Where do you think we'll finish this season?

[Returning ram]

Champions 😊

[Blondest Goat]

3 minutes ago, Returning ram said:

Champions 😊

A case of heart over head if ever there was one.

[Eddie]

Lap of the gods.

Every team in the top 6 is having 'iffy' spells of form, and I see no reason why that shouldn't continue until the end of the season.

[Returning ram]

2 minutes ago, Blondest Goat said:

A case of heart over head if ever there was one.

Not really, in reality I dont know where we will finish, if I did I wouldn't have a betting record as I do, but why not go with a positive outlook rather than a negative one.

I'll also say, although I'll be disappointed if we don't go up, it won't be the end of the world, I'll still be going to games on a regular basis next season. Yes it may be a lower division, yes I may never see my dream of watching the Rams in Europe, but it will still be a game of football between two teams over 90 minutes.
 

It may be Warne in charge, it may not, but ultimately football to me is not just about the 90 mins, it's everything that goes with it, yes I want to see the team succeed, but if they don't I'll carry going to the games with the mindset they will win each one, whoever wears the shirt or manages them 😏

[Comrade 86]

17 minutes ago, Returning ram said:

Not really, in reality I dont know where we will finish, if I did I wouldn't have a betting record as I do, but why not go with a positive outlook rather than a negative one.

I'll also say, although I'll be disappointed if we don't go up, it won't be the end of the world, I'll still be going to games on a regular basis next season. Yes it may be a lower division, yes I may never see my dream of watching the Rams in Europe, but it will still be a game of football between two teams over 90 minutes.
 

It may be Warne in charge, it may not, but ultimately football to me is not just about the 90 mins, it's everything that goes with it, yes I want to see the team succeed, but if they don't I'll carry going to the games with the mindset they will win each one, whoever wears the shirt or manages them 😏

Positivity!? From a football supporter?!?! On a football forum??!!?!??!

Be honest now RR, have you taken your meds this morning?

[Tamworthram]

36 minutes ago, Blondest Goat said:

A case of heart over head if ever there was one.

Every year, just to pass the time because I really have no idea and this league continues to produce some weird results, I do a spreadsheet predictor in early Feb.

This year, I have assumed the top 7 get the same results as the others against teams outside of the top 7 (so, if I have Portsmouth to win away at Charlton, I put everyone else down to win at Charlton by the same margin). So, the only thing I really have to ponder is head to heads amongst the top 7.

My predictor has us finishing top on goal difference.

By and large, I accept it’s a pointless exercise - I only really do it for fun, but it does satisfy me that there are no stand out favourites in the league. I may have been a tad over confident but I did have us down for losing yesterday and failing to beat either Pompey or Bolton.

[BramcoteRam84]

If we’re not going to finish top 2 then who is? Bolton? The team who have just been smashed 4-1 and whose fans are probably in meltdown right now. Barnsley? Need to win their game in hand (against Bolton) just to be level with us, a team who not so long ago fans were also in meltdown wanting their manager out (sound familiar). The reason no one is running away with it (I think Pompey will be pulled back) is because all the teams at the top have flaws and are not quite good enough to dominate the league. Barnsley are back in the top 2 race now yet didn’t look any better than us, Bolton have been everyone’s pick and rightly because along with Pompey they’ve been the most active in the transfer market and spent the most money, yet they’re struggling right now. This will go to the wire and we have absolutely as much chance as the other teams. 

Big week ahead, Port Vale we absolutely should be banking on 3 points, anything else not good enough given they’re one of the poorest teams in the league right now. Charlton will be tough, they’ve taken points off Bolton and Pompey in the last two games, beating them will actually be a marker for our competitiveness. 
 

I think we can get top 2 but I don’t think we’re in the top 2 sides in this division. People can ignore this until they are blue in the face, the likes of Pompey Bolton and even Barnsley have had an advantage on us due to our restrictions. There’s a reason the average age of the squad is as old as it is. Yes we have a budget to be competitive and we are being competitive but that doesn’t mean top 2 should be a guarantee, and the playoffs as we all know are a lottery. 

 

[Elwood P Dowd]

11 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

If we’re not going to finish top 2 then who is? Bolton? The team who have just been smashed 4-1 and whose fans are probably in meltdown right now. Barnsley? Need to win their game in hand (against Bolton) just to be level with us, a team who not so long ago fans were also in meltdown wanting their manager out (sound familiar). The reason no one is running away with it (I think Pompey will be pulled back) is because all the teams at the top have flaws and are not quite good enough to dominate the league. Barnsley are back in the top 2 race now yet didn’t look any better than us, Bolton have been everyone’s pick and rightly because along with Pompey they’ve been the most active in the transfer market and spent the most money, yet they’re struggling right now. This will go to the wire and we have absolutely as much chance as the other teams. 

Big week ahead, Port Vale we absolutely should be banking on 3 points, anything else not good enough given they’re one of the poorest teams in the league right now. Charlton will be tough, they’ve taken points off Bolton and Pompey in the last two games, beating them will actually be a marker for our competitiveness. 
 

I think we can get top 2 but I don’t think we’re in the top 2 sides in this division. People can ignore this until they are blue in the face, the likes of Pompey Bolton and even Barnsley have had an advantage on us due to our restrictions. There’s a reason the average age of the squad is as old as it is. Yes we have a budget to be competitive and we are being competitive but that doesn’t mean top 2 should be a guarantee, and the playoffs as we all know are a lottery. 

 

Lets be positive and go all out for Automatic promotion

[Crewton]

Bolton have by far the hardest (on paper) run in - if they get automatic promotion, they will truly have deserved it (unless it comes down solely to that travesty of a result against us at their place).

"It'll take a good team to beat us" one of their fans boasted on here the other day. Well, Blackpool are a decent enough team currently in good form, but certainly no better than at least half the remaining teams that Bolton have to play......

[Tamworthram]

41 minutes ago, Crewton said:

Bolton have by far the hardest (on paper) run in - if they get automatic promotion, they will truly have deserved it (unless it comes down solely to that travesty of a result against us at their place).

"It'll take a good team to beat us" one of their fans boasted on here the other day. Well, Blackpool are a decent enough team currently in good form, but certainly no better than at least half the remaining teams that Bolton have to play......

Surely, subject to some anomalies (e.g. Bolton being gifted Wildsmith’s sending off) whoever grabs the automatic play off places truly deserves it? The fact that Bolton’s tough run has come towards the end of the season is kind of irrelevant in terms of who deserves a top two finish.

[ram59]

7 minutes ago, Tamworthram said:

Surely, subject to some anomalies (e.g. Bolton being gifted Wildsmith’s sending off) whoever grabs the automatic play off places truly deserves it? The fact that Bolton’s tough run has come towards the end of the season is kind of irrelevant in terms of who deserves a top two finish.

With it looking like it's going to the wire, I think that it's entirely likely that someone will get second place because they've had a bit more good fortune than those behind them. 

If Bolton edge us out, we will look back at that dire refereeing performance in the away game, which we may have lost anyway.

If Barnsley edge it in front of another team, that team will look back at some shocking late referee decisions that have given Barnsley some points.

There will be teams who won't have had the rub of the green who just miss out and will probably deserve second place more than the team that finishes there.

[BramcoteRam84]

1 hour ago, Crewton said:

Bolton have by far the hardest (on paper) run in - if they get automatic promotion, they will truly have deserved it (unless it comes down solely to that travesty of a result against us at their place).

"It'll take a good team to beat us" one of their fans boasted on here the other day. Well, Blackpool are a decent enough team currently in good form, but certainly no better than at least half the remaining teams that Bolton have to play......

Blackpool are my biggest fear if we do end up in the playoffs. On their day they’re arguably the best team in the league. If they make the playoffs I think with the momentum they will have they’ll be a hard team to stop and think they could end up winning it. 

[MackworthRamIsGod]

I think we will finish 4th and then get to Wembley and then will suffer another heart breaking defeat.

Yesterday proved to me, either Paul, the players, or both, don't have the minerals for the big games when it matters.

Hope I'm wrong, fairly sure I won't be.

 

[littleover ram]

Looking at the ‘big’ clubs who have gone down to this level, Leeds took 3 seasons, our friends down the road were 3 seasons, Sunderland 4, Sheff Wed 2, Man City 1…. Our problem is the longer we are down here we will lose our better players. Knight last year, Bird off after this year, Cashin will be next

we really don’t want to have another year in league one. I think Warne should go if we don’t go up this year, even if it’s a play off final defeat 

[8Leeds]

1 hour ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I think we will finish 4th and then get to Wembley and then will suffer another heart breaking defeat.

Yesterday proved to me, either Paul, the players, or both, don't have the minerals for the big games when it matters.

Hope I'm wrong, fairly sure I won't be.

 

I think this is exactly what will happen

[ram59]

1 hour ago, MackworthRamIsGod said:

I think we will finish 4th and then get to Wembley and then will suffer another heart breaking defeat.

Yesterday proved to me, either Paul, the players, or both, don't have the minerals for the big games when it matters.

Hope I'm wrong, fairly sure I won't be.

 

I though that several players had nervy performances yesterday with multiple simple passes going astray. I'm hoping that this was a one off and not a sign of things to come, because the teams going up will be by  and large the ones who's players handle the pressure the best.

[plymouthram]

GOAL DIFFERENCE  Could be the a deciding factor, looking at the likes of the current top 4 teams. If Pompey have another wobble, even they could be looking at other teams goals for and against. Portsmouth have drawn almost a third of their games and if they continue in the same form they are looking at another 3 games being drawn, that does'nt improve your goal difference. They could easily lose a few with Blackpool, Peterboro and Bolton to play away and on top of that they still have Oxford, Barnsley and Derby at home.

Derby have the easiest fixtures out of the top 6 teams, with only Bolton (h) and Pompey (a) left to play. I know we still have Blackpool to play, but that's at Pride Park and their home form is keeping their hopes alive for a late snatch for a play-off spot. Bolton and Barnsley game in hand is against each other, plus they have the most away games still to play. Bolton's last 4 matches in April are Bristol R (a), Pompey (h), Port Vale (h) and Peterboro (a). Barnsley Also have Blackpool (a), Stevenage (a) and Pompey (a).

I still sticking by my last prediction, even though we lost in a closely contested match at Barnsley. In the top 2, which position depends on who wobbles, who has the least injuries to key players and who they have to play.

 

[Premier ram]

Sticking with my prediction 2nd.   COYR

[Oldben]

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/we-struggled-derby-county-boss-gives-blunt-post-match-verdict-as-bolton-welcome-back-17-goal-striker-4532843

Bolton getting their striker back should help them.

Portsmouth fc must be less concerned about Derby today.

Edited February 26 by Oldben
Changed content

[Cheftyke1]

Barnsley fan in peace here. I must say from browsing this forum, the Pompey forum and the Bolton forum. It is a little surprising how the general consensus is that this is a three horse race.

Win our game in hand and we are level on points. We’ve also got Bolton to play at home. 

We’ve had a pretty strange season having to deal with a lot of upheaval in the summer and it feels to me like we’re only now starting to go through the gears. I think we will probably also benefit from experience of last season going into this run in. 
 

I’m quite happy for us to fly under the radar, but don’t be surprised if we finish strongly. 
 

should be an exciting few months in any event! 
 

 

Edited February 26 by Cheftyke1