If we can come through the gauntlet at the end of March in 2nd then we can start to feel like we are on course. We have been absolutely excellent, but there has been a pretty sustained run of largely favourable fixtures, we probably have the toughest last couple of months of the sides at the top. Got to keep on going.
I'm not so sure. In this unbeaten run we have played Leeds, West Brom, Cov, Hull, Norwich & Watford. Winning half of them. Granted we haven't faced the other top 2 sides, but if we replicated the form against top half sides so far in the 2nd half of the season we will go up.
If you asked Leicester or Ipswich whether they'd fancy playing us, both would say no. We'd blow both out the water currently. Leicester are suffering a bit of a injury problem wirh other players out. Ipswich are also suffering from injury issues too.
We're currently playing better than both of them, and our results have been better (marginally v Leicester), but a game between us would likely be tight. Don't see us blowing either away personally, especially away from home. We'll find out when they come around but we don't play Leicester until mid March and Ipswich start of April so will likely be different circumstances by then anyway.
Just suggesting that we have nothing to fear, I think we would put Ipswich away quite comfortably if I'm honest. They were rubbish at St Mary's. Leicester obviously has premiership quality but I'd still back us ahead of them atm.
Agree that we have nothing to fear, and can certainly beat both on our day. I didn't think much of Ipswich when they beat us either. We were poor at the time and they just looked a very limited Championship side who were just really well drilled on their game plan and were riding a wave, however they've proven over the season so far that they are a good side so probably not fair to judge them purely on the game at St.Marys!
Leicester certainly would have punished us for the slack last 20 mins on Saturday imo. We don't play either for a while either so may not be playing so well by then.
Yes of course, I agree promotion as Champions would be the ultimate achievement but getting into an auto place would be the first requirement I would say. If we can get into second and put a few points between us and third place then we could start looking at the top place. Ipswich losing tonight would be a good start IMO.
I was going to make the same point, plus I think Ipswich would as well. I think the important thing to take from that poor end to the game is that RM has highlighted it and will be doing his best to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
While this is true, Martin almost certainly wouldn't take THB off for Stephens against Leicester unless due to injury.
Or even take Che off for Mara. 3-1 up against Swansea is somewhat different to 3-1 up against Leicester, with all due respect to Swansea.
I'm very much Team Leicester tonight. There is no result for us tonight which is a bad result. But an Ipswich defeat, for me, is easily the best outcome. I honestly couldn't give two hoots about the title. 1st or 2nd, I don't mind. The only league which is worth winning is the top league. We've finished 2nd before in both the Championship and L1, and on neither occasion did I feel the slightest bit annoyed or regretful about not finishing 1st. It's all about automatic promotion. If you offered me the chance to re-write history, whereby we win L1 but don't win the JPT the year before, I would say no thank you. If we happen to ever find ourselves with a nice gap ahead of 3rd, then I'm happy to start looking up to Leicester. But until then, it is about Ipswich and Leeds.
Yep, 100% agree. The only real difference between finishing first and second in the Championship is the difference in prize money. I didn't celebrate after the Coventry game back in 2012 any less for finishing 2nd.
I also thought there is no bad result tonight, though hopefully Ipswich don’t win by many. We could finish first if our form continues, but 2nd would do for me…thus avoiding the lottery of the play offs. Therefore an Ipswich loss so we hold onto 2nd for longer than it takes to have a cup of tea is my favoured choice.
100% agree with above. In my mind there are two 'champions' in this and the lower leagues - the top 2. The third spot is like winning a cup as well as promotion.
I would also love to stay in 2nd by merit rather than simply by default because Ipswich haven't played yet. Given we were 12 points back just last month (with a lot on here writing automatic promotion off) that would be some achievement.
