Why can't we make the play offs?

After yesterday's fantastic performance and looking through our squad, I honestly am starting to think that we are a big contender for a play off place. We certainly put ourselves in the mix yesterday and hopefully we can go on a run and really challenge.

Our defence is very solid, and we have good strength in depth with Morrison and Peltier to come into the team if needed. We certainly missed Manga, who seems to have formed a steady partnership with Connolly. Fabio is energetic and gets up and down the pitch. Malone has been the unsung hero of the season so far, steady in defence and threatening going forward. Another great signing by Slade for a cut price.

Slade has intergrated O Keefe into the team and changed the system in the process, and I think it has really benefited us. The three of them link well and can all score goals, as proven over recent weeks. Ralls is a quality player and very mature for his young age, whilst O Keefe is a terrier. I thought he was a waste of wage but he seems to be another coup by Slade, I just wish he had played him earlier in the season.

The unlikely strike force of Immers and Pilks seems to have formed an understanding. Both took true goals superbly yesterday and played well off each other. They will be key in the run in.

Lastly, our strength in depth is strong. We have players like Zahore, Gunnarson, Noone, Peltier, Morrisson just to name a few pushing for a start.

I might be being a little optimistic but with things clearing up off the field and the improved atmosphere aswell, I'm feeling good about City at the moment.

Good post James

If we are to make the play offs we must be much more consistent & start winning games week in week out

I don't see any reason why we can't mate
Get behind the manager and team who knows stranger things have happened

Because we can't string back to back wins together.

Consistency

Ameobi's back soon and has to play as part of the loan agreement. That's a negative as you ask why we possibly couldn't.

Lack of results against lowly opposition has to change

We can make it just need consistency.

Because we can't string back to back wins together.

This

We can make it just need consistency.

Are we doing an 'Emergency Loan' deal for this guy Consistency, Ryan????

Who is he currently with????

We can make it just need consistency.

Are we doing an 'Emergency Loan' deal for this guy Consistency, Ryan????

Who is currently with????

Oh dear.

Because we can't string back to back wins together.

bang on but the team has improved so this is not out of the question going forward

We are still four points away and other teams have games in hand.

If we beat Middlesborough I will start to think that we MAY have a chance of sneaking in to the play-offs but as others have said, we'll struggle if we can't put two wins together.

Excellent win yesterday but how quickly we forget how we huffed and puffed against MK Dons and Charlton without getting anywhere.

We are still four points away and other teams have games in hand.

If we beat Middlesborough I will start to think that we MAY have a chance of sneaking in to the play-offs but as others have said, we'll struggle if we can't put two wins together.

Excellent win yesterday but how quickly we forget how we huffed and puffed against MK Dons and Charlton without getting anywhere.

Spot On .

If you are looking for reasons to why we will not make the play-offs then the answer is

Derby County
Sheffield Wednesday
Birmingham City
Ipswich Town
Preston North End

If you are looking for reasons why we WILL make the play-offs then the answer is

Derby County
Sheffield Wednesday
Birmingham City
Ipswich Town
Preston North End

In other words the Championship is a lottery!

However, for what it is worth my pre-season prediction was promotion via the play-offs. There have been many times this season when I thought that prediction was dead and buried but old Russ & the boys keep hanging on.

When we put together 2/3 wins in a row I'll be more optimistic.

The simple answer to your question is our proven lack of consistency.

The gap has just got wider - 5pts off the play-off spot at time of post ( DERDY CO 1-0 BLACKBURN ).

The Preston game is a big one for us. After that there will be 12 games left, and if we were to lose this one the gap may be too big to claw back.

The Preston game is a big one for us. After that there will be 12 games left, and if we were to lose this one the gap may be too big to claw back.

yeah i agree. This seems to have happened a lot in the last 10 or so matches. In that time we havent really been in the playoff run properly, always just outside and close to dropping off the back. its because we cant put a small run of wins together.

I feel we need 7 points from the next three games just to get us back into the picture.

Weve huffed and puffed since Xmas but always seem to be 2 results or more (4-7 points) off the play-offs.

For all the good wins post Xmas youve got to look at 6 points dropped to MK Dons and Rotherham at home, and Charlton Away recently and its those kind of poor results that are defining our season.