Play-off/relegation watch.

[MR. CYNICAL]

Winning may have effectively taken Huddersfield out of the play-off picture. They would've fallen seven points behind us (albeit having played a game less) and the psychology would've been very different.

Today's results probably makes it almost certain Bolton; Bradford; and Stockport will be in the play-offs. Stevenage's game in hand makes them favourites imo; Plymouth would go level with us if they win their game in hand on us; both Huddersfield and Luton would go on behind us if they win their respective game in hand.

Remember, Stevenage have 2 games in hand on us.

[tidus_mi2]

Winning may have effectively taken Huddersfield out of the play-off picture. They would've fallen seven points behind us (albeit having played a game less) and the psychology would've been very different.

Today's results probably makes it almost certain Bolton; Bradford; and Stockport will be in the play-offs. Stevenage's game in hand makes them favourites imo; Plymouth would go level with us if they win their game in hand on us; both Huddersfield and Luton would go on behind us if they win their respective game in hand.

Remember, Stevenage have 2 games in hand on us.

Their games in hand are Bolton (A) and Barnsley (H), shouldn't be walks in the park at the very least.

[Elm Park Kid]

If results go against us then we'll be 8 points off 6th with four games remaining. That would be pretty fatal.

But there's not much evidence right now that we'd get anywhere in the play-offs, we don't seem to have the ability to raise our game when required.

[Hound]

That hudders equaliser killed us tbh. Play offs always a long shot after that. Was a tough game today tbf; Lincoln are champions elect for a reason

[Snowflake Royal]

Tbf, it’s not been pretty, but we've consistently been a mistake or two a game from autos.

So many losses could have been draws, or draws wins. Yes the reverse is true for a few wins.. but look at Lincoln, the reason they're top is because they can force games like yesterday to go their way.

It really is fine margins between 9th and 2nd.

[Sutekh]

Four games left and they are all winnable. The chase for the POs will go to the last day and while Reading will more than likely miss out again (thank god, couldn’t take the next ingenious way Reading would contrive to **** them up again) the end of season fare will hopefully be a strong finish and at least the club can then have its first organised summer close season in about 3 years.

Plenty to look out for in the close season -

Retained list likely mid May
Signings/rumours to look forward to from the season’s end until early September
Fixture lists announced somewhere around 23rd June
August we can all start the highs and lows of another 9 month slog all over again
Not to mention the total let down of another England World Cup campaign to keep us all “entertained” in June/July.

[WestYorksRoyal]

We can finish on maximum 74 points, meaning Stevenage need a very achievable 11 points from 6 to end our hopes. Any let up and they only need 9 from 6.

When did we last win 4 in a row? It's not going to happen.

[tidus_mi2]

It's so frustrating that we were 2 last minute goals away from 4pts but have ended up with 1pt, the play-off situation would be looking a lot rosier right now.

Basically have to get 3 wins minimum from our last set of games I would have thought, even then that might not be enough. I think it's more than possible because this is probably our more favourable run for a bit, Rotherham look pretty hopeless, I'd hope we'd have enough to beat Doncaster and Blackpool while not as useless as they once were, probably safe by the time we play them, similarly Cardiff might be all but up by the time we play them.

That said, so were Lincoln and we looked pretty hopeless against them.

[South Coast Royal]

Tbf, it’s not been pretty, but we've consistently been a mistake or two a game from autos.

So many losses could have been draws, or draws wins. Yes the reverse is true for a few wins.. but look at Lincoln, the reason they're top is because they can force games like yesterday to go their way.

It really is fine margins between 9th and 2nd.

Also of course we fans always think that we have been more unlucky than other teams but don't all fans feel the same.?
What if? etc., etc.

[stealthpapes]

6 games left to go, so keeping the same form gives between 10 and 11 points, err, win 3 draw 2 lose 1. Maybe draw 1 lose 2 given the run-in.
72 points. Maybe 71.

Yeah, Think this is it - win 3 and not win the other for 9/10 points and a final total of 71 or 72 and just miss out.

[stealthpapes]

I was going to have a look at points lost/won in the last 5 + added time. Someone pointed out that ours actually almost balanced and was curious how it panned out over the season for everyone.

[Stranded]

I was going to have a look at points lost/won in the last 5 + added time. Someone pointed out that ours actually almost balanced and was curious how it panned out over the season for everyone.

Transfermarkt have a handy tool which allows you to cut the table by certain minutes.

If the result at 90mins was taken then we would be 4th - with a 4 point gap to 7th place Huddersfield and 6 points of autos

https://www.transfermarkt.com/league-on ... ime_end=90

Other tables

75 min - 10th (4pts off play-offs)
60 min - 4th (5pts off autos, 2 points clear of 7th)
HT - 2nd on goal difference from Wycombe but 27pts behind 1st

Interestingly* if you do a table of results just on injury time at the end of the game we are in the relegation zone with 1 win and 5 defeats in that timezone - this is based on just goals scored in that time, so isn't a reflection of the final score but the "result" of that time period - i.e. a consolation goal scored in the 93nd min of a 5-1 defeat counts as a 1-0 win.

[Sutekh]

I was going to have a look at points lost/won in the last 5 + added time. Someone pointed out that ours actually almost balanced and was curious how it panned out over the season for everyone.

Transfermarkt have a handy tool which allows you to cut the table by certain minutes.

If the result at 90mins was taken then we would be 4th - with a 4 point gap to 7th place Huddersfield and 6 points of autos

https://www.transfermarkt.com/league-on ... ime_end=90

Other tables

75 min - 10th (4pts off play-offs)
60 min - 4th (5pts off autos, 2 points clear of 7th)
HT - 2nd on goal difference from Wycombe but 27pts behind 1st

Interestingly* if you do a table of results just on injury time at the end of the game we are in the relegation zone with 1 win and 5 defeats in that timezone - this is based on just goals scored in that time, so isn't a reflection of the final score but the "result" of that time period - i.e. a consolation goal scored in the 93nd min of a 5-1 defeat counts as a 1-0 win.

14th on second half performances alone. Seems to suggest Reading run out of puff as the game goes on so time wasting isn’t really a very good idea.

[Sutekh]

I was going to have a look at points lost/won in the last 5 + added time. Someone pointed out that ours actually almost balanced and was curious how it panned out over the season for everyone.

Transfermarkt have a handy tool which allows you to cut the table by certain minutes.

If the result at 90mins was taken then we would be 4th - with a 4 point gap to 7th place Huddersfield and 6 points of autos

https://www.transfermarkt.com/league-on ... ime_end=90

Other tables

75 min - 10th (4pts off play-offs)
60 min - 4th (5pts off autos, 2 points clear of 7th)
HT - 2nd on goal difference from Wycombe but 27pts behind 1st

Interestingly* if you do a table of results just on injury time at the end of the game we are in the relegation zone with 1 win and 5 defeats in that timezone - this is based on just goals scored in that time, so isn't a reflection of the final score but the "result" of that time period - i.e. a consolation goal scored in the 93nd min of a 5-1 defeat counts as a 1-0 win.

14th on second half performances alone. Seems to suggest Reading run out of puff as the game goes on so time wasting isn’t really a very good idea.

Reading seem to be relegation bound though when looking solely at the minutes just around HT.

[Snowflake Royal]

I was going to have a look at points lost/won in the last 5 + added time. Someone pointed out that ours actually almost balanced and was curious how it panned out over the season for everyone.

Transfermarkt have a handy tool which allows you to cut the table by certain minutes.

If the result at 90mins was taken then we would be 4th - with a 4 point gap to 7th place Huddersfield and 6 points of autos

https://www.transfermarkt.com/league-on ... ime_end=90

Other tables

75 min - 10th (4pts off play-offs)
60 min - 4th (5pts off autos, 2 points clear of 7th)
HT - 2nd on goal difference from Wycombe but 27pts behind 1st

Interestingly* if you do a table of results just on injury time at the end of the game we are in the relegation zone with 1 win and 5 defeats in that timezone - this is based on just goals scored in that time, so isn't a reflection of the final score but the "result" of that time period - i.e. a consolation goal scored in the 93nd min of a 5-1 defeat counts as a 1-0 win.

14th on second half performances alone. Seems to suggest Reading run out of puff as the game goes on so time wasting isn’t really a very good idea.

It's like Richardson might have correctly identified a fitness issue... but apparently that's bollox according to many on here.

[tidus_mi2]

Transfermarkt have a handy tool which allows you to cut the table by certain minutes.

If the result at 90mins was taken then we would be 4th - with a 4 point gap to 7th place Huddersfield and 6 points of autos

https://www.transfermarkt.com/league-on ... ime_end=90

Other tables

75 min - 10th (4pts off play-offs)
60 min - 4th (5pts off autos, 2 points clear of 7th)
HT - 2nd on goal difference from Wycombe but 27pts behind 1st

Interestingly* if you do a table of results just on injury time at the end of the game we are in the relegation zone with 1 win and 5 defeats in that timezone - this is based on just goals scored in that time, so isn't a reflection of the final score but the "result" of that time period - i.e. a consolation goal scored in the 93nd min of a 5-1 defeat counts as a 1-0 win.

14th on second half performances alone. Seems to suggest Reading run out of puff as the game goes on so time wasting isn’t really a very good idea.

It's like Richardson might have correctly identified a fitness issue... but apparently that's bollox according to many on here.

I think the common retort has been that, if he's identified a fitness issue, why hasn't he dealt with it? It seems like a common sense argument but I have seen it also mentioned that you don't train fitness during the season and that's what pre-season is for, again, makes sense.

So really for me, the judgment will be next season, surely there must be an expectation that we look a lot fitter, not having to defend for our lives from minute 60 because we're running out of gas.

[stealthpapes]

I think the common retort has been that, if he's identified a fitness issue, why hasn't he dealt with it? It seems like a common sense argument but I have seen it also mentioned that you don't train fitness during the season and that's what pre-season is for, again, makes sense.

You can, but it comes at a risk of over-training (and hence, more injuries) and you've only got a limited amount of time each week. Read any biographies by recent pros and they'll stress just how much of their time during the week is actually rest and recovery.

IIRC he's brought in a fitness coach already.

[Greatwesternline]

I think the common retort has been that, if he's identified a fitness issue, why hasn't he dealt with it? It seems like a common sense argument but I have seen it also mentioned that you don't train fitness during the season and that's what pre-season is for, again, makes sense.

You can, but it comes at a risk of over-training (and hence, more injuries) and you've only got a limited amount of time each week. Read any biographies by recent pros and they'll stress just how much of their time during the week is actually rest and recovery.

IIRC he's brought in a fitness coach already.

Conversely, you can't train for fitness in August and think it will still somehow be stored in your body in March. That's not how the human body works.

[Snowflake Royal]

I think the common retort has been that, if he's identified a fitness issue, why hasn't he dealt with it? It seems like a common sense argument but I have seen it also mentioned that you don't train fitness during the season and that's what pre-season is for, again, makes sense.

You can, but it comes at a risk of over-training (and hence, more injuries) and you've only got a limited amount of time each week. Read any biographies by recent pros and they'll stress just how much of their time during the week is actually rest and recovery.

IIRC he's brought in a fitness coach already.

Conversely, you can't train for fitness in August and think it will still somehow be stored in your body in March. That's not how the human body works.

You train for it in July and August to be match ready, then to maintain it through the rest of the season. If you're not 90 minute match ready in August, you're not going to be developing that readiness in December... injury recovery somewhat excepted.

[Sutekh]

I think the common retort has been that, if he's identified a fitness issue, why hasn't he dealt with it? It seems like a common sense argument but I have seen it also mentioned that you don't train fitness during the season and that's what pre-season is for, again, makes sense.

You can, but it comes at a risk of over-training (and hence, more injuries) and you've only got a limited amount of time each week. Read any biographies by recent pros and they'll stress just how much of their time during the week is actually rest and recovery.

IIRC he's brought in a fitness coach already.

Yes, a strength & conditioning specialist, which rather suggests he’s identified the issue - but guess we’ll have to wait until next season to see the results.