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Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: MrFrost on March 16, 2010, 09:53:44 pm

Title: Play Offs
Post by: MrFrost on March 16, 2010, 09:53:44 pm
We have a real chance of making the play offs now.
If we can keep the momentum going and keep our players fit we have got every chance of making them.

Some huge games coming up. Sheff Utd on Saturday, Blackpool at Easter. If the Donny public can't get behind us now then they never will.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Guernsey Exile on March 16, 2010, 09:54:43 pm
I wonder who will be taking the M1 to Wembley and who will take the A1

Fooking awesome!!!!!
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Biggles on March 16, 2010, 09:58:52 pm
I can't start thinking about making the playoffs, the excitement would kill me.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: washyrover on March 16, 2010, 10:04:46 pm
Full house on saturday then.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: not on facebook on March 16, 2010, 10:05:51 pm
play off's my arse

there i have said it
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BobG on March 16, 2010, 10:09:18 pm
Exactly Olso. If we agree that 70 points is about what you need to get in the play offs, that means we need 19 points from 9 games. Not impossible. But pretty unlikely. More than 2 points a game is Championship form.

BobG
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: MrFrost on March 16, 2010, 10:13:37 pm
Yep, your right. Silly me. Lets settle for mid table and not even dare to dream.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: DonnyBazR0ver on March 16, 2010, 10:14:33 pm
Yeah, but this might be as close as we get. Let's dream on for a few days and wind the blunts up !
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: not on facebook on March 16, 2010, 10:19:25 pm
i would love to be wrong, but i cant  see it as rovers

are far too 'inconsistant'.

one defeat is all it will take for 'play off' thinkers
to wake up and smell the coffee.

that all aside it's a great step for rovers to build on next term
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: ScillyRover on March 16, 2010, 10:20:22 pm
BobG wrote:
Quote
Exactly Olso. If we agree that 70 points is about what you need to get in the play offs, that means we need 19 points from 9 games. Not impossible. But pretty unlikely. More than 2 points a game is Championship form.

BobG


Totally true Bob, but we 'Oldies' have waited a long, long time to be in this dream of a position. Let's ALL believe that this is possible, get behind the lads and GO FOR IT ! I'm a strong believer in fate coupled with belief and a strong determination can fulfill your dreams. All to play for... we have nothing to lose.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: RoversAlias on March 16, 2010, 10:20:57 pm
I don't truly think we'll make the play-offs either, but you can't ignore the fact that we are just 4 points away from the top 6 now! This is an amazing feeling, we should all just enjoy it for as long as it lasts! I really hope we can finish top 10 and secure our best EVER league finish. How amazing and brilliant would that be?
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: LongbridgeMGRover on March 16, 2010, 10:25:12 pm
the grim spectre of relegation still haunts us. only 13 points above Scunthorpe.

i really fear for us losing our Championship status.

and if we went into administration at the end of the season we could be battling to stay in the third tier next year.



god that was a horrible nightmare i have just woken up from.


i actually feel something really special is unfolding in front of us. Football's greatest ever story is having another chapter written......

can't be there saturday but looking forward to battling the barcodes in a weeks time.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BobG on March 16, 2010, 10:25:48 pm
Ooh I am ENJOYING tonight like there'll never be another one. This is the highest league placing I have EVER seen Rovers occupy. Ever. I'm going to photograph every single table I can find.

Bloody hell.........!

BobG
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: not on facebook on March 16, 2010, 10:27:06 pm
if i have the table right cardiff are in last play off spot 4pts infront
but having played a game less which might make it 7 points

add to this and most important rovers have played cardiff home/away so nothing to gain there

barnsley are a point behind us with a game in hand,to which as far down as reading
as they are two games behind us but it's possible for them to overtake rovers
but slim chances
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: DonnyBazR0ver on March 16, 2010, 10:39:23 pm
We have some tough games, but so do Cardiff and Swansea. I think Blades have to play them both, as well as them playing each other. Barnsley are in the fixture mix and let's not doubt that they can do some damage as well.

If we win one and lose 2 of the next three, then we're still there or thereabouts. There are still a few twists and turns for us to endure.

I think Sean will be going for the wins. It certainly paid off tonight !
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: ferribyrover on March 16, 2010, 10:47:53 pm
Has anyone ever seen us higher than this?
This really is the impossible dream.
Let's just enjoy.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: SkellowRover on March 16, 2010, 11:04:11 pm
\"IF\" we get 7 points from our next 3 matches with how difficult they will be then maybe we can start to think about the play offs, but imho it's not worth getting excited about otherwise.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Guernsey Exile on March 16, 2010, 11:06:49 pm
Cardiff go out of business!!!!  Rovers move up!!!!!
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on March 16, 2010, 11:07:27 pm
oslorovers wrote:
Quote
i would love to be wrong, but i cant  see it as rovers

are far too 'inconsistant'.



Wrong Olso.

If there's one consistent theme that we've seen under O'Driscoll's reign, it's that we get into very long, CONSISTENT runs of form - good and bad. If (IF!) we are hitting one of his gem-like runs of good form, then I'd have us down as favourites to make the 6th place.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: not on facebook on March 16, 2010, 11:15:00 pm
BST hope iam wrong fella
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on March 16, 2010, 11:16:49 pm
BobG wrote:
Quote
Ooh I am ENJOYING tonight like there'll never be another one. This is the highest league placing I have EVER seen Rovers occupy. Ever. I'm going to photograph every single table I can find.

Bloody hell.........!

BobG


Couldn't agree more Bob. This is beyond our wildest dreams for this season, let alone from 12 years ago.

I've long thought that the two ways that a manager can get fans to like him are a) to play attractive football or b) to overachieve relative to expectations and resources.

O'Driscoll has now done BOTH for three years in a row. Whatever happens between now and May, tonight's table alone means that we have massively overachieved, and on the way, we've played football the like of which I never dreamed I'd see from a Rovers side, like that performance at Hillsborough.

It's been a sometimes mystifying route, but you have to take your hat off to the man. On the verge of becoming THE finest manager that we have ever had.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: thornerover94 on March 16, 2010, 11:26:12 pm
it took 74 last season for preston to scrape in on gd i think our main focus at the moment is beating last seasons points of 58 and hopefully finishing as high as possible hopefully come may it will be the playoffs, and picture this 24th april rovers need a win  for playoffs Scunthorpe lose and there relegated that could be interesting
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: MrFrost on March 17, 2010, 12:02:56 am
7 years ago we were playing non league football.
We are now talking about the play offs to get into the Premiership. How the f*** don't we get any media coverage?!
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: RobTheRover on March 17, 2010, 12:11:23 am
Shhhhhh!

On tippy toes, everyone.  LEts get in there before anyone sees us coming.  Ninja mode on!
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: MrFrost on March 17, 2010, 12:29:51 am
Just done the BBC predictor thingy and i've got us finishing in 9th on 65 points with Middlesbrough getting 6th place with 70.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: not on facebook on March 17, 2010, 05:53:36 am
mr frost i wonder how points you would have got for rovers if you did the bbc pts
predictor just before you put this thread up

my guess donny would have that last play off spot,which is more than understandable
as we all live in hope

what gets my goat and 'if onlys' is the points that rovers have dropped in so called
soft games,plymouth away and reading/boro at home come to mind

i suppose thats football 'if onlys and buts'
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: The Red Baron on March 17, 2010, 06:42:21 am
BobG wrote:
Quote
Exactly Olso. If we agree that 70 points is about what you need to get in the play offs, that means we need 19 points from 9 games. Not impossible. But pretty unlikely. More than 2 points a game is Championship form.

BobG


Bob- given the spread of points this season someone might sneak 6th place with around 68 points. That would be six wins from nine, or five and a couple of draws.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: steve@dcfd on March 17, 2010, 08:41:52 am
My worry about getting to the playoffs is the defence without Shackell or Ward I believe we will have problems against the taller and sides already in thye promotion positions. But if we can finish in top ten and get 63 points it will have been a very good season especially with injuries we have had.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: DonnyNoel on March 17, 2010, 09:03:39 am
steve@dcfd wrote:
Quote
My worry about getting to the playoffs is the defence without Shackell or Ward I believe we will have problems against the taller and sides already in thye promotion positions. But if we can finish in top ten and get 63 points it will have been a very good season especially with injuries we have had.


If I'm putting my pessimist hat on - my biggest fear would be getting to the play offs and not going up which I think would put our players on other teams radar and we'd be set for a summer of fending off bids.

Probably played too much football manager but I think if we finish 8th/9th/10th, keep what we've got under the radar and then add in summer then 2010/11 could be interesting...
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: weststander on March 17, 2010, 09:10:15 am
Given that many of the squad are either on loan or out of contract,there can't be many bids, as players will be allowed to leave for free unless under 24.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: DonnyNoel on March 17, 2010, 09:11:47 am
weststander wrote:
Quote
Given that many of the squad are either on loan or out of contract,there can't be many bids, as players will be allowed to leave for free unless under 24.


True, hopefully as we look 99% safe we're going to start sorting some contracts out over the next few weeks before any whispers start.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on March 17, 2010, 09:33:10 am
The Red Baron wrote:
Quote
BobG wrote:
Quote
Exactly Olso. If we agree that 70 points is about what you need to get in the play offs, that means we need 19 points from 9 games. Not impossible. But pretty unlikely. More than 2 points a game is Championship form.



BobG


Bob- given the spread of points this season someone might sneak 6th place with around 68 points. That would be six wins from nine, or five and a couple of draws.


interesting points lads.

Just as a by the way, and of no real scientific predictive interest, Cardiff have 10 matches to go: they gave picked up 13 points in their previous 10 games, so a repeat of that would put them on 68.

We have 9 left and have picked up 17 points in our last 9. Repeat that and we'd have...68 points.

By the same measure, Coventry would end up on 67 points, Barnsley 65,  Sheff Utd on 63, Middlesboro on 61 and Blackpool 60.  

Reading are coming through like a steam train. They are 4 points behind us but they have 11
matches left. If they repeated their form over the previous 11 matches, they'd end up with 71. But a run like that would mean that they would gave picked up 48 points from their final 22 matches, which is almost unheard of - equivalent to 100 points over a season.

Button yer pockets down lads and lasses. It's going to be orgasm time.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Lytham Rover on March 17, 2010, 09:42:10 am
BillyStubbsTears wrote:
Quote
The Red Baron wrote:
Quote
BobG wrote:
Quote
Exactly Olso. If we agree that 70 points is about what you need to get in the play offs, that means we need 19 points from 9 games. Not impossible. But pretty unlikely. More than 2 points a game is Championship form.



BobG


Bob- given the spread of points this season someone might sneak 6th place with around 68 points. That would be six wins from nine, or five and a couple of draws.


interesting points lads.

Just as a by the way, and of no real scientific predictive interest, Cardiff have 10 matches to go: they gave picked up 13 points in their previous 10 games, so a repeat of that would put them on 68.

We have 9 left and have picked up 17 points in our last 9. Repeat that and we'd have...68 points.

By the same measure, Coventry would end up on 67 points, Barnsley 65,  Sheff Utd on 63, Middlesboro on 61 and Blackpool 60.  

Reading are coming through like a steam train. They are 4 points behind us but they have 11
matches left. If they repeated their form over the previous 11 matches, they'd end up with 71. But a run like that would mean that they would gave picked up 48 points from their final 22 matches, which is almost unheard of - equivalent to 100 points over a season.

Button yer pockets down lads and lasses. It's going to be orgasm time.


you are not the saturday santa in disguise are you?
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on March 17, 2010, 11:33:13 am
bedale rover wrote:
Quote

you are not the saturday santa in disguise are you?


No, but I learned everyhting I know about life, love and the Universe from him. A God among men.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Thinwhiteduke on March 17, 2010, 11:45:54 am
thornerover94 wrote:
Quote
and picture this 24th april rovers need a win  for playoffs Scunthorpe lose and there relegated that could be interesting


That would be my dream - to put them scumbags down and put us in the Play Offs. Pure perfection.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: bangormaine on March 17, 2010, 12:26:09 pm
As someone who has never been this high before I would dearly like the Rovers fans who are still staying at home to appreciate where the club are now and get to the Keepmoat to share in a bit of history. My memories, although a little faded, still recall a time when over 20,000 people turned up at O.B.V to see a match that if we had won would put us top of the old third division. Can any one remember this time or was a just a young boys dream.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: danrover82 on March 17, 2010, 12:48:15 pm
Whilst I dare to dream about the Rovers in the Premiership and getting into playoffs this year, are we ready for it?  I very much doubt it.

I would personally like to see SOD build on this year to have a half decent chance of surviving if we ever made it to the promised land. It wont be much fun watching teams run us off the park week in week out without the right pieces in the puzzle. Its better to get up and stay up  then get up and sink straight away.

Plus you get more games for your money in the championship  ;)
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: deebee on March 17, 2010, 12:55:54 pm
If we make the Premiership our games will be free to STH's you can't get cheeper than that.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Superspy on March 17, 2010, 12:59:33 pm
it may be better to go up and stay up, but its also better to go up and sink straight away than it is to not go up at all. think about SOD's \"take the money and run\" comment a few days ago.

if we went up, hardly spent any money, got battered every week and came back down, we'd still be where we are now, only 30-40 million quid richer, and STILL with no debt.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: danrover82 on March 17, 2010, 01:08:16 pm
No, they will be only be free if we get up next year wouldn't they? Rovers have made not promise about this year.

Take the money and run? what fun will it be if we got hammered every week? Would the extra fans that come to KM come back in the Championship if we get beat week in week out? I very much doubt it.

If Rovers spent a little in the summer and made some quality signings it would give them a huge chance of performing in the Premier League. Its not two weeks ago that alot of people on here were saying the squads not good enough, then we get nose bleeds with our league position and people are running away with themselves.

If Cardiff win their game in hand were 7pts behind. I want Rovers to build on what we have and make a strong push next year and give Premier league teams a run for their money.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Snods Shinpad 2 on March 17, 2010, 01:12:36 pm
danrover82 wrote:
Quote
No, they will be only be free if we get up next year wouldn't they? Rovers have made not promise about this year.


That's how I understood it too. If we take 3 points on Saturday, maybe it would be a good idea for the club to make this clear before the moaning starts.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Superspy on March 17, 2010, 01:14:05 pm
so are u telling me that if u were SOD you would be telling the lads to throttle back a bit as we dont want to get promoted because we are not ready?
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Superspy on March 17, 2010, 01:14:51 pm
Snods Shinpad wrote:
Quote
danrover82 wrote:
Quote
No, they will be only be free if we get up next year wouldn't they? Rovers have made not promise about this year.


That's how I understood it too. If we take 3 points on Saturday, maybe it would be a good idea for the club to make this clear before the moaning starts.


JR's not a muppet, im pretty sure he only said \"next year\" because he didnt think we'd do it this year. if we go up this time im sure we'd all get the ST's for free.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: neil grainger on March 17, 2010, 01:20:31 pm
Superspy wrote:
Quote
it may be better to go up and stay up, but its also better to go up and sink straight away than it is to not go up at all. think about SOD's \"take the money and run\" comment a few days ago.

if we went up, hardly spent any money, got battered every week and came back down, we'd still be where we are now, only 30-40 million quid richer, and STILL with no debt.


Spot on Superspy, my sentiments entirely.
Seize the moment, grab any opportunity that comes your way because you never know if it will come along again.

Having said that I also agree totally with Bob's sentiments in his earlier post. This is the highest league position I've seen Rovers occupy in over 40 years of following them.
All I ever dreamed of was to see my beloved Rovers play in the 2nd tier of English football.

Not only have we achieved that dream but we are also playing some of the most exquisite football I've ever witnessed from Rovers, we are more than holding our own at this level and now we're even daring to dream of higher things.

Absolutely incredible and I am savouring every moment.

Leaving aside the dream of the play-offs, how about the prospect of finishing as the highest of the South Yorkshire clubs?

Now that would be something else I'd only been able to dream of during all those years gazing up the leagues at our local rivals.

Happy, happy days!
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Superspy on March 17, 2010, 01:38:19 pm
all very true, and to be honest i dont realistically think we'll get into the playoffs either. however, the prospect of getting above the blades, for me, is mouthwatering.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Rovers Return on March 17, 2010, 01:46:16 pm
danrover82 wrote:
Quote
No, they will be only be free if we get up next year wouldn't they? Rovers have made not promise about this year.

Take the money and run? what fun will it be if we got hammered every week? Would the extra fans that come to KM come back in the Championship if we get beat week in week out? I very much doubt it.

If Rovers spent a little in the summer and made some quality signings it would give them a huge chance of performing in the Premier League. Its not two weeks ago that alot of people on here were saying the squads not good enough, then we get nose bleeds with our league position and people are running away with themselves.

If Cardiff win their game in hand were 7pts behind. I want Rovers to build on what we have and make a strong push next year and give Premier league teams a run for their money.


I am presuming...please feel free to correct me but you may be of tender years, where as I and judging by some of the crowd at the Rovers, the years are running out. Remember the girl at school who fancied you and you made her wait? She doesn't and never did look your way again. What I am trying to say I suppose is, grab the opportunity with both hands when it's in front of you. It may never, never come your way again. Consolidate, build for next year, when we are ready............... :unsure:
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: danrover82 on March 17, 2010, 02:18:00 pm
Superspy wrote:
Quote


JR's not a muppet, im pretty sure he only said \"next year\" because he didnt think we'd do it this year. if we go up this time im sure we'd all get the ST's for free.


You're right mate, JR isn't a muppet but a business man and although he loves the club so much DRFC is still a business. Do you honestly think the club would give out free tickets next year if Rovers got promoted this, when people will be breaking their necks to pay for one? I dont, and they dont have to either unless Rovers went up next year. Why give something for free when you get people to pay for it and still make millions from promotion in the process. SOD wont be telling them to ease off by any means, because he still wont know where we are in the table ;)


Rovers Return, I consider myself to still be relatively young but not a kiddy by any means. Every one were bricking it at the start of the season, due to the lack of signings and selling of our better players. What I am trying to say is whilst its good to get your hands on the Premier League (and believe me I cant wait for that day) do you honestly think Rovers will not get a better chance than this? We are growing year on year and nothing I can see  suggests differently. We will be better prepared for it if just an extra year.
We have proved ourselves against Premier League teams, even with a lesser quality squad than we have today on one off basis, but we have also been opened up by the likes of Spurs and Bolton in recent years. Not that its going to happen, but I just think its better to compete in the league then be ridiculed week in week out if we dont perform to our potential. I'm daring to dream, dont get me wrong I just thinks its more of steady as we go! ;)
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Rovers Return on March 17, 2010, 03:31:47 pm
danrover82 wrote:
Quote
Superspy wrote:
Quote


JR's not a muppet, im pretty sure he only said \"next year\" because he didnt think we'd do it this year. if we go up this time im sure we'd all get the ST's for free.


You're right mate, JR isn't a muppet but a business man and although he loves the club so much DRFC is still a business. Do you honestly think the club would give out free tickets next year if Rovers got promoted this, when people will be breaking their necks to pay for one? I dont, and they dont have to either unless Rovers went up next year. Why give something for free when you get people to pay for it and still make millions from promotion in the process. SOD wont be telling them to ease off by any means, because he still wont know where we are in the table ;)


Rovers Return, I consider myself to still be relatively young but not a kiddy by any means. Every one were bricking it at the start of the season, due to the lack of signings and selling of our better players. What I am trying to say is whilst its good to get your hands on the Premier League (and believe me I cant wait for that day) do you honestly think Rovers will not get a better chance than this? We are growing year on year and nothing I can see  suggests differently. We will be better prepared for it if just an extra year.
We have proved ourselves against Premier League teams, even with a lesser quality squad than we have today on one off basis, but we have also been opened up by the likes of Spurs and Bolton in recent years. Not that its going to happen, but I just think its better to compete in the league then be ridiculed week in week out if we dont perform to our potential. I'm daring to dream, dont get me wrong I just thinks its more of steady as we go! ;)


Very astute Dan and I would fully agree with your points if I had my rational head on. However my fear sits in the camp of 'all the great plans of mice and men'. We may never, despite how hard we try, have the rub of the green again and eventually the powers that be give up and pull the plug. We then eventually slip back down from whence we came.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: BillyStubbsTears on March 17, 2010, 03:47:15 pm
Rovers Return wrote:
Quote
Remember the girl at school who fancied you and you made her wait? She doesn't and never did look your way again:


Aye, I remember her. Broke my heart so it did.

Mind, I had a knee trembler with her 20 years later at a school reunion.

She wasn't as pert as she used to be and I had significantly less hair.

Not sure what the analogy is vis-a-vis our current league position but there must be a parable in there somewhere...
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: Superspy on March 17, 2010, 04:26:23 pm
dan i think you misunderstood me. as it stands he has said if we go up next year then everyone will get a free season ticket for the prem (presumably only existing season ticket holders)...what i meant was, if we were to go up this year, we would get the free tickets this year INSTEAD of next :)
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: PACMAN on March 17, 2010, 04:46:42 pm
Having looked at the other teams fixture who are around us I think the play offs are unlikely. Cardiff for example have 6 homes games out of their remaining 10 to play. Realistically we would need 70 points, or 19 from a possible 27, a tall order with the likes of Newcastle & West Brom at home plus Swansea away on the last day to come.
But I'm sure we'd all have snapped the hand off of anyone suggesting we'd have 51 points in mid March at the start of the season, especially the doom and gloom merchants who surfaced when Mills and Wellens left? :laugh:
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: normal rules on March 17, 2010, 07:18:56 pm
bangormaine wrote:
Quote
As someone who has never been this high before I would dearly like the Rovers fans who are still staying at home to appreciate where the club are now and get to the Keepmoat to share in a bit of history. My memories, although a little faded, still recall a time when over 20,000 people turned up at O.B.V to see a match that if we had won would put us top of the old third division. Can any one remember this time or was a just a young boys dream.


This was mid to late 60's when rovers played Darlo in front of 22000 to go top of the old Div 4. Rovers lost 1-0.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: wilts rover on March 17, 2010, 07:26:53 pm
BillyStubbsTears wrote:
Quote
Rovers Return wrote:
Quote
Remember the girl at school who fancied you and you made her wait? She doesn't and never did look your way again:


Aye, I remember her. Broke my heart so it did.

Mind, I had a knee trembler with her 20 years later at a school reunion.

She wasn't as pert as she used to be and I had significantly less hair.

[/b]Not sure what the analogy is vis-a-vis our current league position but there must be a parable in there somewhere...[/b]


2 that i can pick out;
your eyesight and taste definately get less discerning as you get older - whoever would have thought we would have players of the quality of Neil Sullivan, John Oster and Billy Sharp playing for us...

drawing graphs is a load of b*llocks and the football league really is upside down...
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: MrCroft on March 17, 2010, 07:52:11 pm
Hmm Rovers in the Championship play offs; always seemed a comment that would be thrashed by abuse a few years/months/weeks ago, but looking at how we are performing this season compared to last season, I think that we are really turning into the dominating passing 'Arsenal' team we've been reffered to. Last year if we was drawing 1-1 and probaly should have accepted a draw because Sully kept their scoreline in single figures last night. We would have either lost it at the death or held out for the draw, but winning a game against a very low team really late on is something we havent done in a long while now, its what seperates the good teams from the better teams in the division, it was a similar game to that at Cardiff earlier on in the year and we lost it at the end. At that time they looked like a really play off force, turning what should be scrappy draws into wins, and that is what happened last night. After our last 4 games, especially in terms of performances (especially in front of goal) I don't think we would look out of place in the play-offs.

However I think for us to pick up those point required it is going to be a confidence thing, rather than a statistical thing; ie Newcastle next week, if we can somehow get a result that makes us walk off the pitch in confidence, then I think we will be heading for the play-offs, we cannot lose to the teams around us and expect to pick up the points against lower teams when your pushing for play offs because then your gonna get beat in the play-offs. Of course that is not a 100% true as that could prove dividends and see us somehow walking back into \"Sportsdirect.com@stjames'park'\" with revenge on our mind...

If we do not make the play-offs it is still nice to think at one point it was a realistic prospect, and we can go from strength to strength and try to get ourselves up there next season. I do not honestly know whether we will get into the play-offs, but I do know its going to be a fantastic end to the season.

Come on you reds!!
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: big fat yorkshire pudding on March 17, 2010, 08:01:46 pm
Most notable for us at the moment is we don't have many stand out players.  Sharp is for his goals, but I reckon our change in approach has played a big part in that two.  Certainly been more confident than previously.  We could replace Sharp even though we'd all love to see him here, unless we get to a play off final, it isn't going to happen realistically unless big investment comes in.

Bar that, we've players that are quality throughout, but they're not big names and they're not on the radar of others.  Ironically the two who are always talked about for moves, are the two who've played very little football recently (Stock and Woods).

Things will change in the summer, I think we'll miss out as we're not consistent enough and won't be in the final stages, luck will probably play the biggest part.

The key thing to maintain progress is to keep the management.  We'll probably finish mid table if we're honest and that's superb, top 10 will be a good season.  I just hope we can keep hold of SOD,ROK, work on growing the crowds and improve the squad to ensure we can finish top 10 minimum next year if we miss out.

It's still very good times.  Last season it was all about Stock, Wellens, Mills according to those outside the club, but it's not.  The whole squad plays a big part and that includes the likes of Wilson who's had stick but done a top job in midfield.

Great times it is.
Title: Re:Play Offs
Post by: DonnyBazR0ver on March 17, 2010, 09:35:45 pm
Just used the same method I used to predict our promotion to the Championship (except that fell down at the last hurdle when we got done at Cheltenham).

Anyway, factoring all the pressures that teams will come under, and my rose tinted specs, I have come up with the following play off positions.

3 Forest
4 Leicester
5 Swansea
6 Rovers

Play off final with Leicester anyone ?

Destiny !!??