Play Off Confidence

The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
Except we're not the 2nd best team in the league, Sheff Utd are and Luton are 3rd best. We're 4th best in the league, that's why we're in 4th position.
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Not strictly true, we have different players come in and certainly a different manager, we lost a lot of ground earlier in the season, we probably are the second best side to be fair.
 
the_holgate_roof said:
Not strictly true, we have different players come in and certainly a different manager, we lost a lot of ground earlier in the season, we probably are the second best side to be fair.
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We're not in terms of points or wins.

This is the table since Carrick took over:

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Since Luton appointed Edwards:

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Before the loss to Huddersfield, and this relative slump we're in, we were the 2nd best team since Carrick's appointment, but I don't think you can ignore the last 7 games when judging these things.
 
the_holgate_roof said:
Not strictly true, we have different players come in and certainly a different manager, we lost a lot of ground earlier in the season, we probably are the second best side to be fair.
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Take a look at the league table since Carrick's arrival, you'll be in for a surprise, as we're not even second on that.

Luton didn't get Edwards in until mid-November (plenty of other teams have had different players come in) and they've still managed to average more points per game than us.

EDIT:- What @TeaCider said. We're a good team, but this belief that we have only been beaten to automatic promotion by time is misguided.
 
I'm not sure we're as good as we think we are. We can't defend and we're hopeless at taking set pieces. Saying that, I fancy us to beat any of the play off contenders over two legs as long as we don't do something silly and get a player sent off! 11 v 11 we'll beat any of them if we're at our best, even if they're at their best because there's no outstanding team in the mix imo. Its about handling the pressure now, I just hope these lads can. We did it away to Sheff Utd, so we know we're capable.
 
GazBoro said:
I'm not sure we're as good as we think we are. We can't defend and we're hopeless at taking set pieces. Saying that, I fancy us to beat any of the play off contenders over two legs as long as we don't do something silly and get a player sent off! 11 v 11 we'll beat any of them if we're at our best, even if they're at their at their best. I just hope these lads can handle the pressure. We did it away to Sheff Utd, so we know they're capable.
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Exactly this.

We've seen a massive improvement since Carrick came in, but we're not the world beaters we like to think we are.
 
wilkos_perm said:
Jesus, "this form". Our last two home games we won 5-1 and 3-1 and blitzed the opposition in periods.
Since then we've rotated, had some injuries and are just waiting for the play offs. Plus the last two games have been decided by awful refereeing decisions.
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Not so much the results for me mate it's the performances, this side of the international break we're yet to keep a clean sheet and I'd say we've only played 3-4 good halves of football like our usual selves

1st half vs Huddersfield and Luton
2nd half vs Norwich and Hull

Before the international break at full strength I'd have fancied us vs any team in the country
 
LBPHoppe said:
Not so much the results for me mate it's the performances, this side of the international break we're yet to keep a clean sheet and I'd say we've only played 3-4 good halves of football like our usual selves

1st half vs Huddersfield and Luton
2nd half vs Norwich and Hull

Before the international break at full strength I'd have fancied us vs any team in the country
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We were 4-1 up at half time against Norwich, and could have scored another half dozen in the second half.
 
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LBPHoppe said:
Not so much the results for me mate it's the performances, this side of the international break we're yet to keep a clean sheet and I'd say we've only played 3-4 good halves of football like our usual selves

1st half vs Huddersfield and Luton
2nd half vs Norwich and Hull

Before the international break at full strength I'd have fancied us vs any team in the country
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I don't think youi can underestimate the impact of effectively not having anything to play for. The key is turning up and performing when it counts.
 
wilkos_perm said:
I don't think youi can underestimate the impact of effectively not having anything to play for. The key is turning up and performing when it counts.
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Thats what I'm hoping

We should be treating this Coventry game as the 1st leg in a 3 leg semi final for me now though, make a statement at full strength and if we beat them we most likely won't play them anyways
 
Lets be honest about our chances. Anything can happen in the play offs. No one in their right mind would say today that Sunderland will be in the premier league next season. But it's a possibility. (even typing that out made me bork).
So for anyone to genuinely believe we have a better chance than any other team in the mix to get promoted is slightly deluded.

My personal take on it is that if we have a near enough full strength team then we have a great opportunity as I think in a one off game we are a better skilled and tactically organised team than anyone in the league other than Burnley.

Turning that quality into a win in an emotionally charged game that will probably be the most important game in the players careers so far is not an easy thing to do. And we'd have to do it arguably 3 times in a row.
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
Doesn't seem to have done Luton or Burnley much harm.
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Luton fair enough, but Burnley failed to beat Reading Rotherham and QPR (who they lost to at home) after they won the league. It undoubtedly can affect teams when there objective is achieved.

BigAl76 said:
Lets be honest about our chances. Anything can happen in the play offs. No one in their right mind would say today that Sunderland will be in the premier league next season. But it's a possibility. (even typing that out made me bork).
So for anyone to genuinely believe we have a better chance than any other team in the mix to get promoted is slightly deluded.
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We definitely have a better chance than anyone other than Luton at this point.
Sunderland for example could win 5-0 on Sunday and still not even qualify for the play offs, nevermind win them.
 
If we have a pretty fully fit squad to pick from, and everyone plays to a good level, don't think we have anything to worry about. However, currently that is a big IF! One thing that gives me confidence, is that I don't think the other play-off contenders are really any good. I think of all the teams in the play-offs, they would all get relegated pretty easily next season. Boro might well do as well, but I think with the way Carrick sets up the team, we would have the best chance (obviously major work would be needed on the defence through new recruits).
 
Berwickhillbilly said:
We've only lost our last 2 games to dodgy referee decisions. Better team in both games
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We lost to Rotherham because we conceded again and didn’t have a shot on goal in anger. 1 shot on target against Luton too. Our standards have dipped there’s no denying that.

Hopefully the intensity and ruthlessness of our performances increase to usual standards in the playoffs, I just worry that it’s not something you just decide to do at will…we aren’t good enough for that.

We haven’t been great the last few weeks. 4 losses in 7 is hardly ‘we’re bouncing into the play offs in good shape’ form.
 
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