The rest of the season?

[MalcybabyRFC]

i see no reason why we cant go unbeaten till the end of the season and finish second......

Thats the spirit - all be it an abitious one but good attitude all the same

[Dirk Gently]

I can't understand why some people don't want the playoffs if we can make it.

I don't think the squad is currently good enough for the Premiership. If we went up, we would have to spend vast amounts of money if we want to survive in the Premiership. Build it up this summer and do a massive attack on promotion. And we might be in better shape next summer to be able to think "Yes, we have a good squad so won't need to spend too much" or something like that.

But (as proven by SC and countless other teams), whenever we go up we will still have to spend vast amounts of money if we wanted to survive in the Premiership. that's not going to change very much - going in in 2, 3, 5 or 10 years there'll still be the same financial gap.

Unless, of course, the finances at other clubs implode, Pompey-stylee - in which case we'd be handily placed. I actually think that the next 2-5 years will be a period when it'll be easier for smaller clubs to survive in the PL than it has been for quite a few years. Not only will some clubs going bust or into administration, but fewer will be able to increase their debt levels to survive.

[under the tin]

I will never understand how anyone can say the CCC football is dull in comparison to Prem football, i would say that by miles its more open, and less predictable, the atmosphere is way better and not a staduim half packed with prawn sandwich eating corporate i got my ticket free crews, id be as happy here if not more than fighting for survival in the prem, i go with Lets get safe and see how next season goes.

Totally agree, and the atmosphere is ruined when you find yourself surrounded by tourists who spend the whole match trying to get a picture of Stevie friggin Gerrard on their camera phone.
FWIW, I couldn't care less about the Premiership. The champ is about our level as a club, playing provincial towns/cities.
Until some sanity returns with regard to player wages, the Prem is a busted flush.
The only other way, unless we pick up an Oligarch, is when the European/World super league arrives. The massive earners will then be creamed off to play for Mitsubishi Tokyo, or Microsoft Miami, and our top flight will become a more even playing field.

[bigmike]

Like the Manager and the players I am looking no further than the next game... If we keep playing each game like its a cup final we would be ok .

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Winning is great. Losing is pooh (especially if it's at home, week after week). Regardless of division.

[SpaceCruiser]

I can't understand why some people don't want the playoffs if we can make it.

I don't think the squad is currently good enough for the Premiership. If we went up, we would have to spend vast amounts of money if we want to survive in the Premiership. Build it up this summer and do a massive attack on promotion. And we might be in better shape next summer to be able to think "Yes, we have a good squad so won't need to spend too much" or something like that.

But (as proven by SC and countless other teams), whenever we go up we will still have to spend vast amounts of money if we wanted to survive in the Premiership. that's not going to change very much - going in in 2, 3, 5 or 10 years there'll still be the same financial gap.

Unless, of course, the finances at other clubs implode, Pompey-stylee - in which case we'd be handily placed. I actually think that the next 2-5 years will be a period when it'll be easier for smaller clubs to survive in the PL than it has been for quite a few years. Not only will some clubs going bust or into administration, but fewer will be able to increase their debt levels to survive.

I agree with you about the financial gap, but I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about squad improvement. When we went up in 2006, we didn't buy many new players because we already had a good squad. With this squad, we'd probably need to bring in more than what we did for that season, if you know what I mean.

[brendywendy]

I agree with you about the financial gap, but I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about squad improvement. When we went up in 2006, we didn't buy many new players because we already had a good squad. With this squad, we'd probably need to bring in more than what we did for that season, if you know what I mean.

i dunno, if this team with a few judicious additions only lost two games all next season i reckon theyd keep us up too!

[brendywendy]

i see no reason why we cant go unbeaten till the end of the season and finish second......

Thats the spirit - all be it an abitious one but good attitude all the same

[JC]

I realise it could all go pop in the next week, but if we can beat
a very ordinary Bristol City and the Warnock-inspired QPR, where might
we be? I have a feeling we can win at Cardiff, and that makes 8 winnable games
taking us to 65 points by the end of the season

Question is can we get points at Boro, Leicester, Ipswich?
Can we manage to beat WBA and/or Newcastle at the MadStad.

To have the slimmest chance of the P/Os we probably have to win our next two games
and beating QPR might be tougher than expected, but after those two, if we can win the
eight games bolded and get a point at Leicester and Boro (or better still, win) then...

H Bristol City
H QPR
A Middlesbrough
A Leicester City
H WBA

April

A Ipswich Town
H Coventry City
A Cardiff City
H Newcastle
H Peterborough
A Scunthorpe
A Watford

May
H Preston

8 wins and 2 draws would give us 67 points. That has never been enough for play-offs in the Championship. In the last 17 years the lowest has been 70 points and the average 73 so that would look to be beyond us as we would need to get 32 points out of 39.

[seahawk10]

I would love to see us make a push for the playoffs. In every season I have supported the club (ok, it's only been 5) we have either pushed for promotion or been in a relegation battle (or challenged for Europe).

This season we might be able to do both. Facing a relegation battle AND pushing for promotion in the same season has to be very rare. I would love to see it happen.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I realise it could all go pop in the next week, but if we can beat
a very ordinary Bristol City and the Warnock-inspired QPR, where might
we be? I have a feeling we can win at Cardiff, and that makes 8 winnable games
taking us to 65 points by the end of the season

Question is can we get points at Boro, Leicester, Ipswich?
Can we manage to beat WBA and/or Newcastle at the MadStad.

To have the slimmest chance of the P/Os we probably have to win our next two games
and beating QPR might be tougher than expected, but after those two, if we can win the
eight games bolded and get a point at Leicester and Boro (or better still, win) then...

H Bristol City
H QPR
A Middlesbrough
A Leicester City
H WBA

April

A Ipswich Town
H Coventry City
A Cardiff City
H Newcastle
H Peterborough
A Scunthorpe
A Watford

May
H Preston

8 wins and 2 draws would give us 67 points. That has never been enough for play-offs in the Championship. In the last 17 years the lowest has been 70 points and the average 73 so that would look to be beyond us as we would need to get 32 points out of 39.

Would not be that surprised if 67 points did it this year.

[Ian Royal]

I would.

[JC]

I realise it could all go pop in the next week, but if we can beat
a very ordinary Bristol City and the Warnock-inspired QPR, where might
we be? I have a feeling we can win at Cardiff, and that makes 8 winnable games
taking us to 65 points by the end of the season

Question is can we get points at Boro, Leicester, Ipswich?
Can we manage to beat WBA and/or Newcastle at the MadStad.

To have the slimmest chance of the P/Os we probably have to win our next two games
and beating QPR might be tougher than expected, but after those two, if we can win the
eight games bolded and get a point at Leicester and Boro (or better still, win) then...

H Bristol City
H QPR
A Middlesbrough
A Leicester City
H WBA

April

A Ipswich Town
H Coventry City
A Cardiff City
H Newcastle
H Peterborough
A Scunthorpe
A Watford

May
H Preston

8 wins and 2 draws would give us 67 points. That has never been enough for play-offs in the Championship. In the last 17 years the lowest has been 70 points and the average 73 so that would look to be beyond us as we would need to get 32 points out of 39.

Would not be that surprised if 67 points did it this year.

And what do you base that on? What is different about this season that a points total lower than ever before would be enough for the play=offs/

[Franchise FC]

I would love to see us make a push for the playoffs. In every season I have supported the club (ok, it's only been 5) we have either pushed for promotion or been in a relegation battle (or challenged for Europe).

This season we might be able to do both. Facing a relegation battle AND pushing for promotion in the same season has to be very rare. I would love to see it happen.

Ah, but have you had a season where we've had a relegation battle followed by a push for the play-offs.

[leww_rfc]

H Bristol City
H QPR
A Middlesbrough
A Leicester City
H WBA

April

A Ipswich Town
H Coventry City
A Cardiff City
H Newcastle
H Peterborough
A Scunthorpe
A Watford

May
H Preston

No reason why we wouldn't be able to beat WBA again, yeah it was the cup but we have the same sides and with Long back!