Never again

[Andy S]

I never want to play in the play offs again. It shows me that at this level of football it doesn't matter how good the team is or even how bad, everyone has an equal chance of winning. The players in the worst club can and will raise their game. They won't so much cheat but they will stretch the rules as far as they are allowed to stop the other side winning. The better players in the competition will be pushed and kicked and stopped from playing their game. So next season we need to be fit for purpose from day 1 We need to win this league and leave the play offs to somebody else

[uzuccher96]

Sheffield Wednesday was like Reading... Now we'll see if Hud will give us the chance for a revenge next year

Sent from my CHEETAH using Tapatalk

[Woolly Mammoth]

We need to beef up the team I would imagine, and maybe be a little more street wise. It's a learning curve, and hopefully will stand us in good stead for next seasons campaign. Experiencing the play offs would have done us more good than harm I would have thought.

[aaronmcguigan]

At least now we know what's needed for a promotion push. We were kidding ourselves if we ever thought Magath/ Symons or their teams were capable of a promotion challenge even though the target for Symons was playoffs.

We now know a one man team approach like Ross can't cut it, we know the consistency needed and we also know the level our youth players need to be at where sadly Cauley, LVC et al have so far come up short.

It's also Been proven that any drop in for will be pounced on, as in we didn't really get going until the winter, and properly kicking into gear in February. We need to hit the ground running in August and stand up against the rest , as well as providing a plan B.

Slav has also been able to intricately compare two fit capable first team goalkeepers, and can make a judgement early about who needs what improvement or whether to recruit.

Yes there's issues as above, but the fact is , we've shown we can do it, we should be better for the experience, and the hunger needs to still be there come July .

The recruitment needs to be smart, cute and optimistic. Don't go for the Cyriacs of the world when lesser clubs are capable of recruiting proven talent (Abrahams, Wood, et al) along with the best loans we can get. With the loans you can see we are moving in the right direction; from taking Turner, Labyad and Ince compared to Piazon and kalas!

Keep the faith! There's a lot of hard work ahead but we know we're capable of it COYW

[Slaphead in Qatar]

We need a few more McDonald type players. History is littered with good footballing teams who don't win trophies or get promotions.

We need more steely players who can help grind out victories when we are not playing well or playing against stubborn opposition

[AlexW132]

Agreed. The playoffs are for the Premier League tourists, automatic is for those who are serious about staying.

[Lighthouse]

Mentioned many times before but it is the money making possibilities that make the play offs what they are. Personally a league is a league and the best teams should go up. The play offs always have been a pure lottery.

[Plodder]

Mentioned many times before but it is the money making possibilities that make the play offs what they are. Personally a league is a league and the best teams should go up. The play offs always have been a pure lottery.

If we have playoffs, there is a reasonable case that should be more akin to the "Football League test matches" at the end of the 19th century, which involved teams at the bottom of the higher division contesting with high finishers from the lower league.  Thus in the modern era, it could be something like top two in Championship automatically promoted and 19th and 20th two in Premier League automatically relegated, with play offs over two legs between Premiership placed 18th team v Championship 3rd, 17th v 4th and (maybe) 16th v 5th - winners of each tie staying in or being promoted to the Premier League.  One can argue the case for different formats/numbers of teams involved, but the principle of making it some kind of contest between teams from each division is an attractive one.

[Andy S]

The Play offs are only about money. Yes you want to be in them if you haven't won automatic promotion but it is a lottery and you may as well draw numbers out of a hat

[aaronmcguigan]

I would normally say whoever wins in Huddersfield v reading will come straight back down but there are so many poor teams at the bottom Of the premier league... Watford, Burnley , Swansea, Palace are waiting to fall through the trap door and only saved through having 3 other clubs making disastrous decisions and playing worse football. Top 6 in efl could comfortably beat that lot.
Bournemouth and West Brom could be an injury or two away from meltdown too.

[@jolslover]

At least now we know what's needed for a promotion push. We were kidding ourselves if we ever thought Magath/ Symons or their teams were capable of a promotion challenge even though the target for Symons was playoffs.

We now know a one man team approach like Ross can't cut it, we know the consistency needed and we also know the level our youth players need to be at where sadly Cauley, LVC et al have so far come up short.

It's also Been proven that any drop in for will be pounced on, as in we didn't really get going until the winter, and properly kicking into gear in February. We need to hit the ground running in August and stand up against the rest , as well as providing a plan B.

Slav has also been able to intricately compare two fit capable first team goalkeepers, and can make a judgement early about who needs what improvement or whether to recruit.

Yes there's issues as above, but the fact is , we've shown we can do it, we should be better for the experience, and the hunger needs to still be there come July .

The recruitment needs to be smart, cute and optimistic. Don't go for the Cyriacs of the world when lesser clubs are capable of recruiting proven talent (Abrahams, Wood, et al) along with the best loans we can get. With the loans you can see we are moving in the right direction; from taking Turner, Labyad and Ince compared to Piazon and kalas!

Keep the faith! There's a lot of hard work ahead but we know we're capable of it COYW

Abraham was the opposite of proven when Bristol signed him ....

[dhowells21]

At least now we know what's needed for a promotion push. We were kidding ourselves if we ever thought Magath/ Symons or their teams were capable of a promotion challenge even though the target for Symons was playoffs.

We now know a one man team approach like Ross can't cut it, we know the consistency needed and we also know the level our youth players need to be at where sadly Cauley, LVC et al have so far come up short.

It's also Been proven that any drop in for will be pounced on, as in we didn't really get going until the winter, and properly kicking into gear in February. We need to hit the ground running in August and stand up against the rest , as well as providing a plan B.

Slav has also been able to intricately compare two fit capable first team goalkeepers, and can make a judgement early about who needs what improvement or whether to recruit.

Yes there's issues as above, but the fact is , we've shown we can do it, we should be better for the experience, and the hunger needs to still be there come July .

The recruitment needs to be smart, cute and optimistic. Don't go for the Cyriacs of the world when lesser clubs are capable of recruiting proven talent (Abrahams, Wood, et al) along with the best loans we can get. With the loans you can see we are moving in the right direction; from taking Turner, Labyad and Ince compared to Piazon and kalas!

Keep the faith! There's a lot of hard work ahead but we know we're capable of it COYW

Abraham was the opposite of proven when Bristol signed him ....

And the only thing Wood had proven before this season is that he had no talent

[Carborundum]

I'm not as down as the OP on the playoffs.  We finished sixth, making us by one objective measure, the worst club in the playoffs. So to still have a chance of being one of three going up seems pretty good.  If nothing else it extended my season by 10 days.  It's the break before next season I dislike.

Football is to me both a beautiful passing game and equally a physical contest where playing close to the edge of the rules is to be respected.  Stopping the better players from expressing themselves is a fairly large part of what KMaC has gained my applause for this season.

[Jem]

If we can't be first or second I would rather be in the play offs than seventh down.

[Dixie]

I never want to play in the play offs again. It shows me that at this level of football it doesn't matter how good the team is or even how bad, everyone has an equal chance of winning. The players in the worst club can and will raise their game. They won't so much cheat but they will stretch the rules as far as they are allowed to stop the other side winning. The better players in the competition will be pushed and kicked and stopped from playing their game. So next season we need to be fit for purpose from day 1 We need to win this league and leave the play offs to somebody else

Are you bonkers?!!

I have loved this season.

I would genuinely prefer to go up via the playoffs than in second place - we would finally win at Wembley!
The way the season was looking at Christmas was that we would probably finish mid table, but the playoffs gave us something to aim for (top spot was already all but out of reach by then) and by jove, we made it!

[filham]

I was so pleased that we made the play offs , it was a chance for us  and if we have not a team capable of automatic promotion  next season I will again welcome a play off place.

The fact that we were beaten by a team not playing pure football is something we have to contend with all through the season , not just in the play offs,
The type of football we are playing is an absolute joy to watch, 85 goals in a season is a dream, but the question remains is it the type of football that is going to come out on top over a season of Championship football, will not other managers find ways of stopping us.

[bobbo]

The op for me " NEVER AGAIN " applies to me going to the madjeski stadium I hold a blue badge which enabled me to park outside the stadium, it then took and hour and a quarter to get to the M4 after the game .An awful set up there just one single lane road in and out. It's a carsy I'll never go there again.

[Andy S]

What is the difference Dixie. 6th or 7th we are still in the Championship next season. If you go up via the play offs you have a far higher chance of being relegated. That is beaten every week.
And by the way Yes I am Bonkers and proud of it
By all means argue a point but there is an element of immaturity when people start a post with an unnecessary insult