will 84 points really be enough??

[bixieupnorth]

mr ling has revised PDCs quote, that 82 points would be enough for one of the three auto spots, up to 84

http://www.torquayunited.com/page/News/ ... 28,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

however i'm still not so sure that this will be nearly enough, on my predictions the top 3 will all have 91 pts minimum. i can see us getting to 84, wins at barnet, hereford and at home to accrington, but can see draws in 3 games and a defeat at oxford

shrews i think will be unbeatable, and even undrawable, and crawley to have a minor wobble in next two games but then to regroup and win final 6 games

[Glostergull]

mr ling has revised PDCs quote, that 82 points would be enough for one of the three auto spots, up to 84

http://www.torquayunited.com/page/News/ ... 28,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

however i'm still not so sure that this will be nearly enough, on my predictions the top 3 will all have 91 pts minimum. i can see us getting to 84, wins at barnet, hereford and at home to accrington, but can see draws in 3 games and a defeat at oxford

shrews i think will be unbeatable, and even undrawable, and crawley to have a minor wobble in next two games but then to regroup and win final 6 games

Hmmn
I think it depends heavily what happens with the FA inquiry as to how Crawley manage. if they lose 3 players for a lengthy ban and can't bring in anyone else then it may have an impact. There is also the risk of them losing points. I do wonder if this will have an adverse reaction in the next couple of games as some other teams out there may have it in for Crawley and try to needle them.
But with your other points i do agree. This is one season where a record may be broken for number of points needed to get promotion and for the other end too. I notice the all divisions seems very tight this year. But it's in our hands to win all remainin games. In ling I do trust.

[Richinns]

12 points from 7 games? I think we will need at least 14 personally.

[Gullscorer]

Why assume that the Gulls are not going to continue performing at their best level, and that the other teams will go on to win everything?

Looking at our form during March (obviously excluding tonight's game still to be played), we have played seven and picked up sixteen points. Over their past seven games, none of our rivals has equalled this; Swindon and Crawley have only achieved 15 points each.

All teams are going to drop more points here and there, but continue our current form to the end of the season and we will finish with 88 points, and automatic promotion.

[usagullmichigan]

Why are we all trying to predict what will happen? It's football and anything can happen between now and the end of the season. Most of us though we would struggle to stay in the league this season. Just take one game at a time and see what happens.

[Richinns]

Why are we all trying to predict what will happen? It's football and anything can happen between now and the end of the season. Most of us though we would struggle to stay in the league this season. Just take one game at a time and see what happens.

Agreed. We have the luxury of little expectation whilst Swindon, Crawley and Shrewsbury (among others) would have started (and still have) high expectations - which brings pressure. Go out and do what we have been doing all season, with no fear or pressure, and see where that puts us.

Hopefully the Plainmoor faithful with follow this with their crowd reactions and not lower themselves to incidents as seen with Morris last week.

[AustrianAndyGull]

First of all USA is spot on. Why bother trying to predict the unpredictable. What will happen will happen. What worries me is that some fans on here are saying that the 9 points from games v Barnet, Accrington and Hereford are already in the bag but we'll lose at Oxford. Rewind a a month or so ago and most of us were banking the 3 home points against Bradford and not giving us a prayer at Crawley. Did those games go according to predictions?

For Shrewsbury and Crawley too it is the same. On paper they have an easier run in than we do but they WILL drop points unexpectedly. All we have to do is get behind the lads and take each of th remaining games one at a time and at face value because if we get ahead of ourselves we may end up bitterly disappointed.

Poor results tonight and next week could mean that next saturday night we won't be discussing promotion anymore as we will have blown it. It really is that tight and lets just get th 3 points tonight at all costs and keep the pressure on th others.

[bixieupnorth]

I bet you've been on that predictor as often as I have tho andy! we spend our lives trying to predict the unpredictable at the bookmakers!

[royalgull]

It can't do anything but help us that Crawley are missing 3 defenders for at least 3 games. i think we were also chucked a lifeline with the Shrewsbury fire! Port Vale aren't a bad side in this league and when that gets replayed they probs will have a few more players back and can defo give Shrewsbury a run for thier money.

My personal belief has been 86 and it still is. People make a valid point about run ins and every game is tough so it doesn't matter who you play, yes that is true to an extent. also points on the board are always better than games in hand yes. But

Crawley's run in now they are back in form they probably couldn't have hand picked it better. Shrewsbury have 5 of their last 8 at home and they are a much better home side than away side. They both will drop points somewhere but especially in Crawley's case I find it difficult to see where. On paper Crewe at home is their toughest game and Crawley are still favourites for that in my eyes. However those 3 now suspended does make their next 3 at least slightly trickier.

I'm not one for clichés but for us it really is one game at a time there isn't much point in the manager saying we need 82, no 84, no 86 points, we just need to win games and the rest will look after itself. We can't affect what Crawley and Shrewsbury do, other than put pressure on them by winning, tonight is a massive game for us, one quite honestly we have to win in my eyes.

We have to put pressure on and step in if those 2 make mistakes, at the moment even though we're 2nd, I'd make us slight outsiders of the 3 teams going for those 2 spots simply down to the fact the other two's run in is much favourable than ours, having said that i believe it will go down to the wire with us and Shrewsbury fighting for the 3rd place spot.

[AustrianAndyGull]

It can't do anything but help us that Crawley are missing 3 defenders for at least 3 games. i think we were also chucked a lifeline with the Shrewsbury fire! Port Vale aren't a bad side in this league and when that gets replayed they probs will have a few more players back and can defo give Shrewsbury a run for thier money.

My personal belief has been 86 and it still is. People make a valid point about run ins and every game is tough so it doesn't matter who you play, yes that is true to an extent. also points on the board are always better than games in hand yes. But

Crawley's run in now they are back in form they probably couldn't have hand picked it better. Shrewsbury have 5 of their last 8 at home and they are a much better home side than away side. They both will drop points somewhere but especially in Crawley's case I find it difficult to see where. On paper Crewe at home is their toughest game and Crawley are still favourites for that in my eyes. However those 3 now suspended does make their next 3 at least slightly trickier.

I'm not one for clichés but for us it really is one game at a time there isn't much point in the manager saying we need 82, no 84, no 86 points, we just need to win games and the rest will look after itself. We can't affect what Crawley and Shrewsbury do, other than put pressure on them by winning, tonight is a massive game for us, one quite honestly we have to win in my eyes. We have to put pressure on and step in if those 2 make mistakes, at the moment even though we're 2nd, I'd make us slight outsiders of the 3 teams going for those 2 spots simply down to the fact the other two's run in is much favourable than ours, having said that i believe it will go down to the wire with us and Shrewsbury fighting for the 3rd place spot.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Lose or draw tonight and again on Saturday and that's it i'm afraid. Tonight is a must win really because if we don't then it's all or nothing for saturday when the pressure will be immense. If we win tonight w might be able to get away with a draw on saturday.

[Scott Brehaut]

We are not playing Saturday (tomorrow)....we have a game tonight, then another one Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday

[Forest gull]

When we were down the bottom fighting relegation, we beat some good sides. Crawly etc play teams under similar circumstances, so can expect some tough encounters.
Some will fold under the pressure too, all we can expect is the unexpected.

[Colorado Gull]

Royalgull and usagullmichigan spot on posts!

[Trojan 67]

We get what we get and when it's over we've got what we've got.

Stanley up next on Good Friday and we'll see what we can get.

[MuzDog]

I'd stick my neck out and say we guaranteed a play-off spot tonight. Looking back at all league two tables since 1994, and 75 points would guarantee a top 7 spot every season.

Even if we lose every game between now and end of season, Crewe would need four wins and two draws out of seven to overtake us and Cheltenham would require three wins and a draw out of six. Crewe and Cheltenham also have to play each other yet, and Crewe also have an away game at Crawley as well as us and host Aldershot, who've picked up seven wins in last 10 to give themselves an outside chance of the play-offs. Cheltenham meanwhile have a few fixtures against relegation-threatened teams (Plymouth, Bradford, Barnet) but seem to be imploding a bit at the moment, so wouldn't see them overtaking us even if we had a complete disaster!