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18 Points Off The Playoffs This Season - Can We Bridge The Gap Next Season?

looking at the league tables, we finished 18 points off of 6th spot, much as I'd love to have a crack at the playoffs next season, 18 points is a heck of a lot of ground to make up.

How many players and moe importantly calibre of players would we need to bring in to achieve a top 6 finish.
I'm guessing we're 2 seasons away from a crack at the playoffs unless Roland dips into his pocket big time and goes for it this transfer window?
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Comments

  • I think a 7th - 12th finish will be a success and as much as we can hope for.
  • looking at the league tables, we finished 18 points off of 6th spot, much as I'd love to have a crack at the playoffs next season, 18 points is a heck of a lot of ground to make up.

    How many players and moe importantly calibre of players would we need to bring in to achieve a top 6 finish.
    I'm guessing we're 2 seasons away from a crack at the playoffs unless Roland dips into his pocket big time and goes for it this transfer window?

    18 points make it seem so doable.

    Tony watts going to score 30 next year.
    The addicts are going up

    not a chance, halve it.
  • I guess I'm mostly glad Millwall are down because we all turn into absolute embarrassments whenever we think about them. Better off out of mind, we'll keep our dignity that way. I'd be happy to be in the same division as them otherwise, might even beat 'em one year
  • We dropped a ton of points by losing leads as a result of Bob Peeter's odd sit back and defend tactics. I worked it out that we lost the lead in 7 games during his reign, not to mention all the other draws we achieved.
  • cafctom said:

    We dropped a ton of points by losing leads as a result of Bob Peeter's odd sit back and defend tactics. I worked it out that we lost the lead in 7 games during his reign, not to mention all the other draws we achieved.

    Whilst this is true, don't forget the games such as Wigan, Huddersfield and Norwich where late goals got us points.
  • looking at the league tables, we finished 18 points off of 6th spot, much as I'd love to have a crack at the playoffs next season, 18 points is a heck of a lot of ground to make up.

    How many players and moe importantly calibre of players would we need to bring in to achieve a top 6 finish.
    I'm guessing we're 2 seasons away from a crack at the playoffs unless Roland dips into his pocket big time and goes for it this transfer window?

    If you look at the teams that finished in a similar position to us the previous season, the likes of Watford, Bournemouth and Middlesbrough, they managed to make significant leaps the next season so it can be done.
    Similarly, with poor activity in the transfer window, we could finish with 18 points less...
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  • I have no doubt that we could challenge for the play offs, provided that we retain all our better players from last season, and strengthen the squad down the spine. By this I mean we sign a new CH, a new CM and a new CF, and all three are quality players.
  • We didn't take many points from the top six and as stated were eighteen points (six wins!) away from a play off spot. We took hidings at Middlesbrough and Derby, two play off losers and paradoxically won at Norwich who humbled Middlesbrough yesterday in the play off final.
    I am going to state the obvious here. We were strong at the end of the season under a new manager/coach. Next season, much, nay all, will depend on who stays from last years' top choice players and who is brought in. Everything stems from this, consistency, performance, points, prizes, promotions .. everything
  • 24 teams are easy to divide in to three groups of 8 but this season it did actually work out that way.

    The top eight, ending at Derby were clear of the rest by 10 points while the bottom eight should have been four points adrift had Huddersfield been awarded the 3 points from their game v Blackpool.

    Against the top eight we gained 16 from a possible 48. Nearly all of the wins came early on v Derby, Watford and Norwich. The last was the 3 - 0 v Brentford. The Bees and Wolves were the only top eight sides not to beat us while only Bournemouth and Ipswich did the double over us.

    As part of the middle 8 we only had 7 games but gained 19 points from a possible 42. Only Blackburn, the best of the rest, doubled us and we gained 4 points from Cardiff, Forest, Leeds and Huddersfield plus two draws with Wednesday. Other than Blackburn only Birmingham from the middle eight actually defeated us.

    The bottom eight haul was 25 points from a possible 48. To be expected when they are the worst teams even when one of them is Millwall (1 point). But we also lost to Brighton and Fulham as well as dropping two points against rock bottom Blackpool and four against strugglers Rotherham Our only doubles, Wigan and Reading, were from this group.

    So we just weren't quite good enough v the top teams, held our own v the teams around us and under performed against the relegation fodder.
  • Unless Roland surprises me, no
  • We have/had an ok-ish starting 11, our biggest problem is a lack of strength in depth - we'd need to bring in about an additional 6-8 good players to really push (and that's without losing anyone we actually want to keep). I'd be astonished if this summers transfer activity yields anything like that.

    Also, I think it will be a very tough league next season.
  • Think the league is tougher next season, especially those coming up are a step up on this years group, and the 3 coming down are stronger with the exception of Norwich. Plus the investment elsewhere is going to be big now FFP has been relaxed. So a maybe
  • Big problem would be losing JBG or Cousins who played a large part it getting us to where we finished. Replacements would need to be of similar quality (tough) and we also need the investment in the squad to step up with maybe 5-6 quality additions (unlikely).

    Don't think we'll challenge for playoffs yet, but maybe there's a few surprises round the corner. Mid August we'll know far more and should have most signings done.

    Next 10 weeks will be tough on here.
  • If we didn't have that huge blip under Bob then we could have made the playoffs, with the right signings and Watt getting a full preseason with us I feel we can do something this year. JBG is used to the pace of English footy, so if we can get him playing like he did the season just gone we are in with a shout of top 10 / maybe playoffs
  • In 1997, we got 59 points and went up the following season.

    In 2015, we got 62 points...
  • Rothko said:

    Think the league is tougher next season, especially those coming up are a step up on this years group, and the 3 coming down are stronger with the exception of Norwich. Plus the investment elsewhere is going to be big now FFP has been relaxed. So a maybe

    The three who came up last season were Brentford (play offs) Wolves (missed the playoffs on goal difference) and Rotherham (just avoided relegation) so pretty strong.

    But you never know in this division, Bristol City (plenty of years in the Championship), Preston (not been this high for while) and MK (never been this high).

    Three coming down have the financial clout but doesn't always work out that way, plenty have slipped straight though and some have taken a couple of seasons to get to League One.

    Another helter skelter of a season in the Championship I think


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  • Rothko said:

    Think the league is tougher next season, especially those coming up are a step up on this years group, and the 3 coming down are stronger with the exception of Norwich. Plus the investment elsewhere is going to be big now FFP has been relaxed. So a maybe

    Feels like this gets said every season!
  • It's definitely going to be tough for us to get around the Play-Off places but certainly not impossible in what will again be a very competitive and I think much closer league than last season as no team jumps out to me as an obvious favourite to win the league. Personally I don't fancy any of the 3 relegated sides that much (and the general record of relegated teams is not great) and although the 3 promoted teams are interesting they all lack recent experience at this level. I can see the likes of Boro, Ipswich, Wolves, Blackburn, Forest & Derby (and possibly others) being there or thereabouts but as usual anyone can beat anyone in this league. One thing that does surprise me is that the bookies mostly rate us as about the 3rd or 4th worse side in the division at around 50/1 much longer odds that the the likes of Reading, Brighton & Fulham all of whom we finished comfortably above last season. We may not challenge for promotion but I think we are well worth looking at as a possible handicap bet.
  • Chizz said:

    In 1997, we got 59 points and went up the following season.

    In 2015, we got 62 points...

    In 2007/08 under Pardew we got 64 points

    In 2008/09 under Pardew and Parky we got... very angry and depressed!
  • edited May 2015
    Without getting in a number of quality players we will have to fight hard to finish mid table again. I referenced this on another thread but at the mo I'm

    Hendo

    Solly Gomez CB Wiggins

    JBG Cousins CM LW

    Watt CF

    Subs

    Dmitrovic/Pope
    Fox
    Bikey
    Diarra
    Jackson
    Moussa
    Vetokele

  • It is bridgable with right additions but we cant predict until we see how the summer goes.
  • 18 points off the play offs 19 from relegation
    It will be easier to get nearer the trapdoor than the play offs
    I'll be happy with mid table as the Belgian bores experiment continues
  • iainment said:

    Without Millwall we're at least 4 points better so that's a start.

    Unlikely. As we managed a draw and one point this season we will either secure 1 less point (LL), the same number of points (DL), 2 more points (WL), 3 more points (WD) or 5 more points (WW).

    We can't manage 4 more points unless we can get five points from two games, which is not possible without snookers!
  • On the points haul, we won 9 out of 11 from the middle of February and I think that if we can replicate that (i.e. do that twice next season not just once) then I think we stand a chance of bridging the gap.

    I think Roland will invest this summer. I can see the logic of keeping hold of the talented young players for another season and adding to them on the basis that if we don't do well enough he can cut his losses next summer by selling two or three of our stars. With the strength of the side in the last third of the season I think that must be a gamble worth taking.

    If not I really don't see why Roland is still hanging around stumping up money to cover losses of a side that he clearly doesn't support, personally.
  • edited May 2015
    I think he has a vision. He has money to lose in following his vision. I think - I don't know - that he believes football currently is a bubble waiting to burst. When (if) that happens, he will have a network of clubs who strengthen each other. Costs where possible are shared and players too. For this to work, you need a pyramid rather than all the clubs at the same level and I suspect we are near the top of that pyramid, below Standard, but with the potential to rise above them due to the bigger riches in our game. We are surely the best shop window for his assets at the very least and will be attractive to many players wanting to play in the Premiership as even in the championship, we are the best stepping stone to that.

    But we see the opportunity to build on some decent players and make a push for the riches of the premiership. It would require a bit of a punt, but if Roland is in this to prove his idea works, changing to a more conventional plan may not be what he wants to do. I have suggested on a previous thread that selling Gomez would probably fund a push next season without him having to dip into his pocket - but if teh plan is long term and that sort of thing isn't part of it, we may not get it.

    We'll have to see, as we can only speculate on what the plan actually is, and how flexible Roland wants to be within that plan. I haven't got a clue what to expect over the summer. I would say that the push for promotion would be most likely evidenced by early aquisistions of decent players so the squad can prepare for the season ahead. So I watch the activity with even more interest this summer than I do normally.

    The strange thing is, I want the club to go for promotion as you have to be ambitious and go for a target, but am more than happy we are playing in teh Championship next season, which I find a far more interesting division than the Premiership. And it is better value too, with more games and what would surely be cheaper ticket prices.
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Roland Out Forever!