Current Form and Aspirations

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

1	Burnley	6	2	0	0	3	1	3	1	0	7	3	5	1	0	10	4	6	16
2	Portsmouth	6	4	0	0	5	0	1	0	1	3	2	5	0	1	8	2	6	15
3	Swansea	6	2	1	0	7	1	2	0	1	5	4	4	1	1	12	5	7	13
4	Reading	6	2	1	0	8	4	1	2	0	7	5	3	3	0	15	9	6	12
5	Bristol City	6	2	0	1	4	3	2	0	1	8	4	4	0	2	12	7	5	12
6	Norwich City	6	1	2	0	4	3	2	1	0	7	4	3	3	0	11	7	4	12
7	QPR	6	2	1	0	4	1	1	1	1	4	3	3	2	1	8	4	4	11
8	Leeds Utd	6	1	2	0	10	7	2	0	1	4	4	3	2	1	14	11	3	11
9	Hull City	6	1	0	2	1	3	2	1	0	3	1	3	1	2	4	4	0	10
10	Ipswich Town	6	0	1	2	2	6	2	0	1	8	2	2	1	3	10	8	2	7
11	Cardiff City	6	1	1	1	3	3	1	0	2	3	3	2	1	3	6	6	0	7
12	Leicester City	6	1	1	1	5	5	1	0	2	2	3	2	1	3	7	8	-1	7
13	Watford	6	1	1	1	4	5	0	3	0	3	3	1	4	1	7	8	-1	7
14	Crystal Palace	6	2	1	0	5	3	0	0	3	1	4	2	1	3	6	7	-1	7
15	Scunthorpe Utd	6	2	1	0	4	2	0	0	3	1	6	2	1	3	5	8	-3	7
16	Middlesbrough	6	1	1	2	6	9	1	0	1	5	7	2	1	3	11	16	-5	7
17	Nottingham	6	1	1	1	4	4	0	2	1	2	3	1	3	2	6	7	-1	6
18	Barnsley	6	1	1	1	3	4	0	2	1	3	4	1	3	2	6	8	-2	6
19	Doncaster	6	0	2	0	2	2	1	1	2	6	10	1	3	2	8	12	-4	6
20	Millwall	6	1	1	1	4	3	0	1	2	2	4	1	2	3	6	7	-1	5
21	Derby County	6	0	1	2	1	4	1	1	1	2	2	1	2	3	3	6	-3	5
22	Coventry City	6	1	0	2	3	6	0	2	1	2	3	1	2	3	5	9	-4	5
23	Preston	6	0	1	2	3	5	0	3	0	5	5	0	4	2	8	10	-2	4
24	Sheffield Utd	6	1	1	1	3	3	0	0	3	2	5	1	1	4	5	8	-3	4

 

We are the ''Steady Eddie'' of this league and since the turn of the year have failed to find that run of wins we need to propel us; which is why fans get so frustrated by games like the last two at home. We just need that little bit extra from somewhere.

 

Swansea are doing well and Burnley are making a late bid with a strong run so it was good to keep the points distance last night.

 

Norwich''s next opponents are currently on a better run than the Canaries so expect a tough battle next Monday.

 

Personally, I think Reading are too inconsistent and have left it too late.

 

We currently do a little better than Leeds and QPR but Cardiff, after a tough run of games have fallen significantly behind but nothing like Forest who have really fallen back since making a run and then, perhaps, switching off.

 

For me, Norwich need at least five more wins and three draws although seven wins and three defeats would ironically be better. It goes back to those small percentage margins I discussed a few weeks back where draws become wins. We did this with late strikes against Millwall and Reading but did the opposite against Doncaster and Preston. Draws are fast diminishing in value and a side with the best away record but only having the 10th best home record knows where the battles need to be won to win the war and they are on the home front. I believe PL brought in Wilbraham to help against deep defences so this player, buoyed by the confidence of a goal, could be crucial in more ways than as an out and out goalscorer.

 

What a cracking season!

[yellow hammer 0]

Thank you Rudolph, always a good read from you.

This week''s results seem to indicate that that the pressure is beginning to be felt on the top teams. It''s not just us having a few slip ups, but at least we are getting points from draws and not actually losing.

Two automatic promotion places are still up for grabs and as we enter the final straight of the season any two of seven teams are still within a realistic shot at the top.

We''ve been on the shoulder of the leaders for most of the season, breathing down their necks all along the way. One last effort could see us in the top two as the finishing post looms ahead.

[Salopian 1]

I was pointing out yesterday in another message response, that in fact we have increased our points tally to two points per game recently. Until early this year it was an average of 1.7 points per game. We are scoring at about the same level, but our improvement comes from a better defence, I suspect.

If we continued at 2 points per game, something of a big ask, we would finish with 83 points, but surely enough to finish in the play-offs.

I should also point out that with so many teams capable in getting into the play-offs, many of them have to play each other, and take points off each other. We have still one or two tough games - Portsmouth, Forest, Derby, but we have played most of the top teams twice already..

The other thing to be added is that we tend to raise our game against the good teams, but struggle against the all-in wrestling from teams at the bottom. Preston and Doncaster spolied our party! We have a few games against mid-table teams who have nothing to play for. We must take maximum from them.

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

All is still to play for in this league. In the unlikely event that QPR get docked points it could be even more interesting. As for us we will fail to win games that we shoule eg Doncaster and Preston and win games that on paper are far harder such as Leicester. If we have any aspirations of automatic we cannot afford to lose to Swansea that game is massive for both teams. That apart i am very confident about the play offs. Norwich play better against better opposition so i am more optimistic about home points against Bristol and Forrest than Derby and Scunthorpe. All the away games look tough, but we will win a couple and lose some not a clue which ones though