To be honest Harry I'd actually be very happy with that especially if we could see a marked improvement in discipline and concentration as we reach the finish line. Even if we don't stand much chance of reaching the play offs our season is far from over - the sides that finish with a rattle often start the following season as strongly and those who go through the motions for the alst 2 months can stagnate alarmingly. We really need to kick on to the end regardless of whether the play offs are there for us or not.
You are quite right - surviving next year in the Prem will take a very good start Agree with you there - we need to find our identity - there have been so many changes and we can now concentrate on becoming strong defensively - not giving away one or two goal leads so easily - but then adding a bit of flair midfield and sharpness and pace up front. I would be quite happy with a finish around 8th place
Cassetti giving it some mathmatical mentioning to the monumental momemtum that might move us to the play-offs. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sp..._targets_at_least_ten_wins_to_make_play_offs/ mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
Barnsley 1 - 0 Nottm Forest FT Birmingham 0 - 2 QPR FT Blackpool 0 - 1 Bournemouth FT Brighton 1 - 1 Reading FT Derby 0 - 1 Millwall FT Doncaster 2 - 0 Huddersfield FT Leeds 1 - 5 Bolton FT Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Ipswich FT Yeovil 2 - 0 Sheff Wed FT So only QPR above us won today, still a slight chance...If Burnley beat Blackburn tomorrow....just saying, gives us a sniff to move up the table...
One thing in our favour is that we are underdogs for a top six place. Those in the pole positions will generally have an attack of nerves at some stage towards the end of the season and lose a few points that they would be expectad to win. I think that narrows the gap between us and sixth quite a bit.
We will finish well outside the top 6 , so it is time to start thinking about next season , and building a team for that. Who will go and who will stay? Cassetti will go home, and this could be Almunia's last season. Obviously the players who came on loan "to improve their World Cup chances" will go (Park, Bekelem, Neil). Hall will not get another contract, and Brown has made no impact. Nosworthy has vanished. Abdi looks like he will not play again. It would be nice to keep Ranegie, Merkel and Toszer and we could welcome back Assombalonga. Assuming all other established players stay (Bond, Angela, Ekstrand, Doyley, Hoban, Pudil. Anya, Murray, Battochio, McGuigan, Deeney, Forestieri) and that a couple of youngsters move up to the first team squad, (Smith, Mensah) where will that leave us needing new faces? A new goalie and centreback for sure, cover for the wingback positions, a creative midfielder and a striker. 5 or 6 new players? Would such a squad , playing the style Sannino prefers, be a contender next season?
Fair post, could almost be a thread of its own, when we know we won't be going up of course Those in Bold can go now and what has happened to Nos?
I think the best we can hope for is 6th but we still have to rely on a lot of results going our way. I think Wigan will take a play off place, Reading will fall out but we have to also hope that Forest's poor form continues. From the teams around us, Brighton are our biggest threat, the rest are not in good form. My optimistic side says we can just get in 6th place but 7/8th is probably more realistic. Lets see if we can win away from home, 3 points tonight and other results going our way and we can really start believing. COYH!
With 15 games to go we are only about 7 points away from 5th place if we win the game in hand. That is a gap that can easily be closed by a good team in form. If we hit a spell of good settled form we can be n there with a shout. Unfortunately until we display some away form then we stand no chance of bridging the gap. We need to start with a win tonight at Doncaster
Re my earlier post--well the Doncaster result pretty much puts paid to any lingering play-off hopes , so time to look forward to next season. If Ekstrand goes then another centreback is obviously a top priority.Perhaps three seasons in the Championship does not appeal to a Swedish international..... I forgot Assombalonga was sold, not loaned, so that means another striker needed too. This season has not been too good for the Pozzo model of "develop and sell" ---who in the squad has enhanced his sale value this season?---so maybe we will keep most of the established players (assuming they want to stay and it suits the Pozzo model to continue to showcase them in the English Championship). Either way it means yet another team rebuilding process will be the order of the day as we move into next season, probably under a new manager. I hope the Pozzos have learned that they need to send us experienced players with character (like Cassetti) who can cope with the Championship, not just skillful players who need rehabilitation. We need a team in August , not December.
Need a bit more grit and determination too I feel. Generally speaking not from esterday's performance.
