Rival Watch

[Mr Optimist]

Steve Cooper has that kind of face I just want to fill in every time I see it.

To me it looks like someone has already beaten you to it. A face only a mother could love.

[NewCorkSeth]

TBF the other teams all look better than us. Barnsley Cardiff are banging goals in for fun, Watford are flying and Swansea are digging out wins even they don’t play well. We are running out of steam which is a shame as have been in the top six all season. As it stands I think we will miss out.

I think Bournemouth have more quality & depth than us so we’re the most likely to drop out of the top 6.

However, I can’t see Cardiff & Barnsley carrying on at quite the pace they’re going, so think it’ll go down to the wire between the 3 of us.

Our easier run of games is now, but the run in looks tough

It looks tough at the mo but by the time we go to Norwich they'll likely already be Champions and could have switched off.

In the last 6 we also have games v Luton & Huddersfield - hardly tough in paper.

It looks like our season will come down to the away game at Barnsley and the home game v Cardiff. Win one/draw one in any order, we'll get in. Lose one, 50/50, lose both and we're done.

Barnsley have been incredible but the test will be what happens when they next lose, which I'm sure they will. 6 wins in the bounce is fantastic, before that 6 they went W1 D2 L3, which admittedly was against top 6 rivals but they also dropped points v Forest. Long way to go. Despite that run, they are still outside the top 6. If/when they get in here, the pressure changes. Same applies for Cardiff, chasing is often better than maintaining.

Everyone will drop points, we are in a position where we just need to match the results of others.

Matching others results is stressful. Barnsley and Cardiff are setting the pace. We really need them to return to normal form ASAP.

[Vision]

TBF the other teams all look better than us. Barnsley Cardiff are banging goals in for fun, Watford are flying and Swansea are digging out wins even they don’t play well. We are running out of steam which is a shame as have been in the top six all season. As it stands I think we will miss out.

I think Bournemouth have more quality & depth than us so we’re the most likely to drop out of the top 6.

However, I can’t see Cardiff & Barnsley carrying on at quite the pace they’re going, so think it’ll go down to the wire between the 3 of us.

Our easier run of games is now, but the run in looks tough

It looks tough at the mo but by the time we go to Norwich they'll likely already be Champions and could have switched off.

In the last 6 we also have games v Luton & Huddersfield - hardly tough in paper.

It looks like our season will come down to the away game at Barnsley and the home game v Cardiff. Win one/draw one in any order, we'll get in. Lose one, 50/50, lose both and we're done.

Barnsley have been incredible but the test will be what happens when they next lose, which I'm sure they will. 6 wins in the bounce is fantastic, before that 6 they went W1 D2 L3, which admittedly was against top 6 rivals but they also dropped points v Forest. Long way to go. Despite that run, they are still outside the top 6. If/when they get in here, the pressure changes. Same applies for Cardiff, chasing is often better than maintaining.

Everyone will drop points, we are in a position where we just need to match the results of others.

Also I think the pressure comes once you reach a certain spot. Its been a free hit to some degree for Cardiff and Barnsley in the last few weeks. They weren't expected to get where they have. Now they've got something to lose and sometimes that can affect the mindset.

Brentford are a prime example of this both last season and this .

[Hound]

just seen that Swansea penalty decision - oh dear. They just keep hanging in scraping out results. Will be gutted if they make it up, but they are in a decent position

Did basically the whole top half of the table except Brentford and Stoke win this midweek?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Everyone needs to chill the fcuk out. I guarantee Barnsley won't beat Birmingham on Saturday.

[Norfolk Royal]

just seen that Swansea penalty decision - oh dear. They just keep hanging in scraping out results. Will be gutted if they make it up, but they are in a decent position

Did basically the whole top half of the table except Brentford and Stoke win this midweek?

Similarly just seen it. Some of the Swansea players are actually laughing after the pen was given.

[Stranded]

just seen that Swansea penalty decision - oh dear. They just keep hanging in scraping out results. Will be gutted if they make it up, but they are in a decent position

Did basically the whole top half of the table except Brentford and Stoke win this midweek?

Yep, all bar Brentford in the current top 10 won.

Swansea face Boro on Saturday else everyone else in top 10 have games they would expect to win.

[Pepe the Horseman]

just seen that Swansea penalty decision - oh dear. They just keep hanging in scraping out results. Will be gutted if they make it up, but they are in a decent position

Did basically the whole top half of the table except Brentford and Stoke win this midweek?

Yep, all bar Brentford in the current top 10 won.

Swansea face Boro on Saturday else everyone else in top 10 have games they would expect to win.

Usually I'd do a judas acca, but didn't fancy Bournemouth or Swans at all. Sorry guys

[Silver Fox]

Hope the karma from that penalty comes back to bite Swansea on the arse, shameful stuff really

[CountryRoyal]

Frustrating results all round this midweek. I just don’t know how Swansea keep scraping these results. Watford are similar.

Yep, bad results! We can only do our thing but with a rough run in it’s integral we get maximum points from games we might otherwise be ‘expected’ to win. Without Swift and Meite I don’t think we have the quality to beat the better in form teams of the division.

[South Coast Royal]

There are a lot of fixtures coming up where sides in the top 10 have to play each other so they can't all win.

It is said every season that The Championship is of the worst standard than it has ever been and perhaps this season it is true.

The 3 relegated clubs have lost major players and hardly bought anybody , the same goes for Swansea and to a lesser extent Brentford but they are all in the top 6.
It strikes me that this is a wonderful opportunity to get promotion even if whoever gets promoted may only be there for a season.

Will Reading make it?
Who knows?
We can be better than all of them and then we can lose to the likes of Wycombe.

I think we will just about scrape into the play-offs but won't have a team ( unlike 2006) to compete at the higher level even if all the anticipated TV money is spent but nor will any of the promoted teams IMHO.
As we keep reminding ourselves, this is all unexpected and very enjoyable when compared to earlier seasons so maybe it is best not to think of what might be but try to enjoy the tension and entertainment (?) of the upcoming games.

[URZZZZ]

just seen that Swansea penalty decision - oh dear. They just keep hanging in scraping out results. Will be gutted if they make it up, but they are in a decent position

Did basically the whole top half of the table except Brentford and Stoke win this midweek?

Apart from perhaps being a wasted opportunity for us not hitting the top two ourselves, not sure why you’d be so gutted at Swansea going up considering we never beat Swansea and would have a chance of playing them in the PO’s if we get there!

All the current top 10 won their midweek games - with the exception of Brentford

[URZZZZ]

I think Bournemouth have more quality & depth than us so we’re the most likely to drop out of the top 6.

However, I can’t see Cardiff & Barnsley carrying on at quite the pace they’re going, so think it’ll go down to the wire between the 3 of us.

Our easier run of games is now, but the run in looks tough

It looks tough at the mo but by the time we go to Norwich they'll likely already be Champions and could have switched off.

In the last 6 we also have games v Luton & Huddersfield - hardly tough in paper.

It looks like our season will come down to the away game at Barnsley and the home game v Cardiff. Win one/draw one in any order, we'll get in. Lose one, 50/50, lose both and we're done.

Barnsley have been incredible but the test will be what happens when they next lose, which I'm sure they will. 6 wins in the bounce is fantastic, before that 6 they went W1 D2 L3, which admittedly was against top 6 rivals but they also dropped points v Forest. Long way to go. Despite that run, they are still outside the top 6. If/when they get in here, the pressure changes. Same applies for Cardiff, chasing is often better than maintaining.

Everyone will drop points, we are in a position where we just need to match the results of others.

Matching others results is stressful. Barnsley and Cardiff are setting the pace. We really need them to return to normal form ASAP.

But on the other hand, by fighting our way into the top 6, rather than limping over the line, that may help the players cope with pressured games (I.e the playoffs if we do get there)

Could be wrong but not sure many players in our squad have promotion experience so difficult to gauge how we’ll deal with pressure

[NewCorkSeth]

It looks tough at the mo but by the time we go to Norwich they'll likely already be Champions and could have switched off.

In the last 6 we also have games v Luton & Huddersfield - hardly tough in paper.

It looks like our season will come down to the away game at Barnsley and the home game v Cardiff. Win one/draw one in any order, we'll get in. Lose one, 50/50, lose both and we're done.

Barnsley have been incredible but the test will be what happens when they next lose, which I'm sure they will. 6 wins in the bounce is fantastic, before that 6 they went W1 D2 L3, which admittedly was against top 6 rivals but they also dropped points v Forest. Long way to go. Despite that run, they are still outside the top 6. If/when they get in here, the pressure changes. Same applies for Cardiff, chasing is often better than maintaining.

Everyone will drop points, we are in a position where we just need to match the results of others.

Matching others results is stressful. Barnsley and Cardiff are setting the pace. We really need them to return to normal form ASAP.

But on the other hand, by fighting our way into the top 6, rather than limping over the line, that may help the players cope with pressured games (I.e the playoffs if we do get there)

Could be wrong but not sure many players in our squad have promotion experience so difficult to gauge how we’ll deal with pressure

Who in our team has been relegated? Yiadom and Aluko are it I think? Whereas Moore, Aluko and Baldock have been promoted? Who am I forgetting?

[Hound]

just seen that Swansea penalty decision - oh dear. They just keep hanging in scraping out results. Will be gutted if they make it up, but they are in a decent position

Did basically the whole top half of the table except Brentford and Stoke win this midweek?

Apart from perhaps being a wasted opportunity for us not hitting the top two ourselves, not sure why you’d be so gutted at Swansea going up considering we never beat Swansea and would have a chance of playing them in the PO’s if we get there!

All the current top 10 won their midweek games - with the exception of Brentford

yep exactly - if a team so short of quality as them make it, we really should have done so ourselves. I'd say they are the weakest of the top 6 from the games I've seen of them

[URZZZZ]

Matching others results is stressful. Barnsley and Cardiff are setting the pace. We really need them to return to normal form ASAP.

But on the other hand, by fighting our way into the top 6, rather than limping over the line, that may help the players cope with pressured games (I.e the playoffs if we do get there)

Could be wrong but not sure many players in our squad have promotion experience so difficult to gauge how we’ll deal with pressure

Who in our team has been relegated? Yiadom and Aluko are it I think? Whereas Moore, Aluko and Baldock have been promoted? Who am I forgetting?

Morrison has had a pretty long career, maybe he has? Can’t think of many others outside of that

[Mr Optimist]

I personally think we will maintain a play off place. We have more about us than Boro or Cardiff, Barnsley are a threat but will have a bad spell at some point between now and the end of the season. I imagine they will not have the quality in depth in their squad, in a similar way if not more so than us, so if they lose a couple of key players for any period of more than a couple of games the results will flatten out and they will drop some points.

Woodgate being appointed at Bournemouth was great news and while they may have a bit ore in their squad, if I was a Bournemouth fan I’d be feeling nervous right now with him in charge.

I’m pretty chilled about our chances of getting a playoff lottery ticket, especially with Meite and Swifty hopefully back and fully fit by then. Our play off record of failure I think is more of a concern for us fans than it should be for the players because very few people are left from the most recent failed attempt. As other people have already said it would be typical for us to actually go up via the play offs with no-one being there to witness it, but I’d take it!

[Mr Optimist]

I personally think we will maintain a play off place. We have more about us than Boro or Cardiff, Barnsley are a threat but will have a bad spell at some point between now and the end of the season. I imagine they will not have the quality in depth in their squad, in a similar way if not more so than us, so if they lose a couple of key players for any period of more than a couple of games the results will flatten out and they will drop some points.

Woodgate being appointed at Bournemouth was great news and while they may have a bit more in their squad, if I was a Bournemouth fan I’d be feeling nervous right now with him in charge.

I’m pretty chilled about our chances of getting a playoff lottery ticket, especially with Meite and Swifty hopefully back and fully fit by then. Our play off record of failure I think is more of a concern for us fans than it should be for the players because very few people are left from the most recent failed attempt. As other people have already said it would be typical for us to actually go up via the play offs with no-one being there to witness it, but I’d take it!

[LUX]

Having witnessed all our play-off final disappointments, I'd far rather go up that way, than automatics.

I am enjoying this season, certainly compared to the previous half dozen. We still have a problem playing at home, no idea why that is (lost 7?).

Of course, if we went up, it'd be very, very, very tough.

[Mr Optimist]

There are a lot of fixtures coming up where sides in the top 10 have to play each other so they can't all win.

It is said every season that The Championship is of the worst standard than it has ever been and perhaps this season it is true.

The 3 relegated clubs have lost major players and hardly bought anybody , the same goes for Swansea and to a lesser extent Brentford but they are all in the top 6.
It strikes me that this is a wonderful opportunity to get promotion even if whoever gets promoted may only be there for a season.

Will Reading make it?
Who knows?
We can be better than all of them and then we can lose to the likes of Wycombe.

I think we will just about scrape into the play-offs but won't have a team ( unlike 2006) to compete at the higher level even if all the anticipated TV money is spent but nor will any of the promoted teams IMHO.
As we keep reminding ourselves, this is all unexpected and very enjoyable when compared to earlier seasons so maybe it is best not to think of what might be but try to enjoy the tension and entertainment (?) of the upcoming games.

I agree with you fully. Bouncing between the top two divisions doesn’t seem to do Norwich, and I’m sure their finances, any harm. Certainly better than worrying about us falling out the arse end of the Championship and playing our nearest and dearest so called rivals Oxford and Swindon again. Quite proud of the fact that we won’t have played at their level for 20 years soon, when not so long ago we were received as the poor relation of the Didcot triangle.