Thetownend.com

this is not a reaction to the Rovers game, but i think i'm right in saying that we have not won a single game this season where we have gone behind first. We have come back for draws on occasion but not for wins. We have however not lost a game we have scored first in on the other hand. I'm just a little unsure you can rely on scroing first to win games and if that fact remains for the rest of the season i dont think we'll make the playoffs, especially with all these away games coming up.

Tuesday

Franchise v Swindon
Carlisle v Millwall

Saturday's fixtures.

Brighton v Swindon
Huddersfield v Norwich
Millwall v Charlton
Carlisle v Colchester
Southampton v Leeds.

No easy games here for any of the top teams.  If we can get results at MK and Brighton then we can start to cement that play-off place.

Good lord, that's one hell of a weekend fixture list.  Huddersfield and Millwall both have the potential to hit a wall here, and Leeds could find themselves in freefall.  Despite them being pretty average against us, I now think Charlton will find form again.

Play off yes...

Automatic ...no

Course we're contenders we occupy a play off spot on merit. I actually thought we were automatic contenders but looks unlikely now.
Of course we could blow it but then so could some of the other sides too.

Of course we are serious play off contenders.

There are 7 teams competing for the top 6. We are one of them. This makes us contenders.

No, let's all slash our wrists now..... jesus.

Are we contenders? Yes. Will we make it? Who knows. Tough games coming up will show whether we have the bottle and skill. 2nd place is up for grabs and while i think we are just too far off to strike you never know. But lets worry bout 6th place first.

I think we are safe from relegation now too!

WE ARE STAYIN' UP!!!!

Played 33, Won 16, Drawn 12, Lost 5, 60 points and 5th place would suggest otherwise

Ooh we lost, where's a sharp knife?

Of course we are. We have been up in the playoffs practically all season.

If we're not there or thereabouts come the end of the month i.e. we've dropped loads of points then we may be ruled out then. But at this present time we really are the real deal.

Have a look at my statto comment in the Rovers thread, we've dropped one less point  from the maximum available when we've gone behind first.

I remember in the Hoddle play-off season we were all shitting ourselves because the games were televised & we hadn't won a game on the telly all season if not for a couple of years before that too. That all changed when the play offs came around - I'll settle for not coming from behind again this season, then do it twice in the play offs !

At the end of the day, yes we are serious play off contenders because we are there with games in hand on all around us. And lets face it, despite low expectation at the start of the season from many (including me I will admit!), who won't be disappointed now if we dont get there ?

I'll be fucking gutted if we don't make the playoffs. In my view it's all but guaranteed.

We do have a hard run of games, but things are looking brighter than they were a few weeks ago when Millwall and Huddersfield were regually winning. We may drop points in the next month, but Huddersfield / Colchester / Millwall will before the end of the season as well. Look at saturdays fixtures for example.

deffo contenders.think we need to bolster the squad a bit in midfield to help us there though.this month will make or break us i reckon.some players seem to struggle with fatigue which is a bit concerning.

Although it is easy to look at our next 6 games and really wonder how many points we can get on the board, but looking at the games to follow in April I would be pretty gutted if we did not get the 16 odd points we need to get into the playoffs  against Tranmere, Walsall, Brentford and Exeter at home and Colchester, Wycombe and Millwall away

I can't believe anyone would even question whether we were contenders for the playoffs. We're currently 5th and if we won our games in hand we'd be joint 3rd, so of course we're contenders - more than that I'd say we're favourites. I still reckon 2nd is up for grabs as well, Norwich are going to make it but then you've got 6 teams chasing the next 5 places.

Sure we've got some hard games coming up but I doubt MK are looking forward to playing us tonight nor that Leeds or Norwich are in the coming weeks. They're hard matches for both sides, plus some teams have a far harder run in than we do.

My only concern is our squad, we need cover for Douglas and another striker. Another right back would be good as well. Injuries, suspensions and a player losing form are the most likely cause of any downfall we suffer.

likewise. we've spent nearly all season in or around the play-offs, we've been consistent contenders. if we missed out on them it would be a failure.

This is also my view
Ive cleared my diary for May and started planning what Im going to wear to Wembley!

what the last three said. We've been consistent, and while I'm sure we'll drop points in March, the weekend just gone proves we're not the only ones likely to do so.

It's very much game on, but tonight is massive.

I'm not questioning it particularly. My concern is with the stat that we have not won a game we have conceded the first goal in. Is this not a suggestion that mentally we are bit fragile? We get on the front foot and we are fine, we suffer and setback and we can't turn it around in the game. We can recover for the next game but not in that game. If we hold a play off position do we really think we will score first in all necessary playoff games to win it? I'm not sure. I'm delighted with our season but there could be point for saying we have Plan A, that doesn't work and we can't change it around to win the game, i think thats fair to say .

What do you make of the points dropped when we've been in front Riddick? I'm not saying you're wrong at all, just that we should be showing equal concern to this matter too.

Also, as I point out, it's very difficult to win a game from going a goal down away from home. Coming back to drawn should be seen as a success in my opinion.

I dunno, even on saturday I was thinking that if we got the first goal, it wasn't beyond us. That soon went out of the window!

I think that's the problem being good, though. I expect to beat everyone now, and when it goes wrong I don't know how to handle it. Maybe saturday's result will turn out to be a blessing - only time will tell.

We'll see what our boys are made of this week...

In wilson we trust!

That statistics is a bit misleading as we've scored the first goal in 2 out of every 3 games, which was the highest in the league the last time I checked. So we haven't gone behind in that many games, so there haven't been many games we could come from behind in - though we've got a draw in half of them.

We also haven't lost when we've scored first, which I think is a far better and more important statistic.

I think we need cover at RB - our game rely's on the full backs gonig forward to support the wide midfielders if Wanky got injured (again) we don't really have anyone to fill that role.

I also wonder if we are putting too much pressure on Charlie, he is a young lad come from non league scored a few goals and all of a sudden he is being talked about as u21 potential, that is a huge pressure for him to perform every game and a big expectation, he has earned all the praise to date but I just wonder if he is feeling the pressure.

I think we will make it though, we have not come this far to fall away at the death, our record this season says we are a good team

I know some don't agree with me on here, but I think we can do a lot better than Amanwaah at right-back. I just don't get it with him. He doesn't do much wrong, but I find him playing in slow motion, a little too predictable.

The only pressure Austin might be feeling is from himself (in that newspaper article it sounded like he might still think he has to keep scoring or he'll get dropped) and that is something Wilson needs to address. There is no pressure from anyone else even if he doesn't keep scoring - I can't recall him having a single bad game. He doesn't waste any decent chances and if he doesn't get any chances his all round play is still pretty much perfect.

He must still be in a bit of a daydream due to how well it has gone which again is something Wilson needs to keep on top of - Austin needs to get it in to his head that he is a quality player, is where he belongs and that he's got a very promising career ahead of him. The only question I have about Austin is how the fuck he managed to slip through the net and end up playing Sunday league football.

I think Austin was bad on saturday. Not really a dig at him as it was going to happen sonner or later and half the team were equally bad but he hardly touched the ball and got bullied by the rovers centre backs.

I'd like to see charlie bulk up a bit during the summer. If he were as strong and could hold the ball up as well as Paynter he could be awesome.

We are serious play off contenders - and in the strongest league this division has seen in many years. Out of those up there, we are surprise package but we've earned it. We are where we deserve to be. You're always going to get a couple of freak results liike Saturday. I remember in Macari's days we were 4-0 down at home to Blackpool, lost 6-2 in the end but still went up.
Its not time for Town fans to reach for the razor blades yet. The next 6 games will be tough but based on the season so far, why shouldn't we be confident. I don't tihnk any of these teams will want to play us. I bet Franchise aren't too confident - nor will the gay boys be. Southampton will be but their ground may well suit us to play football on.
I'm still very hopeful. If thre worst happens and we fail to reach the play offs, its still been a good season and I would be very optimistic for next season.

great post chalkie, summed it up perfectly.

Table says yes

Was this the game where Alan Mayes played for Blackpool and absolutely pissed all over us ? It was the first time I'd ever seen swindon fans applauding the performance of an opposing player

Just what i said to some doubters in the pub after the Orient game. Hurrah for common sense.

I also think we will be well up for the next few games now. I think we play better against the better teams, no room for complacency. I'm glad in away that we are away to Brighton not at home

 I take Riddick's point, btw are you related to Gordon Riddick, who Danny Williams tried to sign from the Pikeys in 68, but he went toCharlton instead?

 It is however much too early to tell, by the end of the the month, we should have a pretty clear idea.

Of course we are. After all we are 5th and have been for a long time now. Whether we make it or not come May is another question.

Don't be silly Reg. He must be this Riddick

[url width=98 height=138]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v490/jamiethon/images-3.jpg[/url]

We are definately contenders, I think we'll get 6th, just. It's between us and Millwall I think, with Soton pushing close.

Based on current and season form, 76 points will be enough for 6th.

We should make that easy and it also pretty much rules out Franchise and below unless a someone goes on an incredible run of winnings games. I can't see Southampton getting close, they'd have to win 11 out of 13 - they'll be officially out of the running by the end of the month.

I for one am looking forward to the next few games,because it'll answer a few questions
about the current side.

If we don't make it,i'll be very disappointed, but i will still have enjoyed the season as a whole.

There are still lots of games and points to be won.Stay positive!

I've not read any of this thread, I was so blinded with rage by the sheer stupidity of the question, we've been in the top 5 for yonks with games in hand for gods sakes.

No your not! Simples!!!

Gas!

I'd wager we're slightly closer to being so than you are me old chaaaaaaaaaap x

5th place and 9 pts above you with a game in hand would suggest otherwise.

The word 'Gas' is highly appropriate for you lot,especially in the world of global warming  :D

I'm pleased that I am not the only one that thinks this