12 Points Off The Play-offs

[Guest Harry Dolman]

Thanks to the cock ups that led to us getting 0 from 21 points, I'll be amazed if we finish in the top 10. If we had gained 10 points during that phase (3 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats) we would be 7th and in form at just the right time.

The 0 points from 7 games certainly affected our chances of getting to the play offs. But it wasn't the only cause, the 7 points from 9 games that started the season also had an impact.

If you look at average points per game, Tinnion had around 0.77 whilst Johnson is circa 1.3 - neither are great, but the latter is a big improvement & to a certain extent as long as we are progressing, I will be happy.

[i remember dickie rooks]

When Gary Johnson came in, it was with a view to altering the structure and philosophy of this club, not trying to get in the playoffs this season. After years of the same old near misses, it was time to accept that we are in the third division and change the club around to become one that will get out of this division by the only way other teams manage. i.e. hard graft and teamwork.

Cut the outgoings to match the revenue, create a hard working nucleus of players suited to playing at MK Dons etc. on a cold Tuesday night, sell the players who don't want to knuckle down (or stay sober) and sell the players who can play in the Championship with good service, but struggle at our level.

This does mean selling players who potentially are our 'best' on paper and replacing them with workhorses, leading to accusations that the side is getting worse. But results improve.

The trick is then to improve the side in the Championship to stay there.

Let's forget the season so far, and imagine that we continue our recent progress until the end of the season (ending up in say 10th - 12th), but then carrying it through into next season. We would then start the season flying and really be the automatic promotion candidates we have always thought we are.

Think of all the clubs that have ended up mid table one season but stormed it the next. That could be us with a bit of momentum.

[BCFC Grim]

The simple answer to all of this is just to take one game at a time and see what the situation is in mid-march, and then we can start talking about play-offs or regelegation. The way we are playing at the moment no-one can say its impossible to get a play off position but all it takes is one defeat and it can cause another run of losses.

One game at a time

[woodshap]

I am sick of the people sayin "we'll never do it" or at worst, the horrible excuse of "I'm just bein realistic". Maybe if people started being realistic, we would start going places. If you think big, then there is no limit to what you can achieve. If you are pessimistic, or "realistic", you are already limiting yourself in what you can achieve.

[glastonred]

Has a team never made up a 12 point gap?! well then start showing some faith. we're pasting teams at the moment and you can't say the top 6 won't drop points because they will. say we have to play the team in 6th place if we win then the gap is only down to 9 points then

I think the key problem is obviously our goal difference compared to other teams on the same points. Until we narrow that gap we'll always be destined to be the bottom-placed club in those blocs. So, this means that we have to go all out to score as many goals as possible, and not sit back at 1-0. We have to win by at least two or three goals, and only then can we hope to leapfrog other teams, and reach the play-offs.

[NailseaRed]

since when did city do things the normal and easy way city are just the club to break all the records and somehow get promotion this season against all the odds oooo can't wait till tomorrow now. another winning margin of at least 2 goals and that goal difference will start looking more healthy again