davieG Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Merc Nigel Pearson believes one of three play-off places can be achieved by his Leicester City side. The City boss said that usually at this stage of the season, with just seven games remaining, sides looking to make a late charge for the top half-dozen only have sixth spot to aim for. However, Pearson said this season his side, who are four points away from the play-off places, could still catch fourth-place Brighton, who are just six points ahead. City take on Peterborough United today to end a month which has seen them play eight times in March, and Pearson admits he would have liked more than the 11 points they have so far picked up from a possible 21. However, he said City still have a chance of making the top six. "The league is shaping up quite interestingly now," said Pearson. "There are a number of places available when normally there is only one or two, or just one up for grabs. "There are three that are really up for grabs at the moment. We are on the fringes of that and we will continue to try to make progress. "March has been very hectic. The players have handled the situation very well. We could have been a couple of points better off but we are doing okay. "You would always like more, but we have had some tough games and done well in some, and not quite so well in others. "But I think we are still in with a shout at the moment. We have to finish the season strongly, and there will be a lot of managers saying that about their sides because, if you look at the form table, there are a few teams who have dropped off a bit. "We have tried to take advantage but haven't quite done that, but we are still in there with a chance with seven games to go." Pearson knows that City must get back to winning ways on the road today after four consecutive away defeats, but he will continue with his adventurous 4-3-3 attacking formation "We have to win enough games, whether it is home or away," he said. "Draws are not much good to us at this stage. We go into every game trying to win it. "The three-man attack has worked recently, especially with Ben Marshall behind there, and it gives us a different dimension. He is very versatile and can play across the line. "The players have made the system work pretty well. We have been trying very hard to be as attacking as possible without leaving ourselves too open. "It hasn't always worked but whatever system we play the players are good enough to make it work."
8starstriker8 Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Birmingham are now forth and 7 points ahead of us!!
hbkkids Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 6 points off today, if we win and results go our way it's lookin good, if we win and results don't go are way it looking ok, if we loose it's bad
Happy Fox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Nice positive mentality but delusions of grandeur from NP, if we get into the playoffs that is all I care about. Does it make much of a difference if you finish 4th or 6th? I think not because at the end of the day you play the side in question twice. Interesting point about 4-3-3, do or die from NP because we need results.. whether we have the personell or the quality to play 4-3-3 remains to be seen.
dave the caveman Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 We've been lucky in that the pace has dropped off by two points in the last few weeks. We might now sneak into the playoffs with 74 points, which means we need to win six from the remaining seven. It's still a very tall order and no rational analysis of our form and ability suggests we have even the slightest chance. Ultimately the slowing of the pace at this late stage just makes this season all the more frustrating. We've been given the chance to get up there but haven't taken it. But I suppose you never know. Win the next two games and pure adrelanine might take over.
BrumFox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 we've also not had 4 consecutive away defeats, unless you count that 3-3 draw with blackpool as a defeat? lazy journalism
Babylon Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Nice positive mentality but delusions of grandeur from NP What are you on about?
Milton Keynes Fox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Well it all depends on whether we win today...
Happy Fox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 What are you on about? In the sense that ,positive thinking that we could get 4th place but delusions in that realistically it is not likely , personally if we just get 6th place I will be happy with that anything more won't make much of a difference because at the end of the day you play the side in question twice.
Babylon Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 no rational analysis of our form and ability suggests we have even the slightest chance. Really? Even though over the last 8 games we've taken 7 points more than Cardiff and Hull. Six points more than Blackpool, 5 points more than Birmingham and Boro. Actual statistical analysis (rather than negative guess work) would actually show a similar run of form would get us very close indeed. With a minor upturn for us, or minor downturn for those around us meaning there would be a very real chance of making it. Especially when you factor the number of games our competitors have to play each other still. It's unlikely we will, mainly because we are playing against teams now who will be parking the bus rather than trying to win. Which we have struggled with this year. But contrary to what you put, we do have the slightest chance, in fact more than that going on current form which you dismiss.
Babylon Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 In the sense that ,positive thinking that we could get 4th place but delusions in that realistically it is not likely , personally if we just get 6th place I will be happy with that anything more won't make much of a difference because at the end of the day you play the side in question twice. It's not a delusion of grandeur to think it's possible with the form we are in. You're only saying it because he said it before. But he said it when we'd showed absolutely no kind of form and fans expecting wins.
Foxblogger Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Really? Even though over the last 8 games we've taken 7 points more than Cardiff and Hull. Six points more than Blackpool, 5 points more than Birmingham and Boro. Actual statistical analysis (rather than negative guess work) would actually show a similar run of form would get us very close indeed. With a minor upturn for us, or minor downturn for those around us meaning there would be a very real chance of making it. Especially when you factor the number of games our competitors have to play each other still. It's unlikely we will, mainly because we are playing against teams now who will be parking the bus rather than trying to win. Which we have struggled with this year. But contrary to what you put, we do have the slightest chance, in fact more than that going on current form which you dismiss. In March Leicester have gained just two points on Brighton, Birmingham and Middlesbrough, the teams that matter right now. Picking up 11 points from the final 21 available (ie. replicating exactly what City have just done in their last seven) will be nowhere near good enough. It's not unreasonable to say that Leicester's chances of catching up range from very slim to none. http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/D1/march.html
Happy Fox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 It's not a delusion of grandeur to think it's possible with the form we are in. You're only saying it because he said it before. But he said it when we'd showed absolutely no kind of form and fans expecting wins. Well it really depends if you glass is half empty or full, I just cannot see us getting 4th place, no matter what form we are in albeit very good, we are 7 points behind Brum who have a far superior goal difference we would need to do the improbable win 3 games on the spin, hope the sides above us keep on faltering. So realistically it isn't going to happen as much as I would love it to. Getting 6th place is realistic. Anyway does it really make a difference if you finish 4th?, okay your second leg is a home game so might make an albeit slight advantage.
Petchy Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 I love how 'delusions of grandeur' is now being used by a lot of people on here just because of one interview, most are using it out of context too.
LCFC_Peter Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 We need to win at least 6 so a draw today will be ok a win today will be great
Milton Keynes Fox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 could be 1 point come the end of the day How?
dave the caveman Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Really? Even though over the last 8 games we've taken 7 points more than Cardiff and Hull. Six points more than Blackpool, 5 points more than Birmingham and Boro. Actual statistical analysis (rather than negative guess work) would actually show a similar run of form would get us very close indeed. With a minor upturn for us, or minor downturn for those around us meaning there would be a very real chance of making it. Especially when you factor the number of games our competitors have to play each other still. It's unlikely we will, mainly because we are playing against teams now who will be parking the bus rather than trying to win. Which we have struggled with this year. But contrary to what you put, we do have the slightest chance, in fact more than that going on current form which you dismiss. We've picked up 14pts from the last 8 which is an average of 1.75ppg. If we continue with this form to the end of the season we will finish on 68.25points. Which means current 6th place need just seven points from seven games to guarantee they will finish above us. Your "actual statistical analysis" relies on almost all of the teams above us finishing the season with sixteen games of relegation form. Are you are on drugs? In the real world we will need to get to at least 74 points. That means our form needs to be much, much better than it has been in the last eight. We need six wins from seven, as I said.
Simmo86 Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 could be 1 point come the end of the day New rules? 5 points for a win?
sphericalfox Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Really? Even though over the last 8 games we've taken 7 points more than Cardiff and Hull. Six points more than Blackpool, 5 points more than Birmingham and Boro. Actual statistical analysis (rather than negative guess work) would actually show a similar run of form would get us very close indeed. With a minor upturn for us, or minor downturn for those around us meaning there would be a very real chance of making it. Especially when you factor the number of games our competitors have to play each other still. It's unlikely we will, mainly because we are playing against teams now who will be parking the bus rather than trying to win. Which we have struggled with this year. But contrary to what you put, we do have the slightest chance, in fact more than that going on current form which you dismiss. Oh oh, that's sound like it's on verging on the optimistic!!
shade Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 realistically, there is absolutely zero chance we will make the play offs. if you believe this team can win 6 out of 7 games in a row, you're deluded!
Mark 'expert' Lawrenson Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 realistically, there is absolutely zero chance we will make the play offs. if you believe this team can win 6 out of 7 games in a row, you're deluded! No, not deluded but always hopeful, and hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things (taken from Shawshank Redemption ) how can there be zero chance when there are 7 games to go, 21 points to play for? Unlikely I know but there is still a chance! If we somehow win our next 2 games things may look a little different, we could maybe be 3 points behind with 5 to play, and then have a great chance of 6th spot. Lets just see what today brings.
The People's Hero Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Pearson has caught the LCFC media bug. Probably been rubbing shoulders too much with Neil Danns. Less talky - more walky. Lets not discuss how it might be nice to actually win some games and make the play offs, and get on with doing it, eh?
Tielemans63 Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Pearson has caught the LCFC media bug. Probably been rubbing shoulders too much with Neil Danns. Less talky - more walky. Lets not discuss how it might be nice to actually win some games and make the play offs, and get on with doing it, eh? Amen. Talk like this has prob done more harm than good this season. All this talk of promotion, you don't deserve to get promotion if you can't win 3 games on the bounce!
The People's Hero Posted 31 March 2012 Posted 31 March 2012 Amen. Talk like this has prob done more harm than good this season. All this talk of promotion, you don't deserve to get promotion if you can't win 3 games on the bounce! Its every poxy week as well. I can only remember it being worse with Rob Kelly in charge losing every week and 2 or 3 players coming out each and every week promising to re-double efforts on the training ground and Rob Kelly insisiting they were a 'smashing bunch of lads'. They might well have been sound and I'd no doubt enjoy a beer out with them, but they were sh it weren't they?
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