Who will be in the top 7

[masi51]

Not much change though i think the Champions will now come from the top 3

1 Cheltenham
2 Cambridge
3 Bolton
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
4 Morecambe
5Tranmere
6 Newport
7 FGR

 

[masi51]

Not sure about other clubs but Tranmere Rovers have played less league games than Bolton since the end of november and got more points. You really are deluded.

who was deluded Walley lol

 

[FGR Stroud]

Relative form as at Saturday morning 3rd April:
Good recent form > Bolton, Stevenage & Barrow
Poor recent form > FGR & Colchester

 

[Luke Imp]

Newport and Exeter's form giving Orient and Carlisle a sniff (albeit initially having games in hand).

I'm assuming Bradford and Salford will fall just short?

 

[PuB]

Newport and Exeter's form giving Orient and Carlisle a sniff (albeit initially having games in hand).

I'm assuming Bradford and Salford will fall just short?

Carlisle do have a sneaky chance of relegation I’ll give you that.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Our last four home wins have been against the four teams immediately below us, and each one of them have picked up since that defeat.
I'm not confident on finishing above any of them.

 

[E10rifle]

Newport and Exeter's form giving Orient and Carlisle a sniff (albeit initially having games in hand).

I'm assuming Bradford and Salford will fall just short?

Salford are absolute piss, so (hopefully) can’t see them going on a real run. Bradford have every bit as much of a chance as Orient or Carlisle I.e. outsiders. Exeter are the second best team I’ve seen this season so I’m still backing them for a spot in the top 7. Wondering if Forest Green might nosedive and miss out, which would be very sad.

 

[shoddycollins]

Salford are absolute piss, so (hopefully) can’t see them going on a real run. Bradford have every bit as much of a chance as Orient or Carlisle I.e. outsiders. Exeter are the second best team I’ve seen this season so I’m still backing them for a spot in the top 7. Wondering if Forest Green might nosedive and miss out, which would be very sad.

Our commentators on Saturday made the point that it's only really Newport that ourselves and the other teams hoping to get into the playoffs are able to target. Looking at the table I'm not sure I'd quite say Morecambe and FGR are home and dry though. FGR are on poor form and Morecambe's goal difference is well within reach of any of the mentioned teams. It's a bit of a crazy season and given how quickly we went from title favourites to bottom half anyone could yet collapse. I'm sure Orient are more than just outsiders given their form compared to that of the two teams above them. Ourselves and Bradford are pinning our hopes on knowing we have the players to go on a good run. Salford look done unless they can change something, Stevenage have probably too few games left for their surge up the table to end in playoffs but this year has just been strange enough for that to happen.

 

[Chris FGR]

We certainly aren't home and dry.

 

[masi51]

here we go
1 Cheltenham
2 Morecambe
3Cambridge
4Bolton
5 Tranmere
6 Newport
7 Exeter
..............................................................................

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Only a calamitous run of results can deny Cambridge and Cheltenham now. 3rd place and the play offs still a complete lottery.

 

[Chris FGR]

here we go
1 Cheltenham
2 Morecambe
3Cambridge
4Bolton
5 Tranmere
6 Newport
7 Exeter
..............................................................................

We seem to be missing from this.

 

[kieran_vale]

here we go
1 Cheltenham
2 Morecambe
3Cambridge
4Bolton
5 Tranmere
6 Newport
7 Exeter
..............................................................................

Not really a concern of mine but I’d suggest it’s a case of either/or between Newport and Exeter looking at the table with Orient as an outsider.

Of them I would guess at Newport unless Exeter can start finding a bit more cutting edge to their play.

 

[SVH]

Home to Exeter and away to Newport for us next. 4 points from those and we’ll have one foot in league one.

 

[Chris FGR]

Home to Exeter and away to Newport for us next. 4 points from those and we’ll have one foot in league one.

Can you beat both please? Asking for a friend.

 

[Chris FGR]

A lot of teams in contention now, reckon everyone in the top half have got a decent shot at it.

 

[shoddycollins]

Race for the playoffs

65 - Tranmere (6 left +5)
64 -
63 - Morecambe (6 left +1)
62 - FGR (6 left +5)
61 - Newport (7 left +9)
----------------------------------------------------
60 - Exeter (7 left +20)
59 -
58 - Salford (7 left +14), Carlisle (7 left +9), Bradford (7 left +3)
57 - Orient (6 left +3)

Tranmere's form and the fact they're one of the teams with 6 games left means as close as they are to nabbing an automatic spot they also have to have one eye on maintaining a playoff spot. If things don't go as planned for them they could be outside the top 8 this time next week so they're hardly comfortable.

Morecambe's form is also just a little shaky at the moment and again with having played a game more and having poor goal difference they now have to look over their shoulders.

FGR really have gone off the boil at the worst possible time, they don't play on Tuesday either and could find themselves outside the playoffs before they next play.

Newport have started to pick up points again but they're still within reach of a whole host of teams, one of whom they face on Tuesday.

Exeter have been hanging onto the shirt tails of the playoffs for a while now, they've been a touch inconsistent but their goal difference is like an extra point and they must fancy themselves to finish in the top 8.

A couple of wins for Salford have them eyeing up the playoffs. They have a good goal difference too and the division's best defence. If they can put a run together then they too will fancy top 8

Carlisle are trailing behind in the race but they're at least on the best form of the teams mentioned so far and have the opportunity to jump ahead of Newport on Tuesday and have enough goal difference that it could make a difference.

Similarly, Bradford lag behind a bit and don't have such great goal difference but if they keep winning, they as much as the teams above them are just a couple of wins from being in the playoffs.

Orient are a bit of a long shot now thanks to today's defeat and the fact they have played a game more and don't have great goal difference. You can never rule out a team with only a four point gap to make up though and I'm sure they'll keep fighting, they were on great form just a week ago.

I haven't included Port Vale. Top of the form table but a further four points back, a goal difference of only one AND only five games left to play, I can't see it.

My guess, I think Newport will hang on and Morecambe and Tranmere will be able to do enough to stay in the top 8. Exeter will take the place of FGR though, which pretty much guarantees League One football to whoever wins the semi-final not involving Exeter.

 

[denzel ecfc]

I dont know how significant this is but all of our remaining games are against teams with something to play for. Bolton, Newport and FGR; Southend, Grimsby and Barrow (twice).
Of course, knowing us this means nothing, but worth a thought.

 

[shoddycollins]

I dont know how significant this is but all of our remaining games are against teams with something to play for. Bolton, Newport and FGR; Southend, Grimsby and Barrow (twice).
Of course, knowing us this means nothing, but worth a thought.

Barrow probably won't have anything to play for by the last day of the season (they'll be safe by then I'm sure)... The way things are going Southend and Grimsby might already be gone by the time you play them.

 

[hellogregory]

If we’re still within 3 points after the next 3 games, we’ll have done well.

Our next 3 games are tough...

Newport away where we never win.
Port Vale at home, the form team in the league.
Then Bolton away.

If we play like we did today in those games we’ll get 0 points from them.

 

[denzel ecfc]

Barrow probably won't have anything to play for by the last day of the season (they'll be safe by then I'm sure)... The way things are going Southend and Grimsby might already be gone by the time you play them.

We are playing Southend next weekend so they will certainly still be fighting for it with the Tango bounce still a factor

 

[Chris FGR]

I cannot understand how anyone could predict that we’ll drop out of the top 7, we had over 60% possession again today, keep doing that and we’ll have a combined 360% possession over our remaining 6 games.

Yes we aren’t scoring and keep conceding soft goals, but having that much of the ball surely means we’ll win again at some point.

 

[Back in the DHSS]

Tranmere haven’t been playing badly, Cheltenham aside. Recent performances have deserved a few more points.

 

[GTFCfish]

It’s taking that long for FGR to get those easy promotions that Dale Vince spoke about in 2017 that he is rumoured to be looking at replacing the stars on FGR shirts with Supernova’s.

 

[The Terminator]

We've got Harrogate and Barrow this week - need 6 points or our final 5 games will become dead rubbers for us.

 

[Chris FGR]

It’s taking that long for FGR to get those easy promotions that Dale Vince spoke about in 2017 that he is rumoured to be looking at replacing the stars on FGR shirts with Supernova’s.

Clever that tbf.

 

[Boz]

I think Rovers will probably scrape enough points to squeeze into the play-off spots, but can’t see it getting better than that now.

 

[FGR Stroud]

It’s taking that long for FGR to get those easy promotions that Dale Vince spoke about in 2017 that he is rumoured to be looking at replacing the stars on FGR shirts with Supernova’s.

I think you'll find the actual quote was that it would be 'easier' getting promoted in League 2 than from National League.
And so it is:- twice as easy. Four promotions in League 2 and only two from National League.
That also explains why no team promoted from National League has dropped back down in first year but more than one team promoted to League 1 has immediately come crashing back down.

 

[Laker]

I cannot understand how anyone could predict that we’ll drop out of the top 7, we had over 60% possession again today, keep doing that and we’ll have a combined 360% possession over our remaining 6 games.

Yes we aren’t scoring and keep conceding soft goals, but having that much of the ball surely means we’ll win again at some point.

Hello Arsene Wenger.

 

[masi51]

Top 7 Again
1 Cheltenham looking worthy champions
2 Cambridge
3 Bolton
4 Tranmere
5 Exeter
6 Morecambe
7 fgr/ Newport
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