Going up? (sponsored by Edson Arantes do Nascimento!)

[GreeksBearingGifts]

Having watched us for many a year I can't remember a more complete team , A perfect mix of old and young, Aggression and superb passing and gameplay, With every Forest team over the years there is Always a weakness but this isn't one of them.
If we can get to playoffs then we go up .
Trust me this time it will happen.
We just to get to the playoffs which won't be easy

I think it's time to be bold enough to ask the thread title's question.

- You're currently 8th, only two places and four points below playoff positions, and with one match less than Huddersfield (although, to be fair, with one or two matches more than some of the teams below you).
- You have turned the worst beginning in your history to a march towards hard-fought wins, therefore you're in a clear upwards path. Momentum can make all the difference in difficult leagues.
- Apart from momentum, togetherness is vital for success. And there seems to be plenty of that around.
- For the first time since I've been watching your path, there seem to be no blatant gaps in the roster. I know, the transfer window has not closed yet, and you might lose Johnson, but one player can be replaced.
- The goal difference table makes an interesting read. Between the 6th and the 15th position in the table, the goal difference is 6 goals and below. This means that teams win or lose with difficulty. In such situations, teams with character thrive. And p.C. (post Cooper) you have shown nothing but character.
- The last seven matches of the season (Blackpool, Birmingham, Luton, WBA, Peterborough, Swansea, Hull) seem to me relatively easy, in the sense that most of these clubs may have nothing to fight for when you play against them.

I'm of the same opinion as Lard: if you make it to the playoffs (not an easy task, but certainly a realistic one), you're going up.

 

[T.B.T.]

Re: Going up?

Yes.

 

[MaxiRobriguez]

Re: Going up?

Tough ask to get top six still but if we make it then I would fancy us more than our recent attempts in the playoffs for the simple fact we're good both home and away from home and we never give up.

Don't think we're fully complete yet. A couple of gaps in the side but we're managing those.

Biggest problem is probably the lack of options. Bench yesterday was Hovarth, Figgy, Bong, Cafu, Zinkernagel, Taylor.... Which doesnt leave us many options to change the game from a personnel POV.

Hopefully we can get into top six but if we miss out then just got to carry on with the plan as we are. Next season we won't have our own de facto 21pt deduction.

 

[Erik]

Re: Going up?

I don't care. I mean, I'd love to see it, but after the first 7 games and all last season it's just wonderful to see a team trying to play with freedom.

Everything from here now is an absolute bonus for me.

It's certainly possible that we could get in the playoffs and win them.

If we don't? Well not tears, it's been a great 39 games and we have much to look forward to.

 

[garibaldi]

Re: Going up?

A no from me. We have a good 11-12 players, but the quality drops off sharply after that.

A couple more transfer windows to shed the dross and invest wisely under the new recruitment team is what I'm hoping for which should result in the playoffs next season or the season after.

Anything above the bottom 3 this season is a bonus after Hughton sucked the life out of this club.

 

[thehockleyhustler]

Re: Going up?

Its very bunched up with half the league still in with a shout of making The Playoffs. It goes without saying that some will fall away but it's likely to go right to the wire. Looking at our fixtures, they do seem favourable but let's not fall into the trap of banking points before we've got them on the board (Barnsley is a massive banana skin on Tuesday!).

If we do make the Playoffs, I would agree we have a great shot at winning them. Previous attempts I have been less than convinced. Under Lamouchi I think we all knew that we weren't actually very good and relied on boring teams to death before striking the killer blow. Even under Davies we were awesome at home but setup very differently away from The City Ground often happy to take a point whether we were playing top of the league or bottom.

I predict a Wembley visit for us in May, then anything could happen

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[Ashley]

Re: Going up?

This season? Probably not.

Will we go up eventually if we stick with Cooper and Murphy? I think so, yes.

 

[Battered Sausage]

Re: Going up?

Second is reachable but highly unlikely. Top six is definitely on the cards. I’d take anyone at Wembley.


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[Fitzcarraldo]

Re: Going up?

Not now there's a thread asking the question we won't.

 

[Listen 'ere young man]

Re: Going up?

Nearly 2 points a game since match 7 (top 2 form). If that keeps up then definitely but the run in doesn't look easy.

It would still be a very good achievement from here on in but whatever happens solid foundations are being put in for next season, without the 7 game handicap.

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[GOBIAS]

Re: Going up?

I want automatic. I literally can’t handle the pressure of playoffs

 

[adam09]

Re: Going up?

Long way to go yet but we've given ourselves a chance.

 

[Dirk Furtull]

Re: Going up?

I said we'd make the playoffs as soon as I saw what Cooper could do, I'm sticking with that. Anything else is a bonus.

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[Heffing Psycho!]

Re: Going up?

In the 20 games Cooper has managed us so far we've hit 1.95 ppg, if we can keep that up we'll finish on 77 points and that should be enough; 6th place over the last 5 seasons has been 77, 70, 74, 75, 80 which averages out to about 75. Huge ask to keep that kind of form going, that'd be more or less automatic form over 39/46 games, shows how much those first 7 games has screwed us.

Personally I think the squad is too reliant on Grabban scoring all the goals even with Davis added, if we could add another finisher and someone like Jed Wallace I reckon we'd be in with a very good chance.

 

[Captain Sinister]

Re: Going up?

There are still too many games to be played, and too many teams in the mix, all with a decent chance to get to the play-offs.
Worrall out for 6 weeks adds to the list of players not available, and is going to be a factor in the equation.
Anything is possible; nothing is certain.

 

[Project Zeus]

Re: Going up?

I reckon we'll just run out steam and finish around 8th-10th. The Hughton Handicap of 7 fewer games to get points from will cost us by the end.

We'd probably need about 10 wins from our last 19 games.

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[MaxiRobriguez]

Re: Going up?

I said we'd make the playoffs as soon as I saw what Cooper could do, I'm sticking with that. Anything else is a bonus.

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You and me both chap.

 

[Fitzcarraldo]

Re: Going up?

Nothing in isolation though. If CH had got 6 points in the first few games he'd probably have stayed around for longer with some of the bad habits and attitudes formed more deeply embedded.

 

[MaxiRobriguez]

Re: Going up?

Nothing in isolation though. If CH had got 6 points in the first few games he'd probably have stayed around for longer with some of the bad habits and attitudes formed more deeply embedded.

I suppose we should be thankful to CH then that rather than having to endure a long period of McClaren like results we got a short period of something far worse.

Thanks Chris.

 

[FBS]

Re: Going up?

February is a tough month fixtures wise. If we can come through that with a decent amount of points then I'll start thinking about it.

 

[GreeksBearingGifts]

Re: Going up?

Questions out of ignorance. Fulham will almost certainly be one of the two teams gaining automatic promotions. Which teams below the playoffs possitions seem to have an upward momentum, like yours? Which teams in the current top six seem the most steady in form, and are there any of those top six that have a declining form?

 

[EmmersonForest4]

Re: Going up?

It’s a very tough ask this year to go up because it would take a miracle for us to get automatic promotion and on our current PPG under cooper it looks like we will have 75 points which you would expect playoffs with.

However being a Forest fan I know playoffs are a whole different ball game.

If we are to go up than Davis I feel will need to start chipping in a few goals and assists to backup the front 3.
Also Worrall is out for 6 weeks that’s crucial.

So for me it’s a massive ask to go up but not inconceivable. What I do know is unless we go up this is categorically the last time we see Spence in a Forest kit so we need savour it.

 

[Rzar]

Re: Going up?

Let's see how these last few days of the window go

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

Re: Going up?

We've not even been inside the playoffs for 1 solitary week of the season yet FFS

It's turning into a very enjoyable season but, as Garibaldi says, outside the firs 11-12 players our quality drops off massively.

If Dane can have a good Jan we might sneak the playoffs, but folk are also forgetting about recent defeats to half-decent teams like Boro & Udders. If we do make the playoffs it's the likes of those we have to beat, and we haven't lately.

Had we kept a handful of players such as Brereton and Osborn instead of selling them to reinvest it in the likes of Carvalho and Da Costa instead, then I'd say we'd be in with a real shout. But we didn't unfortunately. We've made huge progress, but are still carrying some of the bad decisions previously made.

If we come out of this year with a healthy foundation and this current team cemented and backed we will get there sooner rather than later though.

 

[Heffing Psycho!]

Re: Going up?

Questions out of ignorance. Fulham will almost certainly be one of the two teams gaining automatic promotions. Which teams below the playoffs possitions seem to have an upward momentum, like yours? Which teams in the current top six seem the most steady in form, and are there any of those top six that have a declining form?

Boro are the form team in the league at the moment 16 points from their last 6 games and Wilder in charge so they'll end strong I reckon. Huddersfield have 14 points from their last 6, always expected them to drop off at some point but they aren't so far. Blackburn, ourselves and QPR are in similar form, QPR have a few players at AfCON too. West Brom and Bournemouth are going through wobbles; WBA have 8 points from their last 6 and Bournemouth 6 points.