The Run In

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

People have to remember that in almost any promotion run (apart from when you are running away with the league which is obviously a rarity), you get ups and downs. This season I think you're going to get even more of those. One week, sky high, the next, down in the dumps.

I remember going to Ipswich at about this time of the year in the 89/90 Ardiles promotion season. We lost 1-0 and were piss, piss poor. I was utterly convinced we were not going to make the play offs. Looking at http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/Results.asp?Season=1989-1990 now, I see we had also lost the previous game 1-3 at home to Hull and then only won one game in the next four. We still ended up getting promoted (then severely shafted - but that's another story).

[sonicyouth]

If you look up the definition of "blown it" in the dictionary, you will see a photo of Oxford and Bournemouth.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

sorry home games

OK, fair enough. Our last 6 (you said 5 or 6) home games have finished...

4-0
2-0
1-1
1-1
0-1
2-2

Just the one defeat there.

Again, two of those games were with those 2 caretaker player managers who, God love 'em, didn't have a bleeding clue (a bit harsh I know) and another was against that in form side, Walsall. Preston and Hartlepool are on reasonable runs at the moment as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the home form improve and I hope it does. It's just not as bad as it may seem. Most importantly, the teams around us are dropping points left right and centre as well.

[Berniman]

We're Doomed!

[joteddyred]

Yes that is true, but i think donny will push on now, ala leeds in 2010

Leeds didn't exactly push on in 2010, they grabbed the last auto spot on the final game of the season iirc?  I agree with you about Doncaster though.  They've won a lot of games in the last few minutes, which has helped their cause.

If you look up the definition of "blown it" in the dictionary, you will see a photo of Oxford and Bournemouth.

I'm not so sure Bournemouth have blown it.  They might have had their blip at the right time, sort themselves out and sneak their way back up.

[DiV]

Current Table
1. Doncaster 37 68
2. Sheffield United 36 57
-----------------------------
3. Swindon 36 63
4. Tranmere 37 63
5. Yeovil 36 62
6. Brentford 36 61
-----------------------------
7. Bournemouth 37 58
8. Coventry 37 56
9. Walsall 37 56


Doncaster Rovers
Played: 37
Points: 68
Average PPG: 1.84
Points needed to finish 1st: 26 (2.89)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 23 (2.56)
Points needed to finish >6th+:13 (1.44)
Remaining Fixtures
Carlisle (h)
Portsmouth (h)
Scunthorpe (a)
Coventry (a)
Swindon (h)
Tranmere (h)
Crewe (a)
Notts County (a)
Brentford (a)


Sheffield United
Played: 36
Points: 65
Average PPG: 1.81
Points needed to finish 1st: 29 (2.90)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 26 (2.60)
Points needed to finish >6th+:16 (1.60)
Remaining Fixtures
Crewe (a)
Stevenage (a)
Brentford (h)
Tranmere (a)
Carlisle (h)
Walsall (a)
Swindon (h)
Crawley (h)
Portsmouth (a)
Preston (h)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paolo Di Canio's some shit cunt's Kevin MacDonald's Swindon Town
Played: 36
Points: 63
Average PPG: 1.75
Points needed to finish 1st: 31 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 28 (2.80)
Points needed to finish >6th+:18 (1.80)
Remaining Fixtures
Brentford (a)
Yeovil (a)
Notts County (h)
Oldham (h)
Doncaster (a)
Crewe (h)
Franchise (a)
Sheffield United (a)
Stevenage (h)
Scunthorpe (a)


Tranmere Rovers
Played: 37
Points: 63
Average PPG: 1.70
Points needed to finish 1st: 31 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 28 (-)
Points needed to finish >6th+:18 (2.00)
Remaining Fixtures
Walsall (a)
Franchise (a)
Stevenage (h)
Sheffield United (h)
Portsmouth (a)
Doncaster (a)
Hartlepool (h)
Preston (a)
Bournemouth (h)


Yeovil Town
Played: 36
Points: 62
Average PPG: 1.72
Points needed to finish 1st: 32 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 29 (2.90)
Points needed to finish >6th+:19 (1.90)
Remaining Fixtures
Crawley (h)
Swindon (h)
Carlisle (a)
Walsall (h)
Notts County (a)
Shrewsbury (h)
Stevenage (a)
Crewe (h)
Bury (a)


Brentford
Played: 36
Points: 61
Average PPG: 1.69
Points needed to finish 1st: 33 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 30 (3.00)
Points needed to finish >6th+:20 (2.00)
Remaining Fixtures
Walsall (h)
Swindon (h)
Preston (h)
Sheffield United (a)
Notts County (h)
Franchise (a)
Coventry (a)
Crewe (a)
Portsmouth (h)
Hartlepool (a)
Doncaster (h)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bournemouth
Played: 37
Points: 58
Average PPG: 1.57
Points needed to finish 1st: 36 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 33 (-)
Points needed to finish >6th+:23 (2.56)
Remaining Fixtures
Stevenage (a)
Oldham (a)
Bury (h)
Colchester (a)
Scunthorpe (h)
Notts County (h)
Shrewsbury (a)
Carlisle (h)
Tranmere (a)


Coventry City
Played: 37
Points: 56
Average PPG: 1.51
Points needed to finish 1st: 38 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 35 (-)
Points needed to finish >6th+:25 (2.78)
Remaining Fixtures
Colchester (h)
Hartlepool (h)
Portsmouth (a)
Doncaster (h)
Walsall (a)
Brentford (h)
Crawley (a)
Leyton Orient (h)
Notts County (a)


Walsall
Played: 37
Points: 56
Average PPG: 1.51
Points needed to finish 1st: 38 (-)
Points needed to finish 2nd: 35 (-)
Points needed to finish >6th+:25 (2.78)
Remaining Fixtures
Tranmere (h)
Crawley (h)
Hartlepool (a)
Yeovil (a)
Coventry (h)
Sheffield United (h)
Scunthorpe (a)
Bury (h)
Crewe (a)


...few games on...and all this really tells us is that its going to be a low scoring season. Everyones one in with a chance, the most consistent teams will go up.

[dalumpimunki]

Just to clarify things for the "our form is terrible Doncaster are running away with it" tendency. Curent form guide of the last 5 and 10 games is as follows:
              5 games         10 games
Donny -    10 pts             15 pts
Blades -    11 pts             18 pts
STFC   -     8  pts             17 pts
Tranny -    7  pts             10 pts
Yeo      -    8  pts             23 pts
Brentford - 7 pts              15 pts
Bmuff     -  0 pts              15 pts

Now if we were Bournemouth I could understand people being a bit disturbed by the dramatic loss of form. That 100% over 5 games followed by 0% for the next 5 is what you call a fucking slump.
As we took 8 points from the last 5 games, not much different to what the blessed Paolo managed for the 5 games before that, I can't see what people are getting so agitated by.

[grubby]

Some interesting stats there. I hope we do but I can't see us getting more than 15 points out of out last 10 games. that will hopefully be enough for top 6.

[Nomoreheroes]

If we beat Brentford, Yeovil, Doncaster & Sheff Utd during the run in we will deserve to go up!

[RobertT]

We have lost 1 game in the last 16, winning 8 and drawing 7.  Auto promotion form.
Even if you err on the side of caution, since Shrewsbury it's 3 wins, 5 draws and 1 defeat, ample for play offs at least.
If this is us in bad form, imagine if we find some.

[Jimmy Glass is an Alien]

Update please...

[RobertT]

If we win all our remaining games we'll go up automatically.

[pauld]

If we win all our remaining games we'll go up automatically.

Let's just do that then

[RobertT]

I think we should, it'll make life easier for everyone.

[sonicyouth]

I'd like it if we could win some, draw some and lose some. Just to keep it interesting.