Playoffs, your thoughts

[1066familyman]

All I ask is that we go in with a manager who hasn't already decided to walk regardless of the results.

Not too much to ask, surely.

 

[jabba]

From a fan's perspective, extending the season and winning a final at Wembley is the most exciting finish. I would happily forgo that pleasure if we sneaked an automatic promotion.

 

[Saint Lennard]

Said before a ball was kicked that we would lose in the play off final. Still think the same.

 

[Norman Potting]

give me that hand of yours.....oh you can't,i have already snapped it off.

My dream is to see Bobby Z to fire us to guranteed automatic promotion v Derby, and for the benefit of all those loyal fans who travel far and wide, do the same for us to go up as Champions v Middlesborough the following week.

 

[pottert]

As it stands I will accept 6th.
We are a couple of wins away from pretty much guaranteeing a top six finish.

 

[NooBHA]

All I ask is that we go in with a manager who hasn't already decided to walk regardless of the results.

Not too much to ask, surely.

Your ask is granted

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Rather get auto than be in the playoffs...... Obviously.

Rather be in the playoffs than miss out completely.

Not getting in to the playoffs would be failure, given where we are now.

Are we safe yet, is still a question on my mind......

 

[chaileyjem]

We've got ourselves into a position where we've got 2 bites of the cherry: Get something in the region of 2 points a game, and we'll probably finish top 2. Arse up the next 13 games and we'll probably still finish top 6 - I predict we need another 12 points - and have a shot in the lottery of the play-offs.

The whole recent history of our failure in the play-offs is irrelevant. I think that, injuries notwithstanding, the only player out of the current first choice 11 that had any involvement in 2013 and 2014's efforts is Dale Stephens. Oh yeah, minor detail I know, but the current squad is better as well.

edit: Stephens was injured in 2014, so make that no one involved in either play-off debacle.

PS: Bruno would have been in our first choice 11 for 13/14 if fit. Greer not in current 11 but arguably still first choice.

 

[Machiavelli]

You are so wrong! I have relished every other time that we have made the playoffs but the crushing defeats in the last two ( and they were crushing!) have left a mark for the next one

We were EVERYBODYS nailed on favourites the year we lost to Palace. I don't buy the "we are better placed" this time argument. We do not have the strength of the other contenders, sure we can beat them very occasionally and draw with them in one off games but we seem to struggle to beat the teams at the top when it really matters, even this season. We have beaten Hull, that's it isn't it?

I admire your optimism though.

-- I pay no attention to past play-offs when considering up-coming ones
-- we've beaten Hull, but it's only Boro in the top six that have beaten us; we've also played all of the others in the top six (apart from Boro) away from home, whereas we've still got :loll:, Derby and Burnley to come at home
-- when we've got the chance to go six points ahead of fifth place and 11 ahead of seventh by winning tonight, why are you saying that "we don't have the strength of the other contenders"? Which team have got better wingers than us? And goalkeeper? Which pairing would you swap for Kayal and Stephens? I'd be surprised if any of the other contenders have got the strength in depth at centre back that we have, and I can't think of many better full-back trios than Bruno, Bong and Rosenoir.
-- I thought we'd finished eighth at the end of August, so the team have exceeded my expectations; I predicted Boro and Hull would go up automatically, and that Burnley would do so through the play-offs. I'm not that optimistic then, nor pessimistic, and certainly not a realist.

 

[chaileyjem]

Having had two terrible experiences in the playoffs recently I can't help feeling that we'd feck it up again.

Are our experiences in the play offs really any worse than lets say; Boro or Derby ?
Derby's last 2 seasons must be even more of a "terrible experience" than ours.
Going out at Wembley with Zamora's last kick and then top of the table in Feb yet to miss play offs by one point.
Why is the grass always greener over there Icy ?

 

[Icy Gull]

Why is the grass always greener over there Icy ?

Simple answer is that since the early 90's we have had three chances to get in to the top division and failed every time. All the other teams around us have been there at least once in that period and some have made it a few times. We are underachievers in the playoffs, having been lucky in just the one

Anyway I wish I had both yours and [MENTION=16716]Mac[/MENTION]hievelli's faith that we will do it this time. I will be completely ecstatic, if we do, just as I was at St James Park in the days when I actually expected Albion to sweep all before them

 

[darkwolf666]

Simple answer is that since the early 90's we have had three chances to get in to the top division and failed every time. All the other teams around us have been there at least once in that period and some have made it a few times. We are underachievers in the playoffs, having been lucky in just the one

Anyway I wish I had both yours and [MENTION=16716]Mac[/MENTION]hievelli's faith that we will do it this time. I will be completely ecstatic, if we do, just as I was at St James Park in the days when I actually expected Albion to sweep all before them

Does history have an effect on results? How many of the team that lost to Palace and Derby are still in the first team squad to be concerned by what has gone before?

Or are you suggesting it becomes part of the psyche of the club? Once a loser, always a loser?

 

[Icy Gull]

Does history have an effect on results? How many of the team that lost to Palace and Derby are still in the first team squad to be concerned by what has gone before?

Or are you suggesting it becomes part of the psyche of the club? Once a loser, always a loser?

Nope I am just stating how I feel about it, the club is in an excellent place and has done brilliantly given what happened last season. I desperately hope that we can pull off auto as I do not enjoy playoffs anymore

The thread was about NSCers thoughts. We don't all have to be happy clappy enthusiasts.although I was when I first started supporting the Albion.

 

[Hotchilidog]

First of all I would like us to secure a playoff spot as soon as possible to at least give us a shot of going up. A third top six finish out of four would be a remakable achievement and a real statement of where we stand in this division whether anyone ioutside of Sussex wants to give us any credit for that or not.

Secondly can we please, please, please, please get in the top two and just go up automatically, I too am amongst the ranks of those who fear their nerves will not be able to endure another playoff campaign.

 

[darkwolf666]

Nope I am just stating how I feel about it, the club is in an excellent place and has done brilliantly given what happened last season. I desperately hope that we can pull off auto as I do not enjoy playoffs anymore

The thread was about NSCers thoughts. We don't all have to be happy clappy enthusiasts.although I was when I first started supporting the Albion.

I must admit I am surprised that after 45 years of supporting The Albion I am still a glass half full supporter! I guess when you have come through and seen such low times the present seems like a fairytale and we all know fairytales have happy endings!

 

[chaileyjem]

Anyway I wish I had your faith that we will do it this time.

I'm not certain we will do either top 2 or top 6 and win play offs. Who can say for sure ? But at this stage we are well placed to do both, are better prepared than even 12/13 and 13/14, in a better position with 10 games or so to go than any time since 1983. And we're certainly , at the moment, holding our own against Derby, Burnley, Hull etc with only a few points separating us. Not sure past performance should logically matter given the players, manager, squad are all completely different, but you're arguing its all sewn up entirely because of that.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Rather get auto than be in the playoffs...... Obviously.

Rather be in the playoffs than miss out completely.

Not getting in to the playoffs would be failure, given where we are now.

Are we safe yet, is still a question on my mind......

Just having checked the table re my last point:
1. All three teams at the bottom can still catch us.
2. If we win tonight, only one of them can - Rotherham.
3. One more win after that, and we are safe.
4. But I think the likelihood of Rotherham winning all their remaining games is fairly remote, ............

......... so I am quite happy about that.

 

[perseus]

Whatever happens were at the business in of the table, strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.

That's what its al about It will be a tense second half tonight. I just hope we show promotion form. A must not lose game!

Remembering Sunderland in the promotion year 0-1 down until Potts came on and Orient in the last season at the Goldstone.

That and we will be playing Derby over two legs, again!

 

[darkwolf666]

That's what its al about It will be a tense second half tonight. I just hope we show promotion form. A must not lose game!

Remembering Sunderland in the promotion year 0-1 down until Potts came on and Orient in the last season at the Goldstone.

That and we will be playing Derby over two legs, again!

If we don't get automatic spot I hope we do get Derby as their chairman doesn't want them to go up this year, maybe he would give us a walkover to the final...

 

[KZNSeagull]

Of the 3 squads we have had in the Amex years, I think this one and the manager are the most likely to obtain play-off success.

Not that I want us to be in them, but I would be quietly confident if we were. Still think we will be in the top 2 though.