[Archived] Play Offs-managing expectations

[Hasta]

If we were to reach the top 6 (which I don't think we are), then we have to be winning at either Leicester or Hull. We can't keep drawing away. If the magic number is 75 as stated elsewhere then winning all our home games and drawing all our away game would still not see us reach this target.

Whilst performances have been better of late, they haven't been so good as to make us believe the play offs is possible.

[Plastics]

Winning our homes and drawing our aways would see us to the play-offs, I assure you.

[Parsonblue]

Winning our homes and drawing our aways would see us to the play-offs, I assure you.

Not if Middlesbrough or Brighton win their home games and draw their away games.

[Plastics]

It won't be the case that both of them will.

[Parsonblue]

It won't be the case that both of them will.

They actually don't need to as Middlesbrough have a six point advantage. They could lose one and draw a couple and still finish above us. After Tuesday's results Middlesbrough are favourites for the last play-off place. We need to turn some of our away draws into wins if we want to put pressure on Middlesbrough. We are bound to lose a game or two between now and the end of the season and therefore need more wins than draws if we are to challenge.

[darrenrover]

They actually don't need to as Middlesbrough have a six point advantage. They could lose one and draw a couple and still finish above us. After Tuesday's results Middlesbrough are favourites for the last play-off place. We need to turn some of our away draws into wins if we want to put pressure on Middlesbrough. We are bound to lose a game or two between now and the end of the season and therefore need more wins than draws if we are to challenge.

Agreed Parson, you beat me to it.

IMO we need 9/10 wins from last 15 and we should qualify. Draws are of little use now.

Looking at the remaining fixtures all at home are winnable, 3 wins away from remaining 8 is surely possible.

If we manage to plug the playing deficiencies in the centre of the park and out wide, the season ain't over yet.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I am a little wary at the moment - but just enjoying looking forward to matches again.

My big worry - Appleton has us set up to be better defensively which has worked as we have always scored first - with the exception of the Charlton match - which we subsquently lost. He has also enjoyed a fair degree of luck - where teams have missed chances - Bristol could easily have scored before we did and Ipswich should have equalised on the 90th minute.

To put it in context - if Berg had similar rub of the green he would have had an equally impressive start as manager. I would say that we actually put in better initial performances under Berg than we have so far under Appleton.

Our hope is that as the results hopefully continue - the morale of the team and subsequently performances improve.

[T4E]

They actually don't need to as Middlesbrough have a six point advantage. They could lose one and draw a couple and still finish above us. After Tuesday's results Middlesbrough are favourites for the last play-off place. We need to turn some of our away draws into wins if we want to put pressure on Middlesbrough. We are bound to lose a game or two between now and the end of the season and therefore need more wins than draws if we are to challenge.

Boro have lost 5 of their last 6.

[Hasta]

Winning our homes and drawing our aways would see us to the play-offs, I assure you.

In something like 5 of the last 8 seasons 75 points was the minimum to reach the top 6. Winning at home and drawing away does not reach that figure. Middlesboro are 1 point off the pace of the 6th place team at the same point last year.

[Andy]

The thing is, it's such a difficult league to predict and literally any team can be any team.

Peterborough are dog-kean awful, yet they could go to Cardiff and win 2-0.

So I'm not concerning myself with how the other teams are getting on, I'm only focussing on our results and seeing how many points we can accumulate before the end of the season.

[Plastics]

In something like 5 of the last 8 seasons 75 points was the minimum to reach the top 6. Winning at home and drawing away does not reach that figure. Middlesboro are 1 point off the pace of the 6th place team at the same point last year.

A few seasons back I'm sure we were all looking to the 40 point mark and worrying we wouldn't get there and then it turned out we didn't need that much at all. Previous seasons are useful to look at but it might be worth looking at previous seasons tables at this stage in the season to see how they've gone.

[Plastics]

Middlesborough's next 4 games:

Away to Crystal Palace

Away to Burnley

Home to Millwall

Home to Cardiff City

All top half teams. Tricky.

[Parsonblue]

Middlesborough's next 4 games:

Away to Crystal Palace

Away to Burnley

Home to Millwall

Home to Cardiff City

All top half teams. Tricky.

While we are away to Hull, home to Leeds, away to Leicester and still have visits to make to Millwall, Cardiff and Watford - as you say Tricky!

[darrenrover]

While we are away to Hull, home to Leeds, away to Leicester and still have visits to make to Millwall, Cardiff and Watford - as you say Tricky!

4 wins and 2 defeats will do us Parson?

[riverside returns]

Better still 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss and an almighty upset in the cup with an away tie at Barnsley or the like.

[Plastics]

While we are away to Hull, home to Leeds, away to Leicester and still have visits to make to Millwall, Cardiff and Watford - as you say Tricky!

I know. It's just people look at our next games and seem to believe we'll definitely be further away from the play offs. This isn't necessarily the case.

I'm just showing the bigger picture. As the table stands, Middlesborough are the team to catch.

[jim mk2]

Who are Middlesborough ?

[Plastics]

It's my nickname for Middlesbrough. To be honest it's a racial slur so I don't know why it's not being filtered out.

[philipl]

Thought I should cheer myself up so I read this thread.

[philipl]

Don't worry , the players managed them for us.

[DE.]

you drunk pal?

[TBTF]

you drunk pal?

Time to close the thread-alongside our limp and pathetic attempt at bouncing straight back up.

On reflection, this thread which only started on 11thFeb proved to be far too optimistic-rather ironic given that it wa supposed to be managing expectations!!

Jesus what a mess of a club

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Well, they've certainly managed mine. We've got no chance.

[broadsword]

How about a new thread?

"Finishing mid-table - managing expectations"?

[BRFC1995]

7pts off 6th

or

6pts off 20th

bottom half of the table is our only concern for the run in, touch wood we have more than enough to stay above the bottom 3 but there is every chance we could finish in a horribly embarrassing low position for a newly relegated club............christ knows how wolves fans are coping at present