So with only 5 games left I thought I'd have a go at predicting how the season will end. I still think anyone from Birmingham to Blackburn will go down. Wigan are pretty much dead certs now. So anyway here is the 5 teams and their fixtures. Have a go yourself and see where we end up. Birmingham: Rotherham A WIN Burton H WIN Aston Villa A LOSE Huddersfield H LOSE Bristol City A DRAW 7 points Nottingham Forest: Blackburn H WIN Cardiff A LOSE Reading H LOSE QPR A DRAW Ipswich H WIN 7 points Burton: Ipswich H DRAW Birmingham A LOSE Leeds H LOSE Barnsley A DRAW Reading H LOSE 2 points Bristol City: QPR H WIN Blackburn A DRAW Barnsley H WIN Brighton A LOSE Birmingham H DRAW 8 points Blackburn: Nottingham Forest A LOSE Bristol City H DRAW Wolves A LOSE Aston Villa H LOSE Brentford A DRAW 2 points Final table Birmingham 53 Bristol City 52 Nottingham Forest 52 Burton 47 Blackburn 42
Birmingham: Rotherham A WIN Burton H WIN Aston Villa A LOSE Huddersfield H Win Bristol City A Lose 9 points Nottingham Forest: Blackburn H WIN Cardiff A LOSE Reading H Draw QPR A Lose Ipswich H WIN 7 points Burton: Ipswich H WIN Birmingham A LOSE Leeds H LOSE Barnsley A LOSE Reading H WIN 6 points Bristol City: QPR H WIN Blackburn A DRAW Barnsley H DRAW Brighton A LOSE Birmingham H Win 8 points Blackburn: Nottingham Forest A LOSE Bristol City H DRAW Wolves A LOSE Aston Villa H LOSE Brentford A LOSE 1 points Final table Birmingham 54 Bristol City 52 Nottingham Forest 52 Burton 51 Blackburn 41
Birmingham: Rotherham A WIN Burton H WIN Aston Villa A LOSE Huddersfield H LOSE Bristol City A LOSE 6 points Nottingham Forest: Blackburn H WIN Cardiff A LOSE Reading H LOSE QPR A DRAW Ipswich H DRAW 5 points Burton: Ipswich H WIN Birmingham A LOSE Leeds H LOSE Barnsley A LOSE Reading H LOSE 3 points Bristol City: QPR H WIN Blackburn A DRAW Barnsley H WIN Brighton A LOSE Birmingham H WIN 10 points Blackburn: Nottingham Forest A LOSE Bristol City H DRAW Wolves A LOSE Aston Villa H DRAW Brentford A LOSE 2 points Final table Bristol City 54 Birmingham 52 Nottingham Forest 50 Burton 48 Blackburn 42
added these to my database which is part of the thread of the "compo" I started at start of the break when we forcast last 8 match's assuming City is a guesstimate
using the combined aggregate as my prediction florest .................. 52 CITY .....................51 BURTON ............49 BBURN ...............45 WIGAN ...............44 ROTHERHAM ...22
Seriously, the way the Championship has been this year, predicting this stuff is a three sided coin toss. There's just no rhyme or reason to some of the results this year, especially ours. Basically for us, we need to not lose at Blackburn. A win at Ewood would likely see us safe. A loss and who knows. What we do know is that our lads cannot handle pressure and going into the last game needing anything will likely not bode well for us. Anyway, for what it's worth, here's my stab: Birmingham: Rotherham A WIN Burton H DRAW Aston Villa A DRAW Huddersfield H LOSE Bristol City A LOSE 5 points Nottingham Forest: Blackburn H DRAW Cardiff A LOSE Reading H LOSE QPR A DRAW Ipswich H WIN 5 points Burton: Ipswich H WIN Birmingham A DRAW Leeds H LOSE Barnsley A WIN Reading H LOSE 7 points Bristol City: QPR H WIN Blackburn A DRAW Barnsley H LOSE Brighton A LOSE Birmingham H WIN 7 points Blackburn: Nottingham Forest A DRAW Bristol City H DRAW Wolves A LOSE Aston Villa H DRAW Brentford A LOSE 3 points Final table Burton 52 Bristol City 51 Birmingham 51 Nottingham Forest 50 ------------------------------ Blackburn 43
Good results for you yesterday guys, and not least your own - that was a very good and vital win against Wolves. I still think your're mostly wrong about Blackburn finishing with such a lowly points total. They cocked up against Barnsley yesterday but should have won the game. Don't want to be controversial but I actually think Blackburn will finish above you. Although Forest beat Huddersfiled like you did recently, they look vulnerable to me and could be your get out of jail card.
All the City predictions above are fairly optimistic. I wonder what you all would've said the morning after the Preston game? At that point I was very worried but now much more optimistic. Which is why I don't think there is any way you can predict these things with any hope of accuracy. A win at Blackburn would see us up I reckon and I'm hoping they put us out of our misery by doing that. Although I will be pleasantly surprised if it actually happens.
To be fair, before we played Brentford and Preston I had us down to take only 1 point from those games. So wasn't expecting much. Our home form is cruical. QPR, Barnsley and Brum are all winnable. Can't see us losing any of them. The away games... well... can't see us winning any of them either. Blackburn have the toughest run in. Don't think they've won a game since the beginning of march so just can't see them pulling away now.
Blackburn have the toughest run in. Whoever they finish above will be going down, we've now pulled 4 points clear. Win our next game and it will be to tall a task for them to finish above us. Forest picking up points now, Burton still fighting. Not sure where you're getting this optimism for Blackburn from. Out of the 4 of us they are most likely to go down. Not won a game since beating Wigan at the beginning of march. So as I say, if they finish above us then we're relegated.
Just an opinion shiny. I've watched Blackburn a few times since Mowbray went there and although the results haven't gone their way, they're potentially a better side than their table position would suggest. Their next two games will resolve everything. If they get results against Forest and you, it'll be one of you two to go down - like I said, only an opinion.
BTW shiny, I see you've got you finishing 10 points clear of Blackburn whilst AN16 and Supcon have the gap at 11 and 12 points respectively. No way Pedro!! - it's going to be a lot closer than that. (I stand to be shot down in flames guys )
It's a fine line OldSparkey, as you say if Blackburn get the points from us and Forest they will probably be safe, and if they don't they will sink without trace. I'm personally hoping it's the latter
Thought I'd take a bash at this too: Birmingham: Rotherham A WIN Burton H DRAW Aston Villa A LOSE Huddersfield H LOSE Bristol City A DRAW 5 points Nottingham Forest: Blackburn H WIN Cardiff A LOSE Reading H DRAW QPR A DRAW Ipswich H WIN 8 points Burton: Ipswich H WIN Birmingham A DRAW Leeds H LOSE Barnsley A DRAW Reading H DRAW 6 points Bristol City: QPR H WIN Blackburn A LOSE Barnsley H DRAW Brighton A LOSE Birmingham H DRAW 5 points Blackburn: Nottingham Forest A LOSE Bristol City H WIN Wolves A LOSE Aston Villa H LOSE Brentford A DRAW 4 points Final table Nottingham Forest 53 Burton 51 Birmingham 51 Bristol City 49 Blackburn 44 I find it quite comforting that even factoring in a loss away to Blackburn, that we can still finish above them, so not necessarily the 'must win' game people will no doubt be billing it as (like the home game against Rotherham last year, which was 'must win', but we drew and miraculously stayed up comfortably). I think Blackburn do have some fight about them, but some tough fixtures also. I'm sure this picture will change significantly with every set of results - come Friday afternoon we could have a 7 point cushion or just 1! Trying to be balanced, I think we're currently slightly more likely to stay up than go down.
First thing we need is a win vs QPR and that should settle a lot of upset tummies. If my memory serves me correctly we historically don't do well in holiday weekend fixtures ( 2 games in 3 days) but now is the time to step up and be counted because 6 points over Easter could possibly seal our survival.
First thing we need is a win vs QPR and that should settle a lot of upset tummies. If my memory serves me correctly we historically don't do well in holiday weekend fixtures ( 2 games in 3 days) but now is the time to step up and be counted because 6 points over Easter could possibly seal our survival.
Obviously, a win against QPR would be excellent, and would guarantee points gained on at least one relegation rival with Blackburn and Forest planning each other. Blackburn are on a knife-edge now. Being four points behind means that of just five games left, they need to make points in at least two of those games, without losing any in the other three; and even then, goal difference could come into play, in which the advantage is with us. I agree that Birmingham could be in trouble if they're not careful. They have picked up some credible draws which suggest they probably have enough points in the bag to survive, but it could well be a case of 'saved by the bell'.