Looking at the form table they are on absolute fire at the moment. Although they have some difficult fixtures left I really do see them as our main challengers together with West Ham for autos. Thoughts?
Just have to keep winning ourselves and counting down the matches. Very helpful if the opposition drop points and we still have to play Reading (on tv as well). Other teams have led the table in previous seasons only to drop out of top 2 in crucial part of season, but I feel that we are hitting form. Very important that we've stopped the rot...too easy to slide and not be able to stop. Nigel would never allow that and the team has never stopped believing.
5 wins in a row and 5 clean sheets. Their next 5 games are Millwall (A), Pompey (H), Leicester (H), Doncaster (A) and Barnsley (A) - I could see them winning all 5 in all honesty. Also if they win their game in hand they're only 2 points behind (although our goal difference pretty much counts as another point)... God I hate the season run in. Oh for the days of Premiership mid-table obscurity
Being only 2 points behind means Reading are only one win from leaping over us (if they also win game in hand), so would like to stretch that difference to at least 3 points then the GD would be the defining factor.
I was hoping that Reading dropped off before we play them at Saint Mary's. Only reason is i miss the game! Got a season ticket and haven't missed a game all season so how typical is it that my Dad books a Holiday over the Reading weekend. Can't even listen on the radio or watch on TV! Stupid holiday at the worst time.
see young mills is having a good run in the side, still feel badly how he was treated by saints- if you do not think a player will make it then get shot of him, dont dick him around with lots of loans and time in the reserves, esp when he is only a kid
In fairness we went through a few managers in that time. He played a decent amount of games for Poortvliet and Wotte, and was maybe just forcing his way into Pardew's plans before he got sacked. Bet his older brother regrets his move to Leicester now!
I think it's hull away at blackpool... It's going to be very interesting with Reading. They have some easy fixtures on paper coming up, but we all know you don't win games on paper. They do have some particularly tricky games though, especially their last two away games, us and Birmingham (on the final day of the season!).
Reading represent the latest challenge from the chasing pack. There's been several... Boro, Cardiff, Birmingham and now Reading. They've all challenged and fallen away at the last hurdle. We've just about managed to keep them all at arms length but its so so close. I'm hopeful Millwall might be able to turn them over at the weekend. If not the Leeds game's going to be massively important.
You can't write Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Boro or Hull out of it yet, but particularly the first two. Together with Reading they can be a huge threat.
I agree, I was always a fan of Mills and would have been sufficient with Mills/Harding certainly in League 1 last season - Mills is good enough for the Champ and you always like to see your own come through
I am hoping other teams lack of strength in depth will be enough for us to keep them at arms length. I think our bench is probably only bettered by West Ham.
Reading are the side to watch at the moment, but Birmingham were that side a few weeks back, and Cardiff before them, and Boro before them. So I'm not getting all caught up worrying about one side in particular. There are many dangers, and there's still enough games left for things to change completely. I really wouldn't be surprised if Hull for example made a push towards 2nd this month.
Indeed. Their position in the league is a false one at the moment with two games in hand on us. I can't see them as a threat in the remaining run in despite their superb defense because they simply don't score enough goals. Cardiff have had a bit of a wobble since making the CC final, and I would think/hope that it will continue to hamper their results. Birmingham have had a very long season with all the early Europa league and have relatively small squad which will hopefully prevent them from keeping up their push. There are so many teams still within touching distance of the top 2 its scary! Just got to keep on winning.
Many of you will know that I have been saying all season that I see Reading as our main rivals now. Many of you are still far too obsessed with some little team that is about to disappear.
Still banging on about that one St G? Reading as our rivals? Well, for the autos, yes. As the next great rivalry to replace Pompey? Dream on. I can't see us having a major fall-out with any team who are sponsored by Waitrose. It just wouldn't be seemly.
