National League Play-off Thread 2017/18

[getoutofit]

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

Didn't know we'd even been top at all.

I don't think your lot picking up less than 7 points from the last 12 on offer is inconceivable. The far fetched, ridiculous part would be us winning the required number of games to overtake you and steal the title (probably all of them). If you'd supported tranmere a long time and knew them inside out like i do, you'd know why this simply wouldn't happen. It's hard to explain to 'outsiders', as fans always moan about their own teams being perpetually unlucky or just perpetually shit, but i'll try to condense it all into one simple equation that's yet to be proven wrong in 27 years and counting:

Tranmere + needing to do the business when it really matters = nope.

 

[doveranddover]

Nope. 2nd once
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/tranmere-rovers/league-progress

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Didn't know we'd even been top at all.

I don't think your lot picking up less than 7 points from the last 12 on offer is inconceivable. The far fetched, ridiculous part would be us winning the required number of games to overtake you and steal the title (probably all of them). If you'd supported tranmere a long time and knew them inside out like i do, you'd know why this simply wouldn't happen. It's hard to explain to 'outsiders', as fans always moan about their own teams being perpetually unlucky or just perpetually shit, but i'll try to condense it all into one simple equation that's yet to be proven wrong in 27 years and counting:

Tranmere + needing to do the business when it really matters = nope.

Think you were top for 5 minutes back in February midgame. The <100 hours would be you going top with your game in hand on the last Tuesday. If there's one team with the squad (also decent fixtures) to win 7 games in 22 days, it's you lot.

 

[Ronaldo to Wrexham]

Whilst Macclesfield and now aldershot and other top sides fight to the end and get late winners, our lot some how continue to snatch draws from the jaws of victory, and still seem to have no idea why it keeps happening. .. if you invite pressure after going ahead time and time again it is inevitable, and is why we will miss out on the play-offs.

 

[Huntsman94]

Think you were top for 5 minutes back in February midgame. The <100 hours would be you going top with your game in hand on the last Tuesday. If there's one team with the squad (also decent fixtures) to win 7 games in 22 days, it's you lot.

I actually sort of agree. The big ones are home to Aldershot and away to Dover. If we win both of those then weirdly I still think we have a shot at the title just on the basis of your remaining games being tricky.

Boreham Wood (a)
Orient (h)
Eastleigh (a)
Dagenham (h)

Tough run of game that. That all said Aldershot are fighting for that third spot and Dover ware wanting to make the playoffs so those two games we have will be very very tough.

 

[DontBringBertie]

Boreham Wood is a tough game, not sure the other ones are though. Two mid table teams at home with nothing to play for.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Boreham Wood is a tough game, not sure the other ones are though. Two mid table teams at home with nothing to play for.

Orient are top of the away form table, Eastleigh are our bogey team, and Dagenham still appear to be quite decent (and might have something to play for).

 

[DontBringBertie]

Orient are top of the away form table, Eastleigh are our bogey team, and Dagenham still appear to be quite decent (and might have something to play for).

You’ll be fine. Doubt Tranmere will win every game either.

 

[E10rifle]

Boreham Wood is a tough game, not sure the other ones are though. Two mid table teams at home with nothing to play for.

We’re W8 D2 L2 in our last 12 away games. Don’t ask about our home form, though - you have to be complete and utter shit to lose at Brisbane Road.

 

[Leewilson]

Update 1

3rd) Aldershot - 71
Maidenhead (H) WON
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.
Update1: Essential late win. 2 more wins to make sure.

4th) Tranmere - 70
Chester (A) WON
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.
Update1: Looking very comfortable for 2nd or 3rd.

5th) Boreham Wood - 69
Halifax (A) LOST
Macclesfield (H)
Chester (H)
Bromley (A)
Guiseley (H)
Initial verdict: No problem for these lot. Probably a 4th/5th finish on the cards.
Update1: Damaging loss. If they lose to Macc, it’ll be a nervy end.

6th) Wrexham - 69
Eastleigh (A) DRAW
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.
Update1: Will too many draws cost them?

7th) Fylde - 68
Sutton (H) WON
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.
Update: Cracking win gives them a great chance. Final game vs Wrexham is looking like the decider.

8th) Dover - 67
Torquay (H) WON
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.
Update1: Vital win. In their hands looking at their fixtures.

9th) Ebbsfleet - 61
Macclesfield (H) DRAW
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.
Update1: Little margain for error now. Need to win 5/6 ideally. Looking too big an ask.

10th) Bromley - 60
Gateshead (H) DRAW
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.
Update1: Damaging draw. Need 5/6 now. Possible due to fixtures but looking more unlikely now.

11th) Daggers - 59
Woking (H) DRAW
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.
Update1: Blew a golden chance to move into contention. Looking too big an ask now.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

Two more wins gets us somewhere 5th to 7th. Probably only need 2 wins and 2 draws to get 3rd if we beat Aldershot though.

 

[Fyldefan]

I like your write up lee. I can’t see the Wrexham game, for us anyway deciding anything. I think we’ll know before that whether we’re in or not

 

[GlynTheMilk]

I like your write up lee. I can’t see the Wrexham game, for us anyway deciding anything. I think we’ll know before that whether we’re in or not

You're thinking like somebody who's been outside of the play-offs all season; will you scrape in, or miss out? Those of us who've been in the play-offs for some time are considering the nuances; will we manage to get home advantage, will any away fixtures have acceptable catering, that kind of thing.

Looking at Wrexham's recent form, I'm starting to think of it more in your terms; sod where we finish within the playoffs, just finish in the playoffs.

Due to their ability to make traditionally bigger sides lie back and have their belly tickled, I think AFC Fylde may be the team to avoid.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

Two more wins gets us somewhere 5th to 7th. Probably only need 2 wins and 2 draws to get 3rd if we beat Aldershot though.

With your games in hand you could probably afford a draw against us. If by some miracle we beat you it could get interesting though!

For us its simple - beat Gateshead and Barrow at home and we'll be in the playoffs. Don't win both and we're relying on other results.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

With your games in hand you could probably afford a draw against us. If by some miracle we beat you it could get interesting though!

For us its simple - beat Gateshead and Barrow at home and we'll be in the playoffs. Don't win both and we're relying on other results.

I’m very curious if it will be as open as our 4 games were last season. All fixtures were crackers last year.

 

[Fyldefan]

we’re poor away from home though Glyn so I think should we make the playoffs our only real chance would be to finish 2nd or 3rd and that just ain’t going to happen

 

[Tranmerewhite]

we’re poor away from home though Glyn so I think should we make the playoffs our only real chance would be to finish 2nd or 3rd and that just ain’t going to happen

Especially as you’d have to win probably 2 away games and the game at Wembley.

This new playoff system should see more teams that finish 2nd or 3rd promoted, but it keeps a bigger section of the league interested for longer.

 

[Fyldefan]

Yeah completely agree Tranmerewhite. It’s a tall ask to get promoted if you finish 6th or 7th

 

[fifaking]

Looking at Wrexham's recent form, I'm starting to think of it more in your terms; sod where we finish within the playoffs, just finish in the playoffs.

Yep definitely. Given we're struggling to score again, conceding from set pieces regularly, and our fixtures (Ebbsfleet, Dagenham, an in-form Orient, and Fylde); I would take 7th right now.

 

[Railway Blue]

Also not sure why we are in this.

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

You only beat us with a goal that followed a foul and a goal that was 4 yards offside. I think you've got nerves though. You're far from one of the better sides we've played this season.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

You only beat us with a goal that followed a foul and a goal that was 4 yards offside. I think you've got nerves though. You're far from one of the better sides we've played this season.

I saw some of your fans claim this. Besides the fact no one is near Astles when he throws himself to the ground or when he passes it to Norwood.

Let’s not mention the studs up challenge on Tollitt first half or the blatant push on Connor Jennings in the box first half.

Not really bothered, we could have scored 5 and didn’t need to get out of second gear.

 

[Railway Blue]

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.

Yes you looked a bit meh when we took our only point in 2018.

 

[Reremnart]

You only beat us with a goal that followed a foul and a goal that was 4 yards offside. I think you've got nerves though. You're far from one of the better sides we've played this season.

I, for one, was not expecting too much from our guys in Saturday as we are usually poor after an enforced lay off and so it proved especially in the first half, during which we really should have been playing against 10 ten because how Anderson stayed on the pitch after that disgraceful challenge on Toillet I don`t know. Had that been one of ours the red card would have been out like a shot probably Once we scored the first there was no way Chester were going to score so it was job done. We did enough to win and we didn`t exactly have to pull up any trees to do it.

 

[simsini]

I'd say it's just about beyond us now. The game on Saturday was poor from both sides. We created slightly more, but Gateshead came for a point and we didn't play to our potential at all.

 

[Boz]

I'd say it's just about beyond us now. The game on Saturday was poor from both sides. We created slightly more, but Gateshead came for a point and we didn't play to our potential at all.

Why don’t Rees and Dennis start for Bromley now? Although he missed a good chance to earn you a point at Prenton Park, Josh Rees was the player that stood out in a positive way for you in that game.

 

[The_Boss]

I see we're still not being included here.

Old Boys Play-Off Club.

 

[Tranmerewhite]

I see we're still not being included here.

Old Boys Play-Off Club.

Don’t worry, I think you’ll sneak 2nd.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

I’m very curious if it will be as open as our 4 games were last season. All fixtures were crackers last year.

Apart from when we disintegrated in the playoff first leg we've played pretty well against you. Even earlier this season was one of our better home performances (albeit we played you at a good time). Waddock only knows one way so if you play as you usually do against us I can't see it ending 0-0

 

[Railway Blue]

I saw some of your fans claim this. Besides the fact no one is near Astles when he throws himself to the ground or when he passes it to Norwood.

Let’s not mention the studs up challenge on Tollitt first half or the blatant push on Connor Jennings in the box first half.

Not really bothered, we could have scored 5 and didn’t need to get out of second gear.

Astles does not throw himself to the ground. He is the one player this season that has given honest performances apart from the youngsters. If he went down he was fouled.

 

[getoutofit]

You only beat us with a goal that followed a foul and a goal that was 4 yards offside. I think you've got nerves though. You're far from one of the better sides we've played this season.

You're surely not daft enough to think any team, particularly one at this level, can possibly put on a vintage display every single game of the season? Macclesfield will win the league having scraped lots of wins, sometimes to the amazement of even their own fans. Many opposition fans will probably tell you Macclesfield didn't look anything special when they beat them, but that's because you don't need to be anything special to win this league, you just need to get the job done more often than not. Lincoln were similar last season, very efficient and very organised. We're set to be the nearly men again, because of fine margins during the course of a long season, not because we don't outclass every team we play. Nobody does that.