Rival Watch

[Zip]

All the bottom three are averaging less than a point per game. We will definitely be safe on 50 points.
WBA sixth in the live table 6 points ahead of us.

If we were to win our next two.........

Our main problem is we're no good at beating decent teams. So even if we race to 47, we'll probably then go on a barren spell and still end up ~16th

Very likely. It will probably be a,very dull end to the season with not much to play for but if that's the case I hope Ince becomes more attack minded.

[Snowflake Royal]

All the bottom three are averaging less than a point per game. We will definitely be safe on 50 points.
WBA sixth in the live table 6 points ahead of us.

If we were to win our next two.........

Our main problem is we're no good at beating decent teams. So even if we race to 47, we'll probably then go on a barren spell and still end up ~16th

We could be three points off the play offs at 10:30pm Friday night. Come on man let’s have a bit of positivity.

Losing in the Play Offs sucks.
Narrowly missing out on the Play Offs sucks
The idea of trying to build a PL team from this starting point sucks
As does getting beaten every week in the PL next season.

But the one time we finished midtable in the last decade, we had a good next season. It’s realistic and it gives us a good base to build on, without setting unrealistic expectations. I'll be happiest finishing 10th to 16th this season.

[Mr Angry]

There are, effectively, 3 mini leagues in the Championship now; take away the top 2 who are getting automatic promotion, you have 3rd to 10th who are battling for the play offs, then 11th to 19th who are all going to be playing Championship football next season, and then the bottom 5, 3 of whom are getting relegated.

After the results of the last couple of nights, I don't think it's overly optimistic or over confident to state that we aren't going down this season.

[Stranded]

All the bottom three are averaging less than a point per game. We will definitely be safe on 50 points.
WBA sixth in the live table 6 points ahead of us.

If we were to win our next two.........

Our main problem is we're no good at beating decent teams. So even if we race to 47, we'll probably then go on a barren spell and still end up ~16th

Completely agree but it might actually be a fun end to the season if we do get to 47 after the next two, are safe and take the handbrake off for the last 13 games.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

There are still plenty of games to go and we look as if we are in that band of teams where we only need a good run and suddenly we can throw our names in the ring for an outside chance of the play offs, although I very much doubt we will finishing in there.

It would be nicer that we could look to be optimistic and try and make a late charge for the play offs in the final 10~ games rather than worrying about what points we might want/need to ensure survival.

[NathStPaul]

There are still plenty of games to go and we look as if we are in that band of teams where we only need a good run and suddenly we can throw our names in the ring for an outside chance of the play offs, although I very much doubt we will finishing in there.

It would be nicer that we could look to be optimistic and try and make a late charge for the play offs in the final 10~ games rather than worrying about what points we might want/need to ensure survival.

[paultheroyal]

Great results for us last night - 2 wins in next 2 games you would actually think that would be enough as that will open up a 12 point gap and game in hand over one team and 16 over another so that will be 2 gone...

[Stranded]

There are, effectively, 3 mini leagues in the Championship now; take away the top 2 who are getting automatic promotion, you have 3rd to 10th who are battling for the play offs, then 11th to 19th who are all going to be playing Championship football next season, and then the bottom 5, 3 of whom are getting relegated.

After the results of the last couple of nights, I don't think it's overly optimistic or over confident to state that we aren't going down this season.

Think Sheffield United are beginning to look a bit nervously at Boro esp. After the match just gone.

[Sutekh]

Great results for us last night - 2 wins in next 2 games you would actually think that would be enough as that will open up a 12 point gap and game in hand over one team and 16 over another so that will be 2 gone...

Current table

P Team GP W D L F A GD Pts Form
1 Burnley 31 20 9 2 62 27 35 69 WWWWD
2 Sheff Utd 31 18 7 6 52 27 25 61 WWDWL
====================================================
3 Middlesbrough 32 16 6 10 53 37 16 LWWWW
4 Luton 31 13 11 7 39 31 8 50 WWWDD
5 Sunderland 31 13 9 9 46 33 13 48 LWDWW
6 Watford 32 12 11 9 38 35 3 47 DLDDD
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
7 Millwall 30 13 7 10 36 30 6 46 LWDWL
8 Blackburn 31 14 4 13 33 37 -4 46 LDDDD
9 Norwich 31 13 6 12 43 36 7 45 WWLLW
10 West Brom 31 12 9 10 40 33 7 45 WLWLD
11 Coventry 31 11 9 11 33 33 0 42 LWLDW
12 Swansea 31 11 9 11 45 46 -1 42 WDLLW
13 Hull 32 11 8 13 38 47 -9 41 LWWDL
14 Preston North End 31 11 8 12 28 37 -9 41 LWLLD
15 Reading 31 12 5 14 35 46 -11 41 DLDLW
16 Bristol City 31 10 10 11 41 40 1 40 WDWWD
17 QPR 32 10 9 13 33 43 -10 39 DLDLL
18 Birmingham 31 10 8 13 36 40 -4 38 LLWWL
19 Stoke 31 10 7 14 36 38 -2 37 LWLDW
20 Rotherham 31 7 12 12 34 42 -8 33 WDDDL
21 Cardiff 32 8 8 16 24 36 -12 32 LLLLW
====================================================
22 Wigan 31 7 9 15 29 50 -21 30 DLDWD
23 Huddersfield 31 7 7 17 28 42 -14 28 LDDLL
24 Blackpool 31 6 10 15 31 47 -16 28 LLDDL

Would suggest the bottom 3 are being fairly consistent only 1 win in 15 games between them and that was Wigan v Huddersfield.

Weekend fixtures in the Championship:

Friday

Cardiff City v Reading

Saturday

Millwall v Sheffield United (lunch time kick off)
Blackburn Rovers v Swansea City
Blackpool v Stoke City
Huddersfield Town v Birmingham City
Hull City v Preston North End
Luton Town v Burnley
Middlesbrough v Queens Park Rangers
Rotherham United v Coventry City
Sunderland v Bristol City
Wigan Athletic v Norwich City

Monday

Watford v West Brom

[Brogue]

I fancy us at home against anyone. it's our away form that's stopped us from being up there.

our remaining away fixtures are
Cardiff (21st)
Boro (3rd)
Blackburn (8th)
Bristol (16th)
Preston (14th)
Cov (11th)
Huddersfield (23rd)

Other than boro and Blackburn there are a lot of winnable games there - if we can just sort out our away form.

Our remaining home fixtures are

Blackpool (24th)
Sheff utd (2nd)
Millwall (7th)
Hull (13th)
Birmingham (18th)
Burnley (1st)
Luton (4th)
Wigan (22nd)

Again other than Burnley who hopefully will take their foot off the gas by the time we play them and sheff utd whose form has fallen off a cliff, all very winnable games.

The average position of the away fixtures remaining are 14th
The average position of the Home fixtures remaining are 11th
The average position of the remaining Home and away fixtures combined are 13th

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Yeah it's a decent spread of games and, if we are to finish anywhere the play offs this season, then our away form definitely has to improve and we need to be taking points in a lot of those games, particularly beating some of the teams that already occupy those places like Luton, Millwall and possibly Sheff United at home.

It's a bit of a pipe dream though at the moment and we'd need to probably win our next 2 fixtures for it to become part of the conversation.

[Stranded]

Yeah it's a decent spread of games and, if we are to finish anywhere the play offs this season, then our away form definitely has to improve and we need to be taking points in a lot of those games, particularly beating some of the teams that already occupy those places like Luton, Millwall and possibly Sheff United at home.

It's a bit of a pipe dream though at the moment and we'd need to probably win our next 2 fixtures for it to become part of the conversation.

Let's just get through tomorrow night first. We are a very streaky team, capable of winning 2 or 3 on the bounce, then only picking up 2 or 3 points from the next 5. So even if we do manage wins tonight and v Blackpool, then whilst a charge would be on, we are more likely to then slip back again then push on*.

*unless the pressure of staying up is released and we just decide to go for it and see what happens.

[Crowbar6753]

Yeah it's a decent spread of games and, if we are to finish anywhere the play offs this season, then our away form definitely has to improve and we need to be taking points in a lot of those games, particularly beating some of the teams that already occupy those places like Luton, Millwall and possibly Sheff United at home.

It's a bit of a pipe dream though at the moment and we'd need to probably win our next 2 fixtures for it to become part of the conversation.

Let's just get through tomorrow night first. We are a very streaky team, capable of winning 2 or 3 on the bounce, then only picking up 2 or 3 points from the next 5. So even if we do manage wins tonight and v Blackpool, then whilst a charge would be on, we are more likely to then slip back again then push on*.

*unless the pressure of staying up is released and we just decide to go for it and see what happens.

This exactly, i really don't think we'll need 50 points for safety, however when we finally reach the late 40s i would really like to see us pick a formation that we intend to move forward with and start to utilize some of these fringe players so as to see if these guys can maybe play a part in a fresh new young and hungry team next season.

Let's face it, there's a lot of talk about play-offs on here, who in there right mind would want to go up with this current bunch of players!! we'd get annihilated by the likes of Arsenal, City etc....
I would much prefer us to slowly build a team that is capable of something in the top flight much like our 106 team who carried the 106 season over into the Premier and it still seems surreal that we just missed out on European football in the final game of that season.

[Elm Park Kid]

You guys crack me up.

It seems that the club is always just one missed/taken chance away from either being relegation/play off candidates. PInce is always just one lucky/unlucky deflection away from being a decent/shit manager.

We just about beat a weak Rotherham side. We showed why we're not going to get involved in a relegation battle and also why we're not going to be spend much time in the top half of the table. We'll probably go out and put 10 men behind the ball tomorrow, and the result will come down to luck. We'll probably then push Blackpool a bit next weekend and hopefully get the win, maybe not. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, fans will moan about team selection when we lose, over hype our good players when we win. Season will either peter out as we have nothing to play for or we'll relax and start playing some decent, attacking football once then weight has been lifted. Either way - we're finishing between 12 and 18th.

[paultheroyal]

Now we need a Mcdermott esque run like we had in "that season".

[Snowflake Royal]

Yeah it's a decent spread of games and, if we are to finish anywhere the play offs this season, then our away form definitely has to improve and we need to be taking points in a lot of those games, particularly beating some of the teams that already occupy those places like Luton, Millwall and possibly Sheff United at home.

It's a bit of a pipe dream though at the moment and we'd need to probably win our next 2 fixtures for it to become part of the conversation.

Let's just get through tomorrow night first. We are a very streaky team, capable of winning 2 or 3 on the bounce, then only picking up 2 or 3 points from the next 5. So even if we do manage wins tonight and v Blackpool, then whilst a charge would be on, we are more likely to then slip back again then push on*.

*unless the pressure of staying up is released and we just decide to go for it and see what happens.

This exactly, i really don't think we'll need 50 points for safety, however when we finally reach the late 40s i would really like to see us pick a formation that we intend to move forward with and start to utilize some of these fringe players so as to see if these guys can maybe play a part in a fresh new young and hungry team next season.

Let's face it, there's a lot of talk about play-offs on here, who in there right mind would want to go up with this current bunch of players!! we'd get annihilated by the likes of Arsenal, City etc....
I would much prefer us to slowly build a team that is capable of something in the top flight much like our 106 team who carried the 106 season over into the Premier and it still seems surreal that we just missed out on European football in the final game of that season.

Yep. The one scenario I wouldn’t find finishing below 16th a bit despressing at this point is if we make safety and then all out try stuff for next season, throwing games to the likes of Abrefa, Craig (did he go on loan?) Camara, Azeez, NGW, Mbengue, Ehib, Abbey, Boyce-Clarke... not all at once, but rotating a belnd through.

If they get the chance and lose, that's fine. It's development.

[Stranded]

Yeah it's a decent spread of games and, if we are to finish anywhere the play offs this season, then our away form definitely has to improve and we need to be taking points in a lot of those games, particularly beating some of the teams that already occupy those places like Luton, Millwall and possibly Sheff United at home.

It's a bit of a pipe dream though at the moment and we'd need to probably win our next 2 fixtures for it to become part of the conversation.

Let's just get through tomorrow night first. We are a very streaky team, capable of winning 2 or 3 on the bounce, then only picking up 2 or 3 points from the next 5. So even if we do manage wins tonight and v Blackpool, then whilst a charge would be on, we are more likely to then slip back again then push on*.

*unless the pressure of staying up is released and we just decide to go for it and see what happens.

This exactly, i really don't think we'll need 50 points for safety, however when we finally reach the late 40s i would really like to see us pick a formation that we intend to move forward with and start to utilize some of these fringe players so as to see if these guys can maybe play a part in a fresh new young and hungry team next season.

Let's face it, there's a lot of talk about play-offs on here, who in there right mind would want to go up with this current bunch of players!! we'd get annihilated by the likes of Arsenal, City etc....
I would much prefer us to slowly build a team that is capable of something in the top flight much like our 106 team who carried the 106 season over into the Premier and it still seems surreal that we just missed out on European football in the final game of that season.

I don't think anyone truly expects and anticipates this squad making the play-offs but you know what if they did then yes I would want to go up and just see what the hell happens. This squad won't be the squad we have next year regardless of which division we are. We are probably going to have to sign 15 or so players this summer - in the 0.0000001% chance that they did go up a sensible squad rebuild based on getting in top end Champ players, ideally young, would be better than rebuilding as a bottom half Champ side. Plus the boost to finances would be incredible.

Absolutely not going to happen but wouldn't look the gift horse in the mouth if it did.

[Elm Park Kid]

You guys crack me up.

It seems that the club is always just one missed/taken chance away from either being relegation/play off candidates. PInce is always just one lucky/unlucky deflection away from being a decent/shit manager.

We just about beat a weak Rotherham side. We showed why we're not going to get involved in a relegation battle and also why we're not going to be spend much time in the top half of the table. We'll probably go out and put 10 men behind the ball tomorrow, and the result will come down to luck. We'll probably then push Blackpool a bit next weekend and hopefully get the win, maybe not. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, fans will moan about team selection when we lose, over hype our good players when we win. Season will either peter out as we have nothing to play for or we'll relax and start playing some decent, attacking football once then weight has been lifted. Either way - we're finishing between 12 and 18th.

Just to point out - this is going how I expected.

[Royal_jimmy]

QPR continue their slide. Expect they'll sack Critchley and go on a run

[Ascotexgunner]

Colin weaving his magic at a piss poor Huddersfield side.