[Archived] Remaining Fixtures...

[Ricky]

Wigan have back to back games against burnley and reading. A loss to burnley and a draw with reading would be nice. Would be nice to be within 2 points of Wigan when we play them although I think it's too much to ask. Be interesting to see how they cope with the FA cup. They could be on the back of an Arsenal backlash.

[Stuart]

Mini League at the moment...

Reading Pts 4 Gd +13 (Leicester, h; Wigan, a; Boro, a; Donny, a, Burnley, h)

Brighton Pts 2 Gd +9 (Charlton, h; Hudds, a; Blackpool, h; Yeovil, h; Forest, a)

Ipswich Pts 2 Gd +7 (Donny, h; Watford, a; Bournemouth, h; Burnley, a; Sheffield Weds, h)

Bournemouth Pts 2 Gd +1 (Yeovil, a; Sheffield Weds, h; Ipswich, a; Forest, h, Millwall, a)

Forest Pts 0 Gd +7 (QPR, a; Brum, h; Leeds, a; Bournemouth, a; Forest, a)

Rovers Pts 0 Gd +3 (Sheffield Weds, a; Yeovil, h; Brum, a; Charlton, a; Wigan,a)

Watford Pts -3 Gd +16 (Millwall, a; Ipswich, h; QPR, a; Derby, a; Charlton, a; Hudds, h)

15 points at stake for each team but we need to win 2 games more than Reading and one more than everyone else.

On paper, it's Reading and Brighton, for me, but Rovers may be fortunate that all of the other promotion chasing teams will take points off each other. It is going to be down to the team who are in form at the moment. That gives Rovers and Bournemouth some hope. Rovers could very easily finish 7th.

[Parsonblue]

The fact that we have got so close, despite this being a season of transition with new players taking time to bed in, augers well for the future. If we can keep key players in the summer and avoid the long run of injuries we have had this season I think we could be in a for decent run next season. Sadly, I think we have too much to do this time round and looking at the fixtures I think Brighton are in prime position if Reading slip up. Nonetheless, I'm very happy with the season we have had.

[The Rover of Finland]

Winning 3 away matches sounds pretty hard. Any word on Jordan, did he hurt himself? He is needed now more than ever.

[JBiz]

I predict a very poor end to the season......

6 days later is it still predicted to be poor?

[ABBEY]

Hail hail the V's then .

[Stuart]

The fact that we have got so close, despite this being a season of transition with new players taking time to bed in, augers well for the future. If we can keep key players in the summer and avoid the long run of injuries we have had this season I think we could be in a for decent run next season. Sadly, I think we have too much to do this time round and looking at the fixtures I think Brighton are in prime position if Reading slip up. Nonetheless, I'm very happy with the season we have had.

Key bit in bold. Hopefully prestonblue has been misinformed about the 25% wage bill reduction required.

This is exactly why I believe promotion was vital THIS season, not next. I hope you are right and I am wrong.

[Ricky]

Hail hail the V's then .

Who actually said anything of the kind? I'm sure you read things that aren't there sometimes Abbey.

[Parsonblue]

Hail hail the V's then .

Nothing to do with Venky's Abbey. It's about the manager and players coming to together and developing into a decent looking team.

[ABBEY]

Don't hail hail the V's ... It's all very confusing

Rather

Nothing to do with Venky's Abbey. It's about the manager and players coming to together and developing into a decent looking team.

Er EVERYTHING that happens at Ewood these days is sadly to do with them .

[Parsonblue]

Don't hail hail the V's ... It's all very confusing

Rather

Er EVERYTHING that happens at Ewood these days is sadly to do with them .

I don't know about you Abbey, but I don't have the money to buy them out and so they will remain until somebody can afford to buy the club - always supposing they want to sell. All I can do is support the club - which will hopefully be here long after they have gone - the manager and the players.

[stanhillrover]

Do I think we WILL do it? No. But we CAN, and have to approach these five games with that in mind and give it everything.

It goes to show that back in December after the Birmingham game many had written our season off and decided we had 'no chance' of the play-offs. Here we are in April with a realistic opportunity. All it is about in this league is making sure you keep in touch and keep picking up points, and you get into the last ten games and anything can happen. Who tipped Bournemouth to rocket up the league?

Looking at the remaining fixtures Rovers have in 'theory' probably the best run-in. Only Wigan at home to play from the top half, away games at Sheffield, Birmingham and Charlton.

Its going to be a very tough task and will probably take at least 12 points to do it. 71 points should be enough when you consider the games that teams above us still have to play. The last thing we need is an already promoted Leicester/Burnley going on their holidays and rolling over like Leicester did against Brighton last night.

Whatever happens, I consider this season to have been a success and there are many more reasons to be hopeful for the future than there were this time last year.

[USABlue]

Looks like Brighton have the easiest run in to me but one never knows in this league. Sadly I think we will be left lamenting the fact we drew so many games and games like Charlton. Of course lets not forget the.multitude of dubious penalties

[Hasta]

One game at a time. I dont believe we will win on saturday but if we did , and then followed up against Yeovil , it may get interesting. We will need 13 or 15 pts from five games tho which i really cant see.

[TBTF]

I agree Hasta that's the immediate equation and Brighton look to have a great chance after last night.

I suppose the fact that the last time we won 3 in a row was 6 1/2 years ago when Mark Hughes was our Manager and Samba scored a late winner at Spurs slightly dampens enthusiasm . If we are to make it we probably need to win all 5 -in other words ending the season with 7 straight wins!!!!!!

Hope the holding midfielders stay fit then!!

[GanG2245]

Did any one check the league table? why is bournemouth below us now? pretty sure they were above us after tuesdays match.

They had 61 points. now they only have 59

Edit - in livescore.com they still have 61 points. but in bbc and daily mail they have 59. which is correct?

[Stuart]

61

[GanG2245]

now all sites are showing 61..

[ABBEY]

Are you smoking weed or licking LSD dude?

Haha

[rog of the rovers]

Last time Rovers were in the Playoffs we finished the season with 74 points.

If we're going to sneak in, the list below shows the teams and points that managed to secure the final playoff spot. Teams in bold went on to secure promotion.

91/92 - Blackburn Rovers - 74 pts

92/93 - Leicester City - 76 pts

93/94 - Derby County - 71 pts

94/95 - Tranmere Rovers - 76 pts *5th place final playoff spot, due to league restructuring.

95/96 - Charlton Athletic - 71 pts

96/97 - Crystal Palace - 71 pts

97/98 - Sheffield United - 74 pts

98/99 - Bolton Wanderers - 76 pts

99/00 - Bolton Wanderers - 76 pts

00/01 - West Bromwich Albion - 74 pts

01/02 - Norwich City - 75 pts

02/03 - Nottingham Forest - 74 pts

03/04 - Crystal Palace - 73 pts

04/05 - West Ham United - 73 pts

05/06 - Crystal Palace - 75 pts

06/07 - Southampton - 75 pts

07/08 - Watford - 70 pts

08/09 - Preston North End - 74 pts

09/10 - Blackpool - 70 pts

10/11 - Nottingham Forest - 75 pts

11/12 - Cardiff City - 75 pts

12/13 - Leicester City - 68 pts

1314 - ?

As low as 68 points (last season) to as high as 76 points in 94/95, 98/99 and 99/00.

Average needed for 6th place, is 73.3 or rounded down, 73 points.

That means to reach that magical figure we'd need 14 points from 5 games (which is impossible, only 15 points or 13 points)

5 wins from 5 leaves us with 74 points.

4 wins and a draw leaves us with 72 points

3 wins and 2 draws leaves us with 70 points. *This must be the bare minimum if we're going to sneak in.*

Of course these assumptions are working on historical numbers, but the fact we're even talking about it shows how our recent run (combined with other results) has reignited the season.

A long shot, but you never know.

[somersetrover]

If we are to get in the playoffs I think we need to win all of our remaining games, perhaps if we are lucky with results we could afford to draw one game.

[grizfoot]

Some people on this forum seem to be convinced that we've had absolutely no chance of play-offs or promotion at any point during this season and I'm sure all they want to do is to be able to it throw back at the end of season and say "hahahha told you so" to everyone. Given the inconsistency of the side I've had various stages of confidence throughout the season, in truth I have already given up hope a number of times already. But after the impressive way we played against QPR and looking through the remaining fixtures there's still some hope left in my opinion.

The fixtures left could hardly be more kind. Sheffield Wednesday have improved in the latter part of the season but have little to play for in the game on Saturday. Yeovil at home, who we should have beat more comfortable away from home earlier in the season and who currently find themselves bottom of the league. Two away games against Charlton and Birmingham, again two teams near the bottom of the table who we need to avenge for losing points against earlier in the season. Lastly the final home game against Wigan, who may already have a play-off place sealed by then and therefore could possibly rest some of their players with that in mind.

It all depends upon the way you look at it. If we can maintain a good-level of performance I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to win at least three or four of those games.

[somersetrover]

Some people on this forum seem to be convinced that we've had absolutely no chance of play-offs or promotion at any point during this season and I'm sure all they want to do is to be able to it throw back at the end of season and say "hahahha told you so" to everyone. Given the inconsistency of the side I've had various stages of confidence throughout the season, in truth I have already given up hope a number of times already. But after the impressive way we played against QPR and looking through the remaining fixtures there's still some hope left in my opinion.

The fixtures left could hardly be more kind. Sheffield Wednesday have improved in the latter part of the season but have little to play for in the game on Saturday. Yeovil at home, who we should have beat more comfortable away from home earlier in the season and who currently find themselves bottom of the league. Two away games against Charlton and Birmingham, again two teams near the bottom of the table who we need to avenge for losing points against earlier in the season. Lastly the final home game against Wigan, who may already have a play-off place sealed by then and therefore could possibly rest some of their players with that in mind.

It all depends upon the way you look at it. If we can maintain a good-level of performance I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to win at least three or four of those games.

They could also have an FA Cup Final to play as well.

[Ricky]

So if Charlton, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday are all so poor we must have taken 9 points against them at home..... Oh... Hang on a minute.

This league is just as likely to bite us on the bum again. This weekend will be a tough game as they all are.

[tkturner]

One game at a time for me, too many fixtures where we should have got the 3 points and didn't and I fully expect the remaining fixtures to contain games where we fall just short again...

would love us to sneak in, it would be brilliant for the fans but I think its too late...