Thinking the unthinkable

[Easy 10]

I've just realised all the cup travel vouchers have been used up now.

Presumably this means if we do make the Playoffs, we'll have to relinquish our place to the team in 7th.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

These are already the best of days as an Albion fan. Do you mean they can get better ?

Aye Carumba.

 

[Mr Burns]

I wonder if Bloom will take a BIG gamble when the loan window opens on Wednesday and SPLASH out on the players Gus mentioned in Saturdays Argus ?

Yes. It was always said if we were within spitting distance of the playoffs after Christmas, then we would "go for it"

Don't be fooled by Gus' comments on the transfer kitty. We have a game plan, and if that means spending a bit of money, for the right player, I firmly beleibve it will be spent

 

[BHAryan]

would LOVE to make the play offs, at the beginning of the season i wanted to finish mid table and then build again and look to push for play offs because we would get smashed week in week out in the prem but after recent form and seeing the quality we really do have in the likes of buckley and vicente and we would gain a lot of money from the play offs the chance of staying up in the prem wouldnt be as much of a task (still very difficult) but if we were to do a 'blackpool' and have an exciting season and then come back down we might then be better off.. its a tough one

 

[Rugrat]

Not sure this will come out but don't know how to paste an Excel file .. the dates don't line up (too difficult) but the order is correct - yellows are playing against other contenders (Black = home Red = away)

I was bored yesterday

 

[Keeping The Dream Alive.]

Away form and results against the top sides won't be good enough unfortunately. I know the last two away results have been decent but I don't think we'll be solid enough on the road; a few too many of the sides above us in the league we're playing for a second time will have a bit too much for us I think.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

And where are all the moaners now? Goring Gull, Terryberry etc were saying Poyet's job was in doubt a month ago, and that we were shit, despite being mid table in the Championship with 12 players out injured. You were all very vocal then, are you now prepared to admit that you were completely and utterly WRONG?

Probably whinging about Barnes/CMS/Vicente

 

[GreersElbow]

If I'm honest, just finishing 7th would make be a very happy bunny. The prospect of playing in play-offs are exciting, and promotion is making me cream myself.

 

[Willy Dangle]

Saturday is a huge litmus test for me. Win that one and I will start to believe too.

This and This again for me.

 

[seagull_special]

absolutely right and Gus has calmed down and Buckley is on superb form, the defence is solid, we have added 3 premiership players and we have kept our squad intact,we know what the division is all about now and when CMS hits the back of the net, he will become prolific and the Dagger could have a very important part to play. Bloody Hell! do you know what, I am starting to believe!

We have, but the difference with this "peak" is that we have a full squad to pick from. That hasn't been the case all season.

 

[DavePage]

It would be a disappointing end to the season if we only managed 6 points against our rivals out of 8 games,

 

[warmleyseagull]

In last five seasons the maximum points of second palced team was 91, and the minimum 79. This season looks towards lower end as so competitive with several teams in it - my guess is 80 will be at least competitive. That requires 35 points from 17 games, probably 11 wins 2 draws. Exclude the horror period of Sept/Oct when we got 4 points from 9 games and we have averaged just over 2 points per game - enough to get to 80 from here. So I would say, yes, it is doable but bear in mind got to play 8 of the 9 above us

 

[NMH]

If we look only as far as the next couple of matches before we think this a do-able concept, then I'm afraid it'll just evoke a roller-coaster of hopes and fears.

Nope, too many matches yet to be played, and if we drop a couple of points here and there but maintain a decent tally against the other contenders, we can just edge a little closer to nirvana.
I don't want to put a name on it, or pressure before its' time. We have been there before, and we've managed to pull unlikely results off.
Just keep supporting, and be happy there's a dream to live for rather than a trap door to worry about. It might all happen next season or the season after - but that will be amazing too when you think we only just left a running track (bless it's existence!).

Up The ALBION

 

[NMH]

In last five seasons the maximum points of second palced team was 91, and the minimum 79. This season looks towards lower end as so competitive with several teams in it - my guess is 80 will be at least competitive. That requires 35 points from 17 games, probably 11 wins 2 draws. Exclude the horror period of Sept/Oct when we got 4 points from 9 games and we have averaged just over 2 points per game - enough to get to 80 from here. So I would say, yes, it is doable but bear in mind got to play 8 of the 9 above us

How many of the relegation fighters have we yet to play though?
I think you might find they are the slipperiest customers as the season goes on.

 

[warmleyseagull]

Yes, fair point. Scunthorpe 4-1 QPR at tend of last springs to mind. This is a very open division, but you have to say our record last season and this has tended to be brilliant against the crap teams and less so against the top (1 point out of 12 from Saints and Huddersfield last season.

How many of the relegation fighters have we yet to play though?
I think you might find they are the slipperiest customers as the season goes on.

 

[DavePage]

Feel the positive feedback....Doesn’t it feel good?
Some cautious....that’s fine and understandable.
Lose the negativity....wether it’s the pies, tickets, players, standing, early leavers, transport or the queue for the pisser, etc, etc

 

[TheMajor]

Not sure this will come out but don't know how to paste an Excel file .. the dates don't line up (too difficult) but the order is correct - yellows are playing against other contenders (Black = home Red = away)

I was bored yesterday

Interesting - but I can't see Leeds,Blackpool & Hull only losing one game each in their remaining 18 fixtures.

I would say final table will be pretty much as it is now - maybe one outsider coming from nowhere - could be us !

 

[Jim D]

Considering what's happened in other seasons at the same point - 29 games - the stats look really bad for a top 2 finish and not a lot better for a top 6 finish. In the 12 seasons since 2000, of the 24 teams that finished in the top 2, none had 45 points or less after 29 games (lowest was 46 and there was a 47 and a 48). Also, of the 72 teams that finished in the top 6, only 14 had 45 points or less after 29 games. However, of those 14 teams, 6 were promoted via the playoffs - which probably shows that a team with momentum at the end of the season will have a better chance than one of the long term front runners. Another fact to be aware of is that the lowest total after 29 games to win the playoffs was 38 (it was P*l*c*, who are on 39 at the moment).

If we can get to the playoffs I can see us doing very well, so if there's good odds for us just getting promoted then it may be worth a few quid.

 

[Questions]

In november I said prepare for a relegation battle so I`m more than happy to have to eat humble pie. There is one thing though that is stopping us from moving totally in with the big boys of this division and that is our lack of a free goal scoring striker. Lack of form ? Lack of chances ? I`m not sure but looking back over all our promotions of yesteryear we have nearly always had a front man who has been prolific in front of goal. Ward, Nelson, Zamora, Knight and a double 20 last season from Barnes and Murray. We need CMS to start scoring and then I believe we might just have a sniff of the play offs.

 

[warmleyseagull]

this thread has prompted me to take out £25 for promo at 12/1 with William Hill - can get up to 17/1 at Corals.