Can we do it?

[bring back the cowshed!]

At Christmas no-one gave us a chance (except perhaps GB and the Palioses) but now we are back in the play-off zone, do you think we can get out of the NL this season? Automatic promotion is realistically out but I reckon on past seasons' tables that 80 points should get us into at least fifth position. That would require another 30 points or two per game from now. We've averaged better than that since Christmas, but not since the start of the season.

These are the remaining fixtures and a possible set of results which could get us 80 points. They are not my predictions.

Southport(H) W
Aldershot (A) W
Cheltenham(H) L
Chester (A) W
Gateshead(H) W
Guiseley(A) W
Dover(A) L
Forest Green(H)L
Lincoln City(H) D
Kidderminster(A) W
Welling(H) W
Torquay(A) W
Wrexham(H) W
Eastleigh(A) D
Grimsby(H) D

Personally, looking at the sort of results we'd need, I think it will be tough. I think any of the current top 12 could get into the top five and there are teams below us with enough games in hand to overhaul us. We have only just got back into the top five for the first time since we beat FGR. Ironically, that was the last time we held a two-goal lead in a match until last Saturday. I think our inability to kill off games will count in the end, particularly as we are unlikely to improve our goalscoring capability.

Am I being too pessimistic and does anyone believe we have a realistic chance of reaching the play-offs?

 

[Boz]

Looking at those fixtures, I'd reckon a final total in the low to mid 70s, which won't be enough. We've lost all our home games against sides in the top half so far and a number of those feature in the remaining fixtures. That said, our recent good run shows that anything is possible.

 

[Gray]

Sport is all about timing and we seem to be hitting form at just the right time (start slow, finish fast!), I reckon we'll do it. I fancy us to get something out of the home games against Cheltenham and FGR.

I've been promising my 9 year old a trip to Wembley with the Rovers just like I had when I was his age in the late 80s / early 90s.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Sport is all about timing and we seem to be hitting form at just the right time (start slow, finish fast!), I reckon we'll do it.

Although I'm pessimistic, I haven't given up hope. Certainly, if we do manage 20 points out of 30, we'll be the team in form heading into the play-offs.

I've been promising my 9 year old a trip to Wembley with the Rovers just like I had when I was his age in the late 80s / early 90s.

After what we've been through over the past few years (particularly the last three), I think we all deserve a trip to Wembley!

 

[Ian]

It's going to be very tough indeed but we are certainly picking up points at a nice pace since Xmas. However I still don't think we'll make it and I think we'll suffer a dip in form/results before too long. We have been poor at home and that will be our undoing.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

We have got certainly got the players to do it (give or take the signing of another forward) but a lot will depend on Brabin's performance. Obviously anything close to our run of October and November would finish us off completely.

However, if pushed, I would say we will make it, largely because of the quality of players we have and the football we are capable of playing compared to most of the sides we come up against. Having got back in the race, I would be hugely disappointed if we did miss out now. Breaking down the fixtures into 'easy' and 'difficult' games does not necessarily work, as most of our best displays have been against the better sides.

On the only occasion we were promoted through the play-offs (1991) we came with a surge in the second half of the season, so let us hope history repeats itself.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Braintree won again tonight and are now only one point behind us with three games in hand. We have to hope their heavy schedule and small squad catches up with them at some point.

 

[Ian]

There's going to be a lot of teams fighting for those few playoff places. Still a lot of games left and a lot can and probably will happen before the season is out. And I suppose the burning question is, if we do reach the playoffs, what are our chances of qualifying through them? Our record in playoffs isn't wonderful.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

If we did get in, I would quite fancy our chances. We have done well in one-off games against the better sides like FGR and Cheltenham this season, and a near-full Prenton Park would be an advantage to us.

 

[bigmart]

Still a long way to go with quite a few teams in with a shout of making the play offs, we certainly have the squad to do it and if our home form improves then we should have a decent chance, just need the manager to be a bit more positive at home.