imp73
Vital Squad Member
I've a much smaller dilemma (14/1).
If your friend hadn't made the bet, would he be tempted to now bet 900 pounds at 3/1 to make the play offs? If not, best to take the win!
Can we make the play offs?
- Thread starter NorthNottsImp
- Start date
I've a much smaller dilemma (14/1).
If your friend hadn't made the bet, would he be tempted to now bet 900 pounds at 3/1 to make the play offs? If not, best to take the win!
cdhIMP
Vital 1st Team Regular
Wow, that is incredible.
If we need a win the final day v Pompey and they haven't cashed out then all the best to their fingernails!
Lincoln Imp
Vital Youth Team
Both ourselves and Oxford have 5 games to play and are both on 67 points.
This is the run in for both teams (with the current position of the opposition in brackets)
Sat 6th - Reading (18) v Lincoln City
Sat 6th - Burton (20) v Oxford
Sat 13th - Lincoln City v Wigan (12)
Sat 13th - Oxford v Peterborough (4)
Tues 16th - Oxford v Lincoln City
Fri 19th - Oxford v Stevenage (8) (Live on Sky)
Sat 20th - Cheltenham (22) v Lincoln City
Sat 27th - Lincoln City v Portsmouth (1)
Sat 27th - Exeter (15) v Oxford
Having looked at these fixtures we need to win the next 2 games (away at Reading and at home to Wigan). I think Oxford will drop points against Peterborough, giving us a 3 point lead before our game against them. £ days after playing us they then play Steve Evans Stevenage, who I think will possibly get something from that game. As long as we have avoided defeat against Oxford, a win against Cheltenham would be enough to secure a place in the play offs.
This is the run in for both teams (with the current position of the opposition in brackets)
Sat 6th - Reading (18) v Lincoln City
Sat 6th - Burton (20) v Oxford
Sat 13th - Lincoln City v Wigan (12)
Sat 13th - Oxford v Peterborough (4)
Tues 16th - Oxford v Lincoln City
Fri 19th - Oxford v Stevenage (8) (Live on Sky)
Sat 20th - Cheltenham (22) v Lincoln City
Sat 27th - Lincoln City v Portsmouth (1)
Sat 27th - Exeter (15) v Oxford
Having looked at these fixtures we need to win the next 2 games (away at Reading and at home to Wigan). I think Oxford will drop points against Peterborough, giving us a 3 point lead before our game against them. £ days after playing us they then play Steve Evans Stevenage, who I think will possibly get something from that game. As long as we have avoided defeat against Oxford, a win against Cheltenham would be enough to secure a place in the play offs.
CardiffImp
Vital Squad Member
… so many twists and turns and no guarantees which games will get us an Oxford the necessary points required. Here’s to Portsmouth already champs when we play them as they might have switched off and be thinking of their summer holidays. I still think we’ll get to finish 6th but just fail to catch Barnsley. Imps 4ever
Scotimp
Vital Football Legend
Oxford have a tough run-in, and they will deserve a play-off place if they get there after this lot:
Burton (a)
Peterborough (H)
Lincoln (H)
Stevenage (H)
Exeter (a)
Even Exeter are one of the form teams at the moment (second over four matches and fifth over six matches).
Burton (a)
Peterborough (H)
Lincoln (H)
Stevenage (H)
Exeter (a)
Even Exeter are one of the form teams at the moment (second over four matches and fifth over six matches).
cdhIMP
Vital 1st Team Regular
On review of our fixtures, we also have a tough run in. Carlisle was our easiest game remaining.
Getting 6 points out of Reading and Wigan will be extremely difficult. Both are solid sides with good players. I just cannot see us turning Reading over at their place, I call it a draw.
Cheltenham - never seem to do too well there, they are scrapping for their lives and will see a home game as a winnable match.
Oxford and Portsmouth self explanatory.
Getting 6 points out of Reading and Wigan will be extremely difficult. Both are solid sides with good players. I just cannot see us turning Reading over at their place, I call it a draw.
Cheltenham - never seem to do too well there, they are scrapping for their lives and will see a home game as a winnable match.
Oxford and Portsmouth self explanatory.
A point would be a great result at Reading. I wouldn't say it's the most difficult remaining fixture on paper, but it's the one I feel we're least likely to get something from. I think we can beat Oxford.
cdhIMP
Vital 1st Team Regular
Yeah I'd take a point at Reading. Also would take a point at Oxford too, they absolutely dominated us at Sincil Bank earlier on in the season. Change of manager there is the only reason why we have a sniff of the play offs, if Manning had stayed then I think they'd be up there with Pompey.
Hopefully Burton can do us a favour, not an easy place to go given their pitch and their obvious need for points.
Well done to your fellow Imp and his insight. Personally I would take the £900. Yes he might win £2,500 but could get nothing.
Scotimp
Vital Football Legend
I am not so sure Carlisle was as easy as people assume - they did beat Peterborough 3-1 away, and were fighting for their footballing lives. Lincoln did very well to nullify their impetus early on and clinically won the game when it mattered.
Reading present a problem: their home record is almost identical to ours with 37 points earned and 35 goals scored each; they have won one more game than we have. I think that one is a tougher game than Oxford away.
Reading present a problem: their home record is almost identical to ours with 37 points earned and 35 goals scored each; they have won one more game than we have. I think that one is a tougher game than Oxford away.
New gold dream
Vital Squad Member
Reading looked decent at SB and they’ve a excellent home record despite the off field issues and distractions
very tough game but exactly the environment we’ve thrived in
cdhIMP
Vital 1st Team Regular
But it was the easiest game left prior to Easter Monday, hence the point.
hulloutpost
Vital Champions League
Not wanting to put a downer on things, but this table puts us on notice that there is a lot of work to be done and we should remain very grounded. More importantly the team will likely need to raise their game to higher levels again and remain mentally tough.
What am I talking about? Look at the average ppg of opponents during that run over 12 games, comfortably the lowest of anyones.
www.soccerstats.com
Obviously it's not as straight forward as that. You don't go 15 unbeaten, pump teams for fives and a six, hardly concede a goal, without playing exceptionally well; and of course all those lovely points we have bagged will impact on our opponents ppg average.
However I remember Shrewsbury going on a colossal run last year during consecutive matches involving lower placed teams, only for it to dramatically hit the buffers when they conversely ran into some of the better sides consecutively.
If we are still 6th going into the Oxford game we can start to get properly excited. If we're still 6th after Oxford, well.......
Let's focus on Reading and Wigan, two opponents who may well test our form and as MS would say - 'see where we are then'.
What am I talking about? Look at the average ppg of opponents during that run over 12 games, comfortably the lowest of anyones.
League One Form Table
League One form table, based on the latest matches played by each team.
www.soccerstats.com
Obviously it's not as straight forward as that. You don't go 15 unbeaten, pump teams for fives and a six, hardly concede a goal, without playing exceptionally well; and of course all those lovely points we have bagged will impact on our opponents ppg average.
However I remember Shrewsbury going on a colossal run last year during consecutive matches involving lower placed teams, only for it to dramatically hit the buffers when they conversely ran into some of the better sides consecutively.
If we are still 6th going into the Oxford game we can start to get properly excited. If we're still 6th after Oxford, well.......
Let's focus on Reading and Wigan, two opponents who may well test our form and as MS would say - 'see where we are then'.
I would say cash out and use the winnings to have a great day out at Wembley when we get there!
CardiffImp
Vital Squad Member
….Blimey I bet you’re a bundle of fun at parties. I think we are all focused but let’s have some fun on the way and see where it takes us but whatever it’s been a blast. Imps 4everNot wanting to put a downer on things, but this table puts us on notice that there is a lot of work to be done and we should remain very grounded. More importantly the team will likely need to raise their game to higher levels again and remain mentally tough.
What am I talking about? Look at the average ppg of opponents during that run over 12 games, comfortably the lowest of anyones.
League One Form Table
League One form table, based on the latest matches played by each team.
Obviously it's not as straight forward as that. You don't go 15 unbeaten, pump teams for fives and a six, hardly concede a goal, without playing exceptionally well; and of course all those lovely points we have bagged will impact on our opponents ppg average.
However I remember Shrewsbury going on a colossal run last year during consecutive matches involving lower placed teams, only for it to dramatically hit the buffers when they conversely ran into some of the better sides consecutively.
If we are still 6th going into the Oxford game we can start to get properly excited. If we're still 6th after Oxford, well.......
Let's focus on Reading and Wigan, two opponents who may well test our form and as MS would say - 'see where we are then'.
Imprest 1
Vital 1st Team Regular
Probably sensible to cash it out, but it is called gambling. I'd leave it, then if we make it, put the proceeds on winning the play-offs.
hulloutpost
Vital Champions League
I agree, I just think we have reached a collective 'hold our breath' moment which is the calm before the storm of the Oxford fixture; but everybody (whether it is the players on the pitch or the fans in the stand) needs to take stock before lifting everything to another level so we arrive there still in charge of our own destiny.….Blimey I bet you’re a bundle of fun at parties. I think we are all focused but let’s have some fun on the way and see where it takes us but whatever it’s been a blast. Imps 4ever
For a third of the season we have sustained result levels that when extrapolated over a full season are comparable with the points total of the 75/76 campaign - a record in the entire history of the football league. But because we have been playing catch up it is essential we keep that going for another five games, a huge push needed.
Part of the 'blast' is recognising how far we have come and the extent of the effort that will be required to drive home that advantage by doubling down on those efforts to help the team get there.
Think of it more as a call to arms than party pooping if you like
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nlondonimp
Vital Champions League
Giving the run of results an alt spin :)Not wanting to put a downer on things, but this table puts us on notice that there is a lot of work to be done and we should remain very grounded. More importantly the team will likely need to raise their game to higher levels again and remain mentally tough.
What am I talking about? Look at the average ppg of opponents during that run over 12 games, comfortably the lowest of anyones.
League One Form Table
League One form table, based on the latest matches played by each team.
Obviously it's not as straight forward as that. You don't go 15 unbeaten, pump teams for fives and a six, hardly concede a goal, without playing exceptionally well; and of course all those lovely points we have bagged will impact on our opponents ppg average.
However I remember Shrewsbury going on a colossal run last year during consecutive matches involving lower placed teams, only for it to dramatically hit the buffers when they conversely ran into some of the better sides consecutively.
If we are still 6th going into the Oxford game we can start to get properly excited. If we're still 6th after Oxford, well.......
Let's focus on Reading and Wigan, two opponents who may well test our form and as MS would say - 'see where we are then'.
Our run started with the encouraging second half against wycombe. (They have had a reasonable league run since, plus navigated their way to Wembley).
Then two confidence building draws against top 5 teams. (Outplayed derby)
So we had a solid 3 game base of good performances/results.
then came the 6 game ‘easy February’.
9 games unbeaten. After this the confidence was solid, meaning we didn’t ‘do a shrewsbury’ at that point. in the next 6 - including harder games against stevenage, Barnsley, Orient… still unbeaten
Oxford are currently on their ‘easy 4 weeks’ having played 23rd, 22nd, 21st, Shrewsbury, and now play 20th this weekend. But this period included getting stuffed 5-0 by Bolton. Before the easy month they lost two straight ‘difficult games’ to Portsmouth and orient.
Depending on what happens at Burton, could put Oxford at the cusp of ‘shrewsbury-syndrome’; does the ghost of Bolton/orient/Portsmouth still linger, do they implode against Peterborough, imps and the stevenage, or have they built up enough confident pumping the lower teams…
Meanwhile our most important game of the season is at reading on Saturday
Sincilbanks
Vital Football Hero
As long as "having fun" along the way doesn't become an expectation that we should be competing at the top end of the table next season then it's all fine..
….Blimey I bet you’re a bundle of fun at parties. I think we are all focused but let’s have some fun on the way and see where it takes us but whatever it’s been a blast. Imps 4ever
