Next 10 games

[NewCorkSeth]

tbf, winning 3 games in a row isn't particularly easy anyway. Don't imagine there are that many runs over the course of the season where you do it.

It really isn't but I think Saturday is our best chance now. Wednesday, Forest and Birmingham have a banana peel feel about them but I'm hoping the lads can do it.

Extra day`s rest as well as Wednesday play Wednesday and also have to travel.

Guaranteed 3 points?

[Mid Sussex Royal]

tbf, winning 3 games in a row isn't particularly easy anyway. Don't imagine there are that many runs over the course of the season where you do it.

It really isn't but I think Saturday is our best chance now. Wednesday, Forest and Birmingham have a banana peel feel about them but I'm hoping the lads can do it.

Extra day`s rest as well as Wednesday play Wednesday and also have to travel.

Yes - tough local derby for them tonight against a very physical side with a lot at stake too.

[CountryRoyal]

Two down one to go. Better get the hat ready just in case.

Have we won more than 2 games in row all season?

This is a fantastic post.

I hate all of you.

[Snowflake Royal]

Have we won more than 2 games in row all season?

This is a fantastic post.

tbf, winning 3 games in a row isn't particularly easy anyway. Don't imagine there are that many runs over the course of the season where you do it.

106ers did it 3 times in one run.

I tend to set the bar at three being the target to show you're having a pretty good season. And failing to get 2 on the bounce 3 times probably means it's a bit shit.

[Snowflake Royal]

20/21 - 2 x2, 3 x1, 4 x1 - good season.
19/20 - 2 x2, 4 x1 - middling season
18/19 - 2 x1 - shit season
17/18 - 2 x2 - shit season
16/17 - 2 x5, 3 x2, 4 x1 - great season
15/16 - 2 x3, 4 x1 - poor season, started very well
14/15 - 2 x1, 3 x1 - shit season
13/14 - 2 x4, 3 x1 - good season


Bored now.

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm going to say right here and now, we absolutely, categorically, won't win all of the next three games.

[CountryRoyal]

I'm going to say right here and now, we absolutely, categorically, won't win all of the next three games.

Ian, can you categorically say that we won’t win every single one of our remaining games and go up as champions for the third time?

[Snowflake Royal]

I'm going to say right here and now, we absolutely, categorically, won't win all of the next three games.

Ian, can you categorically say that we won’t win every single one of our remaining games and go up as champions for the third time?

I feel completely confident in saying that absolutely will not happen. We will not win all of our remaining games.

[CountryRoyal]

Good stuff, ta.

[Snowflake Royal]

We will definitely lose one of the next three.

[andrew1957]

We will definitely lose one of the next three.

3 more wins guaranteed now then. How did the hat taste.

[andrew1957]

On a serious note I think we might still need to win 6 of the final 11 to be sure of play offs.

[Snowflake Royal]

On a serious note I think we might still need to win 6 of the final 11 to be sure of play offs.

We definitely won't manage that.

[Stranded]

On a serious note I think we might still need to win 6 of the final 11 to be sure of play offs.

Think 5 with a couple of draws will do it.

The next week could be key, with Barnsley playing midweek and at Bournemouth, if they win both and Cardiff fail to beat Watford then gap to 7th and 8th is suddenly 7 and 8 pts again, with a win at Forest.

[Snowball]

Thinking about Barnsley's current run I went to look at WhoScored

Yes they've won their last 7, but immediately prior to that the D2L3


This is the table for 2021


13 10 2 1 21 05 +16 32 Norwich
14 09 2 3 22 09 +13 29 Watford
13 07 4 2 24 10 +14 25 Cardiff
11 08 1 2 18 12 +06 25 Swansea
13 07 2 4 17 10 +07 23 Reading
12 07 2 3 15 09 +06 23 Barnsley
12 07 1 4 25 15 +10 22 Brentford

14 05 3 6 14 16 -02 18 Bournemouth (12th)

Bournemouth are even worse than I thought!

But Reading surprise me. Despite, subjectively, us being inconsistent, over the season, we have won 18 of our 35 league games 51.4% Win Rate, and even in 2021 when, briefly, I thought the wheels had come off, we are 7/13 (a BETTER 53.8% win rate)

On January 1st the table was:


22 13 5 4 30 20 +10 44 Norwich....... Gap to RDG grown by another 9 points

22 11 8 3 36 21 +15 41 Brentford.... Reading have gained 1 point on Brentford

22 11 7 4 25 12 +13 40 Swansea..... Swansea increased the gap on Reading by 2 points

21 10 8 3 36 18 +18 38 Bournemouth ... Reading have gained 5 points in 13 games on BMTH

21 10 7 4 24 15 +09 37 Watford...... Watford's form has moved them six points ahead of RDG

22 11 4 7 32 27 +05 37 Reading


So compared to the top six on January 1st we have gained massively on Bournemouth, gained on Brentford, slipped very slightly on Swansea. Only Norwich ("Champions") and very in-form Watford have done significantly better

[URZZZZZZZZ]

Not sure if this is necessarily the correct thread to raise this, but does anyone actually genuinely think we’ll be promoted this season?

This may be to do with not going to games, but personally I’m finding it really hard to get excited and just can’t see us going up.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Not sure if this is necessarily the correct thread to raise this, but does anyone actually genuinely think we’ll be promoted this season?

This may be to do with not going to games, but personally I’m finding it really hard to get excited and just can’t see us going up.

Neither can I being honest but get in the play offs and anything can happen, and unlike many other play off campaigns we've been in we will be outsiders to win.

The pressure will be on the 2 sides that miss out on the autos particularly if they're ex prem sides, and Brentford too as will be 2 years running.

There will be no pressure on us and we have a young side and if we have anything like our first 11 around we could do it.

[Snowball]

Not sure if this is necessarily the correct thread to raise this, but does anyone actually genuinely think we’ll be promoted this season?

This may be to do with not going to games, but personally I’m finding it really hard to get excited and just can’t see us going up.

We are 7/1 against to be promoted. Not good odds, IMO



Well Champions is almost a guaranteed NO. (We are 500/1)

Second looks highly unlikely with Watford an effective seven points above us (incl GD) with 11 games left. We would have to win there by a couple of goals AND gain 3-4 points in 11 games, and they are in-form and look to be improving. (We are 50/1)

Currently "First Reserve" for automatics are Swansea. Technically they should be faves for second place. They are five points clear of us with a better GD and two games in hand.

Nothing is impossible but we would probably need to beat both these teams and out-do them in the other 9 games. Can't see it.




Making the POs (We are 4/7 which is lousy odds. I think I would want 2/1 or 3/1 to put money on)

First we have to make the POs, with Barnsley coming for us (we can't lose that game!)

Also, Bournemouth at their best are very good. It's beginning to look like they have blown it, but two quick wins and they could catch us, then pass us.

Should we win at Forest, start to build a winning run WWWW I will start to feel very hopeful, of, at least, POs, but right this minute I would say it's 50/50 we make the final top six.

Getting to Wembley



Watford?

If Watford go to Wembley I think they will be favourites. Swansea might frustrate them and nick it, but I think Watford would love the big open pitch etc.

If we got to Wembley v Watford, I think they'd be strong favourites.



Swansea?

If Swansea end up third, I think they could be beatable if we got to Wembley and played them. I have never been all that impressed by them but for them to be one point of autos with two games in hand, they must have a system that works.

IF (massive if) we made the POs then got to Wembley they "ought to be favourites" but I'd expect a frustrating game either going 0-0 into extra time or a one goal win either way. Another "Huddersfield game".

That said, IF Swansea just play tight looking for a 1-0 win, it just takes one moment of magic from us...


Brentford

Brentford at their best are, IMO, the best side in the league, and I don't think we at our best would beat them at their best. I expect them to make the POs.

One thing in our favour would be they look like bottlers, but they can be brilliant.

Barnsley

If Barnsley make the POs it might have been at our expense, but maybe it could be us v them for the big one. Despite the fact that if they get there they will have had a great run, I fancy us to beat them on the biggest stage.



I agree with you (Head) that promotion, ATM, doesn't look all-that-likely.

What odds would you want to put some serious money on?

If we were 20/1 I'd have a big bet. Might have a smaller bet at say 12/1

But I certainly think we have LESS than a 7/1 chance.


I hope and pray we win our next 11 games 2-0, Norwich get a 20-point deduction, Watford get the Plague, Swansea are ejected from the league... etc

All the above or Ian Royal says, "Categorically we won't get promoted")

[Snowflake Royal]

Not sure if this is necessarily the correct thread to raise this, but does anyone actually genuinely think we’ll be promoted this season?

This may be to do with not going to games, but personally I’m finding it really hard to get excited and just can’t see us going up.

Nah. Play Off failure for the 7th time... I think it would be.

[WestYorksRoyal]

If we make the playoffs, Brentford are the team I fear the most and are the best team on their day. Swansea are really nothing special and I'd back us to beat them with a full strength team.