The Run In | Vital Football

The Run In

hulloutpost

hulloutpost

Vital Champions League
If you can call 20 games a run in. Anyway I would suggest that by this stage of the season it's fair to say the table has by and large taken shape.

With that in mind I wonder how our home and away form will fare as we have 6/10 away games against those in the top half and 7/10 homes games against those in the bottom half.

Personally I think we'll be just fine. I like to think we are playing well and will have enough quality to break down defensive minded teams at home whereas away from home we have seen how effective the defence can be with some very effective counter attacking to back it up.
 
Losing 5 more games at home than away does suggest we are much better playing teams more likely to attack us to be able to counter effectively.
 
Impish said:
Losing 5 more games at home than away does suggest we are much better playing teams more likely to attack us to be able to counter effectively.
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I did wonder about that but the dynamic of the teams we will be facing home and away changes regarding their positions in the table for the 'run in': theoretically we will be facing stronger teams away and weaker teams at home.

I take confidence that we are playing well and getting stronger so whilst I wouldn't be surprised to see away ppg dipping a little, that ought to be offset by a decent up turn in home ppg.
 
We already have 30 points away. If you get to 40 you are in the frame for automatic promotion.

We need to aim for 40+ at home as well, then we will be well in the mix.
 
It isn't really the run-in you are talking about, it is basically the second half of the season. The run-in is known for anxiety, unexpected results, collapses and recoveries against the odds, but I can't help feeling that this season has been like that from the start. How any club is likely to fare is anyone's guess, it is far too early to be thinking about it. The last ten games will be more relevant.
 
It’s interesting saying the table has, by now, largely taken shape. I have taken screen shots of the table at various stages. I had a look back at the table 6 or 7 games in and was quite surprised to find it is remarkably similar to the current one. The top 10 clubs are virtually the same, with a little shuffling, but not much. We have pretty much been in the top three most of the season. The only real movers are Oxford, who are at last on an excellent run and heading for where they were expected to be by many, and AFC Wimbledon, who have slumped dangerously.
 
From what I've seen, and i've seen almost all the games home and away, we are the best team in the division. The system, style and tactics are our key. Fast attacking play that teams in this division can't cope with. Solid defence as well. We aren't reliant on any one individual, the squad can be rotated and still perform as well. That said, i guess keeper would be the one exception, if we lost Alex Palmer to injury... would we be allowed an emergency loan?
But i think we will carry on playing this consistent until the end of the season, and good luck to the other teams if they can do better.
 
Croozey said:
From what I've seen, and i've seen almost all the games home and away, we are the best team in the division. The system, style and tactics are our key. Fast attacking play that teams in this division can't cope with. Solid defence as well. We aren't reliant on any one individual, the squad can be rotated and still perform as well. That said, i guess keeper would be the one exception, if we lost Alex Palmer to injury... would we be allowed an emergency loan?
But i think we will carry on playing this consistent until the end of the season, and good luck to the other teams if they can do better.
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Bridcutt out either hasn't helped in some of the games this season, I think we might be better equipped now but we might be about to find out if that's true.
 
Spilsby52 said:
Bridcutt out either hasn't helped in some of the games this season, I think we might be better equipped now but we might be about to find out if that's true.
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Unfortunately, Bridcutt's long term replacement (Max Sanders) hasn't appeared on the bench yet. Anybody know if it's just about getting him up to Appleton standard fitness?
 
Cricklewoodimp said:
Unfortunately, Bridcutt's long term replacement (Max Sanders) hasn't appeared on the bench yet. Anybody know if it's just about getting him up to Appleton standard fitness?
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That'll be the simple truth of it. Sanders has only played reserve team football as opposed to Poole and Bramall who were virtually ever presents for MK and Colchester this season so came match fit
 
ground said:
will 10 more wins say 4 draws = 34 points wiil that get us in to the championship
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Hard to say. I think it’ll be a comparatively low number to finish 2nd (so 86 could do it), but I expect the top four or five teams to stay close together, so it could come down to the last day and the odd couple of points either way.
 
sedgleyimp said:
That'll be the simple truth of it. Sanders has only played reserve team football as opposed to Poole and Bramall who were virtually ever presents for MK and Colchester this season so came match fit
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Well not "Lincoln" match fit according to MA! :)
 
If you split the league into 3 (top 8, middle 8 and bottom 8) and look at the results against those teams, it makes interesting reading.

Top 8
2nd Portsmouth 15pts from 9 games (5 more still to play)
3rd Hull City 14pts from 9 games (5 more still to play)
4th Doncaster Rovers 13pts from 6 games (8 more still to play)
12th Lincoln City 9pts from 9 games (5 more still to play)
14th Peterborough Utd 7 pts from 6 games (8 more still to play

Top of the points from playing the top 8 is Shrewsbury with 18pts from 10 games (6 more still to play)

Middle 8
1st Lincoln City 22pts from 8 games (8 games still to play)
2nd Peterborough Utd 22pts from 10 games (6 games still to play)
4th Portsmouth 19pts from 10 games (6 games still to play)
7th Hull City 17 pts from 9 games (7 games still to play)
9th Doncaster Rovers 13 pts from 8 games (8 games still to play)


Bottom 8
2nd Doncaster Rovers 22 pts from 10 games (6 games still to play)
3rd Lincoln City 21 pts from 9 games (7 games still to play)
5th Peterborough Utd 20 pts from 10 games (6 games still to play)
9th Hull City 18 pts from 9 games (7 games still to play)
16th Portsmouth 14 pts from 7 games (9 games still to play)

Top of the points from playing the bottom 8 is Oxford Utd with 24 pts from 9 games (7 games still to play)
 
The home games will be the key, even if they are mainly against teams in the lower half.

I back us to pick up enough wins way from home against anybody. At home we struggle a bit to pick apart sides that just sit back - especially in an empty stadium.

Having said that, but for missed penalties, we would be 5 points better off ({Peterborough and Donnie). Again though I'm not sure that would actually be a good thing. I much prefer us having to fight every week to stay in the top two than have a significant lead - and complacency set in.
 
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