[Archived] Play Offs-managing expectations

[JAL]

Until Appleton brings in a quality central midfielder then it has to be game off for Rovers this season. Bring someone in for this position who can lead the team and then it will be game on for promotion.

[Plastics]

It'll always be game off for you JAL and you know it.

[m1st]

This is a wonderful thread and it's not like me to pour cold water on the fellow-optimists but I fear that, realistically, there's only one Play-off place up for grabs, and that's Middlesbrough's.

They're 4 points ahead of us from the same number of games but have lost all their last 5 League games and are plummeting. Palace are 9 points ahead of us with one more game played and they aren't in the best of form [only 5 points from the last 5 games]. The other teams in the top 6 are at least 10 points ahead of us and my glass would have to be much more than half-full before even I could hope that we'd be able to overhaul any of them in the remaining 1/3 of the season.

6 of our remaining 16 games are against teams above us in the table [6-pointers?] and only one of those games is at Ewood. It's do-able, just about, but I fear that not only the fallow period under Berg [and I desperately wanted him to succeed, too] but also the postponements because of the FA Cup games I hope we still have to play will mean that we fall just short.

In the long run, that may be no bad thing. Not only would it give 'Appy the close season to prepare a full campaign for next season but, who knows [a chap can dream, can't he?!], our owners may off-load us to someone who's more aware of what's required for running a successful English football club.

[Majiball]

I am literally taking each game at a time, no point even trying to look ahead because at Rovers under Venky's you are always 2 weeks away from a crisis.

Best policy and exactly how both the fans and team should approach things. We haven't had a decent run in years and so to just suddenly expect the same bunch of lads to do so, is premature. Just focus on the each match as it comes and don't set targets yet. Next season is different but one day at a time to slowly re-build confidence and momentum.

At the end of the day we haven't really played a testing team yet and until we do we won't know how much we have improved and whether the play-offs are possible. We must still play, Cardiff, Watford, Leicester etc and most of those are away as well. Yes it's possible anything is but lets see if we can go to Brighton and beat them this time and then take stock. We need to get strong results against the teams above and around us if we are to sneak in.

[Rover_Shaun]

When we beat top half teams more than once without losing inbetween I will start to believe. Please let me believe!!

[Guest Norbert]

We have a chance, but so do 10 other teams. It is the usual case of musical chairs for most of the places.

[beanie]

Its a lottery and their is normally one team who comes from the back to make a late run at the playoffs i'm hoping its us but realistically it could be anyone. We should have the fire power but will CM and CB be strong enough. Will be interesting to see if we can translate our recent more orginised home form it to a competent away counter attacking side.

[USABlue]

Managing expectations re the play-offs? Easy for me------I haven't any!

Ditto. Hopeful but expecting nowt. Lost to Charlton, draw with Brighton, beat Ipswich and Bristol. While the clean sheets are encouraging it's hardly awe inspiring, I'll start getting excited if we are as high as we are now at the end of this month.

[Ianrally]

I too am hopeful, but in all probability we won't make it this time.

I feel this way mainly because I don't want to be let down. I even have it installed in my mind that even if we do manage the play offs by some quirk of fate, then we will be paired against Palace. Enough said.

[47er]

In a long season you always get unexpected set-backs through injury, suspensions and so on.

We'd have to have a near perfect run to get 6th and hold it.

In retrospect, the delay in appointing a new manager and the decision to appoint the wrong one will do for us .

[darrenrover]

I too am hopeful, but in all probability we won't make it this time.

I feel this way mainly because I don't want to be let down. I even have it installed in my mind that even if we do manage the play offs by some quirk of fate, then we will be paired against Palace. Enough said.

Glad all over!

[Paul]

Mainly I'm simply pleased to approach Ewood with the expectation of winning the match. In some respects that's all I want. However I have to admit to looking up the table at Boro, even checked when their next game is - considering I forgot about the Brighton game that's a lot of interest. I'm vaguely thinking about going to Hull. I haven't thought like that in a long time.

I have some big BUTS though. The first is I think it would be extraordinary if we got in the playoffs and even more so if we went up. Next we have at best 3-4 PL quality players meaning we would need to spend millions or simply go down again.

Then how wrong can you be? In August I thought we had no chance of promotion but it is now clear this season was a very good opportunity. One man is to blame for what will probably prove to be an expensive missed opportunity. Shebby Singh.

Never forget the complete balls up "The Real Deal" made of Berg's appointment. A half decent manager could have won around 15 points from those ten games. Had that happened Rovers would now be 4th or 5th.

Realistically we won't go up and next season will probably be harder. Singh was a massive Venkys error, that was obvious five minutes in to the famous KGH meeting, and ultimately his decisions re the new manager have cost Rovers a great chance of promotion.

The chances of keeping Rhodes are slim and without a quality striker next season will be very tough. Venkys made one good decision to back Singh on the signing, trouble is it's the only decision they and Shabby Singh have got right.

I was wrong about the squad potential but never about our Global Advisor.

[T4E]

Every season for the past 10 years the team that has finished 6th has had between 70 and 75 points. Never more, never less, so that's a good target.

15 games left, the above suggests a minimum of 8 wins, giving us 68 points, 4 draws and 3 defeats will have us in the mix. 9 or 10 wins and we'll be in with a great chance. Anything less than 8 and we've no chance.

Pretty clear what we need to do, looks a decent challenge.

[neophox]

I hope we don't lose more games this season. Hull away and Leicester away if we win, would be massive.

[riverside returns]

Palace in the playoff final and time to repay the debt they owe us.

[jim mk2]

It's asking alot of a club that has had 5 managers in one season to be in with a chance of play-offs but there is still a slim chance thanks to the great start to the season we had under Steve Kean. We'll need some luck and win instead of draw the kind of games like Brighton last night.

In the end we'll probably come up short and finish 8th or 9th. As has been pointed out, the Henning Berg debacle of 1 win in 10 matches is likely to prove costly.

[Waggy76]

It's asking alot of a club that has had 5 managers in one season to be in with a chance of play-offs but there is still a slim chance thanks to the great start to the season we had under Steve Kean. We'll need some luck and win instead of draw the kind of games like Brighton last night.

In the end we'll probably come up short and finish 8th or 9th. As has been pointed out, the Henning Berg debacle of 1 win in 10 matches is likely to prove costly.

On paper it looks that way Jim .

My own view is Kean should have been removed in May and a new manager installed June ...

Thats where it all went wrong , I doubt Berg would have been appointed ...

The poor signings again by Kean are haunting us not just the Berg debacle !

[CapeTownRover]

Need to just continue picking up points. Clean sheets will help with that, but right now, we need to start putting in stronger and more commanding performances. Draws need to transformed into wins, and we need to get other players to start scoring goals as well.

[Athlete]

6 adrift with some very hard games especially the mid week ones coming up it is going to be difficult a 9th place finish is probably more realistic then a lot will depend on the summer time and the finances

alsl if Villa + QpR come down it will make it even harder for a promotion push next time

[Guest Norbert]

I'm just enjoying the gentle upward curve instead of the Stuker-esque nosedive into depression, oblivion and madness. We may reach the play-offs, we may not, but at least things have vaguely been resembling a normal club for a month or so.

[GanG2245]

I think we are going to draw many games and finish with a points total between 60 and 68.

[Guest Norbert]

I just hope we beat the dingles and finish above them. When was the last time they finished above us in the league?

[wazzarover]

We have 5 winnable games in March which could propel us into the top 6 and the Leeds game next Saturday is a must win. To be honest I'm just 'enjoying enjoying' watch Rovers play again.

[scotty_beam_me_up]

I am impressed with the start we've made under Appleton. I wanted him so I'm biased but I'm concerned there are people out there waiting for him to fail. I would rename this thread managing the negativity because if we don't make the play offs people will use this as a stick to beat him with.

[Rover_Shaun]

The playoffs must not be a yardstick. Just progression and solidity will do then we can judge the quality of his signings next season.