Remaining fixtures - Predictions

[smiller14]

I'm happy to see us written off by others. Nice to go under the radar a touch. At this stage last year, we were well in the midst of our death spiral and we were already well on the way to being reined in by our rivals. This season feels different, but I'm still cautious. Games like Saturday are absolutely crucial - will we win as we should on paper? Or will we succumb to one of those lifeless away displays we suffered earlier in the season, losing to nil and wondering how one team can be so up and down?

The Sheffield United game could go one of two ways. It feels that rather than dishearten us too much, team (and club) spirit has gone through the roof. If anything, it made me feel more optimistic, as we went toe to toe with the team in 2nd on their own patch. I think a short break after the emotions of it all was a good thing too.

I don't think there are 6 teams better than us and I hope we prove it. 

[SuperBrfc]

6 hours ago, smiller14 said:

 

The Sheffield United game could go one of two ways. It feels that rather than dishearten us too much, team (and club) spirit has gone through the roof. If anything, it made me feel more optimistic, as we went toe to toe with the team in 2nd on their own patch. I think a short break after the emotions of it all was a good thing too.

I don't think there are 6 teams better than us and I hope we prove it. 

I agree. It might sound strange to say, but that Sheff Utd defeat has set something off for me, and has left me feeling more confident about the remainder of the season. The nature of the loss, the fight on show, the club being talked about again, for the right reasons, and being in the thick of things at the business end of the season. It has brought the fire back.

I also suspect that JDT and the lads are feeling similarly fired up and will be out to finish the season strongly.

That defeat at Bramall Lane, as gutting as it was, was a world away from the abject surrender that we saw there in the League game back in August. Think back to how many of us felt after that game. By contrast, we had the Cup game in the bag at 2-1 up and looked comfortable, until the late subs swung it in their favour.

Something has changed in recent weeks, where we have a new found determination about us and are playing with more purpose. Of course, we have to guard against getting too carried away, as the Stoke game shows, but this feels different to me. Different to any good run under Mowbray. There's a real chance here and a winner like JDT isn't likely to just let it slip away.

It could be wishful thinking, but it feels like we're building up towards something special. Sky seem to be sensing that too with the number of our games they are choosing to show live.

Whatever happens, it's good to see there is hope returning on the pitch and that the football community is looking at Rovers and thinking "eh up, what's going on over there". We've been asleep for 12 years. Come on, JDT, let's do this!

Edited March 27, 2023 by SuperBrfc

[dallydally]

16 hours ago, SuperBrfc said:

I agree. It might sound strange to say, but that Sheff Utd defeat has set something off for me, and has left me feeling more confident about the remainder of the season. The nature of the loss, the fight on show, the club being talked about again, for the right reasons, and being in the thick of things at the business end of the season. It has brought the fire back.

I also suspect that JDT and the lads are feeling similarly fired up and will be out to finish the season strongly.

That defeat at Bramall Lane, as gutting as it was, was a world away from the abject surrender that we saw there in the League game back in August. Think back to how many of us felt after that game. By contrast, we had the Cup game in the bag at 2-1 up and looked comfortable, until the late subs swung it in their favour.

Something has changed in recent weeks, where we have a new found determination about us and are playing with more purpose. Of course, we have to guard against getting too carried away, as the Stoke game shows, but this feels different to me. Different to any good run under Mowbray. There's a real chance here and a winner like JDT isn't likely to just let it slip away.

It could be wishful thinking, but it feels like we're building up towards something special. Sky seem to be sensing that too with the number of our games they are choosing to show live.

Whatever happens, it's good to see there is hope returning on the pitch and that the football community is looking at Rovers and thinking "eh up, what's going on over there". We've been asleep for 12 years. Come on, JDT, let's do this!

It's the hope.................

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, dallydally said:

It's the hope.................

It’s nice to have some for a change ……… I’d given up completely with the previous manager.

[Displaced Rover]

Hope is great. It's what makes football, football. No highs without the crushing lows (which we've had plenty of under the current owners). I'd sort of consider the FA cup a high. Great day out, back on the national stage, making a great account of ourselves. Those are the days we live for as a club like Rovers, I'm sure there'll be many more to come, regardless of how this season ends, so long as we can keep AND back the manager.

As it happens, I think we will just sneak in the play offs, then it's a bit of a lottery, who knows how it's going to play out. It'll be a cracking watch though!

[Hasta]

20 hours ago, Displaced Rover said:

Hope is great. It's what makes football, football. No highs without the crushing lows (which we've had plenty of under the current owners). I'd sort of consider the FA cup a high. Great day out, back on the national stage, making a great account of ourselves. Those are the days we live for as a club like Rovers, I'm sure there'll be many more to come, regardless of how this season ends, so long as we can keep AND back the manager.

As it happens, I think we will just sneak in the play offs, then it's a bit of a lottery, who knows how it's going to play out. It'll be a cracking watch though!

The high in the FA Cup was beating Leicester, and comprehensively outplaying them for 60 minutes.

Eventually losing to a side we had beaten only 2 weeks earlier, in the manner that we did, left me feeling flat to be honest. I found the Rovers video a little cringy showing all the fans travelling to Brammall Lane like it was a special day out. That's what I would expect Grimsby to do for their game at Brighton.

I enjoyed the cup run, but it won't stick long in the memory like the 2 previous semi-finals did.

Getting in the play-offs after 46 games would be a huge high. But for those who haven't experienced it, losing in the play-offs balances it out as one of the biggest lows you can get. That feeling that the past 46 games have been irrelevant, next season will be the same again and having the summer to stew on it before we play again is a real nasty feeling.

[goozburger]

On 07/03/2023 at 16:22, goozburger said:

• Stoke (A) = L
• Reading (H) = W
• B'ham (A) = L
• Norwich (H) = W
• H'field (A) = D
• Hull (H) = W
• Coventry (H) = W
• Nobbers (A) = D
• Dingles (H) = L
• Luton (H) = D
• Millwall (A) = L

Total: 73 points

Three out of three so far. We've got a mini points haul coming up in the next five games, folks!

[Sweaty Gussets]

5 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Three out of three so far. 

Excellent work...

5 minutes ago, goozburger said:

We've got a mini points haul coming up in the next five games, folks!

... but then you go an Mercer yourself! 🙂 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Sweaty Gussets

[goozburger]

11 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Excellent work...

... but then you go an Mercer yourself! 🙂 

Ignore my advice at your peril, but this is a licence to print money. Cracking opening some Spar Budget table wine as we speak.

[Sweaty Gussets]

14 minutes ago, goozburger said:

Ignore my advice at your peril, but this is a licence to print money. Cracking opening some Spar Budget table wine as we speak.

The choice of the connoisseur.

Winner of 'Wine of the Year' for 3 years running at the prestigious BRFCS Wine Club Awards. 

 

[Herbie6590]

https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/articles/the-crystal-ball-part-3-a-bit-shaky/395

[goozburger]

On 02/04/2023 at 14:10, Sweaty Gussets said:

Excellent work...

... but then you go an Mercer yourself! 🙂 

I've Mercered myself. First half and it's game over.

Bank on Rovers to lose heavily here in this second half. We're going to lose this. A loss. A licence to print money. Bank on a Rovers defeat. Lose. Loss. We've got no chance here.

[superniko]

On 08/03/2023 at 15:10, superniko said:

• Stoke (A) = L
• Reading (H) = W
• Birmingham (A) = D
• Norwich (H) = L
• Huddersfield (A) = D
• Hull (H) = W
• Coventry (H) = D
• PNE (A) = W
• Burnley (H) = L
• Luton (H) = D
• Millwall (A) = L

Total: 71 points and pocket radios at The Den

If we beat Stoke on Friday then I can’t see anything but a Top 6 finish looking at the remaining fixtures. 

I was told this was ‘Mowbray form’…..now through 4 game we’re currently 1 point worse off than predicted!

[Sweaty Gussets]

Could be one of the lowest points totals ever to get 6th spot......maybe a max of 72pts?

Only 5th and 6th up for grabs now I would have thought. 

I'd say Sunderland are now out of the race so it's two play off places available for 6 teams to battle for (from Millwall down to WBA). We play 3 of them (Nobbers, Cov, Millwall) so all is not lost yet. 

[Sweaty Gussets]

All change again. S'land back in the race after I wrote them off Friday 🤣

I'm now writing off Watford!

I think 70 points might even be enough to get 6th. 

Two HUGE home games coming up for us. Beat Hull and Cov and we put ourselves in a great position. 

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

REMAINING FIXTURES:

Millwall: PNE (a) B'ham (h) Wigan (h) B'pool (a) Rovers (h)

PNE: Millwall (a) Swansea (a) Rovers (h) Sheff Utd (a) S'land (h)

Norwich: Boro (a) QPR (a) Swansea (h) WBA (a) B'pool (h)

Coventry: QPR (a) Rovers (a) Reading (h) B'ham (h) Boro (a)

S'land: B'ham (h) Hudds (h) WBA (a) Watford (h) PNE (a)

WBA: Stoke (a) B'pool (a) S'land (h) Sheff Utd (a) Norwich (h) Swansea (a)

 

[philipl]

Only Rovers have Hull and Burnley in the fixtures to play.

Millwall having quite a say on Lancastrian futures..

At this stage of the season it is impossible to call games hard or easy.

[philipl]

However,....

[Sweaty Gussets]

Yes @philipl, we've got a horrendous run-in on paper but it results are unpredictable at the end of the season. I wouldn't fancy PNE's fixtures, or Norwich's, or Cov's. 

Millwall's look the easiest but they are on a bad run of form like us at the moment. 

Mogga's been talking up S'lands chances, saying if they win their next two home games they are right in the mix. 

I think 10 points will be enough for Rovers to get in the PO's.  

Edited April 11, 2023 by Sweaty Gussets

[superniko]

4 points from 5 games since this thread was started!

I predicted 71 points and portable radios at The Den and I still think it will come down to that. Can't see PNE getting more than 9 points from 5 games (71), or Coventry/Sunderland getting 12 points from 5 games (71). 

Norwich and Millwall the big threats, with the easiest run-ins out of all. Think it's between the two of them and ourselves for 5th and 6th. Either way, I can't see us going to Millwall on the final day with nothing to play for, which is exciting.

[Sweaty Gussets]

25 minutes ago, superniko said:

I can't see us going to Millwall on the final day with nothing to play for, which is exciting.

More terrifying than exciting, especially leaving the ground if we've won and pipped them to 6th spot!

[philipl]

Advantages of the Rovers run in against teams with at least half an eye on promotion, provided we do no worse than draw against Hull, our fate is in our own hands and if we make the play-offs, we will be well acclimatised to playing rivals.

[roversfan99]

A draw against Hull is no good.

[Sweaty Gussets]

You'd think Hull is a must must must win if we want to make the PO's 

[philipl]

I am not advocating a draw against Hull, I am just pointing out that because of the Millwall v Preston game this weekend, Rovers would still have a play-off place in our own hands.