Points needed.

[PockthorpePete 331]

Assume  75 to be the minimum to get into the player offs, then with 20 games left it means around 2 points a game. Or a season average of 92 points. Not impossible as we have hit those levels before. But we need to be scoring. Currently we are not.

[Newtopia 517]

Those are sobering numbers, we appear to need a significant step change to be performing in a way that allows us to be averaging 2 points a game, it is a big ask.

[Google Bot 3,255]

You win a few in a row and that points per game comes down to between 1.5-1.8/game. 

Wagner's made it clear that we're taking on the role of hunter now, so it's going to be game-by-game focus.  Let's not overcook it, or we're looking at a much larger hill to climb and make it hard on ourselves.

We've already been on a 5 game winning streak earlier this season, we need to concentrate on those kind of stats, only takes a few wins to get back on a roll.

[PockthorpePete 331]

"Let's not overcook it, or we're looking at a much larger hill to climb and make it hard on ourselves. " eh ? I am not sure what that means. All I have done is post up the relevant figures. Nothing any of us on here do can change that or the results over those next 20 games. Though suggesting us acknowledging those figures is somehow detrimental to our chances is stretching things a bit. And I did actually add " Not impossible as we have hit those levels before"

[Dean Coneys boots 1,398]

Why are you looking up when we are showing relegation form? The question is how many to survive the drop surely. Because at present we can’t score, can’t win, can’t defend and can’t buy any luck 

[lake district canary 4,531]

All it means is to take one game at a time.

The problem under Smith was the pressure to achieve promotion and that he couldn't bring that about or get the players to perform uner that pressure - and the pressure built and built.

We now have to play with a different kind of attitude - a "lets see what we can do" attitude, rather than "we must get promotion". The goal is the same, top six - or better - but the "we are the best squad in the league" attitude, which frankly gets us nowhere other than stuck, is gone and is meaningless in practical terms.

So no expectations, no pressure, just get out there and give it a good go - which is what we see from nearly every other team we've played against this season. All we have to do is adopt Wagners way of playing, turn up and go for it.

 

[Gordon Bennett 780]

53 minutes ago, Dean Coneys boots said:

Why are you looking up when we are showing relegation form? The question is how many to survive the drop surely. Because at present we can’t score, can’t win, can’t defend and can’t buy any luck 

Because we have good enough players to look upwards not downwards. You are never 'too good to go down' but I'm expecting a pretty quick upturn in performances and results. Can we get 2 points per game from here on in? It's a big ask but it can be done. One thing I'm certain of, we are capable of finishing much higher than 11th. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Gordon Bennett

[nutty nigel 7,506]

First target is always 50 points.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,504]

I don't know about anybody else, but I find it spoils the enjoyment of the games as they come to think about where we'll be at the end of the season all of the time.

[Google Bot 3,255]

5 minutes ago, nutty nigel said:

First target is always 50 points.

First cut is the deepest.

Edited January 9, 2023 by Google Bot

[NFN FC 1,118]

6 minutes ago, littleyellowbirdie said:

I don't know about anybody else, but I find it spoils the enjoyment of the games as they come to think about where we'll be at the end of the season all of the time.

I'd just like us to play entertaining football. 

[Capt. Pants 4,194]

1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

All it means is to take one game at a time.

The problem under Smith was the pressure to achieve promotion and that he couldn't bring that about or get the players to perform uner that pressure - and the pressure built and built.

We now have to play with a different kind of attitude - a "lets see what we can do" attitude, rather than "we must get promotion". The goal is the same, top six - or better - but the "we are the best squad in the league" attitude, which frankly gets us nowhere other than stuck, is gone and is meaningless in practical terms.

So no expectations, no pressure, just get out there and give it a good go - which is what we see from nearly every other team we've played against this season. All we have to do is adopt Wagners way of playing, turn up and go for it.

 

I agree to a point but the performances have to show an improvement over what we endured under Smith. The expectation is we have to play better, which sounds easy enough but not so straightforward if results are not going our way.

[lake district canary 4,531]

1 minute ago, Capt. Pants said:

I agree to a point but the performances have to show an improvement over what we endured under Smith. The expectation is we have to play better, which sounds easy enough but not so straightforward if results are not going our way.

I think the freedom we'll play with under the new manager will be like a breath of fresh air, will get the crowd going and that in turn will help some of the types of games we have been narrowly losing into wins.  Smith used to keep saying "small margins" - and he was right - and with the new bright Wagnerian initiative, we will hopefully see those small margins go in our favour a bit more.

A bit more Brunhilde than Mary Poppins.

[daly 499]

More like Fairytale of New York

Christmas has come and gone for those who believe in Santa

[shefcanary 2,377]

14 hours ago, lake district canary said:

The problem under Smith was the pressure to achieve promotion

Who set that pressure? Was it Webber, I don't think Smith had set it as such? So why no pressure now? Flipperty, flop.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Playing good football will get us points. If not we could be in trouble.

[Bert 236]

I have more chance of pulling Michelle keegan than us getting 2 points a game 

[Nexus_Canary 1,016]

[Barham Blitz 652]

I still think we will make the playoffs.  Burnley aside we have relatively winnable fixtures through until a tricky start to April so a chance to put a bit of a run together if we can get some form going.

That said, our record against the top six doesn't bode well for success in the playoffs and as many have said we are highly likely to be significantly weaker than even our other recent stabs at the premiership in the unlikely event of us getting promotion but I still think top six is achievable. 

We are only 3 points off 6th currently after an abject run of form and I don't think sixth place will need as many points as has been the case in recent seasons given results thus far.  WBA and Middlesbrough would be my favourites for 3rd and 4th currently with probably Watford and us for the other two spots if Wagner gets even half a tune out of this squad which I think he will.