Optimism

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I've been as depressed as anyone with our limp effort to the finish line this season, but I was just thinking about the the big occasions over the last 12 months where we have turned up to the big games. Villa, Fulham, Charlton, Hull (even in defeat), West Ham, Southampton and Spurs.

If playoffs are won on form, then we're screwed. But I believe play-offs are decided on the experience and ability to handle the big occasions which we have proven to be pretty adept at.

Justified optimism or clutching at straws?

 

[Going up]

I think form has very little to do with the playoffs with the probable exception of if a team is leaking a lot of goals.

I do think our players will rise to the challenge and acquit themselves very well. We probably need a bit of luck too, but surely, it is our turn to be lucky!

 

[boo radley]

it is quite funny how non of the up coming games seem to have that 'big game' feel.

 

[blade too long]

did we really want to go in in red hot form , as the bookies favourites ,all the expectation will be elsewhere , which for me lets us play with a lot less fear

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

it is quite funny how non of the up coming games seem to have that 'big game' feel.

Things from a positive or negative aspect may change after the Chesterfield game .

Clough may well not be carrying the baggage of previous seasons and play offs , but us fans are . That the reason of trepidation IMO.

UTB

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Clough may well not be carrying the baggage of previous seasons and play offs , but us fans are .
UTB

Agreed. It'd be easy for the team to be burdened by proxy by that fatalism eg if we go a goal behind (or in some ways worse if we go in front and there's an equaliser) then it might well be, "Here we go again."

In some respects if we do go behind it might bring us out, and be a blessing in disguise.

Even if we're losing we're winning. Isn't it marvellous?

 

[secretchief]

did we really want to go in in red hot form , as the bookies favourites ,all the expectation will be elsewhere , which for me lets us play with a lot less fear

Skybet says we are the favourites.

 

[blade too long]

http://www.twtd.co.uk/league-tables/competition:league-one/form/matches:6/type:home-and-away

we are lowest in form just in latest form guide

 

[blader]

It's important to disprove the myth that the team who 'gets in at the last second' or a team i form usually wins the playoffs.

Since the creation of the playoffs, the team finishing 3rd has won the playoffs the most often (just under 40% of the time). The order then goes 5th, 6th, 4th in terms of finishing position winning the playoffs. MK Dons/Preston will be clear favourites for the playoffs. They are by far the best of the 4 sides, and have history on their side. It's vital that we finish above Chesterfield as we have a slightly higher chance of beating 3rd in a final than over 2 legs.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Skybet says we are the favourites.

So did Paddy Power and William Hill before the start of the season .Bookies are not usually wrong , but they are when it comes to all things Blades.

UTB

 

[Dkc]

As was pointed out on another thread, we are only favourites becaus second and third places haven't been decided yet - both Preston and MK Dons could still go up automatically, and therefore they both have less chance of winning the play offs than we do.

Check the odds on Monday. We'll probably be second-favourites still.

 

[Going up]

It's important to disprove the myth that the team who 'gets in at the last second' or a team i form usually wins the playoffs.

Since the creation of the playoffs, the team finishing 3rd has won the playoffs the most often (just under 40% of the time). The order then goes 5th, 6th, 4th in terms of finishing position winning the playoffs. MK Dons/Preston will be clear favourites for the playoffs. They are by far the best of the 4 sides, and have history on their side. It's vital that we finish above Chesterfield as we have a slightly higher chance of beating 3rd in a final than over 2 legs.

Another way of looking at it is our strength in depth may help us to beat the team in 3rd over two legs.

 

[Kenilworth]

Another way of looking at it is our strength in depth may help us to beat the team in 3rd over two legs.

What strength in depth is this?
If you're taking diminutive midfielders then you're spot on. Any other position then I am really struggling bar the right back options.

 

[Going up]

What strength in depth is this?
If you're taking diminutive midfielders then you're spot on. Any other position then I am really struggling bar the right back options.

There were many great players that were short. Height has nothing to do with ability on the ball.

We have at least 4 strikers who could all do a job and score goals and midfield and wing cover.

Even CB, though it needs a long term fix has good quality cover for one off games.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

There were many great players that were short. Height has nothing to do with ability on the ball.

We have at least 4 strikers who could all do a job and score goals and midfield and wing cover.

Even CB, though it needs a long term fix has good quality cover for one off games.

The flaw we have got at is that CB cover for one off games , becomes every game , and with standins, of Brayford / Basham , who play out of position which ultimately weakens the side at RB and CM .

Freeman does a good job at RB , but he is not Brayford.

This still wants resolving even now and is our weak spot going into the play offs.

UTB

 

[Going up]

The flaw we have got at is that CB cover for one off games , becomes every game , and with standins, of Brayford / Basham , who play out of position which ultimately weakens the side at RB and CM .

Freeman does a good job at RB , but he is not Brayford.

This still wants resolving even now and is our weak spot going into the play offs.

UTB

Yes, thats true. Injuries to TK and Jay Mac have left us exposed in the position, but I'm hopeful that they can get through 3 games.

However, I don't think that there would be a team in the league without the same problems, at least somewhere in the team, or with better overall coverage.

 

[Gee]

I think they have proven before they can rise to the occasion. Most teams park the bus when playing us and make us try and break them down. In the play offs the other teams in theory should want to perform, that then plays into our hands, we are or can be lethal when we're allowed to counter as proven against the top 4 in this league this season, the teams we beat have been the teams that' have attacked us from the get go. Put that together with the large crowds that Wembly attracts if we get there. We always seem to play really good in front of the bigger crowds and at Wembly there will be just that. The players also are in the shop window so to speak and tend to raise their game trying to attract interest from higher league managers etc. I do think though if Matty Done is out as Cloughie is hinting would be a massive blow as that man can win a game just by being a pest in the box and getting defenders and keepers to make mistakes.
I for one am looking forward to that play offs, a great twist to a shit boring season. Rochdale, Donny and Barnsley etc fans aren't. Our fans that have us losing before the first kick next week want to get a grip. History is exactly that HISTORY

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I've been as depressed as anyone with our limp effort to the finish line this season, but I was just thinking about the the big occasions over the last 12 months where we have turned up to the big games. Villa, Fulham, Charlton, Hull (even in defeat), West Ham, Southampton and Spurs.

If playoffs are won on form, then we're screwed. But I believe play-offs are decided on the experience and ability to handle the big occasions which we have proven to be pretty adept at.

Justified optimism or clutching at straws?

None of the other play off contenders will fancy playing us.

 

[Kenilworth]

There were many great players that were short. Height has nothing to do with ability on the ball.

Quite
Unfortunately they don't play for us.

 

[Kenilworth]

We have at least 4 strikers who could all do a job and score goals and midfield and wing cover.

We have Davies, Higdon, Done and McNuts.

Higdon and Done are
Injured. Neither likely to take part in the play offs (NCs words)

Davies is playing through the pain barrier every game.

McNuts is the least experienced and get either less than 10 mins a game or get thrust into a full 90 after not playing for 5 or more games.

We only play one at a time.

If you're telling me that Baxter and Murphy are strikers then go smoke some more.

 

[Kenilworth]

Even CB, though it needs a long term fix has good quality cover for one off games.

No it doesn't.
Forced to use the clubs best RB at CH
Forced to use the tallest & most energetic midfielder at CH - not just for one off games
McEvely is a LB not a CH and whilst he has some decent games is often the mistake we concede through
Kennedy is a v good player but with his injury issues he's actually the one off game cover.
This has been a problem all season and is one of the reasons we cannot keep a clean sheet.

(The other is that our midfield is too weak to cover defensive duties against the more physical sides in this league)

Keep kidding yourself.
18 points behind MKD is your real indicator.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Things from a positive or negative aspect may change after the Chesterfield game .

Clough may well not be carrying the baggage of previous seasons and play offs , but us fans are . That the reason of trepidation IMO.

UTB

As Charles Kettering once said “My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there”.

 

[davidpinder]

I've been as depressed as anyone with our limp effort to the finish line this season, but I was just thinking about the the big occasions over the last 12 months where we have turned up to the big games. Villa, Fulham, Charlton, Hull (even in defeat), West Ham, Southampton and Spurs.

If playoffs are won on form, then we're screwed. But I believe play-offs are decided on the experience and ability to handle the big occasions which we have proven to be pretty adept at.

Justified optimism or clutching at straws?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

I've been as depressed as anyone with our limp effort to the finish line this season, but I was just thinking about the the big occasions over the last 12 months where we have turned up to the big games. Villa, Fulham, Charlton, Hull (even in defeat), West Ham, Southampton and Spurs.

If playoffs are won on form, then we're screwed. But I believe play-offs are decided on the experience and ability to handle the big occasions which we have proven to be pretty adept at.

Justified optimism or clutching at straws?

How then, did we manage to lose 3-0 to Wolves given similar cup exploits that season?!

Putting that aside, the big game aspect does provide me with some crumb of comfort. I still think its important to finish 5th though, I'd rather play MK/Preston in a one-off at Wembley than over two legs.

 

[sheffielder]

I've been as depressed as anyone with our limp effort to the finish line this season, but I was just thinking about the the big occasions over the last 12 months where we have turned up to the big games. Villa, Fulham, Charlton, Hull (even in defeat), West Ham, Southampton and Spurs.

If playoffs are won on form, then we're screwed. But I believe play-offs are decided on the experience and ability to handle the big occasions which we have proven to be pretty adept at.

Justified optimism or clutching at straws?

To be honest, it doesn't matter whether it's justified or not, we need any positive we can get at this point.

 

[sheffielder]

We have Davies, Higdon, Done and McNuts.

Higdon and Done are
Injured. Neither likely to take part in the play offs (NCs words)

Davies is playing through the pain barrier every game.

McNuts is the least experienced and get either less than 10 mins a game or get thrust into a full 90 after not playing for 5 or more games.

We only play one at a time.

If you're telling me that Baxter and Murphy are strikers then go smoke some more.

Let's look what might happen in the play offs, and let's see how much progress we have made. Baxter will probably go back up top and Doyle will go back into midfield. Flynn will probably be back and it looks like Clough has been doing his best to get Scougs fit for the play offs. So, just Coutts for Coady could be the difference in the front 6. I would imagine some people will still argue that the defence is better now than last season?

 

[blader]

Another way of looking at it is our strength in depth may help us to beat the team in 3rd over two legs.

We'll we don't have strength in our first team, never mind depth!

 

[blade too long]

well weve played mk dons 3 times this season lost 1-0 twice and won 2-1 the 1-0 at ours was daylight robbery as they parked the bus and mugged us o theres very little between us
If we get swindon we got beat 5-2 at theirs but turned it round at home and Swindon were on fire 1st game , they are like a dying barbecue now
and long shot preston took 4 points off them in the league and lost a cup game

whoever we get theres no big gulf in ability , strength or work rate so any outcome is possible

 

[blade too long]

We have Davies, Higdon, Done and McNuts.

Higdon and Done are
Injured. Neither likely to take part in the play offs (NCs words)

Davies is playing through the pain barrier every game.

McNuts is the least experienced and get either less than 10 mins a game or get thrust into a full 90 after not playing for 5 or more games.

We only play one at a time.

If you're telling me that Baxter and Murphy are strikers then go smoke some more.

forgot someone



we couldnt bring in a kid could we and expect him to make an impact , its united

but then again...............................

 

[Bladebri]

I think we are if not stronger than any of the teams that share the playoff places, in some game we just need to man up, I am sure we will se a more determined SU that has been on show in some recent games.