Table is shaping up

[BillyStubbsTears]

Basically, no-one outside the current top 10 has a shot at making the play-offs without having title-winning form for the second half of the season.

It's looking like it's down to 6 from 10.

[Campsall rover]

Basically, no-one outside the current top 10 has a shot at making the play-offs without having title-winning form for the second half of the season.

It's looking like it's down to 6 from 10.

Wouldn’t rule out Oxford completely just yet. They are on a role, had a good rest also as not played for a while.
Probably any of the current top 8 could finish in the top 2 also although i think the current top 5 will all finish in the top 6. In which order though is anyone’s guess.
The other play off place could be Ipswich, Sunderland, Charlton, Accrington, Crewe or dark horse Oxford.
It’s going to be interesting. The lead could change hands on numerous occasions between now and May.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

We could easily fall off a cliff. 2 games a week for 3 months with our squad will be incredibly tough. It's a crazy fixture list.

[Campsall rover]

We could easily fall off a cliff. 2 games a week for 3 months with our squad will be incredibly tough. It's a crazy fixture list.

Not just for us though.

[phil o sophical]

If we can be a bit more clinical with passes in the final third I think we will be right up there at the end of the season

[Petche]

Portsmouth are looking strong at the moment.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Would agree re Portsmouth. Strong team, not brilliant but found sufficient consistency.

Hull will probably be there or thereabouts for the same reasons and just be too strong for many.

The good thing in our favour is DM has built in some flexibility in the squad and he could out think the opposition when perhaps the odds are against us.

I would think it essential we get Gomes back to support Richards who is our most forward thinking centre mid at the moment. Copps can still have his part to play however, we do need to find someone who can help Fejiri and relieve the burden on him somewhat.

I'd like to hope Simeos can make a telling contribution as he gets more game time and DM works his magic on him. Lokilo is showing signs of improvement too. Williams can do a job too with the right players around him as can AJ Greaves.

Certainly another body or two could just give us more options and a bit more back up to our big players who could easily get fatigued.

I don't think it should be too much of a, surprise that DM brought off Richards relatively early in the last two games as there are bigger games ahead for him.

DM will do what he can to being the right players available to give us the best chance. I'd rather he take a bit more time to get it right rather than feel pressured to get players in who might not be the right fit.

[SydneyRover]

Portsmouth against Hull on Saturday should tell us a bit more about the final puzzle, a draw would be very useful for us of course.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I agree Oxford could make it. But they are going to need something pushing 50 points from their last 26 games, which is close to title-winning form. Only us, Portsmouth and Lincoln have had better form than that over the season so far.

[Draytonian III]

I’ve got Oxford to be promoted in my pre season Lucky 31

[BillyStubbsTears]

I had a wedge on us to win the play-offs at 12/1 before Xmas. We are currently down to 15/2.

[dknward2]

Portsmouth against Hull on Saturday should tell us a bit more about the final puzzle, a draw would be very useful for us of course.

A draw and 3 red cards each and rest of both teams getting yellows to get them to the now 10 card ban

[Alan Southstand]

Portsmouth also host Lincoln on the following Tuesday!

[colincramb]

Hmm, no doubt we are in a great position, now. But, look at the number of games and quality of opposition over the next 8 weeks. Our bench was mostly made up of young, untested lads last night. There is little chance the current 11 will remain fit throughout those games coming up and I fear what we have on the bench won’t be enough in some of these games.

I think it goes without saying we need a couple in if the right players are available. Big ask otherwise I fear

[idler]

Remember that the teams around us also have a load of games to play as well. I think that all clubs will suffer from fatigue, injuries and suspensions on the run in. It might depend on exactly who gets injured rather than how many.

[Chris Black come back]

I think we can easily get by with a Kohn-Jules replacement and a central midfielder. If people return from injury on their envisaged schedules, we are going to have a healthy squad in a month time.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yep. We don't need to win every game. If nothing changes we will be very difficult to beat. We've also been disrupted arguably at the best time. With players to come back in and maybe one or two additions, DM will have options for the games coming up.

It is important for DM being reassured he can call on Amos, AJ Greaves, Williams etc as and when required.

Also weather perminiting and Covid infection permitting, DM will get more time to work the players in training, working on those patterns and combinations that have seen us do well so far. I still think we have enough character in the team to get us through.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I said a few days ago, if we beat Wimbledon next Tuesday, a point a game from the next 8 ones (which looks a tough run on paper) would be far from a disaster. That would still leave us in a good position to make the playoffs. That would put us on 50 points with 17 matches left, of which only a handful are against promotion candidates. Say, 26 points needed from 17 games to get in the playoffs


Anything above 12 points from that run, after beating Wimbledon and I think we'd be in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot. I'd have a stab at 89-90 points getting a promotion spot this year. That would leave us needing maybe 34-35 points from the final 17 games, the big majority against bottom half sides.

Take home is: We can afford a couple of slip ups in February without it being the end of the world.

[adamtherover]

Imagine if we still had BW, simms and TJJ firing on all cylinders for the rest of the season,  we'd piss the league!!!  Oh well...

[Dutch Uncle]

39 points from the first 20 games is an excellent start.

If we look at all our Football League and Conference seasons, and for comparison use the three points for a win for each season (including the older seasons when it was actually 2 points per win) we have only had a better start on 4 occasions:

1927-28, Div 3 North, 45 points but fell away badly to 4th
1946-47, Div 3 North, 53 points and were runaway record breaking champions
1949-50, Div 3 North, 40 points and eventual champions
2003-24, Div3 (tier 4), 40 points and eventual champions

We have equalled this season's start on three more occasions - our FL Div1 championship winning season of 2012-13, our FL Div 2 promotion season of 2016-17, and just to show nothing is guarranteed, in 1935-36 we had the equivalent of 39 points after 20 games and fell away so badly we finished 18th in the old Division 2.

On the other hand with a worse start than this season we have been champions on 3 occasions won 4 other promotions.

[RoversAlias]

It feels like a lot of teams are in "title-winning form" at the moment. Wins again for Lincoln, Peterborough and Hull today - Hull win 4-0 at Portsmouth! Some statement.

I just feel like we are going to have to really keep our foot on the pedal to figure in the automatic promotion race. I hope we can.

[StocksArmy]

Not ideal that Lincoln, Hull and Peterborough have won today however, that gap between ourselves and 7th downwards is opening up nicely providing we win games in hand.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It feels like a lot of teams are in "title-winning form" at the moment. Wins again for Lincoln, Peterborough and Hull today - Hull win 4-0 at Portsmouth! Some statement.

I just feel like we are going to have to really keep our foot on the pedal to figure in the automatic promotion race. I hope we can.

As usual, I'll be glad when January's over. No distractions and hopefully a couple of more bodies in plus Gomes and Copps return.

There's only one thing to focus on so it's got to be a clear objective for everyone to work hard. As you say, we've got to put the foot down.

To a degree, DMs been pacing us, rotating as necessary but now we're getting towards the business end so there's no excuses.

[godlike1]

I'm hoping yesterday's game will prove to be the blip in our current run and that were refocused and ready to start a new run again, hopefully with a couple of new faces too. The other teams are certainly making it hard to keep up with their pace.

[Michael Shaw]

I didn't expect Rovers to win yesterday, but I did expect us to show less respect and get stuck in. I don't see that losing away to a Premier side should dent our confidence. A couple of good signings by Tuesday, and another win under our belt and the loss will soon be forgotten. We still have a real chance of a top 2 slot especially if we beat Lincoln on Saturday.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I didn't expect Rovers to win yesterday, but I did expect us to show less respect and get stuck in. I don't see that losing away to a Premier side should dent our confidence. A couple of good signings by Tuesday, and another win under our belt and the loss will soon be forgotten. We still have a real chance of a top 2 slot especially if we beat Lincoln on Saturday.

After our run of games against bottom half teams which we've excelled in results, whilst suffering from disruption and the distraction of the FA Cup, then the game v Lincoln is the first opportunity to see how we might shape up for the rest of season and might answer a few questions.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I said a few days ago, if we beat Wimbledon next Tuesday, a point a game from the next 8 ones (which looks a tough run on paper) would be far from a disaster. That would still leave us in a good position to make the playoffs. That would put us on 50 points with 17 matches left, of which only a handful are against promotion candidates. Say, 26 points needed from 17 games to get in the playoffs


Anything above 12 points from that run, after beating Wimbledon and I think we'd be in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot. I'd have a stab at 89-90 points getting a promotion spot this year. That would leave us needing maybe 34-35 points from the final 17 games, the big majority against bottom half sides.

Take home is: We can afford a couple of slip ups in February without it being the end of the world.

I was saying 6 weeks ago that 8 points from 8 matches from the end of Jan wouldn't be a disaster.

We've actually picked up 10 points and we are now approaching a (on paper) much easier run of fixtures.

Keep the faith lads and lasses. We looked every inch promotion contenders again tonight.

[adamtherover]

We could easily fall off a cliff. 2 games a week for 3 months with our squad will be incredibly tough. It's a crazy fixture list.

who knew?

[Getridorit]

I said a few days ago, if we beat Wimbledon next Tuesday, a point a game from the next 8 ones (which looks a tough run on paper) would be far from a disaster. That would still leave us in a good position to make the playoffs. That would put us on 50 points with 17 matches left, of which only a handful are against promotion candidates. Say, 26 points needed from 17 games to get in the playoffs


Anything above 12 points from that run, after beating Wimbledon and I think we'd be in the hunt for an automatic promotion spot. I'd have a stab at 89-90 points getting a promotion spot this year. That would leave us needing maybe 34-35 points from the final 17 games, the big majority against bottom half sides.

Take home is: We can afford a couple of slip ups in February without it being the end of the world.

I was saying 6 weeks ago that 8 points from 8 matches from the end of Jan wouldn't be a disaster.

We've actually picked up 10 points and we are now approaching a (on paper) much easier run of fixtures.

Keep the faith lads and lasses. We looked every inch promotion contenders again tonight.

Good shout that Billy.
Good win tonight to keep us in the playoffs too.

[BillyStubbsTears]

It's about a sense of perspective.

We weren't actually as good as our results suggested in Dec/Jan.

We weren't actually as bad as our results suggested in Feb.

Over the last 17 matches though, we have picked up 34 points. I'll settle for that sort of form overall over the final 17 games, even if that spell includes a run of 1 point from 15.