Matches Last 10 Games

[MustardYellow]

The lottery of the playoffs could play to our advantage. I think that we can do enough to take 6th spot, but the top 5 all currently look stronger than us. But if we win the last 3 or 4 to make it, and Derby drop points to miss out on the autos then we potentially go into the playoff game with the confidence and momentum, and anything can happen.

This season was always expected to be one of consolidation so to be in with a shout of the playoffs with 10 games to go is still something to unite behind and be positive about.

It would be a remarkable drop off. To win 11 of the opening 16, be joint highest scorers and 3rd least conceded to missing out on play-offs winning barely a handful of your last 20 games.

Not sure I can think of that happening to quite an extent before??

 

[SteMerritt]

From 1 win in 10 to 7 wins in 10 when the heat is on ? If that’s not monumental it’s borderline monumental.

Our form isn't as stark as that stat paints it. It would be monumental if it was 1 win and 9 defeats in 10, but was it 5 of them that were draws? They are the games we have to do much better in. And getting the team not to crap its collective pants if we take a lead would also be a good idea. It is a tough ask, but let's not over-egg it.

 

[dickwalton1964]

It would be a remarkable drop off. To win 11 of the opening 16, be joint highest scorers and 3rd least conceded to missing out on play-offs winning barely a handful of your last 20 games.

Not sure I can think of that happening to quite an extent

The lottery of the playoffs could play to our advantage. I think that we can do enough to take 6th spot, but the top 5 all currently look stronger than us. But if we win the last 3 or 4 to make it, and Derby drop points to miss out on the autos then we potentially go into the playoff game with the confidence and momentum, and anything can happen.

This season was always expected to be one of consolidation so to be in with a shout of the playoffs with 10 games to go is still something to unite behind and be positive about.

‘Was always expected to be one of consolidation’ ? Really ? After, what, 8 seasons in L1 what precisely are we meant to be consolidating ? A 9th season in L1 ? I must be on my own then as a fan who was expecting a damn sight more than consolidation.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Our form isn't as stark as that stat paints it. It would be monumental if it was 1 win and 9 defeats in 10, but was it 5 of them that were draws? They are the games we have to do much better in. And getting the team not to crap its collective pants if we take a lead would also be a good idea. It is a tough ask, but let's not over-egg it.

I agree if it’s draws we need but it’s 7 wins. Remember, a draw might be close to a win but it’s just as close to a loss. Saying we just need to turn those draws into wins is too easy to say, we are just as likely to lose as we are win.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

Our form isn't as stark as that stat paints it. It would be monumental if it was 1 win and 9 defeats in 10, but was it 5 of them that were draws? They are the games we have to do much better in. And getting the team not to crap its collective pants if we take a lead would also be a good idea. It is a tough ask, but let's not over-egg it.

League One Form Table

The 2023-2024 League One Form Table showing a mini table of the latest football results for every team in the division

thefishy.co.uk

On points we are joint bottom four / relegation form over the last ten games.

We were excellent on Saturday but that was very much the exception on recent showings. Go read back the post match analysis on multiple games from the majority of fans. We weren’t unlucky. In the main we have played poorly.

It was a monumental turnaround from last season which is great. But it’s where we should be with this top six budget and group of very well paid and talented players.

I want Des to achieve. I’m rooting for him. But we were second when Manning left and if I’m not mistaken still top two when he took over in November.

His record overall in the league since then is p 24 w7 d7 l10 with a -6 goal difference. He’s turned a slightly over performing team into a bottom half team.

For a solid chunk of those games we had a very capable starting 11 but nothing on the bench for which he should rightly be given some slack. But more recently that hasn’t been the excuse that could be leaned upon.

It’s also rather hard to say that he’s been taking a team through transition since joining. In his own words he wasn’t planning to change much as he inherited a top two team, and no doubt part of his recruitment was his city group philosophy and style that mirrored that of Manning.

Let’s hope he can do this.

 

[mightymozza1984]

Even if we get into the play offs, I don't think we could beat any of the teams in there over two legs.

I think the thing that's really counted against us this year is having a consistent striker

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

Even if we get into the play offs, I don't think we could beat any of the teams in there over two legs

Now that I disagree with. Once you’re there, and if we went in with the form we need to, then it’s a lottery and anything can happen

 

[MustardYellow]

Our form isn't as stark as that stat paints it. It would be monumental if it was 1 win and 9 defeats in 10, but was it 5 of them that were draws? They are the games we have to do much better in. And getting the team not to crap its collective pants if we take a lead would also be a good idea. It is a tough ask, but let's not over-egg it.

Draws are largely unhelpful when you're the one chasing the pack - you're relying on those ahead of you to lose, otherwise you gain nothing.

We've been drawing when those around us have been winning.

 

[MustardYellow]

Even if we get into the play offs, I don't think we could beat any of the teams in there over two legs.

I think the thing that's really counted against us this year is having a consistent striker

We'd definitely be seen as the weakest team - we'd be the one everyone else in the play-offs would want to play.

 

[SteMerritt]

Draws are largely unhelpful when you're the one chasing the pack - you're relying on those ahead of you to lose, otherwise you gain nothing.

We've been drawing when those around us have been winning.

Yeah they are, and are one of the things that have really swung round in the second half of the season. Weren't we the last team in the league to draw a game this season? Under Manning we didn't draw that many, we found a way to hang on to leads and see out games. Not sure how many points we have dropped from winning positions recently (especially at home), but it will be high.

 

[Siho]

Yes but Stevenage have a bit of Pompey about them - I don’t think they’re a particularly great side but they somehow carve out results and they definitely aren’t going away. Evans has them with the bit between their teeth and I only see them becoming more resilient and more capable of digging out results as the season goes on. Right now, they are everything we are not, even luckier maybe.

I thought pompey's key strength was their unflappabiliy.
They were calm and just didn't make many mistakes.

Stevenage came out furiously, but couldn't keep it up.
Once they tired they didn't have anything to them.

We've already beaten them once, no reason why we can't do it again.

Obviously, it's by no means guaranteed...That's what makes it exciting!

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

On form we’ve got no chance but the reality is it would be quite shocking if we can’t reach 75 or so points with that run in.

 

[North Wales Yellow]

I want to see 10 attacking performances where Des firmly shows us his style and what he is about. If we miss out but go out on our sword playing on the front foot it will be easier to swallow than going out with a whimper.

 

[Beast]

There’s no doubt we can make the playoffs, as someone has mentioned, our remaining fixtures are not bad for the run in. But we need to be putting in good performances, like away at pompey on Saturday on a more consistent basis. It’s no good going to top of the league and playing really well and then putting in another rubbish performance against Cheltenham on Saturday like the last home game vs orient!. I believe we have the players to make the playoffs, but they need to perform more consistently!

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I'd love us to suddenly go and win six or seven of the last ten games. But apart from a 'better in defeat' showing at Portsmouth giving us a glimmer of hope, I just can't see it. Saturday will, I suppose, give us some indication - but at the moment I don't trust the current set up (either manager or team) to stay on the front foot. Reverting to the 'safe' (although it isn't!) passing around at the back, backs to goal, slow football is going to rear it's ugly head again.

 

[MustardYellow]

I'd love us to suddenly go and win six or seven of the last ten games. But apart from a 'better in defeat' showing at Portsmouth giving us a glimmer of hope, I just can't see it. Saturday will, I suppose, give us some indication - but at the moment I don't trust the current set up (either manager or team) to stay on the front foot. Reverting to the 'safe' (although it isn't!) passing around at the back, backs to goal, slow football is going to rear it's ugly head again.

Cheltenham have been better under their new manager but still a game we should be winning fairly comfortably. As you say, it'll show us if that uptick in performance Saturday was anything of substance or just a one off.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Cheltenham ... still a game we should be winning fairly comfortably.

The thing is, I don't think that is true. If you look a the form table (https://www.soccerstats.com/formtable.asp?league=england3) over the last 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 games they are above us in every single period. The same is true of Bolton, Lincoln (by a mile), Burton, Stevenage and Exeter! All of our hopes are based on that last performance, and the belief (whether justified or not) that it somehow is the new normal. I guess we will see.

 

[Hackney Jack]

As good as it is to be optimistic in life, given the fact we are pretty much bottom on form, and that we need to win circa 6 games of the remaining ten, it just isn't going to happen with how things have looked on and off the pitch.

 

[OUFCwaffle]

It would be a remarkable drop off. To win 11 of the opening 16, be joint highest scorers and 3rd least conceded to missing out on play-offs winning barely a handful of your last 20 games.

Not sure I can think of that happening to quite an extent before??

2013/14 season comes to mind. We were 3rd for large portions of the start of the season then a huge drop off to finish 7/8th I seem to remember.

 

[AbsoluteZero]

Ignore the last 3 games, it is the next 7 that are crucial. If we don't get 15 or 16 points out of the next 21 it is not going to be good enough. Going into games against Peterborough and Stevenage knowing that draws against these could be enough will be so important.