Remaining ‘in the hunt’ for the play-offs: what do we need to do?

The last two weeks of my life as a Leeds United fan have been possibly the most frustrating since our last flirtation with financial turmoil. Credit must go to GFH who have, against the odds, trumped relegations, play-off final defeats and Bates-induced fits of rage to earn their place at the top of a long list of Leeds United low points. There has been frenzied media coverage of the chaos at Elland Road in recent times, and our sincere thanks go to @PhilHayYEP and @APOPEY for their attempts to keep the fans informed. This week at @LUFC_Calypso, we thought we would put the takeover madness to one side and focus on what really matters – the football. Can we still hope to sneak into the play-offs or should we consolidate for next season? Can McDermott rally the troops given the uncertainty surrounding his position? Brian has repeatedly stated that Leeds must be ‘in the hunt’ with 10 games to go, so we take a look at our next 7 games and what needs to be done to ensure this is the case.

The Championship tables for the last six seasons make very interesting viewing. The required points tally for 6^th place is generally getting lower and 68 points, the lowest tally since the Championship’s inception, was enough last year to take Palace into the play-offs. The average for the last six seasons has been 72 points, 30 more than we currently have with 17 games to go, and so the focus must be on securing as much as possible from the next 7 fixtures. The last 10 games are notoriously unreliable; clubs struggling for survival can take points from those further up the division and consequently a run of wins before Easter can push a team from mid-table obscurity to promotion favourites. Now more than ever is the time when momentum, good or bad, can swell to feverish proportions and as fans we must play our part in creating this buzz. McDermott is undoubtedly the perfect man to engender this spirit within our players, shown by Reading’s run of 8 wins to lift them from mid-table to Champions two years ago. There are a plethora of ifs involved in such an ascent but, if Ross keeps scoring, if the takeover is completed and if McDermott can keep his job then positivity may break out and 18-20 points from the last 10 games could become a realistic target.

That leaves the next 7 games. Between now and 22^nd March, we play Brighton (A), Middlesbrough (A), QPR (A), Bolton (H), Reading (H), Burnley (A) and Millwall (H). Crucially, 5 of these 7 games are against top 12 opposition, and any aspirations of a top 6 place rest on our success against those around us. Our away form has been notoriously bad the last 2 seasons (perhaps the players struggle without a throng of Yorkshire noise behind them) and so particular importance rests on the home fixture against Reading, a team that currently rests in the coveted 6^th spot. Victory in this fixture, a point from each of the difficult top 12 clashes and at least one win against Bolton and Millwall is absolutely essential. McDermott knows Reading better than most others, and the mouth salivates at the dream of the ‘Oh Brian McDermott’ chant in full swing as we run riot against the last team to give Brian the boot.

Whatever the outcome of the next 7 games, we need to find a consistency in performance that has been lacking thus far this season. There have been times when our displays have matched those of Leicester, QPR or any other team with genuine promotion hopes, but all too often we have buckled to less formidable opponents. We are confident that consistency in the next 7 games will leave us in a position to challenge and who knows, the run-in could be every bit as nail-biting as the takeover tension we’re consumed with at the moment.

Do you think Leeds United can make the top 6? Which games do you consider the ‘must-wins’ over the next 6 weeks? As always, we love to hear your thoughts and comments – tweet us at @LUFC_Calypso.