4 Home Games Left..

[JF 694]

3 minutes ago, westcoastcanary said:

But GenerationA47 has a fair point about home and away surely? For instance, 'Boro (5th) are also 5th in the current Away Table, but only 16th in the Home Table. Do they count as difficult for us or not?

On current form the only difficult game we have left is Aston Villa. But on current form and league position we shouldn’t be fearing playing any of them

[It's Character Forming 1,161]

Yes the assumption had always been we have the Boro and Villa away games as the hardest ones in our run in with 6 relatively easy games in the middle. That’s how it was looking at the New Year anyway.  Now the Boro game is looking less hard and Sheffield W are looking tougher opponents.

 

I’m sure DF will guard against complacency. Rotherham showed a team near the bottom can play some good football and pose a stern test.  But the way we’ve been playing for some months now, there is not a single one of those games where we should fear the opposition.

[nutty nigel 7,539]

2 hours ago, daly said:

Hope the Manager and the players do not read this board as everyone seems to think its a forgone conclusion that Premiership football next season is assured. LONG WAY to go yet

I wonder if they read it 6 months ago when everyone seemed to think a relegation battle was a forgone conclusion...

[westcoastcanary 173]

19 minutes ago, JF said:

On current form the only difficult game we have left is Aston Villa. But on current form and league position we shouldn’t be fearing playing any of them

I was simply making a point to ICF about his judging the likely difficulty of a match from league position. If one is doing that, shouldn’t one weight the judgement by taking home/away into account as GA47 was doing? 

[Bill 1,788]

28 minutes ago, It's Character Forming said:

I’m sure DF will guard against complacency. Rotherham showed a team near the bottom can play some good football and pose a stern test.  But the way we’ve been playing for some months now, there is not a single one of those games where we should fear the opposition.

And that's what will see us up.

To be fair we could have lost to Rotherham, or Swansea, and we made it hard on ourselves against Hull.

You can take from that the thought that we will lose games like that, or that somehow we are constantly able to grind out results come what may. If we go behind or get pegged back we seem to take it in our stride a continue to push forward as ever

As it stands Leeds have to win two more games than us to overhaul us - that's out of only eight games left. And we have a four point start on Sheff Utd for the title. If we can push up the goals difference then they are in much the same place as Leeds, wanting two wins.

Much can and will happen before the season is out, but with a fully fit squad and players like Godfrey improving every game as does Buendia I know who I would back as a neutral.

[Bill 1,788]

9 minutes ago, westcoastcanary said:

I was simply making a point to ICF about his judging the likely difficulty of a match from league position. If one is doing that, shouldn’t one weight the judgement by taking home/away into account as GA47 was doing? 

Nope, as 'form' is only temporary and changes.

Form would have had Leeds beating QPR and Sheff Utd.

Up to March form would have suggested more points for Boro than 1 in 12.

Does our 12 out of 12 suggest that we are guaranteed a win ? Games often hinge on a moment of luck, a referees decision or even a players injury. But never some mathematical formula.

[lake district canary 4,537]

50 minutes ago, JF said:

On current form the only difficult game we have left is Aston Villa. But on current form and league position we shouldn’t be fearing playing any of them

Sounds a bit complacent to me.  We don't fear anyone, why should we - but to say - even "on current form"  - that Villa is the only difficult game is underestimating the task. Every game here on in is like a cup final, with opposition that will be well up for the task, either to get in the play offs themselves, get away from the relegation zone, or just be having a go and playing without pressure because they have nothing else to play for.  We can be confident our team is up to the job, but every game is going to be difficult, you can bank on that. 

 

 

 

 

[kick it off 1,952]

4 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

Sounds a bit complacent to me.  We don't fear anyone, why should we - but to say - even "on current form"  - that Villa is the only difficult game is underestimating the task. Every game here on in is like a cup final, with opposition that will be well up for the task, either to get in the play offs themselves, get away from the relegation zone, or just be having a go and playing without pressure because they have nothing else to play for.  We can be confident our team is up to the job, but every game is going to be difficult, you can bank on that. 

Bit more coherent with this point today Lakey and I get where you're coming from now - even so Farke won't let them get ideas above their station. I would also add that even on paper and being complacent, Sheff Weds haven't yet lost under Bruce - quite a few draws but losing two points at that stage could be critical. 

[nutty nigel 7,539]

Wednesday have to play Leeds the week before us. But Bruce may lose his unbeaten tag before then when they play Villa. Or Villa's current form could stutter at Wednesday. These sides have their runs like Preston now. Or Bristol City before. This is a helluva league🙃

[lake district canary 4,537]

11 minutes ago, kick it off said:

Bit more coherent with this point today Lakey and I get where you're coming from now - even so Farke won't let them get ideas above their station. I would also add that even on paper and being complacent, Sheff Weds haven't yet lost under Bruce - quite a few draws but losing two points at that stage could be critical. 

I have no fears about Farke keeping the players' feet on the ground. The point I am making is about fans getting complacent - every so often on here people come on and say it's going to be easy - and for me that represents complacency - something that should not be happening, on here, at a match or anywhere.

It's going to be a fantastically exciting few weeks to see whether we can get over the line - but "easy" does not come into it. JF said the Villa match will the only difficult match - well it might be a walk in the park if we are already promoted by then.  For me the difficult match is whichever one is coming up next, whether it's Middsbro, or any of the ones following.  One step at a time.

 

[Alex Moss 2,165]

1 hour ago, lake district canary said:

Sounds a bit complacent to me.  We don't fear anyone, why should we - but to say - even "on current form"  - that Villa is the only difficult game is underestimating the task. Every game here on in is like a cup final, with opposition that will be well up for the task, either to get in the play offs themselves, get away from the relegation zone, or just be having a go and playing without pressure because they have nothing else to play for.  We can be confident our team is up to the job, but every game is going to be difficult, you can bank on that. 

 

 

 

 

We have no cup finals left Lakey, the teams that we have left to play won’t really be trying at all because we’re only little old Norwich and they will roll over for us, just as they have all season which has led to us being in this false position of Number 1 - I guess we are just very lucky we aren’t Leeds, a club whom, in the face of huge adversity, have brought Wembley to the opposition week in week out every weekend since September, just how they’ve got to third in those Saturday pressure cooker games that are only akin to a Champions League semi final, god only knows and they should be commended. 

[westcoastcanary 173]

10 hours ago, Bill said:

Games often hinge on a moment of luck, a referees decision or even a players injury. But never some mathematical formula.

Sigh. Yes Bill, and the weather depends on global sea current and atmospheric circulation, local geography, time of year etc., not to mention solar activity. But understanding weather and climate, and also improved forecasting, relies on mathematical modelling and statistical analysis. I expect you are in the "if I want to know if it's raining I just look out of the window" school of weather forecasting and the "global warming is nonsense, I've had to get my winter woolies out again this year" brigade. 

[AJ 1,223]

4 wins seems likely enough, just got to take each game and take what points we can. Even in the position we are, it’s promotion that matters first, title if we’re lucky enough can come after. Still a 3 horse race, yes we are in a great position, but a lot can happen in 8 games. Just got to concentrate on our next game to try and bring in all 3 points.

[Jim Smith 2,322]

Sheffield Wednesday are indeed on a good run but to be honest i watched them v Shef U and they did not look great and we did beat them comfortably away from home. We are at home. Despite their form we should be confident we can beat them at home. You don;t need to be a great side to have a run or two in this league, momentum and confidence go a long way. Bristol City another example of this. 

[NCFCInnit 52]

Too early to stress about where we will be this time next season? Not long since the doomsayers predicted promotion of this team would end in humiliation and tears.

[Jim Smith 2,322]

Boro remains a very hard game but I do feel that they are there for the taking if we can get ahead in that one. Their home form has been poor, they are not happy with Pulis and if we can keep the ball and dominate possession i think we can really frustrate them and the crowd will turn.

Villa away very tough if, as seems likely, they are still in it. I would prefer it not to go to the last day for that reason. 

[Grando 263]

26 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

Villa away very tough if, as seems likely, they are still in it. I would prefer it not to go to the last day for that reason. 

Agree, would obviously be brilliant to be promoted well before Villa. Of course all sorts of weird last-game scenarios are possible including us needing a point for promotion and Villa needing one for the playoffs. That’d be interesting (but hopefully let’s not go there)!

[westcoastcanary 173]

1 hour ago, Grando said:

Agree, would obviously be brilliant to be promoted well before Villa. Of course all sorts of weird last-game scenarios are possible including us needing a point for promotion and Villa needing one for the playoffs. That’d be interesting (but hopefully let’s not go there)!

By a strange coincidence I had exactly that dream last night. 0:0 at Villa Park, with both teams needing a point, and the ref awards a ludicrous penalty to Villa in the 94th minute. Up steps Jack G and carefully takes aim for the corner flag ...................... 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

Fact of the matter is, we are the real form team in this division. Six straight wins. Forget the opposition. One real bad lapse against Preston when everything went wrong but apart since then it has been win, win, win, regardless of the quality of our play.

And second only to Man City in goals scored.

[Woodman 92]

Its difficult to feel confident, but the facts are there:

8 games to go, 2 'results' better than Sheff U or Leeds.  6 wins in a row.

Only 6 defeats all season - just 2 defeats since Christmas.

5 of the remaining games are against teams at 16th or lower in the division.

The hardest games are Boro away, Wednesday at home and Villa away.

[BroadstairsR 2,179]

Whatever way you look at it the fact remains that we have already secured two punts at promotion.

Sitting astride the league with four points advantage over our nearest rivals makes us favourite for automatics and current form confirms this.

In the unlikely event that we have a downturn in fortunes then we have a certain play-off place in the bag.

I see no other team getting the better of us over two games and our team would revel in the wide open spaces of Wembley.

Many have posted on here that we should fear the playoffs, one off and all that. I don't see why we should, in the slightest, should it come to this being our only route to the top table.

Btw. I'll bet that Leeds fans are sh**tting themselves about their upcoming fixture away to Preston.

Wee Alex has turned that side into the hottest property in the Championship apart from us.

Glad we've got that fixture out of the way   .....  we lost. A rare defeat among an avalanche of success.

Illustrates firmly just how useful Neil's PNE are. Certs for play-offs, imo.

Which,of course, directly contradicts my stance that we should have nothing to fear by finishing in just a play-off place.

 

Complicated.

Edited March 18, 2019 by BroadstairsR