Win tonight and play offs are a realistic aim

[SuperStokie]

If your a "lets just stay in mid-table" type fan, then the message won't really apply to you.

However, if you like me, still believe we can make the play offs (why not?) then tonights game is actually a bigger one than most people will think.
As it stands, we're 8 points off the play offs. 8 points, yeah, hard to make up when your looking so high in the table, but there are FIVE teams above us (who aren't in the play offs) who we have a game in hand against.
IF we win a tough looking game tonight, AND win on Saturday, our game in hand could propel us into, or on the verge of the play offs! I don't think we should be too scared of facing Sunderland (who we have already beat this season) and WBA (who we narroly lost to, and aren't looking as strong as the season they did go up!).

You could say i'm being too optmistic and a bit ridiculous, but the players believe we can do it (Gerry and Ade have publicly said we can) and if we win tonight, we could, just could do it.

That makes tonights game a pretty big one in my view!

Goarn Stoke! We're good enough to beat ANYONE in this division on our day! It's a matter now of making sure we're consistent.

Jon

[Lakeland Potter]

Mmmmm - I am not saying we can't make the playoffs Super, so I know where you are coming from. However it ain't as easy as you think - Sunderland at the Stadium of Light looks on paper to be as hard as any game we will have this season. A Gerry inspired performance like we saw at West Ham will be needed and a point would be a great result.

Our blip in form with 2 points out of the last 9 has not helped but, against that, we were playing against 3 of the top 4 "form" teams in the division - with results against Milwall and Wigan which were as good as anyone else has managed against them in the past month. So yes, wins against Ipswich and Watford and the dream is still alive but it is still a tall order,

[JoeinOz]

It was only yesterday I looked at the table and saw how high Ipswich are. BUT I agree we have no reason to fear anyone in this division. With the players we have we are capable of getting something from every game we play in.

[cr4zyd4ve]

I think there is a great belief in the club, that we really have a good shot at the play-offs, at the moment. That’s evident form the amount of transfer talk that has been going on at the moment. As you have said the likes of Ade and BigGez obviously believe it (and they are two of our most influential players). I think that’s half the battle won when a team has a winning, positive, mentality, especially going into this stage of the season. Other teams such as Cardiff IMHO must be feeling the exact opposite on their recent form.

Tonight is however a massive test, which will show us if we really have what it, takes. If we win, it could be a massive boost. If we loose, it will be a huge examination of our character to see how we react against Watford on Saturday. We have to get 3 points out of that game. As you have mentioned a very important period of the season.

It's very good to see the ambition surrounding the club at the moment though.

[jimmygscfc]

Yeah, but it all gets a bit desperate as soon as we are missing Eustace because of the lack of midfield cover. Defence and attack are reasonably well-covered but our team needs IMHO a right-winger and a central playmaker. Svard is a bit of an enigma really because you'd have thought Arsene would have stipulated that we play him but he has yet to grasp that role. Tonight I'd play him with SJE, Russell on the right and Commons on the left, although I fancy that TP will have another selection in mind with Clarke on the left and Hooky on the right...square pegs once again.

[cpepper]

To start to consider the play offs we must take maximum points from tonight's and Saturday's games. This would probably leave us 4 or 5 points short off the elusive play off place but well in with the pack.

for the record I think we will lose tonight and win on Saturday - which will still keep me optimistic of reaching the playoffs

[RAF]

I don't think there is such thing as a 'Lets stay midtable fan'!!
Its just some people are more realistic than others, but the play-offs after last years debarcle is a bonus for anyone.
Just because they think we will stay midtable doesn't mean they want them there!!

[cr4zyd4ve]

Well said jimmy! Why not give Russell a go, on the right, now he has regained some cofidence, and playing well? Lets see what Svard or even Neal can do partnering SuperJohnny. Obviously I would be very suprised if Krissy started on the left, but playing Hooky there is not a bad option.

[spiderpuss]

Couldn't agree more and we've needed a new target (other than avoid relegation) for ages. We will need 7-9 points from the next 3 though, I'm sure that's what some of the other teams around us will get.
All depends how free of injuries we stay...oh and them ref's cards

Good luck to lads, they will need it!

Spider

[tel2u]

I think the games this month will sort our season out for us, if Taggart has the same inspirational effect as he did last time he was playing for us, then I think we've got every right to get optimistic about reaching the top six by the end of the season.

We all know the pressures that being in the play offs bring, and that was just to get into this division, multilpy that by the premiership quotient and it becomes a sizeable tax, especially for a team almost relegated last season.

Its a credit to TP and the team that we are aiming so high in our standards as opposed to the circumstances of last season at the same stage.

Like I say this month is the 'crunch', but I must admit I personally think we stand as good a chance as any of the teams above us to get into the top six.

Put it this way, the bettig slip in my pocket, that I got last August is NOT being thrown away, not yet anyway!

[youthster]

TP is talking down the playoffs (and you can't blame him really, can you?). This is from the Sentinel:
"(Ipswich) will provide a good test to see where we are.

"We still need those 10 points to be absolutely safe - that's still the first target - and then we can re-assess from there.

"The expectancy level here is frightening.

"You go from nothing to people saying 'we are going to make the play-offs'.

"We have to cope with that expectancy, but it can be frightening at times.

"I think the majority of supporters are pleased with what we have done so far, however, and appreciate the bigger picture."

I suppose TP has to take this approach (at least outwardly) to try to keep our expectations in proportion - but I bet he's saying to the team that they can do it.

[broadack]

at the start of the season had you of offered my 1st div safety even if it was last day of the season i would have snapped your hand off.

a) remember the horrific pre-season (i think we may of even lost to rhyl if i remember correctly)

b) the home defeat to bardiff seen us in 22nd place and a hell of a lot of people calling for TP's head.
Http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LeagueTable/0,,10310~20031206,00.html

lets make the 54 points then if the play-offs are realistic then lets go for it by all means.

sorry for the pessamism but it comes with i can't help it.

in saying that i think we can beat ipshit, i say them on tv vs wigwam and they were really shit. i actually think watford will be a more difficult game (they are in excellent form)

COME ON STOKE

[SuperStokie]

If it is there to aim for we should go for it.

Make sense. I've spoke to a few fans that have said "we're not ready for the play offs"

Maybe we're not ready for them yeah, but we may as well ATTEMPT to get into them, we wouldn't lose anything and could gain £5million or however much it is you get from going up.

No team scares me in this division!

Jon

[RWChris]

We shouldn't fear anybody at home!

[SuperStokie]

Last season we had to battle and scrap when admittedly, we perhaps weren’t quite upto the standard this division requires. Luckily for us, it worked.
Now we’ve got that 1st division type of player, players who know how to compete at this level.

The board and TP deserve real credit for the squad they have assembled.

Jon

[Coll40]

Last year, 74 points made the play offs. so we've got 14 games to get 30 points.
Remaining games.
Home
Ipswich
Watford
WBA
Coventry
Rotherham
West Ham
Gillingham

Away
Crewe
Reading
Sunderland
Norwich
Forest
Sheff U
Bradford

If we win 6 at home, draw 1, it leaves 11 points to get from away games - 3 wins and 2 draws.
But we can't afford to lose at home, or drop any silly points.