Two months, 8 teams, 5 playoff spots

Toronto John

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We have passed the three-quarter pole of the race. It is definite that Norwich will be top-six. Twelve points separate second to eighth positions currently. Boro look like an unlikely outsider, but I have included them given that they have the softest schedule from here.

Here’s what we see as to the respective run-ins with 11 games (for the most part) to play:

Watford: 6 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 5 of the rest.
Swansea: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 8 of the rest (12 games).
Brentford: 3 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 9 of the rest (12 games).
Barnsley: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 7 of the rest.
AFCB: 5 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 6 of the rest.
Reading: 5 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 6 of the rest.
Cardiff: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 7 of the rest.
Boro: 3 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 8 of the rest.

There will be many twists and turns over the next 8 weeks. And many six pointers. We can move up the ladder if we just take care of ourselves. A few dropped points will not be fatal.

Let the games and scoreboard watching begin in earnest.

AFCB-Barnsley and Cardiff-Watford are Saturday's six pointers.
The only mid-week six-pointer is AFCB-Swansea.

Huge week coming up culminating in FA Cup 6th round match!!
 
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The top 4 are pretty much nailed on tbf.....it's just a question of which of them goes up automatically with Norwich .....then it's who finishes 5th...6th between Us ....Reading....Cardiff and Barnsley.......out of those 4 three of them have shown that they are capable of going on a run.
 
We have passed the three-quarter pole of the race. It is definite that Norwich will be top-six. Twelve points separate second to eighth positions currently. Boro look like an unlikely outsider, but I have included them given that they have the softest schedule from here.

Here’s what we see as to the respective run-ins with 11 games (for the most part) to play:

Watford: 6 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 5 of the rest.
Swansea: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 8 of the rest (12 games).
Brentford: 3 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 9 of the rest (12 games).
AFCB: 5 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 6 of the rest.
Reading: 5 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 6 of the rest.
Cardiff: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 7 of the rest.
Boro: 3 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 8 of the rest.
Any reason for leaving out Barnsley?
 
So Brentford theoretically have the easiest run in

But hopefully they’ll do a Brentford

By which you mean consistently punch above their natural level with year on year improvement, transfer surplus and sustained upwardly mobile trend where bigger clubs are spending more then their income on wages alone.

I think they'll get automatic promotion at Watford's expense with Swansea the only real threat.

If I'm right and they do go up, I think they'll perform about as well as Wolves despite not having a billionaire with dodgy agent links and people will finally start to realise that relying on mates and gut feeling is perhaps not the best way to run a multimillion quid business.
 
By which you mean consistently punch above their natural level with year on year improvement, transfer surplus and sustained upwardly mobile trend where bigger clubs are spending more then their income on wages alone.

I think they'll get automatic promotion at Watford's expense with Swansea the only real threat.

If I'm right and they do go up, I think they'll perform about as well as Wolves despite not having a billionaire with dodgy agent links and people will finally start to realise that relying on mates and gut feeling is perhaps not the best way to run a multimillion quid business.
Perform like Wolves? So you mean they’re going to go from being quite a likeable club to being an absolute bunch of c**** with a random dislike of Bournemouth?
 
By which you mean consistently punch above their natural level with year on year improvement, transfer surplus and sustained upwardly mobile trend where bigger clubs are spending more then their income on wages alone.
Well, I actually meant end up not quite getting over the line

But yours is also true
 
This thread has bought the pessimist out in me. Too many teams around us are in great runs of form and we are spluttering along in fits and starts. I've even started worrying about QPR.
 
Perform like Wolves? So you mean they’re going to go from being quite a likeable club to being an absolute bunch of c**** with a random dislike of Bournemouth?

I mean similarly placed in the table with a couple of big scalps a season.

No great of love of Wolves here
 
We have passed the three-quarter pole of the race. It is definite that Norwich will be top-six. Twelve points separate second to eighth positions currently. Boro look like an unlikely outsider, but I have included them given that they have the softest schedule from here.

Here’s what we see as to the respective run-ins with 11 games (for the most part) to play:

Watford: 6 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 5 of the rest.
Swansea: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 8 of the rest (12 games).
Brentford: 3 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 9 of the rest (12 games).
Barnsley: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 7 of the rest.
AFCB: 5 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 6 of the rest.
Reading: 5 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 6 of the rest.
Cardiff: 4 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 7 of the rest.
Boro: 3 of the top 9 teams to play, plus 8 of the rest.

There will be many twists and turns over the next 8 weeks. And many six pointers. We can move up the ladder if we just take care of ourselves. A few dropped points will not be fatal.

Let the games and scoreboard watching begin in earnest.

AFCB-Barnsley and Cardiff-Watford are Saturday's six pointers.
The only mid-week six-pointer is AFCB-Swansea.

Huge week coming up culminating in FA Cup 6th round match!!


To add some optimism, of the six teams in front of us, I think our record is played 8, won 4 , drawn 2, lost 2. (average 1.75 ppg). Of the remaining teams we have played 27, won 11, drawn 9 and lost 7 (average 1.56 ppg) so I don't think the standard logic applies to us!
 
Basically if people don't believe we can beat the best of the rest in the Championship, why do they want us to be promoted. If you're pessimistic just be glad we've avoided relegation. If you're optimistic, once we're promoted, start looking forward to next season's fixtures : )
 
..I am not going to stress over it all, we have had a great deal of turmoil on and off the pitch since Covid kicked us all into touch...from the Palace game until now..

Que Sera Sera, as we used to sing in sunnier days!

I would however very much like an FA Cup Final appearance, and would take that over all else if I am honest...

Most teams that get promoted via the play-offs have a tough season the next and I truly think that it could end up not being the best way froward at this juncture. I would rather some stability in this league than going up and having an absolutely miserable season in the Prem..
 
..I am not going to stress over it all, we have had a great deal of turmoil on and off the pitch since Covid kicked us all into touch...from the Palace game until now..

Que Sera Sera, as we used to sing in sunnier days!

I would however very much like an FA Cup Final appearance, and would take that over all else if I am honest...

Most teams that get promoted via the play-offs have a tough season the next and I truly think that it could end up not being the best way froward at this juncture. I would rather some stability in this league than going up and having an absolutely miserable season in the Prem..
This will never happen. We may beat Saints which is unlikely but then the likelihood is we will have to play Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea.
Teams may struggle but this is also the best year to get back up, we are not a massive club and it gets harder each year for teams going back up, I would guess that most of our squad would leave.
 
..I am not going to stress over it all, we have had a great deal of turmoil on and off the pitch since Covid kicked us all into touch...from the Palace game until now..

Que Sera Sera, as we used to sing in sunnier days!

I would however very much like an FA Cup Final appearance, and would take that over all else if I am honest...

Most teams that get promoted via the play-offs have a tough season the next and I truly think that it could end up not being the best way froward at this juncture. I would rather some stability in this league than going up and having an absolutely miserable season in the Prem..
Having had the privilege to have been to 2 cup finals in the 70’s the sheer emotion of seeing Boscombe walk out at Wembley on a sunny May afternoon would have been wonderful. I even got serious hay fever when Mel led them out at the Windscreen Cup. However not to be there would be cruel. It’s not the same kicking off at 5:30 or whenever it is. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with Woodgate leading them out to be honest.
I’ve also got reservations about bouncing straight back up again however much I don’t think we should have come down in the first place.
 
This will never happen. We may beat Saints which is unlikely but then the likelihood is we will have to play Manchester City, Manchester United or Chelsea.
Teams may struggle but this is also the best year to get back up, we are not a massive club and it gets harder each year for teams going back up, I would guess that most of our squad would leave.

never say never! us old gits would NEVER have thought afcb would play in the premier league. anything can happen in a game of footy.
 
...we can rake over the embers of why we went down, and I agree we shouldn't have done that given our start to that campaign...however nothing changes the fact that we are a small club and despite all the investment to get us to the promised land, and the shed loads spent trying to stay there (which had some short term successin our hanging around for five seasons!)..relegation has shown that we are forlorn of a foundation in which we could bounce back and stabilise.
 
..I am not going to stress over it all, we have had a great deal of turmoil on and off the pitch since Covid kicked us all into touch...from the Palace game until now..

Que Sera Sera, as we used to sing in sunnier days!

I would however very much like an FA Cup Final appearance, and would take that over all else if I am honest...

Most teams that get promoted via the play-offs have a tough season the next and I truly think that it could end up not being the best way froward at this juncture. I would rather some stability in this league than going up and having an absolutely miserable season in the Prem..

Whilst I share these sentiments, I very much doubt the man with the money will. However, saying that, nothing that has happened this season so far supports the statement issued by Max (allegedly) at the start... We seem to be doing everything we can, both on and off-field to avoid an instant return... So who knows!!

For a 5 year plan I'd love to see us consolidate here for a few years and in that time, be street-smart in the transfer market... Finish the training academy, and buy DC back. This is the way I see us being better prepared for round 2 in the PL...
 
We undoubtedly need to re-shape our club and look at the things required for a stable and secure future for many years to come. So making moves to buy back Dean Court would be a huge commitment by the owner, however I don't see it being for a while.
Inflated wages and service costs are probably things we still carry, the prospect of slimming these costs down and being prudent and cost effective with our income would mean a few seasons of Championship/League One football but could be the very solid foundations that we need to have strong roots and being able to develop our own talent rather than the roulette wheel transfer policy we have seen in the last five years or more!
 

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