Originally Posted by
the other bob wilson
If we were in exactly the same position, but with a worse defensive record and, say, thirty two goals scored, i think talk of a possible Play Off place would be a bit more realistic because it is easier to drill a team to be better defensively than it is to up a side's scoring rate.
The fact of the matter is though that we have scored a miserable twenty times in twenty four matches (twenty five if you include the Portsmouth League Cup game). Logically, if we keep on scoring at the rate we are, we would need to probably concede ten or less goals in the rest of our league programme to stand a chance of getting into the top six. The more realistic option would be that our defensive record stays much as it is now and we up our goalscoring significantly by netting something like thirty five to forty times in our final twenty two games.
Can anyone really see us doing either of those things? I'd like to think we can up our goalscoring to a lesser extent, but by enough to keep us above the bottom three. However, especially if the transfer embargo stays in place, we will be asking a side that has shown itself to have very little threat in the final third over the course of more than half a season to discover the ability and belief to improve matters - it might happen, but I'm certainly not convinced on that score after watching our last two matches in particular.