Will we make the top 6?

[Rugrat]

Really? Reading lost 3 on the bounce only 3 weeks ago. Likewise Ipswich lost 2 and drew 2 at the turn of the year. Wigan have played less away games than most and with 2 games in hand will still fancy their chances. I'd say 6th is still wide open, and not requiring a freak of epic proportions at all. Reading go away to QPR next week, then home to Blackburn, by the time they visit us on March 8th, things could look very different.

I'll grant you the top 5 are looking solid, but 6th could come from anywhere from 5 or 6 teams.

Your Ipswich and Reading examples pale into insignificance by comparison. Last year (from this point) Leicester only won 2 of their last 17 and Boro only won 3 ... out of 51 points available they only managed 12 and 11 respectively. Add to that Palace only managed 1 in from their last 10 picking up a miserable 8 points.

Yes teams go on bad runs but last year was unique in the massive fall off from my recollection

It's those sorts of catastrophic failures we'll need and while we might hope for 1 or 2 there's no way I can see 3 or 4. Add to that teams like Wigan who have real strength and look dangerous, plus the likes of Boro and Blackburn on the fringes, then I just think it's too much to expect, particularly as we are hardly on fire!!

 

[Napper]

not impossible but unlikely now.

6 months of the season gone we are proving to be a side 7th to 10th.

Hard to see that change with the competition we have for 5th and 6th ,the fact our home record is not great and we look a way off getting on a decent run

 

[Steve Foster]

Not a hope in hells chance.

This.

We haven't got momentum

 

[Bold Seagull]

Your Ipswich and Reading examples pale into insignificance by comparison. Last year (from this point) Leicester only won 2 of their last 17 and Boro only won 3 ... out of 51 points available they only managed 12 and 11 respectively. Add to that Palace only managed 1 in from their last 10 picking up a miserable 8 points.

Yes teams go on bad runs but last year was unique in the massive fall off from my recollection

It's those sorts of catastrophic failures we'll need and while we might hope for 1 or 2 there's no way I can see 3 or 4. Add to that teams like Wigan who have real strength and look dangerous, plus the likes of Boro and Blackburn on the fringes, then I just think it's too much to expect, particularly as we are hardly on fire!!

I don't really know where you are coming from on this. Last season we got 75 pts. That has been enough for a play off spot in the championship for the last decade, regardless of bad runs others had. Not getting a play off spot with 75 points would have been a one off. You have to go back to 99/00 for the last time 75 wasn't enough.

I don't disagree with you that it will be tough for us to make it as there are 5 or so teams in and around this, but you stated like it would need failures of epic proportions and I just don't see that. It just needs a team to have a decent run of games. We've got 3 home games on the spin now, I'll be happy to review the league position after that.

 

[B.W.]

It's a No from me. Oscar was not supported sufficiently in the window, and he remains far too cautious in his selections for the front 3 (really 1).

 

[Mellotron]

Tough, but MILES off being impossible.

I usually avoid this place after a loss because the amount of utter TURD being spouted increases exponentially.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Last season we were:
P28 W10 D12 L6 PTS 42

This season:
P28 W10 D10 L8 PTS 40

We've played one more away game at this point this season than last season.

Still a lot of football to be played this season.

 

[nwgull]

I'd say it's unlikely. Still a lot of points to play for though, a run of 3 wins changes everything in this league.

Either way, it's not the end of the world is it. Worst case is that we end up mid table with summer for Oscar to put his mark on the squad and, hopefully, spend some of the Bridcutt cash.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I'd say it's unlikely. Still a lot of points to play for though, a run of 3 wins changes everything in this league.

Either way, it's not the end of the world is it. Worst case is that we end up mid table with summer for Oscar to put his mark on the squad and, hopefully, spend some of the Bridcutt cash.

Actually this raises an issue.

Can the cash from the Bridcutt sale ( this season's FFP ), be used in the summer and count as a credit for next season's FFP

In other words if Tony 'only' loses 2.5 million this year because of the Bridcutt money, is he allowed to lose 7.5 million next year

 

[Codner's Wallop]

I think there has been a certain level of resignation among board members that we won't go up this season. There looks to be five/six teams vying for the final play-off spot so any clubs spending big to claim it, are taking a massive risk.

We have an outside chance but I'm sure the club is already looking ahead to a serious push for promotion in 2014/15. Some key players are out of contract and OG will have a great chance to re-shape the team to fit his style of football. It's only fair he's judged on his success/failure when the guy moulds his own team - not a re-jig of Poyet's personnel.

 

[Notters]

Actually this raises an issue.

Can the cash from the Bridcutt sale ( this season's FFP ), be used in the summer and count as a credit for next season's FFP

In other words if Tony 'only' loses 2.5 million this year because of the Bridcutt money, is he allowed to lose 7.5 million next year

I think the club's accountants will arrange the losses in such a way that the maximum allowable is reached each season (this reduces year on year). I know the maximum loss is £8m this season and £5m next. Anyone know what it is beyond that?

 

[Marshy]

We wont if we adopt the vast majority peopkle who have voted in this polls attitude.

75% of this board are clearly quiters who give up at the first sign of a sticky patch.

Embarrassing at times.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I think the club's accountants will arrange the losses in such a way that the maximum allowable is reached each season (this reduces year on year). I know the maximum loss is £8m this season and £5m next. Anyone know what it is beyond that?

6m next season I think, then 5m thereafter.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Do I predict we will be in the top 6? No.

Do I think we CAN? Absolutely.

3 home games in a row is MASSIVE and our run in looks LOVELY. Out of the last 8 games we play Boro, Charlton, Blackpool, Yeovil at home. We'd all agree you'd have them as "Hope to win".

Our away games include Barnsley and Huddersfield. Again, away games you'd target as ones we would hope to pick up points.

It's far from over. Last season people were righting us off WAY to early and we put a run together. No reason it can't happen again.

I CRINGE when I hear "must win" or "thats the playoffs out of reach now" in EARLY FEB.

 

[GolfingGull]

No play offs this year but I'm ok with championship football next season all the while we are top half and not sweating on relegation. We will benefit from ffp once it kicks in as well, others won't be able to buy promotion.

 

[Rugrat]

I don't really know where you are coming from on this. Last season we got 75 pts. That has been enough for a play off spot in the championship for the last decade, regardless of bad runs others had. Not getting a play off spot with 75 points would have been a one off. You have to go back to 99/00 for the last time 75 wasn't enough.

I don't disagree with you that it will be tough for us to make it as there are 5 or so teams in and around this, but you stated like it would need failures of epic proportions and I just don't see that. It just needs a team to have a decent run of games. We've got 3 home games on the spin now, I'll be happy to review the league position after that.

I don't disagree on 75 but to get there will need all the factors of last season to be repeated

We go on a fantastic streak which will need to be at least as good as if not better than last year
At least 2 (possibly 3 or 4) of the teams above us collapse to the proportions of Leicester and Boro last year
None of those around us (don to Boro) put together a better run than us

I just don't see it .... not to say I'm not hopeful

 

[Notters]

I don't disagree on 75 but to get there will need all the factors of last season to be repeated

We go on a fantastic streak which will need to be at least as good as if not better than last year
At least 2 (possibly 3 or 4) of the teams above us collapse to the proportions of Leicester and Boro last year
None of those around us (don to Boro) put together a better run than us

I just don't see it .... not to say I'm not hopeful

It sounds like you do disagree on the 75 then. Either it's enough and it doesn't matter what the other teams do, or it isn't.

 

[Normandy seagull]

upcoming fixtures bar donny look tricky- so a "No" from me