How can we finish in the top 2?

[sage]

We need to gain an additional 2 points per 6 games on top of what we are doing.Effectively converting a draw into a win.

How will we achieve this?

Does it just depend on the January window and luck with injuries?

Do we need to play differently or manage games differently?

[Simmo’s left foot]

We have to keep winning, fingers crossed for injuries, so squad and game management are crucial. Maybe a couple of new faces in key areas too!

[Gritstone Ram]

I reckon win against the top teams the 6 pointers they call them. Oh and don’t f*** up against the lower teams.

[FindernRam]

And being ready to lose a few key players in the next window. Resisting selling will test the owners resolve!

Edited December 21, 2023 by FindernRam
typo

[oldtimeram]

Win every game.....simples

[Dean (hick) Saunders]

Defence looks good, almost best in the league. If we could score 1 more goal per game that ought to get us close.

Can we do this with current squad (given forward injuries)… No…

So sign another forward of right quality and we hopefully could be close to top 2.

Amen

[Returning ram]

I'm confused, if we win tonight, we go one point behind 2nd place, with the same amount of games played ?

2 points extra over every 6 games would give us an additional 10 points... what am I missing please 🙏 

[hintonsboots]

By finishing above the team in third.

[sage]

47 minutes ago, Returning ram said:

I'm confused, if we win tonight, we go one point behind 2nd place, with the same amount of games played ?

2 points extra over every 6 games would give us an additional 10 points... what am I missing please 🙏 

Generally speaking 94 points should get you top 2.

We are currently averaging 1.85 ppg, we would need to average 2.2ppg for the rest of the season to finish top 2.

If we only need 85/86 points, then win tonight and continue at that ppg. It's rare that that amount would get you top 2.

 

[Tombo]

Don't "overmaths" it would be a good start to get where we need to go. In the only mathematics that matter we're close to the top 2.

Less flippantly, consistency will be key and sticking to the fast paced football that has got us results. In the games where we've dropped points, we quite often fail to impose our game and keep searching for space out wide that isn't there. It's predictable and lacking invention

In summary, do what we've done in the first half of the season just a tiny bit better and we're good

[Wolfie]

[JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta]

The January window makes or breaks our season I think. Get it right and we are in a great position. Get it wrong and were going to be trying to cling on to a playoff spot like last season.

Edited December 21, 2023 by JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta

[Simmo’s left foot]

Average second place over the last 7 years is 90.4 points. 92 points or 2 per game is a decent target. Posh currently in second place have 41 points from 21 games = 1.95 points per game. A win tonight will give us 40 points from 21 games = 1.95 per game. 

It looks like second place might be close to the 7 year average this year.

Basically its close and all to play for! COYR.

[RamontheMoor]

By avoiding a Jan / Feb slump as per tradition 🤞🏻

[Ghost of Clough]

3 hours ago, sage said:

We need to gain an additional 2 points per 6 games on top of what we are doing.Effectively converting a draw into a win.

How will we achieve this?

Does it just depend on the January window and luck with injuries?

Do we need to play differently or manage games differently?

At the moment, Peterborough have the 2nd best ppg record, which is equivalent to 90 points over a season - only 5 points better than us so far. That's a very small margin to make up.

We also had a very bad start (for a side chasing automatics). Exclude our first 3 games (2 looses), then we have the 2nd best record in the league over the past 17 games, averaging 2 points per game.

Results wise, we are close. The good thing is, there's a lot of room for improvement, so we should be capable of exceeding those minimum requirements. That could be a couple of signings to improve our starting 11, add more squad depth, players improving tactically, the manager/coaches improving on their decisions.

I look at the other teams around us and see teams already playing at their potential. Oxford have won just 1 game since they hired their new manager. There's little room for Stevenage to improve. I would also include Barnsley and Peterborough along with them. In fact, Portsmouth have been doing so well it's hard for them to improve too. Bolton are the only ones I would worry about because they have depth in their squad and have the financial power to improve it.

[Ghost of Clough]

8 minutes ago, Simmo’s left foot said:

Average second place over the last 7 years is 90.4 points. 92 points or 2 per game is a decent target. Posh currently in second place have 41 points from 21 games = 1.95 points per game. A win tonight will give us 40 points from 21 games = 1.905 per game. 

It looks like second place might be close to the 7 year average this year.

Basically its close and all to play for! COYR.

Almost right, just missing a '0' 😉

[Caerphilly Ram]

I’m not clever enough to get into the statistical conversation, so will say one aspect of our tactical approach that I feel needs improving for us to keep pushing up the table is working out how to grind out the wins against those teams that look to frustrate us. I’m thinking the dropped points on Saturday, away at Cheltenham, the Shrewsbury and Cambridge games etc.
When the match is open, we do well. Granted there’s not the control some would like, but results wise we’ve done well. When teams are stubborn and dig in we struggle to break them down which ends up with us playing it wide and crossing it over and over again, with seemingly no one willing (or instructed) to take a shot on from distance or play through the middle. Perhaps Embleton would have helped in that regard 🤔 

So yeah, for me we need to find a way to get maximum points in those matches against stubborn opponents who don’t want to play. 

[RodleyRam]

3 keys to the autos

1. Grind out results when the nights are dark and the going is tough. This is an area we typically struggle with and it's about bouncing back from a bad result as much as anything else. I think we have a solid base, so I don't expect us to lose many but we need to find a way to get 3 points rather than 1 when teams make it really difficult and don't find ourselves 3 or 4 games without a win.

2. Keep our players as fresh as possible. We need to rotate key players where the opportunity arises and limit injuries as much as we possibly can.

3. Add quality in January. There is a balance to be struck between injecting some impetus and destabilising. Last year's window was hugely undercooked, I hope we learn that we simply have to add some depth and quality in January. I would like to think we can keep hold of Bird and Cashin but if that's not possible I do think we need to replace them AND add one or two.

Although no-one really wants to accept it the 4th point is that we need a massive slice of luck...

[May Contain Nuts]

Cross our fingers that either Ian Evatt or John Mousinho leave their respective clubs in the next 3 months.

[Zag zig]

8 hours ago, JuanFloEvraTheCocu'sNesta said:

The January window makes or breaks our season I think. Get it right and we are in a great position. Get it wrong and we’re going to be trying to cling on to a playoff spot like last season.

Add to that, really hope we can keep Cashin, him and Nelson are rock solid at the back.