The next four games

[BWFC_Insane]

I think our Premier League experience should help us avoid those odd results, which is why I'm fairly optimistic about getting into the play-off spots. We should be able to handle the pressure better than a side like Brighton, who are in a new situation entirely.

Let's be realistic. This isn't the Premier League and our experience up there didn't do us a lot of good in the end. What we need to do is remember we're just another team in this league and battle our way through it. Effort, fight and a bit of confidence is doing us good, but we're only just turning the corner. Time enough to think Pemier League if/when we get there and that's a fair way off just yet. Let's not be underestimating sides like Brighton or anybody else.

Agreed. We've just managed a good run of form, but Hull aside we've won some marginal games that could have easily been drawn or in the Blackburn case lost.

We've come out the right side of the margins.

We are still not just good enough to turn up and roll people over.

If we play well we have a chance of winning. Same goes for Brighton in that if they play well they have a chance of 3 points.

[SmokinFrazier]

Bolton - 2 games, 6 points
Leicester - 2 games, 1 point
Brighton - 2 games, 1 point
Boro - 2 games, 0 points
Leeds - 2 games, 2 points
Forest - 2 games, 6 points


Leicester will drop out of the play-off spots. I think us and Forest will take 5th and 6th place.

[gizmothevoomer]

Now have way through this four game period, the gap between 5th and tenth has closed from 9 points to 6 points. More crucially Leicester and Boro have dropped points in games they would of expected to win. Brighton having just lost to us have only picked up 1 point and with a tricky game against Palace to come.

Bolton and Forest have done superbly and picked up 6 points from the first two games, now Forest have games against Hull and Brighton with us having easier games ( on paper ) Ipswich and Charlton.

Leeds have been solid with draws against Leicester and Palace, and would hope to pick up points against Peterboro and then a tricky derby against Huddersfield.

I think the final two play off places with Forest, Leicester, Brighton and us all well placed to claim them and interesting contrast of points in the bag against impetus and form. These next two games will tell us a lot about who will are the favourates as at the moment as it is to close for me to call.

[SmokinFrazier]

Leicester only have 5 points in their last 7 games though. We have 17 points in that same time period, so even though they've got a nice advantage now, I can't see them holding onto it. I think they'll continue to drop points and I wouldn't be shocked if Pearson was sacked before the end. Theirs and Boros form is atrocious recently and even though both sides were looking good 10 games ago, things have changed a lot since.

12 points from these 4 games isn't impossible. The last two, against Blackburn and obviously Brighton, were tougher on paper than Ipswich and Charlton. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but it's hard not to look up.

[Turkish Trotter]

We'll have more idea after Tuesday when Brighton are at Barnsley and Leicester are at Cardiff.
That'll be their game in hand gone.
Also Leeds play Peterboro on Tuesday and they can catch us points wise.

[gizmothevoomer]

I agree when I started this thread I said all four of these games were winnable, and having played team sport to a decent level ( Not Football ). The danger is when you cross the line and think you have won the game by turning up, there is not a lot to choose between the best teams (Forest, Leicester, Brighton and us ) the four of us can put out.

The difference is mental and belief combined with a desire to work to gain the victory a quality we have shown in the last two games, we are coming up to an international break, which may give Leicester time to regroup and come out fighting, and it could work against us and Forest.

Interesting Dougie has said he may look to make a few short term loan deals, to bolster the squad for the final few games. Think that shows he is eyeing the play offs as he wouldn't do it if we were safe in mid table.

If all goes well we could be 6th or 7th after these last two games, but they will show who the bookies make favourates.

[jmjhb]

I agree when I started this thread I said all four of these games were winnable, and having played team sport to a decent level ( Not Football ). The danger is when you cross the line and think you have won the game by turning up, there is not a lot to choose between the best teams (Forest, Leicester, Brighton and us ) the four of us can put out.

The difference is mental and belief combined with a desire to work to gain the victory a quality we have shown in the last two games, we are coming up to an international break, which may give Leicester time to regroup and come out fighting, and it could work against us and Forest.

Interesting Dougie has said he may look to make a few short term loan deals, to bolster the squad for the final few games. Think that shows he is eyeing the play offs as he wouldn't do it if we were safe in mid table.

If all goes well we could be 6th or 7th after these last two games, but they will show who the bookies make favourates.

International break might do us good too, considering we've played 7 games in 3 weeks.

[BS3]

Next four games: LLLL.

[thebish]

Next four games: LLLL.

your next four posts: LOL LOL LOL LOL

[jaffka]

Next four games: LLLL.

your next four posts: LOL LOL LOL LOL

Ban coming up I reckon

Lol lol lol

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I said I saw the four-game spread we've just finished - peterBoro, Barnsley, Blackburn, Brighton – would be crucial but I never thought it would be this revolutionary. True, we were unbeaten in four before that but the first three (Burnley, Derby, Forest) were hardly inspirational. Now they seem typical: digging in and being difficult to beat (we'd have won at Derby but for Ricketts' ricket). As noted, the confidence is coursing through the players and now the fans, and why not? Three points off the play-offs with nine games to go ain't bad at all.

A win at Ipswich next Saturday would give us a very happy international break; it should be within our scope, given they've only scored two goals in seven games and their form is LWLDWLD, but they're not terrible at home and under McCarthy have only lost there to Watford and Brighton, beating Leicester, Middlesbrough, Forest and Burnley - and let's not forget they won at the Reebok too. I would hope we can win. I would hope we can keep this happy feeling going. Who knows where it might lead?

[gizmothevoomer]

As I said when I started this thread in order for us to be serious contenders for play off place teams above us would have to underachieve and we would have to over achieve. The reality the only two teams I mentioned at the start of this thread who would be happy with the points achieved in the last two games are Forest and Us.

My gut feeling is in order to make the last play off place we will need 20 Pts from the last 9 games to get 6th place, and looking at the next four games we are capable of winning all of them, but our big test will be the end of April when we play Leicester, Middlesboro and Cardiff ( As was mentioned earlier in this thread ). Hopefully other teams around us will drop points before we play those games and we have less pressure on us.

The lowest points total for 6th place at the end of season is 70 Pts, but more often it is 75 Pts this year will probably be somewhere in between.

[bwfcdan94]

TBH it is just about keeping the form going, if we can stay unbeaten for the rest of the season we will win the play offs at a canter.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

We'll lose the ones we shouldn't and win some of the ones we probably shouldn't. I think we've left it a little too late and will finish 7th

[Montreal Wanderer]

TBH it is just about keeping the form going, if we can stay unbeaten for the rest of the season we will win the play offs at a canter.

Without Dawson?

[seanworth]

TBH it is just about keeping the form going, if we can stay unbeaten for the rest of the season we will win the play offs at a canter.

Without Dawson?

Is there any chance we will keep him till the end of the season?

[Montreal Wanderer]

TBH it is just about keeping the form going, if we can stay unbeaten for the rest of the season we will win the play offs at a canter.

Without Dawson?

Is there any chance we will keep him till the end of the season?

I understood that we have him until the end of the season, but not for the playoffs - however, I'm just quoting TW posters who may or may not be ITK

[Jez]

Losing Dawson will be a blow if we make the play offs, just like mark davies was.

Dawsons a great player of course but its down to a lot more than just him at the minute, with wheater replacing him we will still be a side full of confidence with a manager who has a head on his shoulders and finally seems to have settled in

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

TBH it is just about keeping the form going, if we can stay unbeaten for the rest of the season we will win the play offs at a canter.

Without Dawson?

Is there any chance we will keep him till the end of the season?

I understood that we have him until the end of the season, but not for the playoffs - however, I'm just quoting TW posters who may or may not be ITK

It's not insider knowledge, the Football League rules are on their website. Loans are either window-to-window (eg Spearing's summer-to-summer) or by the month up to a maximum of three months. Dawson is the latter, and his last game will be April 27th at Cardiff: we won't have him for the Blackpool game or any play-offs. (Nor could we quickly turn it into a permanent deal, even if WBA were willing to sell and Daws willing to sign.) Sorry...

[BWFC_Insane]

TBH it is just about keeping the form going, if we can stay unbeaten for the rest of the season we will win the play offs at a canter.

Without Dawson?

Is there any chance we will keep him till the end of the season?

I understood that we have him until the end of the season, but not for the playoffs - however, I'm just quoting TW posters who may or may not be ITK

It's not insider knowledge, the Football League rules are on their website. Loans are either window-to-window (eg Spearing's summer-to-summer) or by the month up to a maximum of three months. Dawson is the latter, and his last game will be April 27th at Cardiff: we won't have him for the Blackpool game or any play-offs. (Nor could we quickly turn it into a permanent deal, even if WBA were willing to sell and Daws willing to sign.) Sorry...

Yep, sadly I think DSB is correct.

I don't think the rules allow for an extension of Dawson's loan, so I suspect once his loan is finished, then that's it till the next season at least.