Playoffs pessimism

[Monkey Man]

We are going to be asking an awful lot of our remaining strikers, and any potential loanee.

I think we have the quality in the squad to be top six but it's a weird, unpredictable division. If I was forced to bet on the three going up it would probably be Watford, Cardiff, and Palace.

 

[kevo]

Boro have already lost 16 games this season (compared to our 7) - there is no way they are going to make the play-offs, especially given their relegation form so far this year. I think both Leeds and Bolton have a bit too much ground to make up (although could be rather different if Bolton win on Sat). Forest are the real danger.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The way I see it if we can go to Cardiff and win then we can beat anyone, anywhere. Our 1st XI are all fit and we've been on a decent run. Isn't this what football is all about - being in the hunt for the big prize? I don't have any time for negativity now, we should enjoy the ride, back our squad and stay positive.

 

[Biffer]

All our playoff rivals are looking at us as 'that' team that hits form at the end of the season and gets promoted. The team that wins plenty and is very hard to beat. U-huh.

 

[Giraffe]

I am 50:50. I feel we are a very very difficult side to beat still and if we reached the play offs no one would want us for that exact reason. But can we win enough games between now and the end of the season? I'm not sure. After Saturday I would have said yes because we appeared to have a goalscorer and a system of play that was working. After Tuesday our goalscorer was too tired to play and then looked tired when forced on. Can he therefore produce the goods when needed from now on? Don't know.

It all hinges on our ability to score games when on top as I am convinced we will be on top of most games from now to May, but it's all about scoring goals.

So I'm on the fence. That said, we are certainly better placed than last season in terms of the strength and quality of the first eleven and the squad, so that has to help a great deal.

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

We are going to have to accept that we need to grind out a whole series of one nil wins, even though that is not good for the heart at my age!

The difficulty will be the play-offs where we have to win on aggregate against Hull, Palace, Watford, Leicester or Forest and then beat one of them in the final as well. may be a step too far this year.

Interesting to see the Sky Sports odds for promotion which had us as 9/2 compatred to those below at 9/1 or more. Cardiff 1/16!

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Will Vicente fly up to Manchester rather than take a very long coach journey for Saturday's game ?

 

[Hotchilidog]

Looking at the fixtures list for Saturday, I've suddenly become very pessimistic about our playoff chances.

You have to fancy Forest to beat Wolves at home and Leicester should also beat Sheff Wed too. We know first-hand that out-of-sorts Middlesbrough won't have an easy time at Bristol City.

I'd take a point at Bolton if offered, and it won't be easy to come back with that.

It's all giving me a sense of deja vu from last season - slipping away from the playoff picture when the going gets tough.

Convince me otherwise, please...

I fairness I would think that other teams would be thinking the same way too. I do not think there is a banker result left in this division between now and the end of the season, that is the beauty of this league. A point against Bolton would be huge given the form they are in, and it would also keep us in the top six with another game gone. Even a defeat would see us at worst just one point off the playoffs with a game in hand.

The other good news is that, at least for now, we do not NEED to rely on other results to achieve our goal, anything we get whilst still in 6th is going to hurt our rivals, of that you can be sure.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Are the play-off positions decided on saturday then?

Silly old me, I thought there were a lot of points to play for yet.

 

[kevo]

I think CMS being ruled out is a more of a blow than people imagine, especially with Hoskins out injured too. It's going to put a hell of a burden on Ulloa's shoulders... I'm still positive we can do it, tho.

 

[Albumen]

I still have hopes for 2nd. BELIEVE.

 

[detsknil]

We will make the playoffs, it's getting promoted after that where my optimism wains. We have players who are scoring at the moment, we have a great defending record, we have excellent mid-field players who are able to hold the ball up, maintain possession most of the time, and we have a keeper who is in brilliant form at the moment. As someone else mentioned it's an unpredictable league right now, points are so close, and on the day anything can happen. Playoffs yes, promotion, doubtful.

 

[Mellotron]

Nuts to it all. Even if we make playoffs I don't see us going up this year. The right 2-3 players in the summer and the important players staying and we would get AUTO next season.

 

[seagulls4ever]

If we don't make the play-offs it will be down to negative tactics. With the squad we have I would consider that a failure.

 

[Foolg]

Who knows.

But it's bloody exciting and that's enough to keep me going. As long as we're in with a shot until the last game of the season that'll do me.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Nuts to it all. Even if we make playoffs I don't see us going up this year. The right 2-3 players in the summer and the important players staying and we would get AUTO next season.

The icing on the cake for me is to knock out Palace in the semis of the playoffs as I can't see us beating Udinese "B" in the final.

 

[Ernest]

I'm PEESIMISTIC too with GORMLESS Gus doing HIS tinkerman IMPRESSION every MATCH

 

[Greavsey]

Who knows.

But it's bloody exciting and that's enough to keep me going. As long as we're in with a shot until the last game of the season that'll do me.

Totally agree, I am loving the run in so far! But promotion next season is key in order to keep the whole positive momentum of the club going IMHO.

 

[Gazwag]

Whatever Saturday's result is next Tuesday is very important we must get 3 points.

Then we have 5 ultra important games, 4 of which are very much "6 pointers" if we are still in the top 6 at 5pm on 13 April then we should be able to stay there.

 

[Stat Brother]

It's just the nature of Tuesday's point 'talking'.

The sooner that's out of the system and shaken off, we are back on.

I had Bolton as the hardest of these 3 games, and now I think it's a banker.
They have to take the game to us, on a decent pitch, and we have a point to prove.

4:45pm Saturday, NSC will be back to it's bullish best.