Top 6

[Nosmo-King]

In answer to the question I don’t think we will finish top 6. A number of reasons - mostly already said. Inconsistency, very poor strikers and more tellingly, rivals going on winning runs.I hope next season will be different but we do need a few players in to help improve us.

 

[theredrooster]

A dream now or still a real possibility?

Do you feel we have it in us to find some consistency and really be in with a shout going in to the final 6 games of the season which looks good on paper or do you think this inconsistency is going to be us now resulting in a mid tableish finish?

I am unsure myself.

It's the Boro, we'll get ourselves back in with a shout (as said above all it takes in this league is a couple of back to back wins and you're amongst it), then we'll get to the 6 game end of season favourable run in and then what always happens when Boro are favourites will happen.......

 

[Erimus74]

A dream and its been a dream for a fair few weeks.

We do not score enough and as a result are far to inconsistent.

Maybe we dont score enough but we're still hanging in there, we have played well over half the season, have struggled in front of goal, have lost so many on the bounce at home, have almost got there then suffered a setback on more than few occassions yet we're still within 5 points of the playoffs
March 1987 after losing our 2nd away defeat on the bounce & the pack around us closing in, Bruce Rioch told to his troops, we started the season 12 games unbeaten, lets finish the season one better & we did, Im not comparing the legends of 86 to todays team just that anything is possible with the right mindset

C'mon Boro!

 

[ChrisTheRed]

Maybe we dont score enough but we're still hanging in there, we have played well over half the season, have struggled in front of goal, have lost so many on the bounce at home, have almost got there then suffered a setback on more than few occassions yet we're still within 5 points of the playoffs
March 1987 after losing our 2nd away defeat on the bounce & the pack around us closing in, Bruce Rioch told to his troops, we started the season 12 games unbeaten, lets finish the season one better & we did, Im not comparing the legends of 86 to todays team just that anything is possible with the right mindset

C'mon Boro!

Which was fine whilst others were drawing and losing but they have now.put winning runs together and we are starting to slip away.

The next 2 games will tell you a lot about whether we want it or not.

 

[Erimus74]

Which was fine whilst others were drawing and losing but they have now.put winning runs together and we are starting to slip away.

The next 2 games will tell you a lot about whether we want it or not.

Which also shows the inconsistency of the league, a winning run can soon turn in to a losing run, form can just go out of the window
Agree next two are massive

 

[Ingleby_Flash]

Clearly it’s possible, if we make the playoffs would you want to see anything based on this squad in the prem?

Look, I would always want playoffs over not, promotion over not. But, we’re back in the ground next season, cheering Warnock and a better squad into the play offs or auto would be awesome, then the reward the season after...... on balance I think that’s how I’d like to see it go, then maybe, just maybe, we could dream of staying up.

 

[BoroMart]

Looking at the run-ins we need to stay within 6 points of 6th.

The two in the box seat at the moment:
Reading - Watford (A), Cardiff (H), Luton (A), Swansea (H), Norwich (A), Huddersfield (H) - Pts Prediction: 7pts
Bournemouth - Huddersfield (A), Norwich (A), Millwall (A), Brentford (H), Wycombe (A), Stoke (H) - Pts Prediction: 6pts

The challengers:
Barnsley - Boro (H), Coventry (A), Huddersfield (A), Rotherham (H), Preston (A), Norwich (H) - Pts Prediction: 9 pts
Cardiff - Blackburn (H), Reading (A), Brentford (A), Wycombe (H), Birmingham (A), Rotherham (H) - Pts Prediction: 10 pts
Boro - Barnsley (A), QPR (H), Rotherham (A), Sheff W (H), Luton (A), Wycombe (H): Pts Prediction: 11Pts

They're all big games for us now but we have three 'free hits' Swansea, Bournemouth and Watford, any points from those game will be big points. We have two 6 pointers against Stoke and Barnsley, win and a draw and it's game on. By 10th April, seven games from now, Barnsley, it'll be game on or game over. We've lost lost 1 in 4, we have Tav and Fry fit again, Kebano settling in and Yannick coming back soon. Fletcher should be back for those Bournemouth, Watford and Barnsley games too. Let's look upwards.

 

[BoroMart]

Clearly it’s possible, if we make the playoffs would you want to see anything based on this squad in the prem?

We are definitely a million miles from prem quality. To be honest if we did make it, I'd want to see us buying the best championship youngsters around to secure our future, and invest the prem windfall. Michael Olisie, Tyrese Campbell, Josh Koroma. I'd rather go up and come back down with a a squad full of young exciting attacking players, than stay where we are and get asset stripped or go up and waste our money on jounreymen.

 

[Ingleby_Flash]

We are definitely a million miles from prem quality. To be honest if we did make it, I'd want to see us buying the best championship youngsters around to secure our future, and invest the prem windfall. Michael Olisie, Tyrese Campbell, Josh Koroma. I'd rather go up and come back down with a a squad full of young exciting attacking players, than stay where we are and get asset stripped or go up and waste our money on jounreymen.

That would be my normal view. Just under current circumstances I’d like to be in the stadium to see another promotion season. That said I wouldn’t knock it back if we got it.

 

[Laughing]

Which was fine whilst others were drawing and losing but they have now.put winning runs together and we are starting to slip away.

The next 2 games will tell you a lot about whether we want it or not.

Whilst that is true, win our next 2 games and we will have a last 6 game form that would be the 4th best in the league.

So whilst it looks like teams are putting a run together it's much the same for most of the teams in the league win one loose one seems to be the norm this year.

 

[newyddion]

A dream now or still a real possibility?

Do you feel we have it in us to find some consistency and really be in with a shout going in to the final 6 games of the season which looks good on paper or do you think this inconsistency is going to be us now resulting in a mid tableish finish?

I am unsure myself.

I think it’s both. We’ve got quality in the squad we just need to show it! If Britt starts firing on all cylinders.. we’ll be a force to be reckoned with!!

 

[brattleboro]

being honest,no i dont

 

[Soutra]

They're all big games for us now but we have three 'free hits' Swansea, Bournemouth and Watford, any points from those game will be big points.

I know what you mean, but this is the last quarter of the season. Giving up 3 points to any of those teams - especially Bournemouth - just moves them further ahead with games running out. Boro need to gain ground on the teams in 5th and 6th by April. Bournemouth are effectively 6 points ahead of Boro (with goal difference), unless they hit the skids big time, that's going to be a mustn't lose game.

 

[Laughing]

Go read Erimus' thread for a bit of inspiration. When I say we will finish in the playoffs, I do mean it. We are good enough if we can sort our consistency out. Under Warnock at the back end of last season we had a similar form profile, win one loose one. He needs to sort that out, win 2 loose 1 would see us into the playoffs.

 

[timetoretire]

Presently, we are not really equipped to get into the top six. If, by some miracle it happened we would need a couple more miracles to get promoted. That's a pretty unlikely outcome and next season would be abysmal. On balance, I'd rather see a team put together that is capable of sustaining a challenge with enough spirit and skill to make a fist of it the top division.

 

[Davey_C]

No firepower what so ever so no chance of top 6. Had Ayala still been at the club i'd rather have him playing upfront than the 2 options we currently have. Kernaghan was useful at both roles have we had anyone since?

 

[FatCat]

I have a funny feeling we will sneak in there- then after that who knows!

 

[Terryterrycooper]

Im sure. We build for next season and a challenge with a squad capable of putting a consistent run together to challenge. This one isn't good enough to do it. The evidence is there to see.

ive said that for 40 years , dosnt happen
but no doubt I’ll say it again in a few months time

 

[newyddion]

Presently, we are not really equipped to get into the top six. If, by some miracle it happened we would need a couple more miracles to get promoted. That's a pretty unlikely outcome and next season would be abysmal. On balance, I'd rather see a team put together that is capable of sustaining a challenge with enough spirit and skill to make a fist of it the top division.

So which teams ARE equipped?

Reading? Bournemouth? Barnsley? Cardiff?

 

[Laughing]

So which teams ARE equipped?

Reading? Bournemouth? Barnsley? Cardiff?

More than that, go up, keep the same squad together, get rid of the useless ones and replace with slightly better and accept that we are likely to be relegated, but do so playing expansive football. When we come back down, build a bit more, slightly better players well scouted that fit into our playing ethos and smash the champioship and get 2 promotions in 3 seasons.