Hi Warkie hope your enjoying the off-season. Looking at the fixtures, certainly seems we have a tough finish to the season as 3 of our last 4 games away from home are against Wolves, Boro and Derby. Hopefully at that point, Town will be in a position where automatic promotion is nearly with in our grasp and we can hang tough.
I always look at the Christmas period and the last several games of the season as two periods in the season that, to me, can define a season and highlight a squad's in-depth strength. We play Fulham, Middlesbrough, MK Dons, and Derby in our last four games, which will all be difficult fixtures. We also play them in the first four games of December, and round that month off with a home game against QPR, a trip to Brighton, and then an away match against Burnley at the turn of the year. Obviously it's important to show consistency and get results throughout the season, but I believe those two periods will be key to achieving our objectives. If we are to challenge for promotion again this season, and at this present moment I think that's an ambitious target, then we need to be picking up points against that quality of opposition.
Town's opening day record – P74 W28 D25 L21 F110 A84 (since turning professional) – Biggest opening day victory: 6-1 at Bristol Rovers (1948) – Biggest opening day away defeat: 4-1 at Torquay (1956) – Biggest opening day home defeat: 4-1 to Huddersfield (1959) – Last three opening day league results: 14/15 – Fulham (h) W 2-1, 13/14 – Reading (a) L 2-1, 12/13 – Blackburn (h) D 1-1
Brentford away looks like a tough game on paper, but we did pick up all three points last time there and they are minus Mark Warburton, who comes across as a good manager (good luck to him at Rangers, he's the first English manager they've hired). Alex Pritchard, who was one of their stand-out players last season has also departed back to parent club Tottenham, and he will likely be trying to challenge for a place there, or moving to a lower-table Premier League side. I believe that another play-off place will be too much for Brentford this season.
Boxing day clash for our clubs. Easy three points for you guys as QPR always seem loose on boxing day! I will come back and bump this post to prove my point on the 26th
Thanks for the vote of confidence KIO lol. Anyway, how do you think the custard-greens are going to start the season in the "Best league in the world" t.m Sky ****e money-grubbers
I agree, we play every other team home and away and we need fear no one, Mick will take each game as it comes... Bring it on.