Ball is in our court

[ariotofmyown]

1 minute ago, ram59 said:

Correct, both Bolton and Derby would finish 3 points ahead of Portsmouth in that very unlikely scenario.

There are going to be quite a few twists and turns before the end of the season, hopefully ending with us finishing in the top two.

Barnsley are beginning to worry me, they've benefitted from a number of late dodgy decisions this season.

Ok, let's say us and Bolton both draw vs Pompey. My point really was that where we finish is highly dependent on what Bolton do. We could be pretty poor results wise for rest of season, as long as Bolton and Barnsley are a little poorer.

No automatic and Warne moaners will be going crazy. But we could perform worse and still go up.

[ram59]

16 minutes ago, ariotofmyown said:

Ok, let's say us and Bolton both draw vs Pompey. My point really was that where we finish is highly dependent on what Bolton do. We could be pretty poor results wise for rest of season, as long as Bolton and Barnsley are a little poorer.

No automatic and Warne moaners will be going crazy. But we could perform worse and still go up.

Whether we go up is largely dependent on how other teams get on. After we lost to Peterborough, I and many others thought that they were nailed on for an automatic spot probably alongside Bolton, as Portsmouth were struggling at the time. Since then Portsmouth have gone on a great run and Peterborough have collapsed. But that's just over a 5 game period and we still have 12 or 13 games left, plenty of time for things to change once more.

[plymouthram]

3 hours ago, Bris Vegas said:

Barnsley play Bolton in midweek soon. It could be that is Bolton and Barnsley’s game in hand.

If Barnsley beat us both, they will have belief they can pip that 2nd automatic spot.

Pompey probably only need another 6 or 7 wins from their remaining 12 games and they will be promoted.

Pompey have 7 games in their remaining 12 against top half teams, Blackpool, Peterboro, Bolton and Lincoln away with Oxford, Barnsley and Derby at home. Bolton have Blackpool, Barnsley, Derby, Stevenage, Bristol and Peterboro away with Oxford and Pompey at home to play from the top half of the table. Barnsley have 7 fixtures against top half teams, Pompey, Stevenage and Blackpool away with Derby, Bolton, Lincoln and Northampton at home.

Even though Peterboro, Oxford and Stevenage are still in the mix, I feel, unless an incredible turn in form they will not be contending for a top 2 spot. But they still have possible play-off spot to grab. Blackpool are only 6 points off the play-off spots and have a very good home record. They still have Bolton, Pompey and Barnsley at home. Games in hand is good, but only if you win them, it's points onboard that matter with only a dozen or so games to go that puts that team in the driving seat.

[plymouthram]

1 hour ago, Jourdan said:

I get the thinking, but how often in football do things actually work out like that?

You will see a team breeze through a challenging run in and another team make hard work of an easier run in, and vice versa.

Sometimes teams produce results true to form, sometimes not. If it was so easy to gauge which games were easy and which were difficult, we’d all be raking it in at the bookies.

Look at the last day of last season. Who would have expected Peterborough to go to Barnsley and win at our expense? February to May always throws up strange results.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of ‘Bolton have to play X, Y, Z. Advantage us!’ but very often there is no advantage at all.

Barnsley did'nt play at 100% against Peterboro because they were already assured a play-off spot. There is no league games in May this season and Bolton do have a match every Tuesday/Saturday right up to Easter, that will take it's toll on them.

[Reggie Greenwood]

1 minute ago, plymouthram said:

Barnsley did'nt play at 100% against Peterboro because they were already assured a play-off spot. There is no league games in May this season and Bolton do have a match every Tuesday/Saturday right up to Easter, that will take it's toll on them.

Deon Charles out for a few games as well 

[RoyMac5]

 

[uttoxram75]

Its all about belief now.

Hopefully older lads who've done it before like Mendez-Laing, Bradley, Nelson, Hourihane, Fozzy and Waggy can calm the younger lads, help them concentrate to cut out individual errors. Its rare teams score worldies against us, its nearly always because we've given the ball away cheaply.

I hope those lot are telling the boys how they'll feel to be part of taking this club up and boost their confidence.

As a life long fan, all i want to see is total commitment to the cause, from both players and fans.

We need B4 to give a team talk.

[maydrakin]

Towards the end of the season, stats go out the window, as teams at the bottom start scrapping for their lives and those in mid-table begin to start thinking about their holidays.

Just focus on ourselves and get as many points as possible.

[Warren Blufitt]

Interesting topic this boys but if I can correct the threads title, the ball isn’t actually in your court it’s in Wanderers court if we win all our games. We won’t of course and nor will you nor Pompey but certainly on paper you have the easiest run in. As we know though, that doesn’t always turn out well as was said earlier, teams at the bottom fight for their lives whilst teams at the top suffer with nerves. You can only concentrate on what you can do and actually having tough games I see as a positive for Wanderers because with the squad we have I genuinely believe we can beat anybody else in L1 home or away.

Having lost the entire spine of our team over the last month or so we’ve still kept up results and we should have all those players back within the next week to ten days so basically for the run in and those really challenging games. Looking at fixtures though I certainly wouldn’t say Pompey are nailed on yet and they do still have to come to the Reebok yet as well. That’s obviously good for you whichever way it goes but with 3 games in hand on them if Pompey lose it will definitely shake them. It’s going to be a thrilling run in and it looks like being two from four with you, us, Pompey and Tykes and it will come down to who holds their nerve best. I think we will and with your run in so should you. 🙂

Edited February 20 by Warren Blufitt

[Srg]

9 minutes ago, Warren Blufitt said:

Interesting topic this boys but if I can correct the threads title, the ball isn’t actually in your court it’s in Wanderers court if we win all our games.

It's not, because of who plays who.

If we win all our games, including beating Pompey and Bolton then we end with 105.

If Pompey and Bolton do the same, one of you ends with 105 and the other with 102, depending on who wins between you when you play each other.

Edited February 20 by Srg

[Warren Blufitt]

6 minutes ago, Srg said:

It's not, because of who plays who.

If we win all our games, including beating Pompey and Bolton then we end with 105.

If Pompey and Bolton do the same, one of you ends with 105 and the other with 102, depending on who wins between you when you play each other.

You’re right of course Srg, it all depends on how results go and with both yourselves, Barnsley and Pompey still to play things could change any week. You certainly on paper have the best run in but I wouldn’t write off the likes of Charlton or Wycombe who we’ve played recently as both seem to be finding some form, Charlton especially who have some really dangerous players and a new manager in Nathan Jones who knows how to use them. No games easy, home or away and the pressure will only grow so that’s why I see playing the top clubs a possible advantage because we won’t take any of them lightly.

[Foreveram]

32 minutes ago, Warren Blufitt said:

You’re right of course Srg, it all depends on how results go and with both yourselves, Barnsley and Pompey still to play things could change any week. You certainly on paper have the best run in but I wouldn’t write off the likes of Charlton or Wycombe who we’ve played recently as both seem to be finding some form, Charlton especially who have some really dangerous players and a new manager in Nathan Jones who knows how to use them. No games easy, home or away and the pressure will only grow so that’s why I see playing the top clubs a possible advantage because we won’t take any of them lightly.

Is this the same Charlton that hasn’t won a game since November.

[TomTom92]

22 minutes ago, Foreveram said:

Is this the same Charlton that hasn’t won a game since November.

To be fair I agree that Charlton will be tough. 

Got a good point against Bolton, Jones isn't a mug at this level and they do have a decent squad on paper. 

Plus if we manage to get a result on Saturday will we take our foot off the gas the following week against Charlton?

[Eoghan1884]

Looking at the squad we have to complete the remaining 13 games I am optimistic, lots of good quality depth. 

[ram59]

The ball is in all three's hands, Portsmouth, Derby or Bolton will go up if they win their remaining games, because of the three remaining matches between the three teams.

This is just hypothetically possible as all 3 will drop points elsewhere.

[MadAmster]

I read somewhere that Bolton still have to play 7 of the top 10. Looking like a case of points on the board being better than games in hand with any luck.

[England Ram]

The irony for me is that week in week out we bemoan how crap we are and that we have been lucky to scrape some of the points we have and yet there’s an expectation we will continue to be ‘as lucky’ for the remainder. 
Got to love football fans 😂 

 

For me as much as I’d like us to be promoted before that final game so we can have a proper party I think it will come down to the wire between 4 clubs. 
As others have said it will depend on who keeps their nerve, and a fit first 11. 

[Eoghan1884]

1 hour ago, MadAmster said:

I read somewhere that Bolton still have to play 7 of the top 10. Looking like a case of points on the board being better than games in hand with any luck.

They’ve actually to play all 7 of the top 8, excluding themselves obviously. 
 

With 5 of them 7 games Blackpool, Barnsley, Stevenage, Peterborough and Ourselves away from home. 
 

While they’ll host Oxford and Portsmouth. 

[Warren Blufitt]

6 hours ago, Foreveram said:

Is this the same Charlton that hasn’t won a game since November.

Actually Foreveram no it’s not. They surprised me on Saturday with their pace and power which NJ seems to have instilled in them. The fact is that with the players they have and the ones they’ve signed they should be nowhere near the bottom and if Saturday is anything to go by they won’t be for long. Take them lightly if you want but with a proper manager now they may just surprise you because they need the points even more than you do! 😉

[Foreveram]

10 minutes ago, Warren Blufitt said:

Actually Foreveram no it’s not. They surprised me on Saturday with their pace and power which NJ seems to have instilled in them. The fact is that with the players they have and the ones they’ve signed they should be nowhere near the bottom and if Saturday is anything to go by they won’t be for long. Take them lightly if you want but with a proper manager now they may just surprise you because they need the points even more than you do! 😉

After watching Derby for 55 years I never take any game for granted 😂.

Whilst they might be about to see an upturn in form, and it would be hard not, it’s still a fact that they haven’t won a game since October.