Crewe Alexandra v Swindon Town

[Batch]

the also ran that will get 6th should be a pushover.

Like Crawley, Crewe and Scunthorpe were?

[forward]

Measured post with us an absolute country mile (1 point) off 2nd and just about clinging on (by 16 points) to a play off spot.

Happy with an away point, 3 points against Gillingham on Tuesday and it'll have been a very good week.

Around this time last year we were top half and he was seriously trying to tell us that we could go down. We finished 8th.

[Flashheart]

And then there's the lottery of the penalty shoot-out.

[Batch]

Reg is a more pessimistic poster. So the fuck what?

[Reg Smeeton]

Not necessarily. If 6th spot is secured by a team with a late surge then they will have impetus and confidence. Play offs are 3 cup ties and as we all know, anything can (and does) happen in cup games.

7 points cover 12 teams to 6th place....3rd place team could be a case of disappointment at just missing autos, coming up against a team on a late run of form.

Too early yet to see how this is going to pan out....but it is interesting.

[sonicyouth]

7 points cover 12 teams to 6th place....3rd place team could be a case of disappointment at just missing autos, coming up against a team on a late run of form.

Too early yet to see how this is going to pan out....but it is interesting.

unlike this arguing/bickering

[FreddySTFC!]

I'm a Swindon fan....my mentality has been formed by years of practice, 7 games ago we were top with a 6 point gap to 3rd, now we're 4th.  OK, nothing is set in stone and history doesn't necessarily repeat itself, but I see little realistic point in thinking any of this indicating we can sustain an auto push, so PO's seem a more realistic prospect...and as we know get there and anything can happen.

Coincidentally I'm a Town fan too!!! My point is that if, from a managers perspective, at this stage of the season you are comfortably clear of seventh and in with a very realistic chance of automatic promotion, then worrying about securing a play off place will appear very negative to the players. It will filter through to them that the manager maybe doesn't realistically believe that they would be capable of a top 2 finish and possibly thinks that the play offs proves to be the best chance of securing promotion. Such negativity would only carry into the play offs anyway. With the players we've got automatic promtion is still a very realistic aim and if they are thinking any differently themselves at this stage of the season then mentally their nowhere near the level required to push on and make it happen. History means fuck all to Cooper and the current set of players and so it shouldn't. Hopefully we'll kick on again soon and go on another run, we're certainly capable of it.

[Batch]

 Preston have won 5 in a row. Before that, 3 draws and 2 losses. It doesn't take much of a run to turn things back in your favour at the moment.

[FreddySTFC!]

Preston have won 5 in a row. Before that, 3 draws and 2 losses. It doesn't take much of a run to turn things back in your favour at the moment.

Exactly. We're more than capable of doing something similar.

[Flashheart]

We've done well this season during tough periods and not so well when things are supposed to be relatively easier. So, using my infallible logic, we'll have a 'meh' month in March but have a blinding April to cement an auto spot.

[Reg Smeeton]

Coincidentally I'm a Town fan too!!! My point is that if, from a managers perspective, at this stage of the season you are comfortably clear of seventh and in with a very realistic chance of automatic promotion, then worrying about securing a play off place will appear very negative to the players. It will filter through to them that the manager maybe doesn't realistically believe that they would be capable of a top 2 finish and possibly thinks that the play offs proves to be the best chance of securing promotion. Such negativity would only carry into the play offs anyway. With the players we've got automatic promtion is still a very realistic aim and if they are thinking any differently themselves at this stage of the season then mentally their nowhere near the level required to push on and make it happen. History means fuck all to Cooper and the current set of players and so it shouldn't. Hopefully we'll kick on again soon and go on another run, we're certainly capable of it.

But I'm not the manager.....maybe the fact we've so little experience either in the players or management, might work to our advantage, despite conventional wisdom pointing to the opposite view....being unscarred by previous failure, lack of fear etc.

I was interested in Lumpy's point about Bormuff t'other day, losing 5 in a row then winning 8 of the last 9.  I wonder what Howe did, to turn it around.....Cooper reckons 87 points needed for auto....so we would need something like 8 wins 2 draws from 13 games

[Batch]

We are, and it sounds odd but I agree with both sides of the argument to an extent.

Its probably impossible, but hopefully they are doing as much as humanly possible to only concentrate on Tuesday's game. One game at a time, win as many as you can, then see where you are.

That's not natural for us fans though. Its a boring assistance no to look past your nose.

Incidentally, wasn't today the 82ers Smith last game?

[Batch]

We've done well this season during tough periods and not so well when things are supposed to be relatively easier. So, using my infallible logic, we'll have a 'meh' month in March but have a blinding April to cement an auto spot.

I actually believe that. Never had a problem with April, Preston away is tricky. Its still being in the mix when it comes that's the main issue.

[kerry red]

It's happening in all 3 leagues - Mboro, Derby and Muff not a win between them, Shrews, Burton both beaten.

It's going to ebb and flow for a while yet.

I'm still not convinced by the 82ers

[Batch]

I'm still not convinced by the 82ers

I think they will go up, much as it pains me. But its not impossible they will stutter right at the worst time. It would be lovely to hammer a nail into their faltering campaign  at Easter