National League Play-off Thread 2017/18

[Leewilson]

Did this in the Premier League with the relegation battle so let's give it a go here. Just a bit of fun. Looking at it, 73 may be enough to grab a play off place.

3rd) Boreham Wood - 69
Halifax (A)
Macclesfield (H)
Chester (H)
Bromley (A)
Guiseley (H)
Initial verdict: No problem for these lot. Probably a 4th/5th finish on the cards.

4th) Wrexham - 68
Eastleigh (A)
Ebbsfleet (A)
Daggers (H)
Orient (A)
Fylde (H)
Initial verdict: Tricky run in. May need to scrap and scrape a few draws and the odd win to be sure of their spot. 6th/7th most likely.

5th) Aldershot - 68
Maidenhead (H)
Tranmere (A)
Gateshead (H)
Barrow (H)
Sutton (A)
Initial verdict - Bang out of form and with 2 very tough looking away games. Important they get a win or two at home but could get dragged into a battle for 7th if they're not careful.

6th) Tranmere - 67
Chester (A)
Gateshead (H)
Aldershot (H)
Halifax (A)
Hartlepool (H)
Solihull (H) (TBA)
Dover (A) (TBA)
Initial verdict - Will be absolutely fine. Games in hand a fairly favourable run in. Expect them to finish strongly in either 2nd or 3rd.

7th) Fylde - 65
Sutton (H)
Torquay (A)
Maidstone (A)
Solihull (H)
Wrexham (A)
Initial verdict - Have taken advantage of other's failings to be right in contention. Could go down to the final game vs Wrexham for a play off spot. Gut feeling is they'll just miss out.

8th) Dover - 64
Torquay (H)
Maidenhead (A)
Gateshead (H)
Woking (A)
Tranmere (H)
Initial verdict - Had a real chance to surge into the play offs but may have missed their chance after losing a few games. Games against relegation candidates will decide their fate. May just sneak it.

9th) Ebbsfleet - 60
Macclesfield (H)
Wrexham (H)
Barrow (A)
Sutton (H)
Gateshead (A)
Torquay (A)
Eastleigh (A) (TBA)
Initial verdict - They have the games in hand but have been inconsistent all season. Some very tough games in that run in at home to the pace setters and away to teams fighting for their life. Will just miss out.

10th) Bromley - 59
Gateshead (H)
Chester (A)
Woking (A)
Daggers (H)
Boreham Wood (H)
Barrow (H)
Maidenhead (A)
Initial verdict - A hard one to call. They have the games in hand and not the worst run in. If they can navigate the Chester/Woking games, 3 home games in a row could be the momentum they need to surge for 7th. I think they could sneak it.

11th) Daggers - 58
Woking (H)
Guiseley (A)
Wrexham (A)
Bromley (A)
Maidenhead (H)
Macclesfield (A)
Initial verdict: The most unlikely but a run would give them every chance of 7th. Have to be on 64 points following the Woking/Guiseley games, then the next two against Play Off rivals will decide their fate. Will need to win at least 5/6.


Sure many will disagree with me but it's just a bit of fun. I'll update after each set of fixtures.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

For what it’s worth I think Fylde vs Wrexham and Sutton be Aldershot will decide the final two playoff spots.

Have it down as

Aldershot 77pts
Fylde 76pts
Wrexham 76pts

Based on Fylde beating Wrexham and Aldershot drawing with Sutton.

 

[iesty wfc]

i did have Wrexham finishing on 79 points when i did a prediction in March. i think we would be lucky to get 9 points from our last games, which hopefully is enough for a top 7 finish.

however this is what i am predicting
Eastleigh (A) - draw
Ebbsfleet (A) - win
Daggers (H) - win
Orient (A) - lose
Fylde (H) - lose

 

[fifaking]

I remember saying (prior to it being postponed) what a big match Ebbsfleet away would have been. And now we have some big matches all against play-off chasing teams or teams picking up form all piled together.

Realistically I think we'll be okay to finish Top 7 as we'll probably scrape the few draws/odd win we still need. But any chance of Top 3 is gone now and it's probably more likely we'll finish 6-7th rather than the slightly better 4-5th.

 

[E10rifle]

Did this in the Premier League with the relegation battle so let's give it a go here. Just a bit of fun. Looking at it, 73 may be enough to grab a play off place.

3rd) Boreham Wood - 69
Halifax (A)
Macclesfield (H)
Chester (H)
Bromley (A)
Guiseley (H)
Initial verdict: No problem for these lot. Probably a 4th/5th finish on the cards.

4th) Wrexham - 68
Eastleigh (A)
Ebbsfleet (A)
Daggers (H)
Orient (A)
Fylde (H)
Initial verdict: Tricky run in. May need to scrap and scrape a few draws and the odd win to be sure of their spot. 6th/7th most likely.

5th) Aldershot - 68
Maidenhead (H)
Tranmere (A)
Gateshead (H)
Barrow (H)
Sutton (A)
Initial verdict - Bang out of form and with 2 very tough looking away games. Important they get a win or two at home but could get dragged into a battle for 7th if they're not careful.

6th) Tranmere - 67
Chester (A)
Gateshead (H)
Aldershot (H)
Halifax (A)
Hartlepool (H)
Solihull (H) (TBA)
Dover (A) (TBA)
Initial verdict - Will be absolutely fine. Games in hand a fairly favourable run in. Expect them to finish strongly in either 2nd or 3rd.

7th) Fylde - 65
Sutton (H)
Torquay (A)
Maidstone (A)
Solihull (H)
Wrexham (A)
Initial verdict - Have taken advantage of other's failings to be right in contention. Could go down to the final game vs Wrexham for a play off spot. Gut feeling is they'll just miss out.

8th) Dover - 64
Torquay (H)
Maidenhead (A)
Gateshead (H)
Woking (A)
Tranmere (H)
Initial verdict - Had a real chance to surge into the play offs but may have missed their chance after losing a few games. Games against relegation candidates will decide their fate. May just sneak it.

9th) Ebbsfleet - 60
Macclesfield (H)
Wrexham (H)
Barrow (A)
Sutton (H)
Gateshead (A)
Torquay (A)
Eastleigh (A) (TBA)
Initial verdict - They have the games in hand but have been inconsistent all season. Some very tough games in that run in at home to the pace setters and away to teams fighting for their life. Will just miss out.

10th) Bromley - 59
Gateshead (H)
Chester (A)
Woking (A)
Daggers (H)
Boreham Wood (H)
Barrow (H)
Maidenhead (A)
Initial verdict - A hard one to call. They have the games in hand and not the worst run in. If they can navigate the Chester/Woking games, 3 home games in a row could be the momentum they need to surge for 7th. I think they could sneak it.

11th) Daggers - 58
Woking (H)
Guiseley (A)
Wrexham (A)
Bromley (A)
Maidenhead (H)
Macclesfield (A)
Initial verdict: The most unlikely but a run would give them every chance of 7th. Have to be on 64 points following the Woking/Guiseley games, then the next two against Play Off rivals will decide their fate. Will need to win at least 5/6.


Sure many will disagree with me but it's just a bit of fun. I'll update after each set of fixtures.

Typical Dagenham fan writing off Orient. Couldn’t you at least try to control your chip-on-shoulder jealousy?

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Also not sure why we are in this.

After we win our remaining 7 games and Macclesfield bottle it, we will walk the league..

 

[The_Boss]

I get why we're not in it. We're happy with 10th.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

I get why we're not in it. We're happy with 10th.

The lowest you can mathematically finish is 9th. Good season that. You should send the players to Vegas now.

 

[1884 Belmont]

Just to update our fixtures for you:
Chester (A) Sat 7th
Gateshead (H) Tues 10th
Aldershot (H) Sat 14th
Dover (A) Tues 17th
Halifax (A) Sat 21st
Solihull (H) Tues 24th
Hartlepool (H) Sat 28th

I think third should be our aim, as it's in our own hands. Anything more is a bonus and anything less is disappointing. After the start to the season, we've done well to get back into contention.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

I think third should be our aim, as it's in our own hands. Anything more is a bonus and anything less is disappointing. After the start to the season, we've done well to get back into contention.

Remains to be seen which position is best, 3rd is probably better than 2nd for the playoffs. Wouldn’t want Fylde on a one off game as they’re such an irratic side and you don’t know if they’ll turn up or not. At least you know what you’re getting from the other sides.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Remains to be seen which position is best, 3rd is probably better than 2nd for the playoffs.

Yep, good point. You and Sutton should probably make sure to lose the next game or two and focus on finishing 3rd.

 

[iesty wfc]

BT sports are going to be covering Wrexham Fylde and Sutton Aldershot last day of the season simultaneously i reckon, as i dont think the relegation battle will be as exciting as previous seasons

how long will they hold out before they confirm?

 

[Huntsman94]

Remains to be seen which position is best, 3rd is probably better than 2nd for the playoffs. Wouldn’t want Fylde on a one off game as they’re such an irratic side and you don’t know if they’ll turn up or not. At least you know what you’re getting from the other sides.

Fylde are on an odd one but still think we'd have them in a one off game at home. If it were a two legged playoff I'd think differently.

For me the team to avoid is Aldershot even though I think they've slipped up a bit recently. I still believe we'll get top 3 though given are lenient run in.

 

[LeWhites]

I'd fancy our chances if we actually got to the play offs, just getting there is the problem. We are making ridiculously hard work of it given how comfortable it looked a few weeks ago.

We are at our best away from home against top teams and of the current play off teams we've only lost to Fylde away from home, having beaten Boreham Wood, Aldershot and Tranmere and drawn at Wrexham and Sutton.

 

[DontBringBertie]

BT sports are going to be covering Wrexham Fylde and Sutton Aldershot last day of the season simultaneously i reckon, as i dont think the relegation battle will be as exciting as previous seasons

how long will they hold out before they confirm?

I’d be surprised if the relegation battle didn’t go down to the last day. It’s likely Sutton And Aldershot will both be already in the playoffs by the time they play each other on the last day.

 

[Ronaldo to Wrexham]

I'd fancy our chances if we actually got to the play offs, just getting there is the problem. We are making ridiculously hard work of it given how comfortable it looked a few weeks ago.

We are at our best away from home against top teams and of the current play off teams we've only lost to Fylde away from home, having beaten Boreham Wood, Aldershot and Tranmere and drawn at Wrexham and Sutton.

In fairness most teams draw away to us. Really don't know what to predict as we need to bounce back after our 1st defeat in 16 games so it will be interesting to see the character in the side. Have they got the guts to dig deep or will they sulk after Mondays shocker...assisted by a ref who made sam Allison look competent.

 

[GlynTheMilk]

Hypothetically speaking, the final game of the regular season could see Wrexham needing to beat AFC Fylde in order to face AFC Fylde in the play-offs. Obviously this would mean that AFC Fylde would then win the play-off game BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE RULES.

As such, I would suggest we'll lose the last game of the season, otherwise the predetermined Tranmere 1 (Cook 90'+6) Wrexham 0 (att:89,999) final at Wembley will be in jeopardy.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Based on ppg of last 10 averaged over remaining games. Based on 6 games in brackets. Playoffs would look like;
—
Sutton 84 (84)
Tranmere 81 (81)
—
Boreham Wood 78 (77)
Wrexham 76 (76)
Fylde 74 (76)
Ebbsfleet 73 (76)
—
Aldershot 74 (74)
Dover 71 (72)

 

[Fyldefan]

I’ve really enjoyed this season and would of been more than happy with a top ten finish. But, now we’re getting close to the end I would be disappointed now if we didn’t make the playoffs, especially after dismantling the best sides in the division. The problem we have should we make 7th is that we are terrible away from home. Still it’s been a good season either way. Massiv credit to Macclesfield as well, to have the budget they had and to win the league at a canter is remarkable and to do it playing football as well, you have to applaud that

 

[The_Boss]

We ain't won nothing yet. I think it's very rude that no one is including us in this thread. Like an old boys club this. I don't see what we've done wrong to not get an invite.

Sod you all, we don't want to be part of your stupid little club anyway, we're going for 9th.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

We have to win our 3 home games to make the playoffs, because we're getting nothing at either Tranmere or Sutton.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

We have to win our 3 home games to make the playoffs, because we're getting nothing at either Tranmere or Sutton.

If you'd like to focus all of your efforts into your away games, that'd be grand. You do have the 2nd best away points after all.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

If you'd like to focus all of your efforts into your away games, that'd be grand. You do have the 2nd best away points after all.

Nervous about the mighty Ebbsfleet tomorrow?

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Nervous about the mighty Ebbsfleet tomorrow?

They've a good team, top of the form table and have something to play for, so absolutely!

 

[The_Boss]

Nervous about the mighty Ebbsfleet tomorrow?

Very much so. I've got a horrible feeling we might get a bit of a spanking tomorrow.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

If you'd like to focus all of your efforts into your away games, that'd be grand. You do have the 2nd best away points after all.

The way its going, the games against Tranmere and Sutton may be more important for us than it will be for them

 

[East Bank Shot]

Think we’ll just miss out, and if we do somehow hold on to 7th we’ll get dumped out in the quarter finals (or whatever they’re called now).
It was only 7 weeks ago that we’d have gone top if we had beaten Macc, now we’re looking over our shoulders in serious danger of missing out.

 

[Master D]

We'll miss out on the last day having been in the playoffs for the previous 45 games.

 

[doveranddover]

Except that you lost 2 of your 1st 3 games

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

We'll miss out on the last day having been in the playoffs for the previous 45 games.

While Tranmere could win the league having been top less than 100 hours all season.