[St Charles Owl]

THE MATCH - SATURDAY 12TH MARCH 2016 3PM KO


    v    

Our second away game in a week and on paper this one should be easier than Brighton, but we all know how that one can go!! But the reality is Forest are a mid-table side to good too be relegated and too inconsistent to be promoted. At the moment they are 11 points behind us in 13th place and are about as anonymous in the Championship as you can get, to the point where I actually had to look up who their manager was!!! Its Dougie Freedman by the way!!

They are so mediocre that when you look at their home record they are still in 13th place, smack in the middle again. Their form over the last 10 games also sees them in midtable. So on that basis this has to be a game we should be looking to win and as we only seem to be able to beat teams outside the Top 6 its a game we can win. And boy do we need a win, we will settle for a scrappy 1-0 win with a goal off a defenders arse!!!!

This will be the 138th meeting between us with our record being very even at W57 D27 L53.  Our away record against them is average at W22 D16 L29 and we are currently unbeaten in two games down there after winning last season 2-0 with goals from Lee and Maguire.




THE ROAD AHEAD

So after our lack of a win in the last 5 games, the nice momentum we had and the points cushion over 7th has disappeared and we find the chasing pack right behind us again. This has rightly stomped all over the talk of potentially reaching the top 2 and even seen some doubt our ability to hold onto the playoff spot!! But for now lets stay positive and assume we will keep hold of that playoff spot while recognizing that winning them will be very tough with at least 2 of the top four teams being in there as well!! Therefore I took a look at what happens to teams who make the playoffs one year, but fail to win them and how they fare the following season, after all DC set next season as the target to gain promotion!!

Over the last 10 years (not including last season as this one isn't done yet!!) the following occurred to the playoff losers the following season:

Losing Finalists - Average finishing position : 9th
Losing Semi-Finalists - Average finishing position : 12th

Not very encouraging stats for the teams that do not win it and its doesn't get any better based on where you finished the season you made the playoffs:

10th - Average position of the team who finished 3rd the previous season.
8th - Average position of the team who finished 4th the previous season.
14th - Average position of the team who finished 5th the previous season.
12th - Average position of the team who finished 6th the previous season.

Based on that 4th spot is the one to give you the best chance of doing well the following season, but it still makes grim reading for the playoff teams!! Finally lets look at some simple stats for each playoff team and their performance the following year:

3rd Place Teams the following season managed:
Promotion - 0
Relegation - 0
Playoffs - 1 (Forest 2011)

4th Place Teams the following season managed:
Promotion - 1 (West Brom 2008)
Relegation - 0
Playoffs - 3 (Brighton 2014, Cardiff 2012, Cardiff 2011)

5th Place Teams the following season managed:
Promotion - 1 (Reading 2012)
Relegation - 2 (Wigan 2015, L**ds 2007)
Playoffs - 0

6th Place Teams the following season managed:
Promotion - 2 (Leicester 2014, Cardiff 2013)
Relegation - 0
Playoffs - 1 (Preston 2006)

So after all those numbers what do we know?? For starters its not easy making the playoffs one season and then repeating the feat the following year, but if that is what happens your best chance of promotion is actually to finish 6th and push on from there!! But while its possible for a 5th place team to get promoted they are twice as likely to get relegated as well, could be a tough season for Derby next year!!!!



THE LAST MATCH

Well at least there were no dodgy refereeing decisions for the first time in a few games, so well done Mr Drysdale!! On the face of it we equipped ourselves very well, kept a clean sheet and stopped them from having any shots on target all game!!! Maybe with a bit more composure or luck up front we could have nicked the points with one of the chances we had!! In the end while we have still failed to beat any of the 5 teams above us we took another potentially valuable point away at a top team!! The only question I have is why on earth did we play in the blue away kit??? This kits seemed far too similar to their kit and surely we should have worn our yellow kit!!!!




OUR TEAM

Forestieri is back!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all that needs to be said!!!

Westwood

Hunt  Turner Lees  Pudil

Wallace Lee  Bannan  

Hooper Forestieri
Joao


WHO'S THE BASTARD IN THE BLACK

Ref - GRAHAM SCOTT
Assts - Simon Beck and Michael McDonough
Fourth Official - Darren Handley

Maybe we should be paying much more attention to this section based on the last few games!!!  MS, give us everything you have on this guy!!


CURRENT FORM - League games only

SWFC -  
Forest -   


BIG MAN'S LEAGUE

Current Table

Owlkev  
Imre        
Jacko  
Towinjustonce 
Pei  
Wereham    
Stateside  
Madsteve  
Maddix       
Thursncoe  
Consilio    
Bottesford  
St Charles  
Southey
Wellowlbe  
Owlshighgreen
Washington
A57owl 

Imre picked up a last game to creep closer to Owlkev.

SCORE AND SCORER (Home team score first, no copying, correct for both only will win, defeats are allowed and opposition players will count if you predict us not to score)

1-2 Joao - St Charles


NUMBER OF GOALS SCORED IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND PUB LEAGUE ONE IN SATURDAY'S GAMES ONLY (Closest to wins, predictions must be in before the early kick off games on Saturday)

74 - St Charles


OTHER RESULTS TO PREDICT (Copying is allowed, all 5 correct will win)

Bolton v Preston
Cardiff v Ipswich
Huddersfield v Burnley
QPR v Brentford
Rotherham v Derby

DDDDD - St Charles


THE MUPPET LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PICS





Love this pic!!




The thread awaits the Meggo of Stateside's choice.