Play-Offs

[Barry.C]

On current form, the last eight games, we would make the paly offs neat year ?just with 74 points

At the moment though we are not a Barnet. We are not a side that consistently wins and dominates others. Barnet have only lost 5 games. That's the kind of measure to meet for an automatic promotion. and for us we haven't kept a clean sheet for 10 games . That's One tweak to repair linked to our seasonal gift of giving away a goal a game on a regular basis from set pieces

We are draw specialists , as yet unable to convert games we should win . We tie second from top as draw kings. 14 draws, many, especially of late in games we should have won. 4 draws in our last 5, 5 draws in the last 8, (crudely although unfairly perhaps but you could suggest maybe 10 points dropped ) that would have had us comfortably in the play offs

4 draws and a win = 7 points ( undefeated ) 3 wins and 2 defeats = 9 points. What would you rather have?

But still very impressive and encouraging form and good progress and clearly improving .So with just a few more tweaks Im confident s it should take us into the play offs next season. To be a Barnet though may require strengthening midfield and the left flank further, injecting more pace , one more genuinely potent striker and a bit more in the arts of darkness and skulduggery?, especially with referees

Not much to ask is it ?

 

[* ORM *]

For me three key questions.

If we’d had the current squad all season would we be in a play off berth?
Do we need to continue to strengthen the teams after the season ends?
Am I optimistic about our chances next year?

An unequivocal yes to all 3 for me.

 

[Strykr]

We are firmly a mid table team, could be worse.

Gus's goals are papering over a lot of cracks imo.

Even if he is here next season i doubt he will get that many again.

We have some ok players.

But we need 5 or 6 quality signings over the summer to be right up there.

 

[Magnum PI]

Gus's goals are papering over a lot of cracks imo.

Even if he is here next season i doubt he will get that many again.

He will get that many, but we will also concede every game,

 

[Strykr]

He will get that many, but we will also concede every game,

£1 says he wont get 16 goals next year

 

[CrippsCorner]

Hoping for at 17 then

 

[Barling Magna]

So, moving on to Tuesday night's matches....

Altrincham v Wealdstone. Should be a win for Alty, but Wealdstone's impressive 3-3 draw with Eastleigh today having been 0-3 down gives a glimmer of hope that they may earn a draw.

Gateshead v Braintree. Gateshead are in awful form whilst Braintree are inconsistent. A draw seems a reasonable prediction.

Halifax v Daggers. Nailed on certainty that Halifax will win this.

Rochdale v Boston. I think this will be a draw. Boston are in a fine run of form and looking like they might escape the relegation that has seemed a certainty all season. They are now unbeaten in five matches and have gained 14 points in their last seven.

Of our play off rivals it is Gateshead and Altrincham that we have to catch and overtake. Can my predictions be as accurate as those for today's matches?

Of course not.

So Tuesday dawns and a chance for we fantasists to extract some entertainment watching the scores at tonight's matches move encouragingly in our favour ...... and then depressingly away again.

 

[blues exile]

So Tuesday dawns and a chance for we fantasists to extract some entertainment watching the scores at tonight's matches move encouragingly in our favour ...... and then depressingly away again.

Do you not think that the arrangement of Maher's testimonial in the middle of the play off calendar is a tacit acceptance that we will not be involved?

 

[Barling Magna]

Do you not think that the arrangement of Maher's testimonial in the middle of the play off calendar is a tacit acceptance that we will not be involved?

Yes, I agree.

I myself have tacitly accepted that we won't make the play offs hence my use of the word "fantasists".

But with the cricket season yet to start and nine more matches for us to play it gives this old twit something to do. After all it's still possible. 5% chance? Probably less than that.... but our rivals are dropping points like red hot coals so.......

 

[blues exile]

Yes, I agree.

I myself have tacitly accepted that we won't make the play offs hence my use of the word "fantasists".

But with the cricket season yet to start and nine more matches for us to play it gives this old twit something to do. After all it's still possible. 5% chance? Probably less than that.... but our rivals are dropping points like red hot coals so.......

Still mathematically possible so who knows. Every time I watched 'The Great Escape' when it was a regular on Christmas TV, I always hoped Steve McQueen would make it over the barbed wire barrier!

 

[WickfordShrimper]

I feel the playoffs are still a long shout.

As long as we can finish the season strong, hopefully this will bode well for next seasons championship challenge.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Away games I think it'll be Sutton and Ebbsfleet for me, considering Gateshead but will probably depend on if we're still in the mix on that final day.

We won't be.

 

[stewart]

need to win the final 9 games to be in the playoffs, thats my thoughts anyway , too many draws our dowfall plus losing twice to Maidenhead.

 

[stewart]

£1 says he wont get 16 goals next year

I dont care if he dosent get 16 goals next season as long as the strikers make up for that and GSMs defending improves maybe not scoring 16 goals but 16 goals less are not scored from an upgrade in his defending would be better,

 

[stewart]

GSM will probably go down in the History of SUFC as the RB / RWB to have scored the most goals in one season for SUFC ever.

 

[annie1954]

I dont care if he dosent get 16 goals next season as long as the strikers make up for that and GSMs defending improves maybe not scoring 16 goals but 16 goals less are not scored from an upgrade in his defending would be better,

Turning all the draws into wins next season is a must we just haven’t been good enough this season to inconsistent,

 

[Stuart W]

need to win the final 9 games to be in the playoffs, thats my thoughts anyway , too many draws our dowfall plus losing twice to Maidenhead.

Ok, so our previous three seasons in this league, the team finishing 7th have got 74, 71 and 71 points respectively. In the last 2 seasons they would only have needed 69 points (and a superior goal difference) to retain 7th spot.
And you are saying we need to win our last 9 which would give us 80 points?

I think not.

 

[cerbera45]

I dont care if he dosent get 16 goals next season as long as the strikers make up for that and GSMs defending improves maybe not scoring 16 goals but 16 goals less are not scored from an upgrade in his defending would be better,

if GSM was a better defender which I believe is what you're insinuating then he wouldn't be playing NL standard football next season if at all because he would have been snapped up by an EFL club.

 

[Bromley Blue]

if GSM was a better defender which I believe is what you're insinuating then he wouldn't be playing NL standard football next season if at all because he would have been snapped up by an EFL club.

It makes you wonder whether he could play any other positions at this or a higher level. Like Lenny played centre mid for us and bossed games at League One level til he eventually outgrew a side heading in the opposite direction. But since he’s been at Millwall I gather he’s predominantly played at right back which is of course where he started under Sturrock.

GSM is almost like a National League Trent Alexander-Arnold. Not in terms of passing ability but in having an attribute that you don’t normally associate with a right back which is so useful to the team that it covers for his deficiencies in other areas.

 

[Barling Magna]

Ok, so our previous three seasons in this league, the team finishing 7th have got 74, 71 and 71 points respectively. In the last 2 seasons they would only have needed 69 points (and a superior goal difference) to retain 7th spot.
And you are saying we need to win our last 9 which would give us 80 points?

I think not.

7th place this season will likely require 75 points I reckon.