LAST 12 GAMES

[Upton Rover]

Well, we are into the last 12 games of the season, 6 at Home & 6 Away from home.
We are in a really strong position to cement a pay-off place, WHY? Reasons as follow.
I have seen a lot of people on here talking about play off’s, and they all point to current FORM, Forget that form goes out of the window, More so at this time of the season, These are the key facts to our success.
Keeping players FIT, and we are top of the division at the moment, infarct we are the top of the whole of English football with 1st team players not in full training, as of last night it stood at ZERO, when were we last in a position like that? Hope Keegan wont be out for long.
What this does is forces more on competition for places, and that is good for the team, last nights game proves this. Just 2 months ago our bench was almost full of the younger players, ( no disrespect to them) but now we have players on the bench that can come on and change a game, That is what is required in the last 12 games.
I have also taken into account the current card table, with a view to further suspensions, and we are looking good at that, a lot healthier that other clubs.
So I do predict that for this reason we will get into the play off’s, last 6 away games will go
WDDLWW
and last 6 homes will be
WLDWWW
ANOTHER 24 POINTS + OUR CURRENT 48 =72

[GazLaz]

I think our run in is difficult. Results against the teams around us will obviously be key. It is substantially more likely we finish outside the top 6 than in it. 

[Donnywolf]

To actually GET promoted we are 7th "favourite" AND  ....

to get a top 6 finish at all .... http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/league-1/top-6-finish we are still in 7th place with no betting on presumably Bristol City / PNE / MKD

So it looks like your view of outside Top 6 is backed up !

[acko]

I made my forcast yesterday and have no reason to change my mind,preston and blades hold the key be4 last night got all other contenders to play pity we just couldn't hold on last night,our home form could be vital,thought blades was a good thing but any more slip ups and the pack will be on their backs.peterboro have on paper easiest run in

[GazLaz]

The only thing in our favour is that the last few games are on paper the easier ones. Beating P'borough and Bradford would be massive.

[drfc1951]

We have as much chance as any of the teams around us.We can beat Peterborough and Bradford,Swindon I expect us to beat.We are capable of getting something at Gillingham and MK.It might go down to last match I think.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Not sure where we get this "we've got a hard run-in" line from. The issue is whether it's harder than our competitors

The realistic contenders now probably go down as far as Rochdale in 14th. Unlikely that anyone from Walsall downwards will make a serious challenge (Walsall have 44 points from 34 games. Even to hit 68 points, they'd need  a record of W7 D3 L2, which is unlikely to happen.)

Of the 9 teams in contention for the final spot, this is how many of the top 6 and the top 10 they still each have to playe

Donny 3 & 5
Chesterfield 2&5
Bradford 3 & 6
Peterborough 2&5
Barnsley 3&6
Oldham 3&7
Port Vale 4 & 4
Gillingham 2&5
Fleetwood 4 & 5
Rochdale  3 & 5

So, precious little in it to be honest. Gillingham and Chesterfield have marginally the easiest run-ins by that metric. But by another comparison, we're in the box seat. We are the only side in contention that doesn't still have to play either of the red-hot form teams in the top 2. We've got them out the way now. CHances are that most of the others are going to get beaten in those matches.

[Upton Rover]

I made my forcast yesterday and have no reason to change my mind,preston and blades hold the key be4 last night got all other contenders to play pity we just couldn't hold on last night,our home form could be vital,thought blades was a good thing but any more slip ups and the pack will be on their backs.peterboro have on paper easiest run in

There is no such thing, as a easy game on paper, Every game is hard, if you think any other you would never win a game. Look at all our games we have played, and look at the so called easy win ones, Yes what do you see?? more points taken from the ones we never expected to. Throw your form book away.
ROVERS v BLUNTS playoff final. Nailed on

[Donnywolf]

I think there ARE easier games on Paper (Chelsea v Bradford City  for example)but as you say its on the pitch where it becomes a bit more difficult as the theory is challenged by the practical !

[IDM]

At least we can have a sensible debate on reaching the play offs, which whilst still a challenge is actually realistic.

Where are the posters who were very quick to have a go at the club and the board at the start of the season, who criticised the ambition and budgets?

Surely the aim was to be competitive - which, the performances in the pitch, the results and the standing in the table, prove that we are?

[BillyStubbsTears]

Makes you wonder what we'd have achieved if we'd had more than two bloody weeks to prepare in the close season.

[GazLaz]

I think Gillingham are flying, Cov are likely to improve for a new manager and we only play one of the bottom 6.

[IDM]

One game at a time.

IMHO last night's draw was a bonus point I was not expecting to get - and we almost had all 3.

[bpoolrover]

I had a little moan early season,even thou the takeover messed things up I feel the bench we had gave us very little chance of being competitive,now we have a strong bench you can see the difference and hope no matter what division we are in we can have a strong team for a full season not just half of 1

[Donnyrovers]

It will be tough but nobody has an easy run in and with the midtable teams only been a few points behind they will all pick points off each other. Its going to be tight but there's no reason why we can't get in playoffs.

[Bentley Bullet]

It can be harder to beat teams fighting relegation than promotion and the business end of the season. Fighting for your life can provide more incentive than fighting for a trophy.

Cheltenham anyone?

[Colemans Left Hook]

i have just been trying to work out when the date is that the loan window closes

wikipedia bless em said for 2013-2014  the date was 24 march

"Free agents can be signed by a club at any time during the season, if they had been released by their previous club before the end of the transfer window.[27] A club can request to sign a player on emergency basis, e.g. if several goalkeepers are injured at the same time.[27] In England, clubs from the Football League Championship to the Football Conference can loan in players from 8 September to 25 November and also from 8 February until 24 March.[31] An existing loan deal can be made permanent at any time outside the transfer window.[32]"

so just befor that cut oof date it would be an idea to sign an experienced  goalkeeper and an experienced centre half ON SHORT TERM LOANS -- then all the pieces would be in the jugsaw

better to have preventative medicine than elastoplasts  Butler and Bywater are both vital ingredients  for the receipe for the play offs

and one question for our "silly" robinson out brigade when did rovers ever have such a thing as a fourth choice striker ???  "you've never had it so good"

[acko]

 don't go along with what you say filo,it seems that you like many others on here want to attach blame on JR,but looking at the team that started at Yeovil is pretty much the same that played at preston,butler for jones,stevens for evina and bywater for steer.all of these were forced upon us thro circumstances.the current board was very slow doing a deal with wellens,and slow signing butler thinking jones would recover.the striker situation was always a problem but all they did was sign a young lad for experience who cant command a place in the starting 11,the board have had plenty of time to strengthen the team but they chose to go down the short term contracts and loans.we still have a chance but were do we go from there,certainly not upto championship with this squad

[wilts rover]

Acko, I think you have posted on the wrong thread, there is no post from Filo and if someone else has mentioned JR I missed it. Or has a post been deleted?

What's your opinion on the OP of this thread? I think it will be down to final dayand we have as good a chance as anyone - and better than some.

[RobTheRover]

Butler was on our shopping list in the summer, but the takeover meant we couldn't complete the deal and he went to Sheff U.

Would we have been in a better position if he'd played right from the first game?  I'd say yes to that.

[Donnywolf]

 

For sure

[acko]

my apologise to filo,not easy laying on your back it was billy stubbs,regarding butler I doubt if we would have signed if jones had stayed fit

[IDM]

my apologise to filo,not easy laying on your back it was billy stubbs,regarding butler I doubt if we would have signed if jones had stayed fit

Rubbish, Butler was poised to sign in summer when Jones was still fit.  Only the takeover shenanigans prevented this.

[acko]

was he one of those that went to Portugal,if so he could have signed why didn't he

[IDM]

He didn't sign because of the delay with the takeover.  Simples.  He's a Donny lad, and he wanted to sign.

[acko]

he signed for blades 5th june a long time before anyone new what was happening with the takeover,

[Dare to dream!]

Butler said he knew nothing about us being interested in him in the summer

[IDM]

Sorry folks, Butler did want to join us in summer.  What gets said in public and in the press is not necessarily representative of what happens in reality.

[RobTheRover]

Spot on, IDM.

The takeover stuff started in May.  Dickov once again had 2 budgets and 2 lists, but no chance of signing anyone.

[BobG]

I wasn't going to say that. Lol. But it's true though.

BobG