Top 10 finish
So, we are 18 games in - not quite at the half way point yet but not too far off either. We have 40 points on the board and are on an impressive unbeaten run in the league. My question is, would you settle for a top 10 finish now? What is the ‘minimum’ you would expect? Play-offs?
I’ve just come across an interview with Blooms which I believe is fairly recent. He has stated that the target is a top 10 finish, and that our budget reflects that. He also once again states that he believes Birmingham are going to win the league. I’m not expecting him to come out and claim that we are going to win it but we are top of the tree for a reason, and I just wonder what impact it has on the players when they are performing so well and yet continue to hear that we are aiming for top 10.
Here is the snippet I am referring to if you wish to watch it.
Comments
I should also add. Last season, we finished 10th with 60 points. For us to achieve our target, we would be looking at 20 points across our remaining 28 games. No way would that be acceptable?
Play-offs minimum, but I'm not far off saying I'd be disappointed if we don't get autos.
I am in the same boat. I am expecting us to be challenging for the top 2 as opposed to battling it out for one of the final play-off spots.
The question is when are we going to be champions?
Top 10, as in just inside it would feel like an absolutely huge disappointment from here.
Playoffs feels like the minimum achievement doesn't it? Which is testament to the superb (almost) first half of the season we've had.
I don't think there's anything to gain from publicly saying that we're definitely going to get promoted. That has a high risk factor.
Tell the players privately we can definitely go up by all means, but say it in public and it'll almost be Robbie C stuff.
I think I said 6th in my pre-season prediction for FourFourTwo. Feels a bit entitled to say this, but that would be somewhat disappointing from here.
I really didn't see us challenging for the top six this season so it's been a fabulous ride and we've all had to recalibrate our expectations somewhat.
I don't see us sustaining a challenge for automatic promotion when up against the likes of Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town.
On the evidence of the season so far, we can compete with the likes of Barnsley, Stockport County and Wrexham. This relies upon keeping hold of our best players (three of whom aren't ours) and keeping them fit. I can't say I'm brimming with confidence.
Anything less than a top six finish and the excitement of a two-legged play-off semi-final would be very disappointing.
1.5 points minimum per game.
So 82 points
Playoffs as a minimum.
I'm still waiting for us to hit 52 points so I don't have to worry about relegation. Can't look beyond that at the moment.
I think we are most likely to come around 5th, but I would not even take that if offered, as I feel we do have a real shot at autos at this point, and even a 10% shot would be worth holding out for, if such a thing were possible - and I think our chances are better than 10% anyway.
We’ve got a favourable run of fixtures too
The next two games will be very interesting. This Saturday we have the very emotional game against Shrewsbury, followed by the visit of Bolton Wanderers to AP, a game we will have to play without Aaron Morley. If Josh Scowen is still out for the Bolton game, then that will give us a bit of a puzzle to sort in those midfield slots.
Good point on Morley. Had not even considered that element - though in fairness I hadn't necessarily realised we were playing Bolton, as had only looked at fixtures up to Shrewsbury!
Scowen will play
Having said that, is there actually a rule in our division about a loanee playing against the parent club? I know there is in the premier league.
But assume Bolton only loaned him under that agreement he won't play against them!
Is it actually a rule in the PL? I thought it was just the done thing.
Oh, it was after Lua Lua scored for Pompey against Newcastle - Newcastle forgot to say he couldn't play against them
Yeah definitely in the Premier. Can't find anything conclusive about lower down.
In order of priority for me:
Avoid relegation at least mathematically - 52+ points i.e. another 12 points from 28 games
Make the top 10 - 65+ points i.e. 25 points from 28 games
Top 6 will need around 75 points i.e 35 more points at 1.25ppg
I am guessing that the autos will require 90-95 points i.e. 1.78 to 1.96ppg
We have so far managed an average of 2.22 points per game - which clearly isnt going to continue but would give us 102 points for the season
I will be deeply disappointed if we do not get a minimum of 80 points and finish at least 4th
28 games left means anything less than 84 points is an utter failure
That's just the order we'd naturally follow isn't it?
I thought you were setting an absolutely insane target there of winning all 28 games to get 84 MORE points!!
Oh I was. I want 28 wins
@Malone yes I suppose it is but whilst I think the first 2 are pretty much givens & would consider our season to be a failure if we didn't exceed them (i.e. between 7th & 9th); the other 3 are very much what the club should be aspiring to. I really do think we will be slightly miffed if we do not make at least the top 4 & the autos are not out of consideration in the slightest.
‘Utter failure’ Are you sure? The expectation levels of some people are so unrealistic.
Come on bossman, surely you can tell he was being comedic.
Utter failure if we don't win all 28 games remaining? 🤣
I may be wrong but I thought he was saying a total of 84 points after the remaining 28 games not 84 points from the next 28 games which would obviously be ludicrous!
7th was my pre-season prediction, which would seem heartbreaking now! But I think we’ve seen far too many post-Christmas collapses to get too excited, even given the start we’ve made? Top 6 looks like an achievable aim, and that would be incredible imo.
GA used to say, get to 50 points and everything else is a plus...don't remember it destroying team morale.
Auto and playoffs are both within reach and it will be disappointing not to make one or the other given this run...but football is a funny old game and we've had disgruntled mumbling about performance even on this run.
I never expected us to be in this position at this stage anyways.
Exciting times.