How will we fare in the play-offs?

[Bob's Orange]

Bruce made a good point on the other thread about our defensivel line. BWP and Clayton Donaldson could have a field day if on form. Perhaps Fods will finally get the red card he deserves but our sub keeper (I can't remember his name offhand) will perform miracles in a penalty shoot out!

Hopefully the big crowd on Saturday will spur the players on. Unfortunately I am like most of the others on here, we have a chance, but sadly think Brentford will be too good.

Prove us wrong Swindon!

[Langers]

I can't see us beating them over 2 legs either.

Would love to be proved wrong though.

[Flashheart]

Considering that by all accounts we battered Brentford at their place I can see us beating them.

That, however, depends on us

A) Turning up

and

B) Not losing the plot and giving away easy goals

[london_red]

Best case scenario - Brentford are still a bit shell shocked by their near miss with promotion at the weekend and we can get a first leg lead at home. Then get a draw at their place to see us through.

The defence is going to have to step up to the level it was earlier in the season but don't see it being totally inconceivable. Brentford will go into the tie rightly favourites to make it to Wembley though.

[kerry red]

I went to the game at Griffin Park and believe me in the first half they were truly dreadful.

Minutes after we scored Roberts somehow managed to hit the post when it was easier to score.

Even for the first part of the 2nd half we were far superior. They then got up a head of steam by lumping balls over our back 4 for their forward to chase after - fairly basic tactic but it worked.

If we haven't learnt from that we deserve to get beaten.

Didn't go to the home game so can't comment on that, but from what I've seen it's going to be close.

Bit of luck, good or bad, for either side is going to decide it.

No reason why it should not be us

[thepeoplesgame]

I went to the game at Griffin Park and believe me in the first half they were truly dreadful.

Minutes after we scored Roberts somehow managed to hit the post when it was easier to score.

Even for the first part of the 2nd half we were far superior. They then got up a head of steam by lumping balls over our back 4 for their forward to chase after - fairly basic tactic but it worked.

If we haven't learnt from that we deserve to get beaten.

Didn't go to the home game so can't comment on that, but from what I've seen it's going to be close.

Bit of luck, good or bad, for either side is going to decide it.

No reason why it should not be us

We played reasonably well in the home match, but they were the most disciplined team I've seen us play this season. Then they hit us with… a ball over the top.

It's possible that our best hope is that they lose some of their discipline in their desperation to put things right after their last day nightmare. If they sit in, we waste our chances and get dragged higher and higher up the pitch, it could all get rather familiar.

[donkey]

Dont expect to get past Brentford.

This feels different to every other playoff campaign i've known.  Im not one of the doom merchants on here but im not expecting to go up at all so therefore im not really nervous about it.  My expectations can only be bettered which is a nice feeling in a way.

Im expecting come Saturday the normal playoff excitement feeling will have returned though.

This is exactly how I'm feeling. Thought to myself this morning how the playoffs are not dominating my every waking hour as they've done in previous campaigns. Maybe I'm just getting older.

[Rustle]

I remember having this feeling years ago against Blackburn yet we won through to play Sunderland who i thought would beat us but did not, Well not on the pitch anyway.

So i am optimistic and not confident like i was about beating Charlton and Millwall.

[Ardiles]

Maybe I'm just getting older.

I'm sure there's an element of that too.  One thing that all of us have in common is that we're all 3 years older than we were the last time this happened.  Older, wiser, a little more grumpy.

[nigel grays a postie]

At Swindon Brentford looked compact and well organised but didn't particularly deserve to win, and at Griffin Park apart from our eventual capitulation we were probably the better team. Big difference is they have match winner in Donaldson that I don't think we really do.  
If Ward and Flint can keep him quiet then we have a chance but neither our defence nor attack have given too much recent cause for optimism.

Thing is though I don't think Brentford themselves, Sheff Utd or Yeovil are going in to play offs with much confidence either

[kerry red]

Another season in League 1 for Sheff Utd is a disaster.

For the other 3, not so much.

I'm really looking forward to Saturday - like tension, me!

[THE FLASH]

If we have a strong ref in each leg who wont take any of Donaldsons diving shit (Sent off at the Blades) then we have a glimmer.

However...we will not and i see us going out at Brentford.

[Nemo]

Expect nothing, anything that comes back is a bonus

[sonicyouth]

I'm sure there's an element of that too.  One thing that all of us have in common is that we're all 3 years older than we were the last time this happened.  Older, wiser, a little more grumpy.

I'm older and grumpier, definitely not any wiser. I'm quite excited about the games and I think that part of it is because I won't be gutted if we lose, it won't be the bitter kick in the teeth at the last minute in 2004 or the horrific disappointing performance at Wembley in 2010.

After the clusterfuck that has been the last few months, I think we've done very well getting this far and we should just enjoy it without expectations or concerns about next season - we've got the whole summer to panic.

[kerry red]

It's a long day boozing on Saturday and I should be off it altogether - which way shall I go?