The home straight...

[broomhillblade]

So the die is cast. Nine games in 30 days. No point in bitching that we have to play three more than some of our rivals; we just have to get on with it. One could argue that the teams that have played 40 games have less points to play for.

A pessimist’s view could be that we’ll run out of steam and stumble into the playoffs, knackered physically and mentally, when we will fail yet again. An arch-pessimist might say that we won’t even make the top six.

Alternatively, if the team can strike a bit of form early on, they could build up a good head of steam and make automatic promotion. Success breeds success, or so they say.

We may lose one or two players to suspensions (I think the cut off point for 10 yellows is the second week in April) but injuries to key players may be a bigger danger – but that applies to the other teams also.

Wilson has said that he expects to use some of the younger players, so maybe one or two of them can enhance their reputation in these last few games, which should be good for the team in the long term, whether or not we are promoted.

It’s going to be a nail-biting month!

 

[Balham]

broomhillblade I'm slightly disappointed that a pedant such as yourself has made the old less/fewer mistake .

For what it's worth I think we're in a half-decent position, two points behind second with two games in hand. If we get back into the winning habit we'll do fine.

 

[kingston RAWW]

4 out of the last 6 at home. Any other team would be happy with that.

 

[cooperblade]

4 out of the last 6 at home. Any other team would be happy with that.

Apart from maybe Doncaster and Swindon who have both won more away than at home? Doncaster have lost twice as many home games this season as us.

 

[Bladesway]

4 out of the last 6 at home. Any other team would be happy with that.

With our form at home?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

With our form at home?

Emphasis on other

 

[Ollessendro]

So the fixtures look like this:

Friday 29th of March: Tranmere (away)
Monday 1st of April: Carlisle (home)
Saturday 6th of April: Walsall (away)
Tuesday 9th of April: Crawley (home)*
Saturday 13th of April: Swindon (home)
Tuesday 16th of April: Brentford (home)**
Saturday 20th of April: Pompey (away)
Tuesday 23rd of April: Crewe (away)
Saturday 27th of April: Preston (home)

* Swindon and Brentford both have games here
** Swindon have a game here and obviously Brentford do

Other than Tuesday the 23rd of April (and Swindon not playing on Saturday the 6th) our rivals have games on the same days. Bournemouth do not have a fixture pile up, but they are only 2 points in front of us and we have 3 games in hand.

No excuses for me. Footballers are played to pay football (quite handsomly in fact). Professional athletes should be capable of playing 2 games a week. Playing Saturday and then Tuesday should not an issue. There's ample time for recovery and with the exception of Portsmouth we have few long journeys. In fact, 5 of the games are at home, meaning players could be showered off, protein shake and bed, light training session the next day and not feel too rough. It might be a bit of a test for the squad, but fook me that is what it is therefore. We have the biggest wage bill and Wilson has the luxury of having players like Poleon, Higginbottom, Forte etc on the bench. If anything a couple of niggles might mean he mixes things up.

The pressure may indeed get to us and we may stumble into the play offs (this is my gorwing fear) but fuck me we have a great chance. If we cannot get 18 points from those games, then we do not need to go up. We can afford to lose a few, as long as we win at least 5.

I've been saying for ages that it will go down to the wire. There'll be twists and turns and all sorts. But it will not be decided until possibly the last game. It is going to be a nailbiting ride, which will hopefully bring some excitement (and bring me out of my apathetic slumber).

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Bit gutted that Pompey will probably no longer be a promotion party away day though....

 

[Ollessendro]

Bit gutted that Pompey will probably no longer be a promotion party away day though....

It was never going to be!?

 

[Selly]

Bit gutted that Pompey will probably no longer be a promotion party away day though....

Why not? bear in mind other teams will only have one game left after it, its still potentially the day we could be promoted, especially if we have won the previous 2 games

 

[blade too long]

Lets get ready to rumble. 9 to go

 

[Gavlar]

its gonna agonising im sure! im hoping that just for once we turn up and grab some wins at the right time and overcome our home curse and actually win the title! but then i was optimistic when we lost in the final to palace, and wolves, and hudders aswell (

i get it off me dad, who keeps telling he watched us play in the 4th division.

whatever happens, cmon blades!

 

[blade too long]

I saw us win the 4th division , winning this would complete the set
a collectors item , only wolves have achieved it so far

 

[Vancouver]

Lets get ready to rumble. 9 to go

Tampa Bay Shitening and Montreal Canadiens - what the f...

How much sugar has the audience had? The slightly move from those two and they squeal like a 13 year old at a Beiber mime session.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I saw us win the 4th division , winning this would complete the set
a collectors item , only wolves have achieved it so far

And Burnley

 

[raul]

And Burnley

Bet he comes up with a reason why it doesn't count or something.

 

[blade too long]

dont like burnley

 

[mattbianco1]

What we need to do now as fans is make the stadium rock like it used too.

This is one reason i'm glad Brentford got postponed as night matches tend to be louder.

Something the club can do is reduce the ticket prices to fill the lane. Brentford and Crwaley etc. playing infront of 25k would shit themselves. I don't care how much i paid for my season ticket and how its not fair they should reduce the prices at this stage in the season blah blah. BUT.. Promotion is what matters. Come on Blades FILL THE GROUND!

 

[upton blade]

Every game is like a cup tie from here on in . 3 points v tranny ( team owes us a performance after the home tie we endured ) and the optimism will increase amongst supporters and maybe the lane will be rocking on monday ? 1 game / 1goal/ 1decision could change our season for better or worse . PLEEEEAAASSE dear god let the luck b with us for a frickin change

 

[Selly]

Every game is like a cup tie from here on in . 3 points v tranny ( team owes us a performance after the home tie we endured ) and the optimism will increase amongst supporters and maybe the lane will be rocking on monday ? 1 game / 1goal/ 1decision could change our season for better or worse . PLEEEEAAASSE dear god let the luck b with us for a frickin change

From these next 3 games 6 points is probably a decent return geven the opposition. If 3 of the points are against Tranmere then 6 is definately a good return (although arguably not as we would then have lost against either carlisle or Walsall...)

 

[Selly]

Games involving the top 7 this weekend

Brentford V Notts County
Colchester V Bournemouth
Coventry V Doncaster
Swindon V Oldham
Tranmere V Sheff Utd
Yeovil V Walsall

Doncaster V Swindon
Bournemouth V Scunthorpe
MK Dons V Brentford
Notts County V Yeovil
Portsmouth V Tranmere
Sheff Utd V Carlisle

Things could be a lot clearer after that little lot. I could see a couple of teams being realistically out of the race for Automatuic promotion by the end of Easter...

 

[JohnDenver]

Brentford and Crwaley etc. playing infront of 25k would shit themselves.

That went well when Stevenage shat their way to a two goal lead last season.

I can still see Beattie's last minute shot that hit the keeper. That would have been promotion if it had been six inches either side...

Sadly our players' back doors loosen in front of big crowds more than opponents'.

 

[mattbianco1]

Games involving the top 7 this weekend

Brentford V Notts County
Colchester V Bournemouth
Coventry V Doncaster
Swindon V Oldham
Tranmere V Sheff Utd
Yeovil V Walsall

Doncaster V Swindon
Bournemouth V Scunthorpe
MK Dons V Brentford
Notts County V Yeovil
Portsmouth V Tranmere
Sheff Utd V Carlisle

Things could be a lot clearer after that little lot. I could see a couple of teams being realistically out of the race for Automatuic promotion by the end of Easter...

looking at that Doncaster could put Swindon back a bit, on the same token Swindon could give us a right boost.

If we draw against Tranmere that's a great result. Win and i think we'll win the league!!

 

[gavtheblade]

As confidence boosters go,6 points in the next 2 games would be huge.
Our main concern tommorow night is the pitch,its an allotment.
If we win tommorow it will have to be done the ugly way,but id take a scrappy 0-1 now thankyou very much.
(And wipe the smile from ronald moores insulting mug)hate the b@@@ard!!

 

[Selly]

looking at that Doncaster could put Swindon back a bit, on the same token Swindon could give us a right boost.

If we draw against Tranmere that's a great result. Win and i think we'll win the league!!

Yup, 6 points and we are guaranteed to have at the very least

• gained 3 points on Tranmere
• gained either, 3 points on Donny or Swindon, or 2 points on both f them

You know what you have to do Utd...

 

[Balham]

You know what you have to do Utd...

...for once in your lives, DON'T FUCK IT UP.

 

[mattbianco1]

Tip for 1st goalscorer tomorrow... http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21970962

 

[upton blade]

Whichever way you look at it , it's gunna be exciting . No guts no glory !!!

 

[grafikhaus]

Our main concern tommorow night is the pitch,its an allotment.

3 pm kick-off, Gav. (for info., not a piss-take).

 

[gavtheblade]

Well spotted my young paedawan!