Our Rivals Thread

[The Great Mass Debater]

Next Saturday:
 
 
Middlesbrough v Ipswich
 
Bournemouth v Blackpool
 
Brentford v Cardiff
 
Norwich v Derby
 
Watford v Reading
 
 
 
With those fixtures, even if we beat Derby we probably wont top the table. Bournemouth the most likely to go top with another cricket score against Blackpool (bad for the GD scenario), with Watford getting the job done going second probably

 

[dj161]

Can't see too many points being dropped from those, as far as auto promotion goes it would do us a favour if Ipswich beat boro, but I don't think I could ever fully support that outcome so I'll hope for a draw in that one

 

[dj161]

Some big games this weekend for the top 8 again, with several once again playing each other

Tonight

Wolves (8) vs Derby (5)

Saturday

Bournemouth (3) vs Middlesboro (2)

Brentford (6) vs Millwall

Norwich (4) vs Forest

Watford (1) vs Ipswich (7)

so like I said teams going against each other this weekend with just ourselves and Brentford playing sides out of the top 8, although forest are 9th and in decent form, got to hope that with we can see plenty of draws in the other games, could be a good chance for us to make up a bit of ground on the automatic places

 

[CanaryNath]

Wolves now 2-0 up against Derby!!!

 

[dj161]

good result for us that is, terrible run that Derby are on though, if results go against them on saturday they could and likely will slip down to 6th with watford to play next, the international break has really come at the perfect time for them though, they need to seriously re-group or could find themselves missing out on the playoffs let alone auto places

 

[Brian Fantana]

The Derby implosion has really been on an impressive scale, it is a long way back from a run like that (it was funny to see the keepers own goal after last week).

 

[RhythmicTheory]

I still cant believe we didnt beat derby.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Not sure what the right set of results to hope for today is. Personally I think you have to look at the top and forget those around you. We're chasing automatic promotion, so should surely prize points dropped by those occupying the berth at the moment.

Consequently I think we should hope for wins for Bournemouth and Ipswich - even though that would keep Bournemouth above us and keep Ipswich at least within 3 points of us.

Should we lose today of course, we might be pleased if those around us dont gain maximum points. But you have to think positive.

So I say have faith we'll get a result today, and cheer on Ipswich and Bournemouth today

 

[dj161]

Bournemouth are 2-0 up after almost an hour now, so that

So I say have faith we'll get a result today, and cheer on Ipswich and Bournemouth today

Bournemouth are 2-0 up after nearly an hour now, so thats part 1 being done, don't think I can ever bring myself to cheer on Ipswich, so i'll settle for a draw in that, keep watford close and keep them out of the playoff places

also Brentford currently 1-0 down to Millwall, wtf!

 

[It's Character Forming]

So good to have a defeat for Derby who are now well of the pace.

With the top 2 playing each other it is what it is, amazing how Bournemouth seem to keep on doing so well despite being nothing that special, but one of them had to drop points and it's just a case of whether we can take advantage.

Millwall 1-0 up at half-time but you wouldn't have much faith in them holding on, fingers crossed !

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Bournemouth 3-0 Middlesbrough result

Brentford 0-2 Millwall with 15 mins left

No predicting anything. Must win today

 

[CanaryNath]

COme on Millwall!!

 

[CanaryNath]

2-2 final score

 

[CanaryNath]

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANN!!!!!!!!

super performance, score reflects our dominance at the moment

 

[Gaffer]

Come on Ipswich!

 

[It's Character Forming]

Come on 1p5wich!

Couldn't bring myself to want the scum to win.  But as they have, it leaves us 2 points below 2nd place with 7 games to go.

We only have Mboro of the "top" teams left to play... having said that, we've done better against teams like Bournemouth and Watford than against some of the easier lower teams.

Still, right back in it at the start of the international break.

Any news on when Grabban could be back ?

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Crazy period of football coming up after the international break. These are the next games:

Friday 3rd April:

Brighton v Norwich

Fulham v Brentford

Middlesbrough v Wigan

Ipswich v Bournemouth

Derby v Watford

Have a sinking feeling Hughton will get the last laugh in this game. Think we have to hope for wins for Ipswich and Derby in those games really to give us the chance to go second level with Bournemouth on points

Monday 6th April:

Watford v Middlesbrough (early kick-off)

Bournemouth v Birmingham

Brentford v Forest

Huddersfield v Ipswich

Norwich v Sheff Wed

Wigan v Derby

Depends on how previous results have gone but probably want a draw between Watford and Boro

Ipswich have permission to start losing again

Friday 10th April:

Brighton v Bournemouth

Saturday 11th April:

Derby v Brentford

Bolton v Norwich

Ipswich v Blackpool

Boro v Rotherham

Millwall v Watford

Tuesday 14th April:

Derby v Blackpool

Ipswich v Cardiff

Leeds v Norwich

Boro v Wolves

Sheff Wed v Brentford

Reading v Bournemouth

Wednesday 15th April:

Forest v Watford

Friday 17th April:

Norwich v Middlesbrough

Saturday 18th April:

Wolves v Ipswich

Bournemouth v Sheff Wed

Brentford v Bolton

Huddersfield v Derby

Watford v Birmingham

Going to be quite the rollercoaster!!

 

[Brian Fantana]

five wins should do it, we would be very unlucky not to get automatic with 85 points. Can you see five wins from the last seven games? I can but to be honest I would be happier if we were playing 'better' teams, our form against the top half is the best in the league but not so strong against the bottom half.

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

These are our remaining games. If Im honest I could see us losing any of them, such is the craziness of this league. But Ill make a reasoned prediction, based on nothing but my gut feeling
 
 
Brighton v Norwich  (cant see past a loss here - call me a pessimist)
Norwich v Sheff Wed  (win)
Bolton v Norwich    (draw)
Leeds v Norwich    (win)
Norwich v Middlesbrough   (draw)
Rotherham v Norwich   (win)
Norwich v Fulham     (loss - no reason to expect deviation from our default result here)
 
 
So thats 3 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses for me. Dont think that will be enough - so to go up automatically, we need to do better than what I would call 'par' there.  Win against Brighton would do nicely. Just cant see it happening though, things like this always come back and bite us. Hughton will get his revenge

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Here's a statistical fact for you. If Middlesbrough beat Watford in their next feature, it is a statistical fact that if we win all 7 of our final games (tall order, but prior to Wigan we'd won 7 in 8) we will definitely be promoted.

This is because we play Middlesbrough, meaning that if we win that game, both Boro and Watford cannot win all their remaining games. And they are only 2 points ahead of us

Meaningless, but nice to know that to some degree it is in our hands. A draw between Watford and Boro would also give us the same situation, provided we maintained our superior GD (and theres only a goal in it at present)

Should Watford beat Boro - we're reliant on Watford and Bournemouth dropping points - and unfortunately they dont play each other, so conceivably both could get maximum points