Yes, I get the same problem, CS. Sometimes it's because my phone has inadvertently gone off-line. Most of the time though, I just keep pressing until it goes.
Yes, I found it interesting at first when they stuck to actual stats, but the it slipped into subjective judgements about the run in like the Blades having 'the easiest run in'. Huh? The final prediction is even more woolly as it just depends on how many fans from each team voted. Read the first half, but skip the rest.
Meanwhile, Leeds fans go into paranoia mode: "EFL have definitely told everyone to roll over for Norwich and Sheffield United". That's just one of many comments after we beat Hull. Amusing reading: https://leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/s...ans-share-interesting-take-on-promotion-race/
You beat me to it Rick. How patheric - especially after we beat them fair and square. I don't know if you watched the game on Wednesday, but at times, we were almost unplayable and had 'ull not got their lucky goal on the stroke of half time, I feel we could have made a significant difference to our GD. Let's hope we can add a few more goals tomorrow, as I can see final league positions being decided by GD!!!
Yes DF said that it could have been 7-1. Maybe not that but Hull were reeling. At 3-1 we were seeing the game out until our CBs failed to mark Martin in front of the goal, as they did with Pugh earlier. I fear that it's going to be hard to break Rotherham down and could be very awkward should they get the first goal. At least Leeds and/or the Blades will drop points.
Interesting article emphasising the easily overlooked quality of discipline in the squad. https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/robin-sainty-pre-rotherham-away-1-5939396 It's the foundation on which the sexy football is built. The lack of suspensions is one side, but the well drilled tactics are the other. In both attack and defence players know instinctively what to do and how to respond. This is where the double training sessions pay off. It's amazing how the players react if the ball is lost. The attacking players immediately press the player with the ball while the defenders get back. In attack, they know each others game and pass instinctively to create chances. It's also why players coming in slot seamlessly into the system. It's an impressive coaching achievement and makes DF's new contract all that much more valuable.
Yeah, just on Wednesday one of the really interesting things was when we lost possession after our corner or similar and Hull were breaking, on a couple of occasions the commentator said “Norwich have got back really fast” and it was true - one or two players carefully slowed the break while the other seven busted a guy to get back even when it might look hopeless. They focused at one point on Godfrey - he deliberately overran to get ahead of the striker, stopping the shot and forcing him inside. That tactic only works (as here) if Godfrey can trust that one or two of his teammates are working hard to be right behind him on what most see as a hopeless cause. As a result, I think Lewis or Aarons was right behind Godfrey, nowhere near the striker, but when the striker cut back they caught up and nicked the ball and between them stopped a great chance. That looks to me like a defensive training move, not luck or purely natural ability to get the timing right.
Rest of fixtures: Middlesbrough away QPR home Reading home Wigan away Sheffield Wed home Stoke away Blackburn home Aston Villa away Middlesbrough away and Aston Villa away look to be the toughest fixtures although Stoke away could also be a testing time as we don’t usually have much success at the Britannia Stadium. Five wins and 3 draws looks best although a defeat at one of the three teams mentioned is possible. Best points 5 x 3 plus 3 x 1 = 18. One defeat would give a total of 17. A final total of 90 points or more looks on the cards based on current form. In the 2003-2004 season we won promotion to PL with 94 points being first in the league.
A picture paints a thousand words - My guess is 15-18 points out of the reaming fixtures and IF we achieve that, then PL – HERE WE COME!!!! Our form since the dip around Xmas/New Year has been exceptional –I’ll post an update around Wed, but we’re currently 25 out 30 points over our last 10 games
So Norwich have four home and four away. Sheffield United have FIVE home and THREE away. Leeds THREE home and FIVE away. Strange how that's panned out. I think Middlesbrough's form could play into our hands. Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa could be awkward though. But we should have enough in the tank.
So the Bookies have got us as short as 2/1 on to win the title and between 12 and 16/1 on to get promoted. I think I’ll keep my money!!!
Great job JMF, but Leeds-Wigan is at Elland Road and Blades are away at Stoke in the final game, so everybody has four homes and four aways. As GE said on the match thread, both the Blades and Leeds have to play Preston away and those could be tricky as Preston are on the edge of the play-offs now and in good form. They also both have to play Brum away, which could also be tricky. For us, Boro are now looking nervously over their shoulder as Villa and Preston are closing on them. Like the Blades, we have to play Stoke away which will be challenging. Our 4&5 point leads are a big advantage as each game passes. Nervous times but I'm feeling confident about our chances as I think 14 points will be enough.
The other way around I hope! (Otherwise tell me where I can get those odds as I’ll be lumping on big time...)
