Table starting to form

[fleet]

Bounce me later in the season, but realistically we are not going to be in the top two (unless the prem players that we get in on loan are something very special in the goal scoring department AND we get lucky). Play offs are very realistic. Despite the strength in depth, suspensions and injuries have been and remain too many. We are relying too much on Buckley for goals at this moment and he will not stay in that form all season - others have to be regular scoreres too and we need a number of people who will do what Buckley does and convert almost every decent chance they get.

Now cup final that is different ....... just a few one off games to get lucky in and anything can happen in a cup game (even though we all understand that Liverpool are much much bettter than us and on paper they will beat us easily at Anfiield, but we don't play on paper do we)!

 

[beorhthelm]

We could do playoffs 9 wins 3 draws 5 losses could see us there.

in simpler terms, 3 points more in the run in than the 4-5 teams above. very doable. one thing ive seen this year is form counts for crap, all teams have had shock defeats/surprise wins. we do need good home form, thats a given to go up i think (though Middlesborough seems to be trying to prove that wrong)

 

[leigull]

I'll settle for chasing the play offs. We're bound to hit a rough patch at some point, whether our form drops or we just don't get the rub of the green. As long as we keep ahead of Palace, I'm happy

 

[JOLovegrove]

To get second we would need some serious problems to occur for the likes of Southampton, Hull, Birmingham and Reading. Is that really going to happen? Whereas he play offs, that is very much in touching distance. We need to beat Leeds first. That would put them 3 points behind us and at least 4 points from the play offs. My prediction is we are going to get 7th, which, bearing in mind where we a few years ago is very good.

 

[seagullondon]

I think where we finish hinges on Vicente. With him fit and creating goals playoffs are easily in reach.

Anyone can beat anyone in this league and our home form has been magnificent. If we can keep it going and pick up points away from home who knows what could happen. Deep down, not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine us making the playoffs this year.

 

[pasty]

Must admit I'm starting to dare to dream......

 

[kevtherev]

I think West Ham will go up as champions. Birmingham will grab second. Then the play off spots in order will go to Southampton,Blackpool,Leeds(if Warnock goes there) and Brighton....In that order means we play Southampton in the Play offs and Leeds in the final at Wembley, where Warnock will do us again in a play off final.

 

[brightonrock]

We're not going to make the promotion spots - think play-offs is a possibility but if the season finished today I'd take the mid-table position we appear to have nailed down. West Ham will cruise it now. Have a feeling Blackpool/Cardiff and as an outside shot, Reading, will be in the fight for the second automatic space. Southampton will finish in the play-offs. I think they'll start to fall away (I know, that's what they were saying about us last year) as teams seem to have worked out their plan.

Get the ball. Get it wide. Cross it. Lambert heads it in the corner. Go again.

 

[Dougie]

I think a few are getting too excited thinking top 2 But on your currant form a play off place is looking good Im still not discounting no one because anyone can have a purple patch ( even us ) But I will look forward , however , to you fu cking it up !

 

[Marc1901]

It may sound stupid at the moment but Leeds could be quite a big game..

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

To be honest I'm more excited about catching Saints, just 7 points behind now. Thatwould be hilarious.

Do they say averaging 2 points a game gets you up? Only West ham are even in the ballpark. Very congested below from 2-11.

My money is West Ham and Blackpool for top 2, Cardiff, Boro + 2 for play-offs. Probably Saints, but that could go 2 ways - strong finish or complete collapse. I'd rather have my money on them than not, though. Reading are settled and I fancy them for the fourth spot. Birmingham don't travel well and have a tough run-in, Leeds - changing manager can't be a good thing right now. Hull, Burnley, Brighton are the outsiders - but anyone could do it with a good run.

 

[Rugrat]

I just spent the last hour (cos I hate snow!) plugging fixtures into a spreadsheet and chucking in likely points of top 10 teams. Perhaps I've been a bit harsh on us but I get:

=1st West Ham/Birmingham
3rd Blackpool
4th Southampton
=5th Leeds/Hull
7th Cardiff
8th Albion

All a bit disappointing but sure if I did it again it would look completely different

 

[Biscuit]

Top two? No chance! If we hit and maintain eceptional form we might just sneak into the play-offs and whilst it is true that from there anything can happen, we would undoubtedly be the underdogs against sides with more experience. I'm still saying top ten would be a stunning season but there is no point in not going for it because whichever teams don't go up this season will strengthen for next while those who do go up will quite probably try to cherry pick the best players from this league, and we have Bridcutt, Buckley, CMS, Dunk, Noone ..................... all of whom might be susceptible to a big bid and the chance to play in the Prem.

So sure, go for it and believe........................but don't think of it as failure if we don't get there!

A stinging dose of reality right here. Excellent post.

If we win a game we're going up and if we lose we're relegation fodder. NSC is schizophrenic.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

in simpler terms, 3 points more in the run in than the 4-5 teams above. very doable. one thing ive seen this year is form counts for crap, all teams have had shock defeats/surprise wins. we do need good home form, thats a given to go up i think (though Middlesborough seems to be trying to prove that wrong)

this

 

[Turkey]

I think our remaining fixtures look a bit tricky and it'll be a tough to break into the top 6. However, if we can pull off a few suprise away wins at some good sides (Leeds, Hull etc) then we'll be in with a chance.

I'm just happy that we're basically 5 points from safety now! We're basically safe, so we should just go for it, nothing to lose. Go for wins rather than draws, if it backfires, so be it!

 

[Mutts Nuts]

I think a few are getting too excited thinking top 2 But on your currant form a play off place is looking good Im still not discounting no one because anyone can have a purple patch ( even us ) But I will look forward , however , to you fu cking it up !

who are your team?

 

[Dougie]

The team you could'nt beat .

 

[Don Quixote]

If Vicente plays we will make the playoffs.

 

[Notters]

what have you lot been smoking?

Ganja see how well we're doing now?

 

[Seagulltonian]

With 17 fixtures left, 10/11 of those matches are against teams that could be there or thereabouts in the shakeup for promotion/play-off places.

Teams could take points of each other, so who know's how it's going to go.

Should be a exciting ride to the end of the season, and with our current great run of form, we could be up in those positions again!

Here's to more 90th minute Buckley winners'