Then we’ll have at least 40 points from 23 games, exactly half way. Match that in the second half of the season we’d get 80 or 84 points, and lose ten games. The 96/97 team which finished second in the then division one got 80, losing ten games along the way. We got 82 points finishing fourth in 1999/2000, though lost 12 of 46 games, I think our best points return from a season? Don’t get me wrong, 80 or 84 points won’t finish top two but it would be comfortably top six, and we’ve never achieved more points in a season than that to my knowledge, at any level. Negotiate January without weakening, maybe add a full back, and we’ve got a good shout of doing better than that. Portsmouth didn’t look so great as to think they won’t have a poor run at some point let’s be honest. Sunderland will be top two - the rest above us are catchable. If not we’ve a good playoff pedigree. All might not be perfect but it’s far from doom and gloom despite what some would have you believe.
Agree that 80 - 84 points would comfortably make the play offs. If that were to be the case I would take it now, albeit with a tinge of 'what ifs' as with a just a tiny bit more consistency we would have pissed the top 2. On our day we look to be comfortably the best team in this division. Its just that those days are not frequent enough. It will take 90+ to be top 2 this season. The champions, be it Sunderland or Portsmouth, will be pushing 100. Still lots to play for though, lets see how January pans out first. I have come to hate the transfer window. It would be a nice start to the 2nd half of the season if we could, just for once, have a mid season window where we strengthen the squad instead of weakening it. Our chances will look a lot clearer by 1st February.
Will you all just stop talking sense, it will never catch on. Nonsense is the way forward, apparently
If we finish in the play offs without making at least a real challenge for automatic I would be very dissapointed. All the talk in the summer was of automatic, keeping our players with that in mind. Personally I thought about 4th at the start and have seen nothing to change my mind yet. But those in charge were aiming higher so we should be dissapointed if we fail.
Another superb 3 points. 7 from Pompey, Blackpool and Posh is a great start to this very tough Christmas run. Two more 6 pointers coming up shortly...
Personally think we’ll finish 4/5th with Charlton, one of Pompey, Luton and Sunderland will end up third and probably Donny will get the last play off place.
Portsmouth lost today. I didn't rate them when they came to Oakwell so I think it is still up in the air.
