The League One Promotion Thread 15/16

[Bartonyellow]

Obvs I want Burton to cock it right up, allowing us to pull off the most remarkable of smash 'n' grab promotions, but I will genuinely be made up for Burton if/when they do it, especially when it had looked in recent weeks like they would let it slip.

Very gracious of you to say. Hope we see it through. Didn't think we would if I'm honest.
I stand by what I said above, 2 more games and u would have pipped us. You just took too long to get going in August..but come very strong and done us over well at your place. You are surely the favourites for the playoffs with the bantams if the table finishes as it does now.

 

[Jockney]

Barnsley will beat us because they are a better side, IMO. Also reckon Bradford would do us over two legs: squeeze the life out of the game at the Den and then beat us by the odd goal in three at Valley Parade. Walsall would be ideal for us because they have lacked spine since the O'Driscoll fiasco. A Gillingham play-off tie would be unbearable and if they beat us they'd never let us forget it.

This was supposed to be a season of transition. Next year is the big one.

 

[PuB]

We wouldn't beat you. It's immaterial anyway because we're not going to make it.

 

[valefan16]

It would be a miracle for us to make it now but if Barnsley somehow lose to Colchester then both them and Gills have tough games aside, unlikely but it would be nice to take it to the final day with still a shout even if an outside one. We're on fire at the moment, shame we had the blip we had around Easter.

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

We are never favourites for the playoffs. Shhh.

 

[blademan89]

What are Gillingham playing at. Top 6 all season now gonna lose out to the dingles

 

[joethegill]

What are Gillingham playing at. Top 6 all season now gonna lose out to the dingles

We've been terrible ever since we threw away successive 2-0 leads at Wigan and Doncaster in January. If we'd seen both those games out and won, which we should've, we'd be fine right now.

You could argue that it's a tactical thing as well. First half of the season we scored a lot of goals from corners and counter attacks, as our possession count was often somewhere in the 40-45% bracket. This side of Christmas it's been more around the 55-60% region. We have the players and the system designed to play counter attacking football but opposition sides generally just refuse to attack us now, relying on breakaways (which we can't defend very well). Our full backs like to get forward, which is fine when we're countering as they're all very pacy. When we're camped on the edge of the oppositions box (like we have been the last 2 home games), their pace is nullified, but they're still upfield, leaving us exposed to the counter. Shrews third yesterday is our 2016 in a microcosm. Fortunate deflection sees their winger get away down the right, good ball into the middle where the forward has far too much time as we've been on the attack for the last half hour, slips it into the forward who hits a shot that is initially going wide until it deflects just out of Nelson's reach. We just have not been getting the breaks at all. Previous home game against Vale - Egan slips over and that split second allows Leitch-Smith (who is awful) a bit of space and he just belts one in. Later in the game, Dack beats the keeper, but the ball goes straight to the defender on the line - anywhere else and it's a goal, no question.

We've proven this season that we are a solid side, nothing spectacular (as opposition fans do like to keep reminding us), but we've consistently fallen short against the top sides. We have a pretty awful record against the bottom lot too if truth be told. We've picked up the majority of our points against the mid-table region, so it seems only right that our final position will be at the top of mid-table.

 

[valefan16]

Leitch-Smith is far from awful, been outstanding all season for us.

 

[MJA]

Always love to read a claim that a player is awful when someone is telling a story of how said player scored against their team

Sent from my VF-795 using Tapatalk

 

[joethegill]

Shaun Batt scored a hat-trick against us once, doesn't mean he's good.

 

[Freethinker]

Barnsley will beat us because they are a better side, IMO. Also reckon Bradford would do us over two legs: squeeze the life out of the game at the Den and then beat us by the odd goal in three at Valley Parade. Walsall would be ideal for us because they have lacked spine since the O'Driscoll fiasco. A Gillingham play-off tie would be unbearable and if they beat us they'd never let us forget it.

This was supposed to be a season of transition. Next year is the big one.

Someone been pouring Pessimism on their cornflakes

 

[Etienne Vermeer]

Someone been pouring Pessimism on their cornflakes

I can't say I disagree though.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Shaun Batt scored a hat-trick against us once, doesn't mean he's good.

How on earth did that happen? The guy has no control over what his feet does!

 

[Jockney]

Someone been pouring Pessimism on their cornflakes

Not unfounded. We only have one win to our name, in six meetings, against the current play-off sides. We will have to show a lot better than our performances at VP and Oakwell earlier in the season to beat those sides over two legs.

 

[Jockney]

How on earth did that happen? The guy has no control over what his feet does!

I was very fond of Shaun Batt. 95% donkey, 5% Pele.

 

[Freethinker]

Not unfounded. We only have one win to our name, in six meetings, against the current play-off sides. We will have to show a lot better than our performances at VP and Oakwell earlier in the season to beat those sides over two legs.

I was at both those away games, plus the home games. Nothing in any of the games, should have equalised at Barnsley late on when we went for it.
Neither of those teams are anything but Decent/competent League One teams.

 

[Jockney]

I was at both those away games, plus the home games. Nothing in any of the games, should have equalised at Barnsley late on when we went for it.
Neither of those teams are anything but Decent/competent League One teams.

I didn't see the Barnsley game but reports were almost unanimous that they deserved it. We didn't look like scoring in either game against Bradford and struggled against their long ball tactic.

Both of those sides look more comfortable playing together than ours has this season. We still do not have the right personnel to play in the style that Harris wants us to. Notably, Williams in this team is a little boy lost: he needs to go back to a side like MK and we need another midfield terrier to play alongside Thompson. If we also bring in another winger and a left-sided fullback in the Romeo mould, we will be a real force next season.

 

[joethegill]

How on earth did that happen? The guy has no control over what his feet does!

Honestly no idea. The bloke was like Bambi on ice. Having said that, I think it was only a JPT game so we probably weren't trying THAT hard.

 

[THE TERRACEMAN]

Looking very good for the Albion, we still have work to do in our last 2 games, its not over till the fat lady sings but I think she is warming her vocal chords. Some fairy tale it will be if we make the championship.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Top 2 is almost sealed for me, Burton need 1 more win - which they should get relatively comfortably over the 2 games they have, especially with some confidence back under the belts. Can't believe I've already booked my ticket for Vale park on the final Sunday as all that will be to me is the promotion party that should have been. Depressing load of turd.

Just for reference, Saturday and Sheffield United/Oldham before that is why I'm ALWAYS negative. Regardless of whether we win 4 games in a row, have good players, do good things, are having a good season - when push comes to shove we will ALWAYS bottle it. It doesn't matter what anybody says, the outside opinion, the media, any other outside opinion - this football club will ALWAYS bottle the important game, the match, the run, the occasion, the lead, the half - anything and for that reason, I'd sooner live a football life in a negative mindset - until I'm proven consistently wrong.

 

[valefan16]

Cant Walsall just stay within 3 points until the last day so we can cash in on away fans and TV money!

 

[Hurrikeen]

Top 2 is almost sealed for me, Burton need 1 more win - which they should get relatively comfortably over the 2 games they have, especially with some confidence back under the belts. Can't believe I've already booked my ticket for Vale park on the final Sunday as all that will be to me is the promotion party that should have been. Depressing load of turd.

Just for reference, Saturday and Sheffield United/Oldham before that is why I'm ALWAYS negative. Regardless of whether we win 4 games in a row, have good players, do good things, are having a good season - when push comes to shove we will ALWAYS bottle it. It doesn't matter what anybody says, the outside opinion, the media, any other outside opinion - this football club will ALWAYS bottle the important game, the match, the run, the occasion, the lead, the half - anything and for that reason, I'd sooner live a football life in a negative mindset - until I'm proven consistently wrong.

I can see Doncaster beating Burton on the final day, so I reckon if you can pick up 6pts from your next 2 games (Shrewsbury & Fleetwood) at home, which you should do, then I think you'll seal it at Vale with a decent following as you will have a better GD in all likeliness too.

 

[earwig]

Look, I know that you're pissed off because Matt Palmer was brought back but we are going up automatically

 

[Hurrikeen]

Look, I know that you're pissed off because Matt Palmer was brought back but we are going up automatically

I hope you do, genuinely.

If you don't though, Palmer will be with us next season anyway I reckon.

 

[DippyDon]

Any likelihood of Burton crumbling, Walsall bottling and Bradford going up automatically? Would selfishly rather the first 2 stay down next season than for us to lose at Bradford again

 

[F!RTHY]

Any likelihood of Burton crumbling, Walsall bottling and Bradford going up automatically? Would selfishly rather the first 2 stay down next season than for us to lose at Bradford again

It's mathematically impossible now. With two games left to play, and us 7 points adrift, only Millwall and Walsall you possibly achieve this, however, that would depend purely on Burton losing their last two games - which I find highly unlikely.

Another point will almost guarantee play-offs for us this season; I think we'll manage that against Southend at the weekend.

I think we'll meet Millwall in the play-offs, of which will be a fantastic semi-final with big crowds.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

I reckon we will win this Saturday which could mean that Millwall still have a chance of automatic next week.

Not sure that's a good thing, on many fronts!

 

[Fedora Dale]

IF, and its a mighty big IF, we have the following set of results on Saturday:
Barnsley lose to Colchester
Gills lose to Burton
Scunny lose to Vale
Sheff U beat Cov
Dale beat Swindon

...places 6 to 11 will look like the following going into the last match:

Barnsley 70
Gills 69
Blades 69
Scunny 68
Dale 68
Vale 68

...which would be mad as a box of frogs


However, I think Messrs Winnall and Co at Oakwell are unlikely to cooperate with this scenario...

 

[darren gregory]

Based on what i,ve seen and no bias to any of the teams in with a shout, Millwall best team at Vale Park by a country mile, Walsall decent, Bradford mediocre, Barnsley so-so , Gills decent. Intriuging last game Burton at Donny as Donny got a shoe in win at Crewe this weekend which means they going hell for leather, can see a Colchester v PNE scenario from last season and Burton get beaten.

 

[blademan89]

Based on what i,ve seen and no bias to any of the teams in with a shout, Millwall best team at Vale Park by a country mile, Walsall decent, Bradford mediocre, Barnsley so-so , Gills decent. Intriuging last game Burton at Donny as Donny got a shoe in win at Crewe this weekend which means they going hell for leather, can see a Colchester v PNE scenario from last season and Burton get beaten.

Wigan are up,Burton should just scrape through although you never know. In the games we've played against the rest I'd definitely be tipping millwall to win the playoffs. I really hope they don't though or its another London trip gone.