Strong end to season?

[SwissBlade]

Speed was quoted in his prematch interview for the Blackpool game as saying the following

The last two seasons saw us strong from this point on in the season and we don't want this one to fizle out

It has reached the point when we really need to go for it and the lads think they have enough in the tank to mount a challenge

So on that basis heres where we were the last two seasons at this time (and where we are now):

11/03/2008
Played 37
Points 47 (gained 19 points in 9 games)
Position 14th
(6th place team 56 points - but played 36)

Finished 9th with 66 pts 4 points off the 6th place

10/03/2009
Played 37
Points 60 (gained 20 points in 9 games)
Finished 3rd
(6th Place team 57 Points)

Interestingly the 9th placed team was 2 points off the play off places (55 points) and the team was play off winners Burnley (although they had a game in hand on 6th place!

13/03/2010
Played 36
Points 49
(6th place team 52 points - but play 35)
Position 9th
Finishing Position ??

So we've played a game less than this time last season and potentially we could be 5 points off Cardiff if they win their game in hand.

However last season we lost one game from the start of March until the end of the season

The season before Blackie'd already been in place for 5 league and 2 cup by this stage and we lost just 3 games from the 1st of March until the end of the season.

So on the last two seasons run in's we could assume that we could get 20 points 20 points from 10 games, but this season because of current form slump, injuries, the manager and the fixtures I think the most we could end with is 13... and that may be optimistic.

I don't think we'll win away by the end of the season, at a push we'll get the following:

Draws
Newcastle, Donny, Dingles and the Pigs (just because I think we'll annoy a draw out of them all)

Wins
Blackpool, Scunny and Coventry (all home home)

Losses
Cardiff (Away), Swansea (Home) and Ipswich (Away) last day of the season

If we're to mount the challenge then we need to get rid of Blackie, unfortunately it isn't going to happen until at least after Donny (depending on the next two results

 

[Grecian2000]

We're OK though, this is where Cotts really starts to perf . . . . . . Oh shit!

 

[Ollessendro]

Personally I think we'll be lucky to pick up 10 points from our remaining fixtures .....

 

[LouTheBlade]

Personally I think we'll be lucky to pick up 10 points from our remaining fixtures .....

Realistically I tend to agree with Olle here. I had a look at the fixtures the other day and pulled about 12 points from it which would leave us well short. From our remaining 10 games we obviously have 30 available points to go for.

Historically teams require a bare minimum of 70 points which means we can afford to drop only 9 points from the remaining games. That is a massive task for a side in red hot form, never mind one that is disjointed and ravaged by injury.

Ive accepted that while it's still possible it's not going to happen. Too much in our own camp is going against us, our away form is poor and we would require a slice of luck (for a definition of who doesnt get this see 'Sheffield United' in your nearest encarta).

If United win all of their remaining home games (which I wouldnt put past them), they stand an outside chance but that's all. We can keep our fingers crossed I suppose

 

[LouTheBlade]

Best case scenario (IMHO);

Blackpool (H) - W
Doncaster (A) - D
Cardiff (A) - L
Scunthorpe (H) - W
Barnsley (H) - W
Newcastle (A) - L
Coventry (H) - W
Pigs (A) - D
Swansea (H) - W
Ipswich (A) - D

Giving us an 18 point haul from the remaining games. This would give us a final points tally of 67. Which would see us in about 8th position I would imagine. That is the absolute best we can hope for (points wise) IMO and based on those 10 games alone I would be happy if United got that. Anything more than that would be phenomenal with the way things are at the moment.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

We haven't got a cat in hell's chance of getting in the play-offs.

Blackwell has failed to deliver the bare minimum of what should be expected of a Sheffield United manager, and should be relieved of his duties immediately.

 

[marshy]

I'm not sure I'd want us to make the play-offs.

 

[travellingblade]

I'm not sure I'd want us to make the play-offs.

I certainly don't

 

[GlosBlade]

I certainly don't

why on earth not ? granted we've been poor this season but why wouldn't we want to be in the play offs ? we've finished 3rd on 80 points twice recently, fat lot of good it did us, staggering over the line to qualify might be the way to do it. Not that I think we will, unless we get the away form sorted out.

 

[marshy]

Because we'd fuck up at Wembley (that's if we managed to come back from the away leg goal defecit) and can you imagine this squad in the Prem in any case?

*shudders*

 

[GlosBlade]

yeah, probably right about wembley...but then hard to be worse than the last 3 play off finals...you never know... we might even score a goal in one someday !
regarding next season, most of this squad won't be there either way, not sure Blackie is up to building a premiership team virtually from scratch, but it would be better to see that than the alternative
!

 

[Greg.]

You saw it here first...

 

[GlosBlade]

Yep I would take that...
would be amazed if forest got anything like 86 points they are only on 64 now with 9 games to play...also fancy swansea to still be in the top six, its cardiff i am pinning my hopes on

 

[JohnDenver]

Yep I would take that...
would be amazed if forest got anything like 86 points they are only on 64 now with 9 games to play...also fancy swansea to still be in the top six, its cardiff i am pinning my hopes on

OMG! The very real possibility of a Cardiff vs Swansea play-off has just dawned on me.

The courts should put Cardiff into admin right now. Save them some from some different bother later.

 

[wardlowwanderer]

OMG! The very real possibility of a Cardiff vs Swansea play-off has just dawned on me.

The courts should put Cardiff into admin right now. Save them some from some different bother later.

Their time in court and the decision is before the last game of the season so they will either be deducted points before the last game or not if the footballing gods should smile on them.

 

[SwissBlade]

their time in court and the decision is before the last game of the season so they will either be deducted points before the last game or not if the footballing gods should smile on them.

points deduction, dear god, won't someone think of the fans!!!!!!

 

[Toronto Blade]

Isn't it April 1st the deadline for admin points deduction this season.More likely they will be deducted next season.

 

[SwissBlade]

Isn't it April 1st the deadline for admin points deduction this season.More likely they will be deducted next season.

Phew, the fans will be ok then

 

[Ollessendro]

Best case scenario (IMHO);

Blackpool (H) - W
Doncaster (A) - D
Cardiff (A) - L
Scunthorpe (H) - W
Barnsley (H) - W
Newcastle (A) - L
Coventry (H) - W
Pigs (A) - D
Swansea (H) - W
Ipswich (A) - D

Giving us an 18 point haul from the remaining games. This would give us a final points tally of 67. Which would see us in about 8th position I would imagine. That is the absolute best we can hope for (points wise) IMO and based on those 10 games alone I would be happy if United got that. Anything more than that would be phenomenal with the way things are at the moment.

Agree with some/most of the results except I feat that we'll drop points at home to Barnsley and Swansea. Also fear that Donny might beats us and am sure Ipswich and Wednesday will beat us.

You saw it here first...

If we finish above Swansea i'll eat my hat.

 

[Torrix1889]

Fuck me, one swallow doesn't make a summer, it will be normal service resumed on saturday, run in predictions......


Doncaster (A) - D
Cardiff (A) - L
Scunthorpe (H) - W
Barnsley (H) - D
Newcastle (A) - L
Coventry (H) - W
Pigs (A) - L
Swansea (H) - D
Ipswich (A) - L

9 points, will be suprised if we get enything more.

BLACKWELL OUT!

 

[LouTheBlade]

You saw it here first...

I would take that any day but I have a couple of problems with it;

Don't see Forest getting that many points and I think West Brom will get a little less than that as well.

I would be shocked if Swansea finished outside the playoffs. They're too tight defensively to capitulate at this stage of the season. The biggest and most important one that I can't see happening is a 70 point haul for the Blades. Even in my absolute best case scenario above, I just can't see us claiming that many points. It would be an immense turnaround!