[Archived] Realistic February aims

[AJW]

think the only game we'll lose is the Brighton 1 , Ipswich and Leeds at home think we'll win and i fancy us to get something at both hull and leicester

[Mike E]

My take is that Rovers win this weekend at will be on 43 points, with 30 matches played. This is the only outcome Rovers can control, so we really need to be behind the team. From many thousands of miles away I'll commune with the crytsals and think positive thoughts.

On not so positive thoughts, this Friday, Watford v Palace, I'm not certain whether a Watford win is better for us or a draw. Either way, one or both of these top 6 teams will pull away from us.

On Saturday, Leeds will win or draw, and be sitting on 42 or 44 points, with 30 matches played.

Forest seems to be imploding due to owner drama, and so should lose. They'll be on 41 points with 31 matches played.

Milwall should defeat Blackpool, and so will be on 44 points with 31 matches played.

While maybe optimistic, I'm thinking Derby draws against SW, so will be on 42 points with 30 matches played.

Hull will smash Brighton, so Hull will be on 56 points with 30 matches played while Brighton will be on 42 points with 30 matches played.

I'm hoping Burnley draws with Bolton, so Burnley will be on 44 points with 31 matches played.

Though I hate it, I think Middlesborough will beat Barnsley and so will be on 50 points with 30 matches played.

At the end of the weekend, we'll still have a 7 point gap between us and the playoffs, but should move up the table 3-4 spots. Better, we'll have a game in hand on 3 of the teams ahead of us and should be in a good position to close in on 7th. The bigger problem is bridging the gap between 7th and 6th.

What we really need, in addition to a Rover win, is for Barnsley to exceed expectations and beat Middlesborough, bringing them within 4 points of Rovers.

If Agnew had a clue (he doesn't) the club would be offering massive incentives to fill Ewood this last part of the season. Things like 1 pound children's ticket if an adult ticket is purchased, etc. The Rovers need a full stadium and that 12th man desperately if they want to maximize the odds of that play-off spot. Being not so bright, they'll instead pretend nothing is wrong and try mere words to woo and/or guilt the fans into Ewood. They'll fail.

Might use this for my longlist and see how I get on

[Steve Moss]

I think it's fair to say most Rovers fans will be up for a Watford win. We aren't going to be catching them. It's going to be hard enough catching 6th.

I'm unsure why you aren't hoping for a Bolton win against Burnley.

My analysis was an effort to blend optimistic hope and cynical expectation. I would love Burnley to get smashed. On that issue my hope was trumped by cynicism.

Might use this for my longlist and see how I get on

Good luck. But beware, I don't gamble.

[1864roverite]

3 points already in the bag versus Bristol C.

Rovers should take the 3 on offer on Saturday making it 6 out of 6.

Brighton (a) is a game that will be interesting. Rovers owe them and they are not exactly on a good string of results. I think Rovers can get all 3 points but would settle for 1. (total now 7).

Hull (a) I am going to this match with Ewoodbehappy and hopefully Preston Blue. Again I dont see any reason why Rovers cant go and take all 3 points which IMO they will. (total now 10).

Leeds (h) - my birthday and Rovers have always seen fit to win for me. No change to that record 3 points bagged (13 in total).

Leicester (a) a difficult match against a team that can score at will. Rovers will be up against this lot and dont think we can gain anything but a loss.

So, if it turns out right Rovers can have bagged 13 points which sees us over the 50 point mark meaning relegation is no longer a possibility. As for a promotion push, its game on delending on how the other wannabee clubs perform for the rest of this month.

Its all to play for. Rovers will have the grandest of attacking options on show we just have to hope that Big D sorts out the defensive part of our game.

[Plastics]

I like your optimism and certainly wouldn't say it wasn't possible, but with this league I think defeats are always going to happen unless you're in the top two or three or on a remarkable run.

If we were to get a defeat early on in the coming games I think that may indeed affect the games coming up. I'm sure it would certainly change your predictions. If we win specific ones I think we'll lose or draw others. If we lose specific ones I think we might pick up points in other games in response to the defeat. Or take a game for granted because of a good previous result. With that in mind I find it easier not to go into the specific games and say what we could get over the month if we do well. This league is unpredictable.

That's just me personally though.

[Mike E]

My analysis was an effort to blend optimistic hope and cynical expectation. I would love Burnley to get smashed. On that issue my hope was trumped by cynicism.

Good luck. But beware, I don't gamble.

I'll put £2 on and let you know if you should haha

[Steve Moss]

I'll put £2 on and let you know if you should haha

+1. I hope you break the bank (the bookies, not yours).

[K-Hod]

I think promotion is unlikely, though not impossible. I'd be happy writing this season off, and having a real go next season personally. Think, we'll have a much better chance of promotion then.

[Plastics]

I think promotion is unlikely, though not impossible. I'd be happy writing this season off, and having a real go next season personally. Think, we'll have a much better chance of promotion then.

Could be an interesting Summer and you never know what the board will do with the manager. But I hope you are right, if it goes that way.

[Rover_Shaun]

If you think we will get 13 points this month I highly recommend playing the lottery as a realistic back up chance

[Steve Moss]

If you think we will get 13 points this month I highly recommend playing the lottery as a realistic back up chance

I think we'll get 14 points this month.

[Rover_Shaun]

Six numbers between 1 and 49 now please

[Plastics]

Another game down. Any revisions of previous posters aims? Or any others wish to add their realistic aims for the remainder of the month?

[Plastics]

I know I bumped this recently and got no reply but I'll do it again after today. (edit - hadn't seen it was after midnight)

Great result.

I don't think many people would have predicted the results we've had so far at the beginning of the month.

[philipl]

I wrote we needed 3 wins ftom the next 5 and that was over and above having the Bristol City result and excluded the Cup.

We have 1from 2 I believe.

Importantly we did not lose at Brighton.

Winning 2 from the next 3 doesn't seem that impossible this morning.

[m1st]

Suddenly the world seems a brighter place!

We've beaten Arsenal which, in a way, has positive and negative consequences. The plus is the confidence which comes from such an unexpected [apart from a few on here who thought we might nick it] result; the minus is that it means we'll have an extra game to fit in because we can't play Millwall in the League on the 9th of next month. But that's something we can consider when we're making next month's realistic predictions!

Realistically, I think that Middlesbrough, 6 points ahead of us from a game more played, are the only team currently in the
Play-off zone we can catch. We have two away "six-pointers" [Hull & Leicester] which would be brilliant if we could win. However, realistically, I think that we're not likely to get more than 4 points from those two games; I just have a fancy that we'll bring three points back from Hull and if we can get a draw at Leicester, that'd be great, not just for our points total but also for pegging them back. I feel fairly confident that we can beat Leeds at home [they've not kept a clean sheet away from Elland Road for almost a year] so that will be 7 points, bringing us up to 51 by the end of the month.

[RibbleValleyRover]

The thread title is 'Realistic February aims'. There is no way Rovers go unbeaten this month - which they probably would have to do to stand any chance of getting promotion this season (unless one or two clubs in the playoffs spots have a major meltdown- I can't see it).

My predictions:

Ipswich (H)- 3 points

Brighton (A)- 0 points

Hull (A)- 1 points

Leeds (H)- 1 points

Leicester (A)- 0 points

Apart from the Ipswich game pretty much every remaining game on paper looks tough in Feb.

Well my points prediction was right so far, I just had the Brighton and Hull points predictions the other way round. If we don't win at Leicester tonight then it's been a very poor run in February (league wise - ignoring the Arsenal cup win). If we are still in the promotion race it's not because of what we have done but because of teams above us in the promotion places are keeping us in it.

[Rover_Shaun]

5\6 more points for me. so 8/9 for the whole month

I accept my award with humility

I think we'll get 14 points this month.

Ahem

[jim mk2]

I think we'll get 14 points this month.

You also thought the Republicans would win the election and Obama would be a one-term president.

You need to think more deeply.

[Clitherover]

Looks like you've got a stalker Steve...

[Steve Moss]

You also thought the Republicans would win the election and Obama would be a one-term president.

You need to think more deeply.

I did stake a claim for a win against Arsenal also, so don't cherry pick things.

And we still have a game to play today. If we win (and I think we will) we'll have taken 11 points this month, which is hardly horrible.

And I believe we were robbed once or twice (a certain penalty not given then given on the other end comes to mind), so 14 points was not an outlandish prediction. Just bad luck and/or inconsistent officiating.

And while I'm a conservative, at least I have an optimistic view on life (and the Rovers), unlike some supposedly liberal[1] minded others who run around claiming the sky is falling on a near constant basis and blaming all their woes on events, people or organizations they can't control.

[1] Wouldn't it be great if liberals in the mode of John Locke made a resurgence? Oh wait, they have. They're called Conservatives, particularly of the American variety.

Looks like you've got a stalker Steve...

It's just a sign of my advancing age. Once upon a time I was stalked by beautiful (albeit unstable) women who showed up naked on my doorstep and/or keyed my car to get my attention. Sometimes both.

Now I have Jim.

I take back what I said about having an optimistic view on life. I'm going to drink some Guinness.

[Rover_Shaun]

If we win ROFL

[RibbleValleyRover]

5 points from those set of fixtures, seems like some made a pretty 'realistic' prediction for what is a mid-table side.

[Rover_Shaun]

14 was the real target

[Steve Moss]

Guilty. I was obviously far too optimistic.