The stats from last nights match were a bit frightening, if they were a fair reflection then they were all over Brighton. So we ought to be happy with a point. However, they only have a couple of days to recover and its a new game. If we did win (go with me on this) and the top two lose (both have tricky games - please stay with me) we end up only 2 points off the auto places, only 3 points off top. Then if Millwall lose as well................................... it will make no difference whatsoever, as no one gives a stuff about them and their tinpot league.
i like the clarity of your 20:20 vision... unclouded by rose-tinted spectacles! Some miserable doomsayers (not me obviously!) would point out that if we lose, they go above us with a game in hand and we start looking down the table not up it! Let's go with the power of positive thinking, out boys have risen to the challenge on most occasions this season.
I'm especially positive about the thought of Millwall losing (wonder if they are playing, who they are playing, where they are playing? I really have no idea - and no, don't tell me)
Morning Marcos, I'd love to see Pedraza start, and run at the Uddersfield defence. More than anything, I'd like to see Leeds have a real go at them; PLAY WITHOUT FEAR, AND ATTACK IN NUMBERS. Both Brighton and Newcastle have had wobbles in the last 6 weeks. Last 10 matches (total) GP W D L GF GA GD Pts 2.5+ 1 Huddersfield 10 7 2 1 15 8 +7 23 40% 2 Leeds Utd 10 7 1 2 18 8 +10 22 40% 3 Brighton & Hove 10 7 1 2 16 10 +6 22 60% 4 Reading 10 7 0 3 17 13 +4 21 60% 5 Derby County 10 6 2 2 14 8 +6 20 50% 6 Newcastle Utd 10 6 1 3 20 9 +11 19 70% 7 Barnsley 10 6 1 3 16 15 +1 19 50% 8 Fulham 10 5 3 2 21 11 +10 18 50% 9 Sheffield Wed 10 5 3 2 13 8 +5 18 40% 10 Wolverhampton 10 5 2 3 18 15 +3 17 70% 11 Cardiff City 10 5 2 3 16 13 +3 17 50% 12 Norwich City 10 5 1 4 18 10 +8 16 70% 13 Preston 10 4 4 2 14 14 0 16 40% 14 Brentford 10 4 2 4 13 14 -1 14 70% 15 QP Rangers 10 3 2 5 9 13 -4 11 50% 16 Aston Villa 10 3 2 5 7 12 -5 11 30% 17 Ipswich Town 10 3 2 5 12 18 -6 11 60% 18 Wigan Athletic 10 3 1 6 10 13 -3 10 40% 19 Rotherham 10 3 0 7 8 18 -10 9 60% 20 Nottm Forest 10 2 2 6 6 14 -8 8 30% Last 6 matches (total) GP W D L GF GA GD Pts 2.5+ 1 Leeds Utd 6 4 1 1 11 5 +6 13 50% 2 Huddersfield 6 4 1 1 9 5 +4 13 33% 3 Cardiff City 6 4 0 2 8 5 +3 12 33% 4 Brighton & Hove 6 4 0 2 9 7 +2 12 67% 5 Reading 6 4 0 2 9 7 +2 12 50% 6 QP Rangers 6 3 2 1 9 7 +2 11 67% 7 Newcastle Utd 6 3 1 2 11 6 +5 10 67% 8 Norwich City 6 3 1 2 10 6 +4 10 67% 9 Fulham 6 3 1 2 8 4 +4 10 17% 10 Wolverhampton 6 3 1 2 9 8 +1 10 67% 11 Derby County 6 3 1 2 7 6 +1 10 50% 12 Barnsley 6 3 1 2 8 9 -1 10 50% 13 Sheffield Wed 6 2 3 1 7 5 +2 9 33% 14 Preston 6 2 3 1 7 6 +1 9 17% 15 Brentford 6 2 2 2 10 7 +3 8 83% 16 Wigan Athletic 6 2 1 3 8 8 0 7 50% 17 Nottm Forest 6 2 1 3 4 6 -2 7 17% 18 Ipswich Town 6 2 1 3 7 11 -4 7 67% 19 Burton Albion 6 2 0 4 4 8 -4 6 33% 20 Blackburn 6 1 2 3 6 9 -3 5 33%
Morning Eire, I'd love to see Pedraza start in place of Doukara. We're a completely different animal than we were at the begining of the season. I can see us getting a comfortable 2-0 win....
This Board is starting to get really positive. Sunday will show whether we could make top 2 after all. Fingers crossed one and all. Don't think Pedraza will start, as I don't think Monk will want to change too much in the first half. But the 2nd half will be interesting..
I'm going against grain here Ell, I just got this feeling Hudders will romp it, but not by a big margin. We're not the only ones with an eye on top two positions if we continue to win. Big worry is our football ain't been brilliant and we don't play most games with back to back halves. From here on in it's going to get tighter and tighter, with everyone back to 11th in with a big sniff; Derby / Newcastle game will be interesting. Hopefully our bad start was our bad period, if not, we got one to come.......
Don't worry 2020, he's floating around with his usual positive approach....positive that is that we might now not end up in a relegation battle!!!
I'm inclined to agree with you, Boggers. We'll go 'rope-a-dope' again (planned or unplanned), & hopefully come to life in the 2nd half. The team picks itself, apart from the 3 attacking midfielders. I think we're all fairly well agreed on that. The 3 AMs are a different matter. Bearing in mind that this is an electric derby, and an away one at that, I think Dallas will be chosen to start on the left. The fact that he's just scored, and more importantly, his defensive qualities will edge it for him. Not sure why Hernandez didn't start the last match, but you would think he'd be #1 choice for #10 in this match. Which leaves the right wing. And I have the feeling Roofe will be selected. I think if it was any other match, one or both of the new wingers might get a start, but not this one. I suspect Monk will want them on the bench to see the intensity of the match, then whoever reacts best will get the nod for the second half. If he's successful, then the other might get some game time too. Continuing with this line of though, I'd guess that Barrow would get the nod first, understanding the nature of British derbies. Nice to have such difficult choices, isn't it? Been a while.
Monk is no mug, he will have seen the Tesco bags used that bald Aussie in MF roaming around, always available and passed Brighton midfield to death, needs rattling early doors and if Roofe does not come up to the mark, sub him and put Pedraza on and get at there RB, i think he is a weak link. All in all its going to be a cracker and i honestly think we shall win 2-1 IF they all put a shift in.
