6 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

We need another 20pts to get in imo. This at 1.5pts per game. My heart says we can do it but my head says we’ll just miss out by a point or two. maybe finish on 70.

 A lot will come down to who stays fit and available for the rest of the season. I also think we need one more surprise player to step up with 5 goals or something magical over the remaining period. The ‘Jon Stead’ effect. A Gallagher, Brereton or Dom Sam. Someone completely left field...I hope we do it and I hope it’s Brereton!

Another 20 points is 2 points per game. Sounding a lot less likely like that.

Thought Brereton looked decent when he came on. Danny Graham offered nothing, found it strange that he took the penalty considering his limited playing time lately and Armstrong scoring against Brentford. 
 

Thought we missed midfield creativity, a game where Buckley could have looked decent, first half especially. 

Tony certainly does think throwing a Striker on will solve all problems. 4-2-4 2nd half! There was no linking between defence and attack at all. 
2 points from 2 home games as decent favourites is v.disappointing. We’re still in the mix, but let’s be honest, we should be in 6th place now, and 2 winnable games have past while Preston have played 2 very tough games and still sit in 6th 

58 minutes ago, JoeH said:

By "they've improved, but not by too much" I was intending to say that, yes whilst they have improved - as you have rightly pointed out, they're still not too difficult a side to beat. They have improved, but from the position they were in, that's not really a huge accomplishment. They've gone from God awful to meh, we've gone from okay to wow. 

They've gone from 'god awful' to 'meh' and we've gone from 'okay' to 'wow'. Yet over the last 15 games we only have 1 more point than them (and we're being praised as this really in form team).

12 minutes ago, JoeH said:

They're per game stats so that has less of an effect. And as for sample size, here's a few more conditions and three more Rovers players to beef it up. I've highlighted in Light Blue the stats where Bucko and Rothwell crossover very closely/exactly. More so than anyone else here, Buckley and Rothwell seem pretty similar to me.

Also, side note, this thing confirms my opinion that Stewart Downing is our best creative player... Stats CAN back up opinions, and I've never come across a group of people who seem to rubbish them so extremely. I'm glad the club have adopted a pro stat approach this season with all the improvements at Brockhall.

Per Game stats is my exact point around a small sample size. I don’t mean sample as in more players, I mean sample as in games played.
Say I’ve played 3 games and in one had 4 shots and the other two I had 1. I’m averaging 2 shots per game but the 4 could be the anomaly. 

It’s meaningless and pointless to compare at the moment. Buckley has start 5 league games for us in his career. 

Fulham’s next 5 games:

Swansea (H)

PNE (H)

Bristol City (A)

Brentford (H)

Leeds (A)

Makes me think how valuable a 0-0 would have been against them the other week at Home. I really think they’re the team that could drop like a stone. 

Hoping we don’t let this opportunity slip, and get an early lead to control the game against Stoke. These next two are ones which playoff hopefuls grind out. Win them both, and I’d imagine we go close to odds on for a Top 6 finish.  

Full time whistles now would be even better! 

Full time whistles now would be nice!!

8 hours ago, JoeH said:

It's not just an opinion either, the stats also show the two players to be very similar. Buckley a little more defensive ability than Rothwell, but I think we all knew that, and Rothwell definitely a little bit more on the dribbling side, but we all knew that too. Other than that, those marginal differences, I see two very similar, decent footballers...
 

Extremely small sample size on this just throws it out the window. How many minutes has Buckley played for us in the 1st team?

3 hours ago, Blue blood said:

Deffo a draw for Cardiff-Forest - 3 points is three hard fought Brentford results so a draw there would be great. 

Think Bristol, Brentford and Derby are unfortunately all favourites so would settle for them all drawing their games, though losses would be nice! 

Nerve wracking for us but great to see a league so open. 

Huddersfield strong favourites over Bristol City. City are rated poorly on all statistical fronts. 
(They were 9/1 vs Leeds away the other week which was the same as what Wigan and Reading were)

QPR also favourites against Derby.

Preston is the big one for me, as they have Fulham away on Saturday, a defeat tonight for them and it heaps a bit more pressure on that fixture

So we had the hardest match of all our rivals this week.

Same distance from Fulham, Brentford and Forest.

1 point closer to Bristol City

2 points further from PNE

Pulled 1 away from Millwall and Cardiff.

Swansea closed the gap by 2 

8 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Wether you like it or not teams that get promoted see those games out one way or another from 2-0 up. 

Leeds look like they’re going up top 2 and have thrown away plenty of leads (3-0 up against Cardiff I think it was). 
We didn’t deserve to be 2-0 they missed a load of chances, it was a false score line. They then score a worldie and we’re under the cosh. 
We would have all taken a draw beforehand, leads change in football, it’s part of the game. Win our home games next week is what’s required. 

59 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Whereabouts? 

My better half is from Tipp town so we’re back for the weekend, usually always come back for the Ire v Eng 6N match. 
 

On the result....everyone knows its upsetting losing a 2-0 lead, but I think that majority would have taken a draw before the match, brentford were the better team throughout, and given they had a 62% chance winning beforehand we have to take this as a positive. That was our hardest remaining game of the season. 
A win against Stoke..... we’d all have taken 4 points from the 2 games. 

Our issue is keeping hold of the ball and possession. Replacing Buckley with Bennett will not solve that at all!

If we hold on here I’ll be amazed, feel like we need another. 

Missing being there as I’m over in Tipperary, Ireland, but managed to ensure the pub has it on over then Chelsea game!

COYB

Derby for me. 
I think we’ll be above Fulham by the end of March. 

I’ve attached the league table for the past 6 seasons at the 33 game point. 

This year is the lowest points total for 3rd, 4th, 5th AND 6th at this point! 
The last time 6th had only 53 points at this stage it took just 73 points for 5th and 72 points for 6th (we finished 8th with 70 points)

This is our best chance yet, I think something as low as 70 points could do it when you consider how many teams have to play each other and the lower than usual total so far. 
The Stoke and Swansea games are massive!

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

I enjoyed watching Brentford play. Also think their recruitment of players is excellent. 

A decent article on it here:

https://talksport.com/football/fa-cup/659667/brentford-data-revolution-england-smartest-club-championship-leicester-fa-cup/

They're owned by Matthew Benham, professional gambler, and clearly one of the smartest in the game. Very well run club, who go about everything the right way.

I think we’ll have a clear picture after the Swansea game. 
PNE have to play WBA and Fulham

Cardiff have Forest and Brentford

Bristol C have WBA and Millwall. 
 

Basically everyone is playing everyone around them so points will be dropped. 
If we can come out with 6+ points I’d be delighted. Expecting 4 though. 
Anything on Saturday for me is a bonus. 

5 minutes ago, Inglorious basturk said:

See I’m not a betting man . I was just talking a flat 50  would be nice if it was for mind but equally he can enjoy it too , and I don’t want to assume his means , it could be less , it could be 50p , is only for fun 

Nothing fun about taking even money on a 5/1 shot. Nice try having his pants down though. 

18 minutes ago, Inglorious basturk said:

Are you a betting man ? I hope we make the play offs .... but shall we have a sneaky 50 ? For the pocket or charity . Nobody loses 

5/1 with the bookmakers so hope you offer the same to Chaddy. 

Leeds have an easy run in, expect the top 2 to remain the same as now.

Fulham have a horrible run, with Parker as manager I can easily see them slip out of the top 6 which would be a disaster with a squad and budget like they have.

Rovers beat Brentford and they're in the top 6 (albeit for maybe 2 hours!)

If everything stays the same then a win away at Brentford at midday next weekend takes us into the Playoffs 

Only 3 teams have scored more goals than us this season (West Brom, Brentford and QPR). Surprised me!

Great save from Walton. Lets get into half time with a clean sheet.

This is a brilliant half! Tosin!!

Thoroughly deserved, we've bossed it from about 5 mins in. 

Charlton are sitting so deep and not pressing much. Allowing Buckley, Travis and Johnson plenty of time on the ball. 

Nyambe having  a stormer so far too.