Final placing predictions

[groveblade]

At the moment we're 14 points off 2nd place and 10 points clear of the relegation zone. Just wondering where people think we'll end up?

I'll go for 5th or 6th - play off positions - and I'd more than settle for that at the moment as we have to win a play off final some day!

 

[UnitedBlade]

At the moment we're 14 points off 2nd place and 10 points clear of the relegation zone. Just wondering where people think we'll end up?

I'll go for 5th or 6th - play off positions - and I'd more than settle for that at the moment as we have to win a play off final some day!

I reckon 5th, 6th or 7th based on our results to date and the likelihood of more of the same rather than game changing investment.

I also live in hope that we could play well in May, we need to be in form in April to have a chance.

 

[Harry's Game]

A lot hinges on January, and I don't mean the JTW, I mean the results.

A good January and it can still be 5th or 6th.

A bad January and the rot will have set in and it could be anywhare below that

 

[FTPE]

Well, as many people think we'll be relegated as what think we'll get an automatic spot

 

[Kenilworth]

The loss of Basham for 3 games will be crucial for us in Jan, I feel. It means that McEveley and McGahey will be the likely pairing - assuming Collo is still persona non grata and that McCarthy's loan is not extended - so I think we will get dicked at QPR and we will not be resolute enough to prevent Preston from taking all three points 6 days later.

With COG back at BHA we are going to be a relative push over unless Wallace gets some miracle cure and gets some game time. He's the only one that commands any sort of presence in a midfield role.

Unless there is some drastic changes made and some new blood with some level of physical presence we will not be troubling the play off places as we cannot score enough goals to compete, effectively.

It's a clusterfuck of our own making and there is no excuse for it. It's nothing to do with bad luck or refereeing decisions. It's rank bad planning and shows a total lack of understanding of how teams drag themselves out of this league.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

As Revolution has alluded to on this forum many times we simply do not score enough goals, that coupled with the fact the most likely scorer is constantly sat on the bench will mean we don't trouble the play offs, thus saving us all a good few hundred quid on another miserable day in London. Jim Phipps will blow the trumpets on FB/Twitter and say there will be a 'big push' next season, we will limp in at around 8th this season.

PS Who said automatic and what are they drinking?

 

[Tezza1889]

Gone for 3rd to 6...

This league is so poor were in the worst spell of form since weir and were not slipping out of the playoffs....

Our form has to pick up, but the top two wont drop enough to let us back in regardless....

 

[Dazzler Bladesman]

Come on own up, who has us down for automatic? you've either been in a coma for the last 6 weeks or are on some pretty heavy drugs!

I think we'll end up 7th, I'd like to think it'll be higher but I just can't see it

 

[Blade56]

This league is so piss poor we are still in 6th spot even though we are producing relegation football. Let's face it if we can't do it in this current league we are here for a few more seasons!

 

[Large Mendonca]

7th - 12th. I think we'll slip further behind the pace as we seem to be losing key personnel at a bad time with a tough January coming up. Time will tell whether we strengthen in the JTW (don't hold your breath) and we can claw it back to finish in the playoffs.

If we get on a roll and manage to qualify, then we have all the fun of another playoff campaign

 

[blade.i.am]

Gone for 3rd to 6...

This league is so poor were in the worst spell of form since weir and were not slipping out of the playoffs....

Our form has to pick up, but the top two wont drop enough to let us back in regardless....

As we are only 3 points above 14th continuing poor form could see us, not so much slip out, but more plummet.

 

[Hartley Hare]

I reckon we will finish 5th. Unless we put together a long winning run to grab an automatic spot. Including victories against the top four. I wonder if last seasons form after Christmas would be good enough to grab 2nd?

Just can't see two from the likes of Bradford, Rochdale, Chesterfield, Notts County or Peterborough doing us in.

If we get to the play-offs I don't think any of the other three teams will fancy playing us with our recent cup record.

COYRAWW.

HH

 

[Gavlar]

For us to stay in the playoffs til the end of the season we need to score more goals, which means we either need to change our style completely and be more attacking or we need to buy a decent striker in the jtw, which we have a terrible record at doing or both. I cant remember the last time we scored 2 or more goals in a game, its painful at the moment and the cup form cant mask it anymore.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

The loss of Basham for 3 games will be crucial for us in Jan, I feel. It means that McEveley and McGahey will be the likely pairing - assuming Collo is still persona non grata and that McCarthy's loan is not extended - so I think we will get dicked at QPR and we will not be resolute enough to prevent Preston from taking all three points 6 days later.

With COG back at BHA we are going to be a relative push over unless Wallace gets some miracle cure and gets some game time. He's the only one that commands any sort of presence in a midfield role.

Unless there is some drastic changes made and some new blood with some level of physical presence we will not be troubling the play off places as we cannot score enough goals to compete, effectively.

It's a clusterfuck of our own making and there is no excuse for it. It's nothing to do with bad luck or refereeing decisions. It's rank bad planning and shows a total lack of understanding of how teams drag themselves out of this league.

I've gone for a play off spot based on us making the significant signings promised in January. Clearly that's debatable.

Unless Clough changes his philosophy, we aren't even good enough to make the playoffs now, imho.

UTB

 

[Kenilworth]

I cant remember the last time we scored 2 or more goals in a game.

UTB

In the league it was Yeovil on 21st October - our last home win - over two months ago

That is some fucking shit form that is - I defy anyone to suggest anything positive from that sorry, sorry stat. It's so fucking abysmal it's almost humorous.

 

[alcoblade]

In the league it was Yeovil on 21st October - our last home win - over two months ago

That is some fucking shit form that is - I defy anyone to suggest anything positive from that sorry, sorry stat. It's so fucking abysmal it's almost humorous.

I'll try a positive, sort of ......
We've turned so shit that we can't go through the window with any pretence of being good enough. If we'd muddled through December many would have been fooled.

If we don't spend this January then were on serious long term trouble.

UTB

 

[Kenilworth]

I'll try a positive, sort of ......
We've turned so shit that we can't go through the window with any pretence of being good enough. If we'd muddled through December many would have been fooled.

If we don't spend this January then were on serious long term trouble.

UTB

Here's another one. We could be playing Leeds next season in Div 3

 

[davidpinder]

Probably one of the most difficult polls to answer as there are so many scenarios. If we continue to fall will it be the end of Clough and new manager syndrome like last season to get us back in the playoffs? Will Clough spend well and we therefore we improve to stay in a playoff place? Will we not spend but the board stick with Clough and we gradually slip away? Will Clough spend badly once again, get sacked but our squad isn't good enough to improve? Many scenarios like I say but simply based on this season and cloughs tactics I've gone for 7th-12th.

Automatic is out of the question just like relegation.

 

[alcoblade]

Probably one of the most difficult polls to answer as there are so many scenarios. If we continue to fall will it be the end of Clough and new manager syndrome like last season to get us back in the playoffs? Will Clough spend well and we therefore we improve to stay in a playoff place? Will we not spend but the board stick with Clough and we gradually slip away? Will Clough spend badly once again, get sacked but our squad isn't good enough to improve? Many scenarios like I say but simply based on this season and cloughs tactics I've gone for 7th-12th.

Automatic is out of the question just like relegation.

One thing Clough (the club?) has got right is that we've signed payers who should be easy to move on and recoup at least as much as we paid for them. Every manager since Robson has done awful transfer business, on the whole. Clough hasn't really got the right players in for the style he's insistent on, but they are at least saleable if we need to restructure.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

One thing Clough (the club?) has got right is that we've signed payers who should be easy to move on

I agree barring Higdon. If we're paying him good money then I suspect we're keeping him until his contract expires...

 

[alcoblade]

I agree barring Higdon. If we're paying him good money then I suspect we're keeping him until his contract expires...

I think there's still something in a "fit" Higdon, and we'll offload him if need be. We've seen the worst of him both because of our style, and his terrible fitness level, I suspect.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

I think there's still something in a "fit" Higdon,

Salad?

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

I think there's still something in a "fit" Higdon, and we'll offload him if need be. We've seen the worst of him both because of our style, and his terrible fitness level, I suspect.

UTB

We also saw the best of him at MK...

 

[metalblade]

Gone for 7th - 12th looking at the January fixtures I cant see where the next win is coming from, with our present form we will do well to scrape a few draws. The squad looks very short of quality due to poor form and injuries and the general lack of able bodies. The main thing or person I am unhappy with just now is Clough we are poor at the back yet we have Butler out at Donny getting rave reviews we have our own young players like Diego for e.g out on loan yet he hands debuts to young players who's only real previous experience is with non league Ilkeston FC who are not even conference level. Is it just me or has Clough lost the plot ? maybe he wants to live up to the non league Nigel nick name but one thing is for sure we can't rely on kids straight out of non league however good they are to fire us up the League One table. That and I have no confidence in the board stumping up the cash next week or Nigel's ability to find any real quality if they do.

 

[Gavlar]

In the league it was Yeovil on 21st October - our last home win - over two months ago

That is some fucking shit form that is - I defy anyone to suggest anything positive from that sorry, sorry stat. It's so fucking abysmal it's almost humorous.

mmmmm do we even look like we could score more than 1? Somethings gotta change and fast

 

[Blade59]

Probably 7th to 12th based on current form and squad. Cannot see us getting many points in January (couple of draws at best). This could see us say 6 points out of the play off places and trying to play catch up for the rest of the season. Not convinced we will do any business of significance in January (not sure we are an attractive proposition at the moment for the quality needed even if the desire from the board is there) and will end up limping along picking up the odd 1-0 here and there amidst a string of mainly draws with a few defeats. Just a total mess of our own making at the moment and hard to feel any positivity about either the short or long term future.

 

[wizadry]

We will get into the playoffs and this is my thinking.Now i know i can get on the clubs back if i see fit to,but there's a few things and stats that's making me believe we can comfortably make the playoffs.

First things first is that form is temporary in football,always has been and always will be.If we were to go on form i'd be a millionaire

Secondly,we've beat Mk plastics away already this season,got a draw away at Preston,beat Rochdale at home,and lets just try to forget about Swindon,now i know Mk wasn't in the league but we've done it nonetheless,this points overhaul would be 7 points,we could get more we could get less,but my guess is more, because lets face it,we haven't played the best this season and we've still got 33 points,now this leads me onto my third point nicely which is....

After 22 games last season we were on 22 points,(yes shite i know),the bottom play off place was on 38 points at the same stage,that wasn't even P'boro,they were 5th on 39 points.This season we're on 33 points and us been that bottom playoff place.The difference been last season we were 6 wins of overtaking the last playoff place which is a huge gap and we almost recovered it.

Can anybody see any team in our league doing what we did last season? My answer is quite resoundingly no as i think everyone elses might be.The league is considerably weaker as proved by the points tally and we only have to tweak a few things,play players like Reed and McNulty,get the confidence higher and we will make the playoffs,again the big question is can we rise to the occasion this time,lets fucking hope so for all our sakes.

I'm trying my hardest to stay positive and find examples of why we can still achieve something this season,but it can only last so long.

 

[beatific blade]

I think we're so far behind the top four teams that we'll do well to even half the points deficit between them and us by the end of the season.

I think we'll finish 5th with a good cushion of points to the team behind us in 6th, but also a decent points cushion to the team in 4th.

I also think nobody will want to draw us in the play-offs (especially Preston) as I think under Clough we have a chance of turning up.

 

[DSB-91]

After all the pre-season optimism it's gutting to see that the automatic places are more or less out of reach by January and even a play-off spot looks anything but certain. This season really has been a huge anti-climax and I don't expect it to get much better but neither do I think it will turn into a disaster. I think we'll finish fifth or sixth. Our inconsistent form will carry on but we'll do enough to get a place.

I'm not holding out any hope for the January transfer window. I don't see anything to suggest the club are going to radically change approach. There's been hints and talk about bringing people in but there always is and it rarely materialises into actual signings. I'd love to be proved wrong but United have talked big and delivered little so many times that I'm a bit more cynical now.

There's rumoured interest in Eoin Doyle but I suspect sometimes that the club links itself with certain players to keep the fans happy. Obviously if the Prince does shell out his money for the league's top scorer then he'll deserve full credit. However, he's going to have a lot of interest and a big price tag and both those things make me think we'll lose out.

Without new players then we'll stay about the same. I don't really buy into the idea that this squad has much more hidden ability anymore. We're a reasonably strong but unexceptional side in this league. I am more hopeful about the playoffs with Clough in charge though. He seems to excel in knockout competitions.

 

[mark hones]

I've gone for a play off spot based on nothing more than blind optimism. I can't get it into my dense skull that we can be worse than the likes of Rochdale, MK fucking Dons and even Bristol pissing City. Sounds terribly Piggish, and a bit Billy Big Bollocks but fucking hell, if you sat down and realised just how shit we are you'd weep.

Thank you Kevin, and bless you in anticipation of another fabulous January transfer window, you never fail to deliver