Play Off Chase

[EssEffCee]

Not really. Have to go full strength against Arsenal.

[Noodles34]

47 minutes ago, EssEffCee said:

Not really. Have to go full strength against Arsenal.

Definitely. Though some dins on here will say let’s concentrate I the league and bin this off. 

[Noodles34]

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

[SaintBobby]

Definitely agree we go full strength v Arsenal.

Blasphemy to even think this - but if we are getting well beaten, we will probably give up on the match and make subs with the league in mind.

[BARCELONASAINT]

Before the Fulham game i was all for us concentrating on the league and putting out the youngsters but since the victory at Fulham and the showing yesterday i'm all for putting out our strongest side and then only sub our best players off if the game gets beyond us. We have momentum, lets smash those gooners!

[Disco Stu]

8 hours ago, EssEffCee said:

Not really. Have to go full strength against Arsenal.

It's simply the reality. I'm all for prioritising the Arsenal game but it will come at a cost. We'll have to accept the real possibility that we get trounced by Arsenal AND have to play a weakened team against Wrexham.

Edited Sunday at 23:09 by Disco Stu

[Matthew Le God]

2 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

The former requires beating significantly better teams

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

Personally, I think this is pony. 
 

We have to beat the best side in the country, then maybe the second, third or 4th. 

[Dark Munster]

17 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The former requires beating significantly better teams

Arsenal, yes. But after that Port Vale and Leeds shouldn't be too difficult.

[stknowle]

3 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

What a load of old claptrap 

[CB Fry]

3 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

Jesus wept.

[Dr Who?]

6 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

No hope, Arsenal will dispatch us. We still need to be right on our game to make the playoff. Even after the good run we have been on we are still 3 points off 6th and 6 points off 5th. It is relentless. I just get a feeling we have a wobble in us which will spell the end for us. We do not have this luxury, so let’s hope I’m wrong… please! 🙏 

[sockeye]

6 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

Are Hull planning to do an emergency loan of Barcelona's entire starting 11 or something?

[wild-saint]

Id play the under 15s side against arsenal and give the entire squad a rest. We ain’t winning the fa cup so what’s the point of risking our chances of the play offs. Would really piss off the PL as well particularly if it was on tv. 

[SaintBobby]

We’re measurable - but not overwhelming- odds against making the Play Off Final.

We’re massive odds against making the FA Cup Final.

[Behind Enemy Lines]

28 minutes ago, wild-saint said:

Id play the under 15s side against arsenal and give the entire squad a rest. We ain’t winning the fa cup so what’s the point of risking our chances of the play offs. Would really piss off the PL as well particularly if it was on tv. 

Why would the Premier League be pissed off about an FA Cup game?

If anything, it shows that the Premier League is higher thought of than the cup, if that’s what we did. 

[trousers]

[Noodles34]

We have to win 2 games to make the cup final. We have to win maybe 6 or 7 in the championship then get through another 2 to make the play off final. I know which odds I prefer. 

[UpweySaint]

6 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

We have to win 2 games to make the cup final. We have to win maybe 6 or 7 in the championship then get through another 2 to make the play off final. I know which odds I prefer. 

Any other rationale than the potential number of games? Personally I can’t see us getting past Arsenal. I don’t want us to throw in the kids but my priority would be Wrexham and I wouldn’t be upset to see a few changes to manage the squad accordingly.

[EssEffCee]

8 hours ago, wild-saint said:

Id play the under 15s side against arsenal and give the entire squad a rest. We ain’t winning the fa cup so what’s the point of risking our chances of the play offs. Would really piss off the PL as well particularly if it was on tv. 

Why would that piss the PL off? Wouldn't bother them in the slightest.

The only people that'll piss off is a large chunk of the fanbase.

[CB Fry]

7 hours ago, Noodles34 said:

We have to win 2 games to make the cup final. We have to win maybe 6 or 7 in the championship then get through another 2 to make the play off final. I know which odds I prefer. 

So we hd a better chance of winning the FA Cup this season than getting promoted all along. Before the season started its only 7 games to win the cup so much more likely on your logic.

[Football Special]

First thing we need is Arsenal to get through in champions league this week. Without the distraction of an away 1/4 final in that a few days after our game we'll be stuffed 

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, Football Special said:

First thing we need is Arsenal to get through in champions league this week. Without the distraction of an away 1/4 final in that a few days after our game we'll be stuffed 

They’ve more chance of winning the champions league than the premier league, less games to win 🤣

[Saint86]

18 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Personally, I think this is pony. 
 

We have to beat the best side in the country, then maybe the second, third or 4th. 

With arsenal's fixtures and the international break, we will be playing a 2nd string.

[badgerx16]

Since the founding of the Premier League the cup has been won exclusively by PL teams. If we are going to have a trip to Wembley I would rather it be a game we have a chance of winning, so the league playoffs have to be the priority. However, I would still put out a strong(ish) side against Arsenal as the morale hit from a thrashing might feed negatively into the subsequent matches.

[Chez]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

With arsenal's fixtures and the international break, we will be playing a 2nd string.

Hope so. Gives us half a chance as their first eleven will murder is. Their second string might be something like this:

Kepa
White Mosquera Hincapie Skelly
Dowman Havertz Norgaard
Trousard Jesus Martinelli

 

[Saint Pete]

3 minutes ago, Chez said:

Hope so. Gives us half a chance as their first eleven will murder is. Their second string might be something like this:

Kepa
White Mosquera Hincapie Skelly
Dowman Havertz Norgaard
Trousard Jesus Martinelli

 

Still easily strong enough to tear us a new one if they turn up when you look at that!!

[Barton Saint]

Fulham type team and tactics but the squad is getting thinner game by game and let’s face it, Wrexham away is our cup final 

[Football Special]

20 minutes ago, Chez said:

Hope so. Gives us half a chance as their first eleven will murder is. Their second string might be something like this:

Kepa
White Mosquera Hincapie Skelly
Dowman Havertz Norgaard
Trousard Jesus Martinelli

 

Ouch. I miss the Wenger Out days when Arsenal cup line ups were relatively unknown and beatable 

[SaintLondon]

There is next to no margin for error and I think it'll come down to a point or two so all focus should be on the league but Arsenal should be considered a free hit. Put out a decent team and we surprise a few people by playing well. We lose the game playing well with our heads held high does no damage (IMO) to morale - losing to the PL champions elect. Win and it could very well be the game the catapults us to play offs. For what its worth I think we might just fall short but my eyes are on Hull - I think Wrexham will make it into play offs. 

[Charlie Wayman]

On 15/03/2026 at 15:06, Noodles34 said:

Personally think we have more chance of reaching the FA Cup final than the Play Off final. 

Unlikely, Wrexham, Hull & Millwall are within our grasp, three straight wins now and we could be cemented in the play-offs.

[Charlie Wayman]

2 hours ago, SaintLondon said:

There is next to no margin for error and I think it'll come down to a point or two so all focus should be on the league but Arsenal should be considered a free hit. Put out a decent team and we surprise a few people by playing well. We lose the game playing well with our heads held high does no damage (IMO) to morale - losing to the PL champions elect. Win and it could very well be the game the catapults us to play offs. For what its worth I think we might just fall short but my eyes are on Hull - I think Wrexham will make it into play offs. 

That applies to all but three of the clubs above us as well. If we keep doing what we're doing now more pressure will be on them.

Edited yesterday at 16:25 by Charlie Wayman

[franniesTache]

Time for some over confidence, i think we'll beat arsenal and finish 5th.

Don't know why but i have a weird feeling we'll take arsenal to penalties and win, and in the league i quite fancy our run in compared to Hull and Wrexham's.

So now i've said that we'll be hammered by Arsenal and lose to Oxford and Norwich

[Saint Garrett]

8 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Unlikely, Wrexham, Hull & Millwall are within our grasp, three straight wins now and we could be cemented in the play-offs.

Indeed

75 points should see us comfortably in the playoffs...that's 18 points...6 wins...

win all 9 and we'll go up in 2nd IMO. 😄

Home: Norwich, Oxford, Derby, Bristol City, Blackburn, Ipswich, 

Aways: Wrexham, Swansea, Preston

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

I think a huge amount hangs on the Norwich game. Win that and we're in with a decent shout. 

[macca155]

The number of home games is a bonus. Gives Saints a small edge.

Max possible points for Saints is 84. Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Millwall only need 5 wins and a draw to match that. One at least will manage that so autos aren't realistic. Although if Saints keep the pressure up it may unnerve them

Playoffs are looking good. As others have said 75 points should be enough.

[sfc4prem]

Since lots of you are focusing on how many home games we have, how do we stand results-wise during Tonda's reign at home so far?

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

Since lots of you are focusing on how many home games we have, how do we stand results-wise during Tonda's reign at home so far?

We're actually better away from home! Since we lost 4-0 at Middlesbourgh on 5th Jan we've won 6 and drawn 2, including cup games. At home we've won 4 drew 1 and lost 1.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

57 minutes ago, Turkish said:

We're actually better away from home! Since we lost 4-0 at Middlesbourgh on 5th Jan we've won 6 and drawn 2, including cup games. At home we've won 4 drew 1 and lost 1.

I think we do better when teams attack us vs low block us which they are more likely to do at SMS. 

[die Mannyschaft]

Need Skates to draw at least with Derby cant have another team on same number points in case we drop points.

[Tamesaint]

The Championship is notorious for strange results. Anyone can beat anyone else and bottom beats top. Moreover we are now approaching that time of the season when strange results happen. Eg Blackburn winning at  Millwall. WBA beating Hull this weekend. 

The only thing that we can be sure of is twists and turns before the season  ends. We will have  setbacks but so will everyone else. Hopefully we will have fewer and who knows maybe an automatic position will open up. 

 

 

 

[Andy Hill]

Pompey are dire tonight - how on earth did we manage to draw 2 games with them ?

[Harry_SFC]

7 minutes ago, Andy Hill said:

Pompey are dire tonight - how on earth did we manage to draw 2 games with them ?

It's very annoying. We were in such a crap period when we played them at home. The away game we really should have won. 

[kevdoh]

6 minutes ago, Andy Hill said:

Pompey are dire tonight - how on earth did we manage to draw 2 games with them ?

It's the first ever time I've watched a skate game on tv that hasn't involved us. The place isn't a library it's a morgue 😂 what happened to their self proclaimed bestest fans in the world? It's so quiet all you can hear the players talking to each other and some twat hitting a drum on his own. Portsmyth living up to their name

[suewhistle]

5 hours ago, franniesTache said:

Don't know why but i have a weird feeling we'll take arsenal to penalties and win,

I hope not; I'd never make the last train home. Let's do it in the 90 minutes +ET..

[Mboto Gorge]

4 hours ago, macca155 said:

The number of home games is a bonus. Gives Saints a small edge.

Max possible points for Saints is 84. Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Millwall only need 5 wins and a draw to match that. One at least will manage that so autos aren't realistic. Although if Saints keep the pressure up it may unnerve them

Playoffs are looking good. As others have said 75 points should be enough.

75 points has usually always been the benchmark for Getting into the play offs in my mind. You’ll get in there with that total 90% of the time, maybe more.

[Football Special]

I'm convinced we'll miss out on the play offs on the last day of the season with Derby pipping us to the last place thanks to a last minute Ben Brereton Diaz goal , the football God's will ensure it happens 

[SNSUN]

1 hour ago, Mboto Gorge said:

75 points has usually always been the benchmark for Getting into the play offs in my mind. You’ll get in there with that total 90% of the time, maybe more.

2 points a game ratio then, which I believe without sensibly fact-checking is what Tonda has achieved during his tenure. We just have to keep that up. But without key players it’ll be tougher. 

[SNSUN]

Watford vs Wrexham tonight then.

Come on Mr Still, you have thousands of Saints fans rooting for you! 

[Football Special]

4 hours ago, SNSUN said:

Watford vs Wrexham tonight then.

Come on Mr Still, you have thousands of Saints fans rooting for you! 

A Watford win would also keep them in the play off race , big incentive for them 

Having said that I hear they've been showing signs they're heading for the beach last few games so perhaps they are in season wind down mode 

Edited 13 hours ago by Football Special