Total points

[Making Plans 957]

Sporting Index are currently showing a spread of 47-48.5 putting us to finish in 10th position.That means they expect us to get 12-13.5 points from our last 13 games, basically a point per game.So far, we''ve been averaging 1.4 points per game.My optimistic view is that we could get as many as 26, making a total of 61.Alternatively, my pessimistic view is that we could only get another 8, making a total of 43.Taking the mid point betweem opitimism & pessimism, we would get another 18 points, giving a total of 53.Interestingly, if we maintained our current average we would also accumulate another 18 points.Have SI got it wrong & are their current odds worth a punt.

Fixture		Optimistic	Pessimistic
Manchester United H		1	0
Stoke City A		1	0
Wigan Athletic H		3	1
Newcastle United A		1	0
Wolves H		3	1
Fulham A		3	1
Everton H		3	1
Tottenham Hotspur A		1	0
Manchester City H		1	0
Blackburn Rovers A		3	1
Liverpool H		3	1
Arsenal A		0	1
Aston Villa H		3	1
Total		26	8
Average		18

[NWC 315]

Hi MP,I would agree with most of those apart from the Stoke and Fulham games.I think Stoke are doing particularly poorly at the moment and are not generally playing well, were as we are. We all know its "a tough place to go", but as they found out so is FCR. They were very fortunate to walk away with a draw then, and due to our current momentum, an optomistic me would put that down as a win for us.Fulham are a good team. They have good players and played well against us earlier in the season. BMJ has them playing well as a team, but agreed, they are not the greatest home team. Still a pessimistic me would feel that they have a little bit too much for us at home.The big thing we have in our favour for that game is that we as a club have to exorcise some ghosts at that match. I''m sure Drury will be busting down PL''s door to start that game.

[Butterbean_Canary 0]

I also agree with your pessimistic predictions. I have always thought it would awesome if we can finish top of the bottom half,

Not too sure how you get us no points at Arsenal being optomistic and 1 point being pessimistic?!??!

[Loopzilla 5]

Pretty much agree with your optimistic/pessimistic result assessment...I think you have the Arsenal points the wrong way round though! [;)]I think we''ll only continue to improve, as we seem to have done pretty much all season, the only thing I can see stopping that would be injuries, otherwise I see us picking up around 1.5 points per game or thereabouts, and finishing in the mid 50''s pointwise.It''ll be interesting to see how the new signings (plus Vaughan) fit into the team, and the effect it has.

[lake district canary 0]

Having been accused by so many people of being over optimistic at the start of the season, I am going to stick my neck out again and say that all the remaining matches are winnable.   The Tottenham and Arsenal away games are the possible losses for me, but most of the teams are below us and we are playing well so why not?  If we do well in each match as it occurs then the points will accumulate as they have all season. All of which means   the end total could be very, verygood.    60+??

[nutty nigel 7,902]

I see no reason why we can''t carry on picking up points at the same rate. I''ve got no idea where the points will come from though. We will pick up points from games we''re not expecting to and drop points in games we''re not expecting to. Who''d have thought we''d have lost at home to WBA and drawn at Liverpool?

 

Happy days[H]

[Making Plans 957]

[quote user="Butterbean_Canary"]Not too sure how you get us no points at Arsenal being optomistic and 1 point being pessimistic?!??![/quote][quote user="Loopzilla"]I think you have the Arsenal points the wrong way round though! [;)][/quote]Ah, well spotted. Still, in the overall scheme of things it doesn''t make much difference.

[shiplee15 0]

Agree with that but still think we''ll beat at least one of the "Top 5".....

Obviously each seasons is different but with the points you''ve suggested, based on last year:

Optimistic View (61 Points) Would have us to finish 6th one point off fifth.

Middle (53 Points) would have us to finish 8th one point off seventh

Pessimistic (8 Points) would have us to finish 15th

Theoretically a great season whatever happens now!

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

We''re playing better now, with a better squad and with a fitter squad than we have all season.  The results lately bear it out that we are in an improved and improving spell. That end of season run in doesn''t look half as difficult as it used to.

 

I thought Bolton would be a tough game and a draw; I expected nothing from Swansea and I expect nothing from Man Utd at home. I did anticipate a result at Sunderland though!

 

I think it''s psychologically beneficial to constantly exceed your targets and this is the mood PL seems to be creating. Anticipation and expectation are the arbiters of gloom.

 

As fans we are entitled to speculate and enjoy doing so although we appreciate it is different for the team.

 

For me,  a massive acheivement would be top half; top ten would be up there with our greatest exploits and holding ninth would be promotion chasing stuff as holding our nerve and our place is what we did over the previous two seasons.

 

I honestly believe we are safe, this is icing the cake.

[starfish 0]

Yeh - as someone else said, after the weekend for the first time I found myself really not caring that much about the results at the foot of the table. It was good to see WBA win in terms of cutting 5 teams adrift but I wasn''t that bothered.

In contrast, we''ve hauled in 5 points over Liverpool in the last 8 games, and there''s no overwhelming reason why we can''t cut that gap further. Even allowing for bonus payments to players and management for a high league position, the extra few million will be a welcome addition to the summer transfer kitty. A spectacular collapse is always possible I suppose, but somehow you just don''t see Lambert letting it happen. 50 something points??

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

Yes, it''s great to feel like a spectator about who''s going to be relegated. 

 

I think we''ll push on and end up about 55 points.  If we beat Man U, I wouldn''t be surprised if we get to 60 !

[Number 9 0]

Good work BUT I think the points table has not taken into account the way City can play psychologically in the games which are left. It''s almost as if they can play with freedom and go for it, because they are almost safe, nothing to lose. I think this will have an interesting impact on PL''s tactics over the next few games, I can''t wait to see Man U V PL tactics.