Putting the old saying "don't rely on others" to one side for a moment, I've just been looking at the run-ins for the Top 8 (as it stands) and considering the wide-spread inconsistency at the moment, there are a few games that we could, with the right result, benefit from... assuming we can get a result in our games that is. With Hull only just below us, I haven't discounted them featuring' Of course there are no guarantees and we need to look after ourselves first but I think it's something to keep an eye on. [TABLE="class: grid, width: 300, align: left"] [TR] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]SOUTHAMPTON[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Blackpool (a)[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Portsmouth (h)[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Crystal Palace (a)[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Reading (h)[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Peterborough (a)[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Middlesbrough (a)[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Coventry City (h)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]READING[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]West Ham (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Leeds (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Brighton (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Southampton (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Nottm Forest (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Crystal Palace (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Birmingham (a)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]WEST HAM[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Peterborough (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Reading (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Barnsley (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Birmingham (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Brighton (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Bristol City (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Leicester (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Hull (h)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]BRIGHTON[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Middlesbrough (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Burnley (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Reading (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]West Ham (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Watford (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Birmingham (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Barnsley (a)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]MIDDLESBROUGH[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Ipswich (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Brighton (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Cardiff (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Hull (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Derby (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Doncaster (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Southampton (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Watford (a)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]BIRMINGHAM CITY[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Doncaster (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Burnley (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Crystal Palace (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]West Ham (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Bristol City (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Ipswich (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Brighton (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Reading (h)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]BLACKPOOL[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Southampton (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Watford (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Barnsley (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Nottm Forest (a),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Leeds (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Burnley (h),[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Millwall (a)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][TABLE="width: 155"] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]CARDIFF CITY[/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Millwall (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Middlesbrough (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Watford (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Barnsley (a), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Derby (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Leeds (h), [/TD] [/TR] [TR="class: grid"] [TD]Crystal Palace (a)[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Happy for the top 3 to win all their games (except where they play each other when they obviously can't). With others around us having to play each other as well, there are points guaranteed to be dropped. In that regard where we finish is in our hands!
Great post H and a good point about the inconsistency of our rivals. My worry is our current consistency!
Forgot to mention that I think that Leeds and the Warnock factor should not be discounted. Leicester too are also putting some form together.
Looking at those tables to me anyway it looks like we have a good run in ,the others in contension seem to be playing against each other as Southampton have the hardest to me . As they say ,its in our own hands but i think the playoffs now are all we can gope for ............but who knows????? .............;O)
did you mean 'hope for' or 'grope for'? Both equally valid I suppose. If it's in our hands, 'grope for' is probably best!
Best case scenario ... Cardiff don't just beat Millwall , they hammer them !! . The team feels good about itself again & take there turn at the law of average & start winning at a very opportune time as other teams still flounder ( as there doing again today ) . They make the playoffs with the in form team ... wouldn't bet a whole lot against it to tell you the truth .
Agree with the above, but as we see, season in and season out, there really are no easy run in's are there.
Last set of results were again very good for us. Incredible that with our poor form that if we beat Millwall we could be 4th again. If we can get a win, get some confidence, I think winning 4 out of the remaining 6 could really be a possibility!!
What's also incredible is that we could have gone back into 4th at the time if we'd won any of our last 4 games - and 3 of them were at home. . Hull thumped us 0-3, and we only got a point apiece against Cov and Burnley. The away point at Brum could be the turning point though.
I can see it in your eyes.... .....though can't tell if you are smiling, poking your tongue out or eating a biscuit. I too am trying to stay positive though the last few weeks have't give much to be positive about. There are haf a dozen teams around us who's boards could be full of the same debate as ours. Time for the experienced players to step forward and prove their worth! Oh, by the way, MM for sake, Lawrence on the right wing please.
Surely the answer is to ignore what the other sides do (easier said than done) and concentrate on putting as good a run in to the end of the season as possible. That way you should enter the play offs as the form side and hopefully make it to the Prem. I for one will wish you the best as I miss the derby matches of the past few seasons.
Cheers Tommy No one expects an easy ride Saturday and Millwall's usual up and at 'em style will need to be matched. We certainly won't take anything for granted particularly the way this season has gone. How many visitors can we expect Saturday? The 12.30 kick off and possible fuel issues won't help foster away support.
