Pathway to the Playoffs

[mattbianco1]

It's going to be difficult to close the gap, with the tremendous form that we've had over the last 15 games as per the table above we are only 4 points better than Millwall but currently we have 8 points to make up on the play offs, we need a few of the teams above us to have a bad run, I can't see enough of them doing that, or we have an even better run than we've just had, to close the gap.

But. But.. the only team between us and 6th in any form is Wrexham. All the others are in very intermittent form

 

[Down the Channels]

It’s not going to happen. The Charlton & Soton results alone are indicative of that.

I think that second half against Wrexham might prove to be more crucial. after being 3-1 in the game up the 6 point turnaround there will become huge as the games run out.
I think we'll reach 68/69 points. Probably around 4/5 short of 6th (probably Wrexham)

 

[MKY]

I think that second half against Wrexham might prove to be more crucial. after being 3-1 in the game up the 6 point turnaround there will become huge as the games run out.
I think we'll reach 68/69 points. Probably around 4/5 short of 6th (probably Wrexham)

Agreed. That was a v painful result. We’ll have to go on an astonishing run to even get near breaking into the top 6.

 

[Willglynning]

But. But.. the only team between us and 6th in any form is Wrexham. All the others are in very intermittent form

Depends on what you’re defining as ‘form’.

Derby, Wrexham and Birmingham are all in better form than we are over the last 5 games.

Derby in particular are the second most in-form team after Boro.

 

[mattbianco1]

Depends on what you’re defining as ‘form’.

Derby, Wrexham and Birmingham are all in better form than we are over the last 5 games.

Derby in particular are the second most in-form team after Boro.

If the last 15 form continued for all teams between us and Wrexham over the next 15 games, the table would look like this with 1 game remaining:

6 - Wrexham (73)
7 - Watford (68) [up 1 place]
8 - Sheffield United (68) [up 7 places]
9 - Derby (67) [down 2 places]
10 - QPR (67) [up 1 place]
11 - Bristol C (63) [down 1 place]
12 - Birmingham (63) [up 1 place]
13 - Preston (62) [down 4 places]
14 - Southampton (62) [no position change]
15 - Stoke (57) [down 3 places]

That's just a very quick fag packet calculation but would be a very respectable position given the start we had.

The above doesn't however take into account H2H games.
We have to play 7 of those teams listed above. Just by winning all those games it skews the picture further - i realise beating all of them is VERY unlikely.

Wrexham's next 3 games are:

Millwall v Wrexham
Bristol C v Wrexham
Wrexham v Ipswich
They also have to play Coventry and Middlesbrough in the FINAL 2 games of the season.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Teams in and around the play-off places where points are guaranteed to be dropped before the end of Feb:

Derby v Ipswich,
Wrexham v Millwall
Blades v Boro (Probs not affect us if we win)
Wrexham v Ipswich
Preston v Watford
Coventry v Boro (Probs only affect us if Boro win)
Bristol City v Wrexham
Watford v Derby
Hull v Derby
Watford v Ipswich
Blades v Coventry

And in March:

Ipswich v Hull
Watford v Wrexham
Millwall v Derby
Wrexham v Hull
Ipswich v Millwall
Blades v Wrexham

 

[Houston_Blade]

Depends on what you’re defining as ‘form’.

Derby, Wrexham and Birmingham are all in better form than we are over the last 5 games.

Derby in particular are the second most in-form team after Boro.

I’m an eternal pessimist when it comes to the Blades, however the last 5 games are massively skewed by the Charlton ref and the subsequent no show by us at Southampton.

If you use the last 10 games or the last 15 it gives an idea of what we’re capable of.

I just think it will be too little, too late.

 

[ATL Recs]

Agreed. That was a v painful result. We’ll have to go on an astonishing run to even get near breaking into the top 6.

Due to a painful performance

 

[sportinguista]

If the last 15 form continued for all teams between us and Wrexham over the next 15 games, the table would look like this with 1 game remaining:

6 - Wrexham (73)
7 - Watford (68) [up 1 place]
8 - Sheffield United (68) [up 7 places]
9 - Derby (67) [down 2 places]
10 - QPR (67) [up 1 place]
11 - Bristol C (63) [down 1 place]
12 - Birmingham (63) [up 1 place]
13 - Preston (62) [down 4 places]
14 - Southampton (62) [no position change]
15 - Stoke (57) [down 3 places]

That's just a very quick fag packet calculation but would be a very respectable position given the start we had.

The above doesn't however take into account H2H games.
We have to play 7 of those teams listed above. Just by winning all those games it skews the picture further - i realise beating all of them is VERY unlikely.

Wrexham's next 3 games are:

Millwall v Wrexham
Bristol C v Wrexham
Wrexham v Ipswich
They also have to play Coventry and Middlesbrough in the FINAL 2 games of the season.

But, just saying, what if by then Coventry and Middlesborough might ALREADY BE PROMOTED AND HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO PLAY FOR?

 

[Dkc]

Does anyone think that 5th place and above is still relevant to us? If we were to make the playoffs surely it would be in 6th.

There are eight teams between us and 6th plus Swansea on the same points. We'd have to out-perform them all to finish 6th.

 

[Working Class Hero]

There is definitely still a glimmer of hope. A continuation of the last 15 games' form until the end of the season would have us right on the border of the play offs on 71 points. That could go either way.

Our run in must be better than most of the other teams in the pack though. We have 9 home games left and only 7 away. We've also played the top 6 away already, so the hardest games are out of the way.

 

[mattbianco1]

Win Monday and we're down to 5pts

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

Big incentive for Monday's game that, and they'll all be thinking about it

 

[Thrice]

6th place is still up for grabs. Winning against Boro on Monday is cucial of course and then would have to win all the 6 point games against Wrexham, Preston, Derby, Watford, etc.
It's doable, but the team would have to be completely locked in for that run.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

I would like us to reach the play offs when we have a team that would have a sniff of competing in the top tier, last time was a complete season long embarrassment and that side was stronger than this.

 

[mattbianco1]

Big incentive for Monday's game that, and they'll all be thinking about it

On the flip side. Boro go top with a win

 

[CrookesBlade]

I would like us to reach the play offs when we have a team that would have a sniff of competing in the top tier, last time was a complete season long embarrassment and that side was stronger than this.

The main reason for that embarrassment was the fact the PL money was largely spoken for servicing debt, as opposed to strengthening the team. We then sold our two main players a week before the start of the season.

I’d like to think if we were to go up this year we’d spend some money and actively strengthen the team than weakening it.

Look at the Sunderland or Forest teams that went up in recent years. The line ups that won the play offs were nowhere near PL standard.

 

[Frank the tank]

I would like us to reach the play offs when we have a team that would have a sniff of competing in the top tier, last time was a complete season long embarrassment and that side was stronger than this.

You'd like to think we would have a much bigger budget than then

 

[djbaldken]

I always remember being on the kop some 40 years ago. Some old guy then was going on about life following the Blades.
I remember him saying 'thing is wi Blades, thi allus tek thi darn t' wire!'
And over the years, thi allus av!
I dont see this season to be any different.
We ll pick up points where we dont maybe expect them, and we ll drop points that we should be winning. Its the Blades way.
I can see a situation going into the last match of the season where we ll either need to win and someone above will have to lose. And we ll win and so do they. So we dont go up.
Or, somebody above us needs to lose and we just need a point to go up, and they either win and we lose and dont go up.
The footballing gods dont like us. Its always been the case.
Deal with it.

On that happy note I ll say good night for now xxx

 

[TJB.]

I would like us to reach the play offs when we have a team that would have a sniff of competing in the top tier, last time was a complete season long embarrassment and that side was stronger than this.

No team that goes up these days has a sniff of competing with the same team that played in the Championship.

You have to gain promotion and then spend £100million minimum, and hope for the best.

Could be Sunderland this season, could be Ipswich last season.

All a bit fucked, really.

 

[JayGreen17]

I would like us to reach the play offs when we have a team that would have a sniff of competing in the top tier, last time was a complete season long embarrassment and that side was stronger than this.

Why the hell do you support a football club if you don’t went to play at the highest level, take up golf or something

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Why the hell do you support a football club if you don’t went to play at the highest level, take up golf or something

Golf ffs !!

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

The main reason for that embarrassment was the fact the PL money was largely spoken for servicing debt, as opposed to strengthening the team. We then sold our two main players a week before the start of the season.

I’d like to think if we were to go up this year we’d spend some money and actively strengthen the team than weakening it.

Look at the Sunderland or Forest teams that went up in recent years. The line ups that won the play offs were nowhere near PL standard.

Trouble is CB, look at the money those two threw at it once they got there. Doubt our new owners are that flush and let' s be truthful only Gus is anywhere near PL standard at the moment.

 

[YES Blade]

Big incentive for Monday's game that, and they'll all be thinking about it

This season it’s felt like every time there has been an opportunity to get into that midtable pack we’ve shot ourselves in the foot.

Monday is must win, we can’t let another opportunity pass us by. It’s unlikely we get many, if any more.

 

[Freddie]

I always remember being on the kop some 40 years ago. Some old guy then was going on about life following the Blades.
I remember him saying 'thing is wi Blades, thi allus tek thi darn t' wire!'
And over the years, thi allus av!
I dont see this season to be any different.
We ll pick up points where we dont maybe expect them, and we ll drop points that we should be winning. Its the Blades way.
I can see a situation going into the last match of the season where we ll either need to win and someone above will have to lose. And we ll win and so do they. So we dont go up.
Or, somebody above us needs to lose and we just need a point to go up, and they either win and we lose and dont go up.
The footballing gods dont like us. Its always been the case.
Deal with it.

On that happy note I ll say good night for now xxx

Absolute codswallop. We are going up. ️️

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

I would like us to reach the play offs when we have a team that would have a sniff of competing in the top tier, last time was a complete season long embarrassment and that side was stronger than this.

The batterings made it a tough season. Flip side is next season we don't have any parachute money.
Its the old yo-yo debate.