Play-offs... can we do it? | Vital Football

Play-offs... can we do it?

pompeyrug

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I'll be honest with you, I had really started to believe we would take it to the final game of the season and have a shout at automatic promotion.

Ok, perhaps we used up that 'last day drama' a few years back to win the League Two title. But, maybe I was being too optimistic, I also thought Luton and Barnsley would slip up enough to see us sneak through the back door and go up as Champions.

Automatic promotion would've been the prefered way to go up, but going up as play-off winners at Wembley would be a great way to go up, wouldn't it. Might sound odd, but going up having finish third, fourth, fifth or sixth and winning the play-offs is better than going up having finished as runners-up...

Hopefully, for what it's worth, we'll end the regulation season in a positive way and win on Saturday to finish third.

Yes, there's still work to do, a lot of it, but I do believe that on our day, technically we'll need three of them, Pompey can beat anyone. Another Wembley showdown with Sunderland is on, what an occasion that would be... providing we can beat them, as we did in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Looking back, defeat against Peterborough on Tuesday didn't cost us. OK, it actually did. But other games did really and certainly January and February as a whole. Now we put that behind us and give one final push to, hopefully, join Luton and Barnsley in the Championship next season.

But can we do it?
 
I'll be honest with you, I had really started to believe we would take it to the final game of the season and have a shout at automatic promotion.

Ok, perhaps we used up that 'last day drama' a few years back to win the League Two title. But, maybe I was being too optimistic, I also thought Luton and Barnsley would slip up enough to see us sneak through the back door and go up as Champions.

Automatic promotion would've been the prefered way to go up, but going up as play-off winners at Wembley would be a great way to go up, wouldn't it. Might sound odd, but going up having finish third, fourth, fifth or sixth and winning the play-offs is better than going up having finished as runners-up...

Hopefully, for what it's worth, we'll end the regulation season in a positive way and win on Saturday to finish third.

Yes, there's still work to do, a lot of it, but I do believe that on our day, technically we'll need three of them, Pompey can beat anyone. Another Wembley showdown with Sunderland is on, what an occasion that would be... providing we can beat them, as we did in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Looking back, defeat against Peterborough on Tuesday didn't cost us. OK, it actually did. But other games did really and certainly January and February as a whole. Now we put that behind us and give one final push to, hopefully, join Luton and Barnsley in the Championship next season.

But can we do it?

Simple answer.. Yes we can.. jeez I sound like that ex POTUS.. :grinning:

I go with everything you say Rug, my feelings about a similar scenario to our promotion from League 2 were exactly the same as yours.

Will agree also that January and February cost us dear. A loss of form just when we needed to maintain it. However, that's football. Science, it most definitely ain't.

I must admit, I'd love to see us back in the Championship now. The ideas growing on me. I've actually been feeling a bit nostalgic lately re our promotion to the PL in 2003 under Harry after years of mediocrity. I'm not a huge fan of the PL, but for Pompey to get there in the way we did was amazing, and something I'll always remember.

Must admit too, our winning the FA Cup was a very special moment for me. My dad had died just two months earlier. He was a lifelong Pompey fan, so a few tears were shed when we lifted that cup..

What also needs to be remembered of course,, when we are talking about getting back to the Championship is retaining some of our star players. We need them, and the chances are they may go if promotion is not forthcoming.

Can we get back to the Championship.. yes we can.. PUP PPU :thumbup::clap:
 
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Well, at least Sunderland are out of form. Yes, I guess we would've prefered to avoid them, but end of the day if we're going to go up now we'll NOT have any easy games will we!

Three wins and we're up... admittedly Charlton are the in-form side, and perhaps would be classed as favourites to go up, wouldn't they?
 
Well.. I've been totally out of the loop this weekend, starting Friday evening, having spent it at a rather protracted wedding, where the very mention of football would have been an anathema.. and I would have copped some serious earhole.. :blah:

Therefor I've had to catch up on the goings on. I must say I'm very surprised at the team KJ put out. Five changes is pretty drastic, and didn't pay off, if his intent was to freshen up the team.

Still, it is what it is, and now we face Sunderland yet again. The law of averages would dictate its now Sunderland's turn to win. Despite being out of form, they are still not to be underestimated, and its not as if we are tearing things up at the moment. We're not, we look jaded and out of ideas.

Re Charlton.. yes Rug, I agree. Personally they've always looked a good outfit all season, and I'm surprised actually that they aren't in the automatic spots. They are the form team of the playoff spots, of that there is no doubt.

Can we still do it. Yes, I believe we can, because football doesn't always run to form, but we are really going to have to dig deep and really want it to pull it off. I haven't given up yet.. PUP PPU.. :thumbup::clap:
 
The Posh game was one where we easily could have won that - had we converted any of our chances in the first 10-15 mins, or if Pitman hadn't decided to pass the ball to a man who was clearly offside.

The Accrington game was a bit toothless, but we had made 5 changes.

Therefore our form is probably better than it suggests.

I have bought tickets for Sunderland away. I'm not 100% convinced we'll win, but we have a decent chance of getting something & making it to Wembley.

Would I be gutted if we stay in L1 & have another go next year? No, not really. I have really enjoyed this year. Ok, we'll lose Clarke, Lowe & perhaps some others, but we have always replaced stars when they leave. In L1 we'll still be a big fish. I do want to get to the Championship, but another year in L1 wouldn't be a disaster.
 
Good man for taking the trip to Sunderland Tim. I'm hoping that it'll be more than worth it for you. It'll be good to have you on the ground up there.. give us an honest appraisal of the game.

I must admit over the past couple of months the idea of getting back in the Championship has really grown on me, so much so that I will be disappointed if we don't make it, and yes.. chances are we'll lose some of our more talented players. Having said that, over the years I've been a Pompey supporter, there's been far worse, so I'll survive.

Stranger things have happened though.. I for one never thought we'd win promotion at the start of the 2002/3 season. Still one of the highlights of my being a Pompey fan..
 
I know that they have lost fewer games but, I don't think Sunderland have ever headed the division or been chased like we have. It was Posh, us and then Luton.
 
I know that they have lost fewer games but, I don't think Sunderland have ever headed the division or been chased like we have. It was Posh, us and then Luton.

Good point 'dedmans' and I think a valid one.. but.. I think we both know that its the best team on the day and the rub of the green that'll be the deciding factor in the coming game. Over the years I'd have lost a lot of money on Pompey if I was a betting man, especially, when on paper we were playing teams we should have thrashed. But.. that's part of being a Pompey fan eh!.. :grinning::thumbup:
 
I'm not sure we'll get to Wembley, Sunderland will be out for revenge and have 2 bites at the cherry.
Still I'd rather lose to Sunderland and see them go up then Charlton.
 
I'm not sure we'll get to Wembley, Sunderland will be out for revenge and have 2 bites at the cherry.
Still I'd rather lose to Sunderland and see them go up then Charlton.

Great to see you Lemmi.. I thought I smelt pipe smoke in the building!

Re Sunderland, I think there was a pretty general consensus at the start of the season that they would be in the automatic spots, mainly because of the squad they have available. Just goes to show though.. all that glitters isn't gold.

As for Charlton.. well.. I've no preferences either way really. If you consider our performance overall this season I reckon it should be us.. ha!
 
As said in the other thread...

Well, away form wasn't shown on Saturday. In fact, I thought we were poor, very poor in a game that wasn't that good at all.

Home form MUST be good on Thursday, or that's that!
 
Its a cup game Rug, and I think together with some fatigue, a few didn't turn up. There can be none of that on Thursday, its do or die..
 
We need to just muster something up, the players dig deep & find something from somewhere. It won’t take a great performance from Pompey - Sunderland aren’t great - but it does need a good one.

What do we think of sticking in a Louis Dennis or another of our fringe players? Not the best in quality, but fresh & with a point to prove?
 
Jackett knows best but you could have a point if an inside forward type player is raring to go.
Not in a defensive position though.
 
I would put Lowe (who appears to be carrying an injury) & Curtis, along with the #10 role up for grabs for sure.
 
Personally... I don't think KJ will change anything that radically. I may be wrong, he seems to be a sticker. This is going to be a big game, and it'll take a lot of nerve to take some risks. Not so sure Kenny is up for that. Having said that, he did change five players the other day. Not to any avail though unfortunately.

As for throwing Louis Dennis into the mix.. jeez.. I'm at a loss there. I'm really unsure..
 
Hope Pitman is back.
A hard ground suits better quick footed players .
In many ways the target man style might not suit.
I think Hawkins will be a sub.
You never know, Pitman might be the No. 9 again.
Accompanied with 3 fast players in Curtis, Lowe and Solomon.
Selection will be interesting as the game must high tempo to get the goal back quickly. Goals are the goal so I have contradicted my previous comments.
 
Goals are the goal so I have contradicted my previous comments.

I'll let you off this once dedmans.. :grinning:

I do agree about Pitman.. if fit. We desperately need someone with a killer instinct in front of goal. I fear Sunderland are going to park the bus though, and try and catch us on the break for a second goal..
 
Bogle has looked very ineffective of late. Great start to life at Pompey, but fizzled out.

Did I hear talk that his price tag, were we to sign him, would be £3m?!?
 
Bogle has looked very ineffective of late. Great start to life at Pompey, but fizzled out.

Did I hear talk that his price tag, were we to sign him, would be £3m?!?

Yes.. he's been a bit of a disappointment Tim. The main complaint with him seems to be one touch too many. Its a damn shame because he's a powerful lad with lots of good attributes to his game. Its that age old footballing conundrum.. would he improve with more 1st team exposure..?

As for the £3m price tag.. :rotfl: