Having read other threads and seen your very level headed predictions for the season. I was wondering WHICH game or games might define your season and WHEN if at all you might believe you will get automatic promotion. Looking forward as ever to reading your well balanced views. ********** H. Well balanced view does not mean a Gin in one hand and a Baileys in the other
I think it will be April that decides our fate, we have; Hull (A) Cardiff (H) P'Boro (A) Millwall (A) Blackburn (H) Leicester (A) It looks a very tough month, playing 3 rivals for the 2 automatic spots, a Blackburn side I expect to be pushing for play-offs, a P'Boro side fighting for every point in a relegation battle... and erm, Millwall! Our last game of the season is home to Leeds and expect this will be a position decider for us! Seeming we have the 2nd spot, it is in our own hands. Beating or drawing against Leicester and Hull will mean taking points off them, and with them being home, no doubt they will be looking for (expecting?) the 3 points. We need to get through March first though. On paper, we 'should' win, with the hardest being away to an in-form Barnsley (until their last game), but there is no such thing as a guaranteed 3 points in this league!
First we have the horrible danger that GFZ will be named Manager of the Month for February - if that happens we can kiss goodbye to March
My dream scenario would be for us to get a win at Leicester and then a point at home against the dirty one's and Colin to secure second place.
It's worse, It's a shoe in. Only competition is Palarse & wedmesday. We have more points in Feb than anyone else, and didn't lose a game. Hill won 4, but lost 2. Wednesday won 2 drew2, which, given their position might be regarded as a good achievement, but the decision makers are pretty unimaginative. All that said, I think we are more at risk from complacency, which I hope GFZ will guard against. I hope I'll feel better after tomorrow night - wolves have a decent side on paper, and their luck must turn, but they don't sound like a happy band of brothers. It's still one of the most exciting seasons ever, better than boothroyds' promotion (although the win over Leeds at Cardiff will stay with me forever!) Enjoy it while we can folks.
Recently I have noticed our performance levels tailing off towards the end of games (Derby, Palace and Ipswich all finished much stronger than us) and my biggest worry for the last 12 games is fatigue (Vydra in particular looks so sharp early on in games but on saturday had very little in the tank for the last 20 mins before he came off). In our favour is that we have played as many games as anyone else and have a large squad but as others on here have pointed out, they are perhaps not as used to such a long and unforgiving season (our early exits from both cups will have definitely helped us I feel). For this reason, as H pointed out April is going to be a make or break month where at the very least we will need to avoid defeats in Hull and Leicester (both tricky propositions). The longer we can keep the unbeaten run going the more pressure it will put on the other teams (think how much it hurts when you see Leicester or Hull winning) and more confidence it will give the players for the final push. Despite our unbelievable away form, Wolves on friday is going to be very tough. Despite having only 10 men for most of the game at the Vic they gave us a scare and still have some very good players (Doyle, Sako + others). Certainly they pushed Cardiff hard the other week and will be desperate for a win. If we get a result here then I can see us winning the next 2 home games and that would put us massively in the driving seat heading into April. Having said that, we go into the game with the best recent form and Wolves with the worst so unfortunately only means one likely outcome ..... When everything else is said and done we have improved as the season has progressed whilst others (most recently Hull and Palace at the weekend) have shown their fallability so I still have a lot of confidence that we will finish 2nd. In fact, if we get 7 points from the next 3 games I will say we will definitely do so and that it will be guaranteed before we go to Leicester in the penultimate game.
Much better put than I could, and well thought out - I agree with all that. We finished stronger atst. Andrews, but Brum didn't really pressure us. If, as you say we get 7 (or even 6) points in next 3, then the pressure on Hull Leicester & Palarse will increase significantly. Although it would be too close for comfort, my dream finish is to beat leeds on last day to go up automatic and condemn them to 7th or lower. wouldn't that be just perfect ?
Obviously each game is worth the same amount of points so they could be seen as important as eachother. However, with the ones against teams around us there is a bit more emphasis. So looking at the fixtures April it is then; Hull (A) Cardiff (H) P'Boro (A) Millwall (A) Blackburn (H) Leicester (A)
For me, the only drawback in April will be our home form - it simply hasn't been the best. So the fact that we have twice as many away games in the month means the gods are smiling at us. I think we may be lucky to get two points from the home fixtures, but can see us picking up ten on our travels to maintain an average of two points per game. The only worries against that IMO are the number of injuries we seem to collect and the apparent tiredness that sets in too early for comfort - but I guess that applies to every team there, and we do have a larger squad than most. But it really wouldn't surprise me to find a win at Millwall confirming promotion. Fingers crossed that I haven't applied the kiss of death there.
Whatever happens I've been looking at the list and wondering whether I can realistically consider making my return to the Vic before the end of the season. Trouble is I know I'll jinx it whoever we play. Best leave it til next season once we're up.
I have worried that I might be a jinx on my two visits this season, but two wins out of two showed that I need not have worried. I am now looking for sponsors who will pay for my travel and hotels as I am a lucky charm. Do hope that if possible you can make it GG. It looks so different to anything you see on the TV or highlights.
For me March is the big month. I'm not just saying that because we're in March, but because I feel that we need a gap going into April. Some people might worry about complacency kicking in if we pull that off, but with an extra few weeks' holiday at stake I don't think there's too much danger of us taking it easy going into April if we're four or five points clear.
Might get there for Leeds. Just want to taste the promotion season buzz- like a good vintage wine, it's just so special.
Same here GG, I'm trying to set that up as my next match too. Whether its for automatic or play-off position it will be a great final day.
i never feel this sick when we're mid table! lol It's going to be nervewracking from here on in..that's for sure! Unless we start to blow it...doesn't bare thinking about!
