Top of the League.

[Selsey Fan]

It makes you wonder, would we have been better without the injuries?!

Probably, but every team gets injuries and that is part of the process............we have been backed by our owners (January signings and Lee Evans) and as noted above have a very good "Rookie" manager. Oh, and that useless set of league two players are quite good too

Ian

[PeteM]

Last night means we can't be caught by 4 points. There are probably more complicated fixture maths but I can't work it out, however I read we need 6 more wins to go up after the Charlton game.

I've tried to do some of the complicated fixture maths!

At this stage I think mathematically we still need eight wins and a draw to be certain of promotion (probably eight wins due to our currently better goal difference). Bolton and Barnsley both have a potential maximum points tally of 102, but as they play each other, can't both reach that tally but could both reach 100 if they draw. Obviously if we get wins against the other contenders that simultaneously reduces the maximum points they can get.

POMPEY 36 76 Max 106 Still to play: Barnsley (H), Peterborough (A), Derby (H), Bolton (A)
Derby 36 69 Max 99 Still to play: Bolton (H), Pompey (A)

Bolton 35 69 Max 102 Still to play: Barnsley (A), Derby (A), Pompey (H), Peterborough (A)
Barnsley 34 66 Max 102 Still to play: Bolton (H), Pompey (A)
P'boro 34 62 Max 98 Still to play: Pompey (H), Bolton (H)

Last season, Plymouth won the title with 101 points, Ipswich came second with 98 and Sheffield Wednesday came third with 96.

I don't think it will actually take 100 points to win the league this season though!

[NSRailings]

Last season, Plymouth won the title with 101 points, Ipswich came second with 98 and Sheffield Wednesday came third with 96.

I don't think it will actually take 100 points to win the league this season though!

Seeing that shows there's still a lot of work to do. Thanks for the maths!

[BlueinPLtwenty]

5 Points ahead of second, another clean sheet, (the eleventh), best away record , undefeated run continues. Still top of the League with 9 games left

10 games undefeated 13th January last defeat

[GreenBlue]

More importantly, 6 points clear of third with 9 to play. Of course we would all love to finish top but ultimately a top 2 is the goal.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Four more wins needed. Moved to 80 points

Another three points, Best Home record in the League. Only Derby have a better goal difference, only four defeats, fewest goals conceded

and still Top of the League

[GreenBlue]

Third placed Bolton now need to better our result by 0.75 points per game, every game, until the end of the season. Each time they fail to do that, the average additional points required per game will grow significantly.

[Pompey1984+1]

Third placed Bolton now need to better our result by 0.75 points per game, every game, until the end of the season. Each time they fail to do that, the average additional points required per game will grow significantly.

Two huge games for us... Derby are at home to Bolton on Saturday too.

I'm just keeping everything crossed Derby don't some how manage to do a Pompey league two style...

[GreenBlue]

Hoping Stevenage do us a favour tonight. A defeat for Posh would not only interrupt their rediscovered run of good form, but would also leave them 12 points behind us with a game in hand but only 9 to play for them.

Sadly though, I cannot see beyond a Peterborough win as Stevenage don't score many goals (only 9 teams in our division have scored fewer) and Posh are joint top scorers.

[GreenBlue]

As things stand...
We are guaranteed a top 10 finish, (useless stat)
We need 5 points to guarantee a top 6 place, (in theory we are pretty much guaranteed that with other teams facing each other.
We need 19 points to guarantee a top 2 place.
We need 20 points to win the league.

All of the above are obviously based on the chasing teams picking up maximum points when they are not facing each other, so as they start dropping points and having fewer games to play, the above requirements for us should start to drop rapidly.

[GreenBlue]

We are also now the only team in the division who could achieve 100 points

[Pompey55]

Hoping Stevenage do us a favour tonight. A defeat for Posh would not only interrupt their rediscovered run of good form, but would also leave them 12 points behind us with a game in hand but only 9 to play for them.

Sadly though, I cannot see beyond a Peterborough win as Stevenage don't score many goals (only 9 teams in our division have scored fewer) and Posh are joint top scorers.

From what I saw of Stevenage they may not have a potent attack but are near the playoffs because they don't concede many, only us and Lincoln have conceded fewer goals
I also felt that Evans sets his team out to spoil (being polite) and think Peterborough don't tend to play well in a highly physical game which is what they will experience tonight

[SportMouth]

We are top due to great defence and some creativity up front when it mattered.
We are top because of other teams; weaknesses, rather than our own brilliance.
In other years we'd be 4th or 5th.....fighting for playoffs,,,,This might be our year
for any number if reasons,,so let's enjoy the ride and not expect too much,
To quote a certain script: /Blessed are they who expecteth nothing,;,, they
will not be disappointed! PUP.

[Sam_Brown]

We are top due to great defence and some creativity up front when it mattered.
We are top because of other teams; weaknesses, rather than our own brilliance.
In other years we'd be 4th or 5th.....fighting for playoffs,,,,This might be our year
for any number if reasons,,so let's enjoy the ride and not expect too much,
To quote a certain script: /Blessed are they who expecteth nothing,;,, they
will not be disappointed! PUP.

Isn’t that always the case? I don’t recall many league 1 teams going on a Man City esque winning run any time recently over the seasons. I think you’re being a little harsh to claim part of the reason we are doing so well is because other teams are crap. Like you said we have a great defense. It might not be pretty to watch sometimes but it gets the job done.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

If the chasing pack average 2 points per game with the games they have left, the answer is very interesting.

Barnsley 70 points 9 to play = 88
Peterborough 71 points 9 to play = 89
Bolton 74 points 8 to play = 90
Derby 75 points 8 to play = 91

Working on the same basis Pompey = 96 or 92 to beat the others

Do we seriously consider that any of those Clubs are going to average more than 2 points a game given that several have to play each other