Can we make the Playoffs?

[Inglorious basturk]

Just playing devils advocate ... imagine if we did go up 

[roversfan99]

Its still very unlikely and impossible to believe properly until we spend some time in the top 6 but with the injuries I have been very impressed by the last 2 performances and results following a meek surrender at home v Fulham in which I felt the lack of quality on show was a sign of what was in store for the rest of the season.

[Bbrovers2288]

If we get 9 points from the bottom 3 then we will be in with a shout and could be a changing of the tide as they are exactly the type of game we don’t perform in. 

[Swanson]

What has been our best season in the Championship since we went down the second time? The season with Rhodes and Gestede up front? Did we get many points?

[DE.]

Just now, Swanson said:

What has been our best season in the Championship since we went down the second time? The season with Rhodes and Gestede up front? Did we get many points?

13/14 season. We finished 8th on 70 points, two points off 6th. W18 D16 L12. Scored 70 Conceded 62, +8 GD. 

[Dreams of 1995]

We have some tough games coming up though. Brentford don't look like losing and then we play Stoke and Swansea in that same week. Things in this league can very easily turn.

A win vs Brentford and suddenly belief starts to happen...already excited for that game, which usually results in a lifeless 2-0 loss.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Dreams of 1995

[DE.]

16 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

We have some tough games coming up though. Brentford don't look like losing and then we play Stoke and Swansea in that same week. Things in this league can very easily turn.

A win vs Brentford and suddenly belief starts to happen...already excited for that game, which usually results in a lifeless 2-0 loss.

Typical Rovers would be for us to get a decent result against Brentford then go and lose to Stoke and Swansea. If we come out of those three games with a good points haul then I think we can have genuine belief that something might have changed. It would be an incredible turnaround considering our injuries. 

[47er]

1 hour ago, DE. said:

Typical Rovers would be for us to get a decent result against Brentford then go and lose to Stoke and Swansea. If we come out of those three games with a good points haul then I think we can have genuine belief that something might have changed. It would be an incredible turnaround considering our injuries. 

As I've posted before, I think the injuries have prevented the weekly tinkering. There just aren't the options available to play around with.

Everyone picked today was in their best position.

At least 4 of our injuries are to our very best players which shows that a team which gels can beat any 11 individuals.

TM should learn from this--no more Gallagher on the wing please. The injuries have, counter-intuitively, saved his season!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Have an awful feeling the non performances over Xmas will really come back to bite us hard.

A season of if only?

[Fraserkirky]

We need Rothwell back and to his best ASAP, to have a really chance.

[oldjamfan1]

I would bite your hand off for 7 points out of the next 9. Then I will really start to believe!

[Bigdoggsteel]

I think it's worth nothing that Lenihan gets a 2 game ban if he gets one more yellow in the next 4 games. It relates then if he hasn't. 

I recall Smallwood surprising us all and going age without being booked one time. I will be amazed if Lenihan goes 4 games without being booked though. 

Mulgrew and Tosin gives me a bad feeling akin to when Mulgrew played with Rodwell. I would prefer Williams, but just about.  Our season is dependant on keeping the  current defence together I feel. 

[AAK]

10 hours ago, DE. said:

13/14 season. We finished 8th on 70 points, two points off 6th. W18 D16 L12. Scored 70 Conceded 62, +8 GD. 

We played brighton towards end of season at home and we surrendered the lead twice against them, with brighton equalising in the 90th minute,, after it looked like wed won it with a late penalty, if wed have won we would have finished above them and wed have finished in the top 6, as they were 6th place. We also conceded a 95th min equaliser to sheff weds 2 weeks later after leading 3-1. We should have been top 6.

Edited February 16, 2020 by AAK

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

8 hours ago, 47er said:

As I've posted before, I think the injuries have prevented the weekly tinkering. There just aren't the options available to play around with.

Everyone picked today was in their best position.

At least 4 of our injuries are to our very best players which shows that a team which gels can beat any 11 individuals.

TM should learn from this--no more Gallagher on the wing please. The injuries have, counter-intuitively, saved his season!

Would you have selected Buckley and Samuel over Graham? I see Bennett is barely featuring any more, despite the injuries which I think many people doubted would happen.

Out injuries are largely concentrated in one area of the pitch which is a plus.

[TruRover]

Putting it simply, we need to beat the bigger teams if we are going to make the playoffs. I can only remember Brentford at home and Bristol city away being our big game victories this season. Brentford away poses is the poor opportunity to do that. At this stage in the season with the form we’re on, aswell as being in touching distance off the play offs you would be forgiven for expecting a nose bleed at Brentford, however if we can get a win, then I will begin to fully believe we can make the playoffs. I would go as far to say it could be our most important match since our relegation from the prem (excluding league one). A big game. 

[Ossydave]

On 02/02/2020 at 00:31, bluebruce said:

6 points behind, not been in the top 6 all season (closest has been 8th I think?) midfield decimated with injuries and the only club to fail to recruit anybody in January.

I think you know why it's very unlikely now, but your relentless positivity won't let you see/admit it.

Quite ironically last season it was against Brentford away that my mate booked Wembley hotels when we went 2 up. Let's not talk about the aftermath.

I feel at the moment that we aren't them guys anymore that throw games away. Fire them balls into the box, Mr flappy will flap and we will win. 

[K-Hod]

As others have rightly observed above, the acid test is next week, against a team going well this season, above us in the league, occupying the space we want to be in.

If this was last season, I can say with certainty we’d have bottled it. Whilst I’m not getting carried away with anything, I do feel a lot better about this kind of fixture this season....

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Inglorious basturk said:

Just playing devils advocate ... imagine if we did go up 

- Financial worries gone

- Tosin stays another year

- We’d be able to have any of the European targets we wanted - they’d choose us over CH clubs

- Bumper crowds and some games against Burnley

- Venky’s probably come and watch a game, people would also probably be a little more forgiving

- Three years of parachute payments even if we got relegated, with the knowledge of how to NOT spend that money like last time (Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu)

Bliss. But I just don’t feel like it’s happening. Not this year.

[Ricky]

I’ll agree with someone who posted above about the two no shows over Christmas. Two winnable home games against lesser opposition and we failed to get a win. Think those lost points will make a big difference at the end of the season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Have an awful feeling the non performances over Xmas will really come back to bite us hard.

A season of if only?

Or losing to Luton and Charlton at home !

[Mattyblue]

Sounds great Joe, but I honestly couldn’t give a feck about playing Burnley.

We’ve become as obsessed with them as they always were with us pre the Venky wrecking ball.

[47er]

1 hour ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Would you have selected Buckley and Samuel over Graham? I see Bennett is barely featuring any more, despite the injuries which I think many people doubted would happen.

Out injuries are largely concentrated in one area of the pitch which is a plus.

I nominated Samual before the match in my 11. I didn't select Graham, I think he's unlikely to complete a whole game these days but I would have had him as a sub.

I note your report that the manager has also finally seen sense over Bennet!

Usually to lose your best 3 attacking players would be a disaster but somehow we are coping at the moment. Plenty of the season to go yet though.

Will that do?!!

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, 47er said:

I nominated Samual before the match in my 11. I didn't select Graham, I think he's unlikely to complete a whole game these days but I would have had him as a sub.

I note your report that the manager has also finally seen sense over Bennet!

Usually to lose your best 3 attacking players would be a disaster but somehow we are coping at the moment. Plenty of the season to go yet though.

Will that do?!!

 

I think Bennett has been carrying an injury recently.

[jim mk2]

I still don't think we'll do it. Despite yesterday's excellent showing we don't do it often enough. We're just as likely to go on a 3 points out of 15 run similar to Christmas as kick on from this point. The injuries have helped the team though. Tony seems less confused as to which players to pick. 

[Paul Mani]

I said in the summer (May) that the decision had been made to move Mulgrew, Smallwood and Graham out of the team. They had been told and the likes of Evans and Benno were also told that they needed to pick up their game to stay in the team which was going to evolve into a more technical based outfit.

The manager later came out publicly and stated the same. He’s stuck to his guns and the team are now playing how he wanted them to. If only we had Dack, Holtby and Evans fit now. I’d really fancy us going into those last 13 games.

Did I read somewhere that 7 wins will probably do it? If so then the season doesn’t hang on Saturday though a positive result would keep up the momentum.