Making Plans 936 Posted November 7, 2005 I really wish some of the posters who keep harping on about this gave it a rest.OK, then done it from a not dissimilar position to ours at this moment in time.But honestly, just because it''s happened once, do you really think lightning will strike twice ?Name me one other team that has done anything remotely similar in this league or for that matter, in any other league.I think you''ll find that history proves that it is very unlikely that it''ll happen again. Besides, I seem to recall that they only just scrapped into 6th place on the last day of the season and made it by just 2 points so it wasn''t exactly as though they sailed into the play off places with time, and points, to spare.Look at it realistically - there are only 4 play off places up for grabs. IMO no one will catch Sheff Utd or Reading - they''ve both been sniffing around promotion for several seasons now and I can''t see them letting things slip - they''ve got too many good players, excellent and managers and loads of similar experience for that to happen.For us to get a play off place, not only do we need to dramatically improve, and there are no signs of that, but we also need to rely on some of the teams currently above us having a collapse of England cricket proportions for us to make the play offs.So you can maybe discount the likes of Luton, Burnley, Stoke, Cardiff, QPR, Ipswich, and Preston etc but whose to say that one of these won''t have a better run than us.Even if they don''t, that just leaves Watford, Leeds, Southampton, Palace and Wolves in the way and in all honesty I can''t us having a better run between now and the end of the season than 3 of these 5 - in case you haven''t worked it out, that''s what needs to happen.Given that they have anything between 5 and 13 points head start on us, given that they are not playing too bad and given that we are playing rubbish, we are really clutching at straws, and one isolated miracle, if we still think there''s a realistic chance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 274 Posted November 7, 2005 Over the last few years the norm for the last play off spot is 73 points and no more than 15 defeats - we already have 9. Automatic spots goes to teams who win 25ish games and only 8-10 defeats. That is out of the question.Play offs are simply only mathematically possible. With tough away games to come we are at best mid table contenders as we have no one capable of turning around this run of form. OTBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Aldrich 0 Posted November 7, 2005 When Dowie took over at Palace they had 27 points from 25 games (W6, D9, L10) and they lost the first game he was in charge for, so in the the next 20 games they did enough to get into the play offs (and subsequently got promoted) which was no mean feat. Whilst Palace also got relegated they are making a better fist of this Division, without ther services of their top scorer, and I would not bet against them getting into the play offs. I know it is not the same situation but George Burley did change Derby from relegation candidates to a team that reached the play offs, I know they are now in the doldrums but they have sold/released some key players (Rasiak, Huddlestone and Reich).I agree that a new manager may not get us into the play offs but to be honest I am more concerned about staving of relegation at the moment!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
