Quote Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee View Post
All totally irrelevant and I'll explain why.

In 20 years the highest point tally for 6th at this moment in the season was 68 points (2014/15, Derby and Ipswich both had that in 6th and 7th respectively). That season Ipswich finished 6th with 78 points. Unsurprisingly, the seasons that had the highest points after 40 games generally had the highest points after 46 games.

This season has seen the promotion chasers gaining the 2nd worst number of points in 20 years. Working out averages is pointless. For your info 74 points would suffice, but making any claim that is what will be needed is ludicrous, simply because of the much lower than normal points won.

Flip the thing on its head and say this season has seen teams in and around the top 6 with a far higher points tally. Suppose we had 68 points. Claiming 74 would be enough for a playoff spot would be as equally daft!
I understand the point about it being a low point scoring season for the better teams and that a below average points tally might suffice this season, but I was wondering what was the average points tally of the 7th place team was just out of interest.

I looked at the relegation battle from the Prem a few seasons back and at the time (don't quote me on this as I'm doing it from memory) that if you had 35pts you was more likely to go down than stay up and 36pts you was more likely to stay up than go down.

I thought the interesting stat/target was the likely/average points total of the team in 18th place and not 17th place and likewise in the Championship as regards making the playoffs the likely/average points total of the 7th place team is more salient imo than the likely/average points total of the 6th place team as a side would need to beat the 7th place team points tally to make the playoffs as opposed to targeting trying to match the projected 6th place teams points tally.