Rival Watch

[tidus_mi2]

If Bournemouth carry on playing the way they did on Friday night, they'll be lucky to make the play-offs!

Keep playing the way they are, they'll be lucky to make the top half.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I want them to fall away badly and plummet down the leagues, paying wages that are not sustainable they deserve all they get.

South Today would be beside themselves

[SouthDownsRoyal]

I think Brentford will win the league at a canter in the end, signing Reid yesterday was a great signing and I think after last season (how they somehow blew it) they are more prepared than ever to go up.

For me, Norwich are the ones there for the taking if a top two spot was up for grabs (still can't believe it is February and we are actually still dreaming of a top 2 finish), they haven't been walloping anyone and haven't looked like doing so either.

However, I am still very wary of those teams outside the play offs, and as much as I want those above us to drop points - the Reading realist fan inside me would rather see those teams outside the top 6 drop points so we can cement a play-off spot. Then it is up to us to keep getting points and see where we end up.

Tend to agree with you about Brentford and Norwich. Not so sure about the second part of your post. The play offs cause us so much misery and there is only a 25% chance of winning them that I almost feel it’s all about finishing top two.

25% chance?

One in four?

[Rax]

God I've just seen it, the defending and whatever the hell the goalkeeper was doing.

Brilliant. Not sure what's worse - the pass, the finish, or the attempted save.

I could rewatch that goal all night. A thing of beauty

The funny thing is, they are playing Paterson as a makeshift striker - and it showed! Not that he will care

[URZZZZ]

Bournemouth aren't losing to good teams either, 4 losses on the trot, 3 of them to Derby, Wednesday, Luton.

Seems like all of the top four all have a tough fixture in the next few 8 days:

Brentford v Bristol
Swansea v Norwich
Boro v Brentford
Stoke v Reading
Reading v Brentford


Two wins for us in those two would catapult us right up there, with either the 7-10 or 1-3 bracket having to drop points. If Brentford come through that unscathed I can't see them not winning the whole thing.

IMO Brentford will win the league. Really haven't been that convinced by Norwich whenever I've seen them.

Different team without Buendia IMO, very good player at breaking the lines but his temper seems to get the better of him, seem to recall
him picking up a few red cards now

Did mention a couple of weeks ago that perhaps Norwich aren’t quite as good as people thought, certainly not to the extent to which people were labelling them as “already promoted”. Good to throw them back into the race

[URZZZZ]

Of course Bournemouth get another penalty

In fairness, that was Bournemouth’s third penalty all season, as opposed to our five

[JR]

Bournemouth aren't losing to good teams either, 4 losses on the trot, 3 of them to Derby, Wednesday, Luton.

Seems like all of the top four all have a tough fixture in the next few 8 days:

Brentford v Bristol
Swansea v Norwich
Boro v Brentford
Stoke v Reading
Reading v Brentford


Two wins for us in those two would catapult us right up there, with either the 7-10 or 1-3 bracket having to drop points. If Brentford come through that unscathed I can't see them not winning the whole thing.

IMO Brentford will win the league. Really haven't been that convinced by Norwich whenever I've seen them.

Completely agree.

Brentford are by far and away the best team in the league.

We have the second best starting XI and great squad cohesivety and momentum so are in with a shout.

Swansea have great discipline and a top front two so will be there or thereabouts.

Norwich have been frankly lucky and/or impressive to get lots of single goal last minute wins plus some favourable refs, but have never been that impressive. Hopefully their dodgy patch will continue.

Watford and Bournemouth are basket cases.

So for me it is 2 from 4 for automatic, with Boro and Blackburn as dark horses for the playoffs.

[royalp-we]

Tindall referred to Bournemouth as a ‘young and inexperienced’ team following their loss tonight.

Their fans are livid. Absolutely brilliant

[From Despair To Where?]

Tindall referred to Bournemouth as a ‘young and inexperienced’ team following their loss tonight.

Their fans are livid. Absolutely brilliant

.
The average age of their 15 players who played last night was 25 with an average of 180 league appearances and 10 international caps each.

He made the same claim on Friday night. As a comparison, our 16 players that night had an average age of 24 and 150 league appearances each. Morrison and Yiadom account for about a third of that. I didn't include non league.

[NewCorkSeth]

Tindall gone.

[Pepe the Horseman]

They seem to want Lampard. Not a great amount of choice out there.

[Nameless]

They seem to want Lampard. Not a great amount of choice out there.

Won’t they just bring Eddie Howe back ?

[Pepe the Horseman]

They seem to want Lampard. Not a great amount of choice out there.

Won’t they just bring Eddie Howe back ?

Doubt he'll want to go back, especially now they've just sacked his bff.

[Hound]

Tindall gone.

no surprise

was hoping he was going to hang around a bit longer tbh

[NewCorkSeth]

They seem to want Lampard. Not a great amount of choice out there.

Won’t they just bring Eddie Howe back ?

That was my first thought too..

[Mr Angry]

With players coming back from injuries and gaining match fitness, and not having lost any of our young stars during the transfer window, we really have a great chance to not only consolidate our play-off position, but to genuinely threaten the top 2 spots now.

We could do with Bristol City getting a result tonight as well, before Friday night's game between Swansea and Norwich, where a draw would be the best result I think (though there are arguments that any result in that game would have merit for our chances....)

[Mr Angry]

They seem to want Lampard. Not a great amount of choice out there.

Lampard would be mad to go to Bournemouth at this stage of his career; it would be a lose/lose situation for him.

If he did well and got to the play offs, it would only meet the basic expectations people would have of what he should be delivering, and would foster a belief that the Championship was his level; fail to get in the play offs and he will end up managing in the MSL or China within 3 years.

Better he takes stock, and wait for better offers to come his way.

[Hound]

They seem to want Lampard. Not a great amount of choice out there.

Lampard would be mad to go to Bournemouth at this stage of his career; it would be a lose/lose situation for him.

If he did well and got to the play offs, it would only meet the basic expectations people would have of what he should be delivering, and would foster a belief that the Championship was his level; fail to get in the play offs and he will end up managing in the MSL or China within 3 years.

Better he takes stock, and wait for better offers to come his way.

yep agreed. Wouldn't be a good move for either. They've got themselves into a bit of a mess with the Tindall appointment really, everything seemed a bit cosy

Probably need someone to come in and kick a few backsides I think

[Zip]

I’m not expecting anything other than a Brentford win tonight against a poor Bristol City side. Would like Swansea v Norwich to be a draw.
We have some tough games coming up but with our injuries clearing up they are winnable.

[Hound]

I’m not expecting anything other than a Brentford win tonight against a poor Bristol City side. Would like Swansea v Norwich to be a draw.
We have some tough games coming up but with our injuries clearing up they are winnable.

yep be amazed if Brentford dont win comfortably. Not that bothered if they do, being where BC are placed in the table