, but I think Adie and Gooding were saying they'd definitely take it. TBH I was stumped too so I thought it'd be interesting to see what HNA thinks.

[tidus_mi2]

It would be nice to guarantee a top 6 finish now but we always lose the play-offs so I'm going to say no

[Stranded]

It would be nice to guarantee a top 6 finish now but we always lose the play-offs so I'm going to say no

That is my thinking - given our record in the play-offs 4th just gives us a maximum of 3 games and we'll lose at least one of them (or lose on pens) - almost might as well finish 7th.

[Hendo]

After the last couple of seasons? Yes, 100%

[CountryRoyal]

In this hypothetical context, assuming the new season started soon then yes 100%. My only reason for not taking a playoff spot now would be because life is pretty oxf*rd dull right now and I actually look forward to when we play again.

[Snowball]

Ask me when we are 7th, "Would you take fourth?" I'd say yes

But while top and three points clear, "Taking Fourth" is wimpism extremis

[NewCorkSeth]

yes.

[Nameless]

No.
It totally misses the point of what the game is about.
The only reason for the club to exist is to play 46 games, it's not about being 'given' a particular finishing place. There would be no satisfaction, or even validity in such a finish. I want to see us play games and then finish wherever the results decide, anything else is pointless.

[South Coast Royal]

On balance probably a No from me.
It is not just the thought of the inevitable losing play-off but if we finished 4th it would mean that 3 teams are generally better than us.

I wouldn't want us to get promoted without a team that is already the best or second best at this level (i.e. automatic promotion)because the gap now between Championship and Premier League seems greater than ever so , as with our first ever such promotion, I would like us to have a team that is a Premier League side waiting to happen.

At the moment in this current squad I don't see enough players that will ever be ready to step up so it would take an enormous investment just IMHO for us to not get relegated .
The one exception to all of this is Sheffield United with their unique way of playing but otherwise promoted teams have tended to struggle in recent times.
We have been there and done it with a team where investment was insufficient and it has taken years to recover from the experience as has happened with the likes of Derby, Sunderland ,Pompey Ipswich, Barnsley, Bradford, Oxford, Wimbledon, Sheff Wednesday etc. over the years.

Obviously if we do happen to make it the achievement will have been fantastic with some enjoyable viewing along the way but for the moment I am more than happy with the good start and hope that we are taking steps towards building a side good enough to get promoted in the not too distant future and then to hold our own as we did so marvellously in that first season up.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Yes, I don't back us to finish in the top 2 and we I'd love to see us break the play-off hoodoo. I've seen us win the league, but I've never been able to celebrate victory at Wembley.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I wouldn't want us to get promoted without a team that is already the best or second best at this level (i.e. automatic promotion)because the gap now between Championship and Premier League seems greater than ever so , as with our first ever such promotion, I would like us to have a team that is a Premier League side waiting to happen.

At the moment in this current squad I don't see enough players that will ever be ready to step up so it would take an enormous investment just IMHO for us to not get relegated .

I wouldn’t write us off so quickly. Rafael, Yiadom, Richards, Moore and Joao all seem like the sort of players who could carry good form into the PL.

Swift is arguably best cut out for that level, Olise is a great talent and Ejaria has raw ability to cause problems even if he does need to improve his decision making and end product. And then there's Meite, who many will feel is simply not good enough technically for the PL but who has proven us wrong in the past and is growing into a more rounded player.

Obviously we'd need to strengthen; a PL partner for Moore, a top class midfielder who can help us retain the ball better and some proper cutting edge up front. But I don't think we'd need wholesale changes.

Of course, discussing how ready for the PL our team is after 6 games is ludicrous, but we're fans and are allowed to be excitable and irrational if we want.

[Fox Talbot]

Absolutely not.

The goal has to be automatic promotion. You've a 75% chance of not getting what you want from the play-offs or in Reading's case so far 100%. The play-offs cost money, add tension and usually end in lasting disappointment, The team that goes up very often comes straight down.

Ask me again in April when we're 14th and I might change my mind!

[TiagoIlori]

Yes. I don’t think we have the squad to compete for the automatics but the playoffs would be a fantastic achievement.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Ask me when we are 7th, "Would you take fourth?" I'd say yes

But while top and three points clear, "Taking Fourth" is wimpism extremis

Ennit. Beta cuck mentality.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'd take 4th right now if I can still watch the games that get us there. Hell, I'd take 7th.

Like CR, don't want 9 months without football.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

The poll is closer than brexit! Being that it is 50/50 at the moment.

A deeply decided fan base

[tidus_mi2]

The poll is closer than brexit! Being that it is 50/50 at the moment.

A deeply decided fan base

I feel it would be more one-sided if we didn't have such a shit record in the play-offs.

[andrew1957]

I am a tad of a gambler and so it is a no from me - lets just see how the season pans out. The next five games are all very winnable against sides in the middle to lower half of the table and so if we carry on playing really well we could conceivably end up with 31 points after 11 games. OK that is a stretch but far from impossible and then top 2 would become a real possibility as based on the number of points it typically takes to be in the top 2 we would only need around 1.65/1.7 points per game on average over the last 35 games - which should be doable.

I have always said (and been shouted down on occasion) that getting a good start in this division is incredibly important as it sets the tone for the whole season.

[bcubed]

Can’t take another play off. It’s a No from me

[LUX]

agreed with all the "oh no, not the play-offs again". Been to every final.

but I nevertheless voted YES

but I am fcking proud of our start and I love every single one of our players.