Well, there are / were many of us, myself included, who thought that sliding down to fourth position would not stop there. However, we have not only managed to halt the slide, we have in fact managed to move back up to third position which in truth, must really have been, Plan A. Now for Plan B .................. to claw back the 10 point difference with Burnley and to get back to automatic promotion. Can't be done you say? Consider this ..................... Our season got off to a great start but then went very bumpy. Burnley for that matter have managed to cruise along very nicely and that leads me to my next point...................... surely, they are overdue to lose some games & fall away. Not possible? I say it is ................. it only take one, just one game against a club who they would certainly expect to beat and their confidence takes a hit! One loss can lead to several .................. it does happen, as we know. Just to add some spice to it, it is not like they are used to contending / making the play offs each year ( no disrespect to them ) so maybe, as we get to the pointy end of the season, the pressure does build. We have many 'old hands' in our team ................ they should know how to handle it, Burnley for that matter, what do they do for experience and how do they cope or will they cope when things get tough? We need to keep winning to apply the pressure, in doing so, we may just get them rattled. We need to keep winning. Plan B it is! Come on you R'rssssssssssss !
8 games left, ten points plus goal difference. Burnley still winning comfortably. No chance. We need to improve our form, and expect strong opposition from Derby and Wigan in the play-offs
Some on here predicted Burnley would run out of steam. Actually the reverse has happened and if they beat Leicester then they could actually go up as champions. Losing only 3 games in 38 is fantastic for a small squad like Burnley Can't see us bridging the gap. We have to look at our dire performances at Donny, Charlton, Weds etc as the reason we are 10 points off them
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/promotion Reasonable to assume it's between us, Wigan and Derby for the playoff place. After yesterday's game I'm not convinced we could beat Wigan at Wembley. We were at home and apart from a single goal and heroics by our keeper they dominated possesssion and shots on goal. We fought hard but didn't threaten much. Good attitude for once but lack of quality.
I agree with with the OP, we do have a chance, Burnley may choke on what looks a very tough run in. But of course we need to keep winning to apply the necessary pressure - with our injuries this maybe the bigger problem.
We beat them last night but could have lost but better commitment. I cant see anyone beating Wigan over two legs and not in a final at Wembley. Do not forget most of their players played there in the cup final last year (and didnt freeze) and have got Semi Final shortly and possibly Final again, so it will be like a second home. Sorry it doesnt look good. But good news could come out of it!!!!!!
With Austin back for the final and hopefully some of our more experienced players relishing such a big stage. I would imagine Ravel would shine at Wembley. Fact is, nobody would want to be playing us in the play offs. I think Leicester will beat Burnley and we will beat Blackpool. That would close the gap to 7 points which although still massive isn't impossible to catch them.
Burnley would have to have a serious collapse, whilst we would have to win nearly all our remaining games, and that doesn't look likely. However, we can finish third and that should give us an advantage in the play-off semis. The extra commitment shown last night and Austin coming back from injury gives me some optimism that we might just get to Wembley and win it. Skindles here we come.
If and it's a huge if, we were to win all our remaining 8 games then yes, I think we would catch Burnley. But don't put it past us to lose at home to Blackpool on Saturday or by the time we play Forest for them to have regained some form. Our losses at Brighton and Wednesday tell me things will pretty much end up as they are at the moment. I didn't think we'd fall out of the playoffs when we lost at Charlton and I don't actually see us winning them after last night.
Burnley have some potential banana skins to overcome; Leicester (H), Ipswich (A), Wigan (H) and Reading (A), not to mention Boro and Barnsley, both of whom can be belligerent opposition on their day. Of course it remains mathematically possible and would be wonderful, but you'd have to say that right now it seems highly unlikely and also requires the Rs to get 3 points from some pretty tricky games themselves, not least Leicester away.
With players to come back, and the experience of our squad, there is definitely a chance we could win the play-offs. But we have to continue to improve our form, its all about timing of form, and 8 weeks is plenty of time for any club to lose form, or gain it.
With 8 games left we're 12 points ahead of 7th place, so barring a major catastrophe we will be in the playoffs. Highly unlikely that Burnley or Leicester can be caught; neither club has lost one of its last ten games which is blistering form so our goal should be to unburden ourselves of unrealistic expectation and concentrate on getting as many of our walking and lying wounded into some sort of shape to get us to Wembley and beyond.
That they have been on such good form is all the more reason for me to expect their form will now dip - it is normal, teams don't maintain that kind of form forever, especially when they may get edgy in the run in. Possibly Leicester's dropped point last night is a sign of it. I doubt we can take advantage of it, but we should certainly be aiming to capitalise on slip ups from these 2 if they happen. I still find it almost as hard to see us getting out of the play-offs.
All the team can do is play the best they can, and for us to support the team as best we can. That is the same for all the top teams. What is not within our power are injuries and suspensions. Any of the top teams can suffer from these. Leicester and Burnley have been fortunate this season, but who knows if and when their luck will run out. If we do have to go through the playoffs (as seems likely) then a few prayers, to whichever God you worship, that we will be able to select from a large squad of fully fit players will not go amiss. "Can we make it into the automatic promotion places" is just a red herring. We will ned to be playing well (and much better than last night) to have any chance of winning in the playoffs, let alone overtaking Burnley. One game at a time and 110% effort from everybody.
"One game at a time and 110% effort from everybody." So true...what will be will be 110% support from me.....come on uRRRRRRs
Well we also played Wigan at their ground and drew 0-0 and we also had 64% possession. Wigan at that time were unbeaten at home in all competitions so they weren't a pushover. Since then Wigan have improved hugely and were on a run of 9 wins in 10 games before we beat them last night. Green did pull of a couple of great saves. We also hit the underside of the bar and had a couple of chances. We have players to come back whereas I'm sure Wigan had a more full strength team out than us. We can beat them again, I have no doubt about that...it's all about form and timing. They are the toughest out there though AT THIS MOMENT in the playoff positions. But what form will they be in in a months time? Forest can't buy a win at this moment...last 9 games (3 draws 6 defeats). But directly before their poor form they were unbeaten in 16 games in all competitions. Derby had a great run when McClaren joined them, but now they are struggling. NOW is the time to be starting to hit form. It's also why I'll only give up on 2nd place AFTER Burnley have played their next 2 games...tough games against Leicester and away to Watford. They get anything from those games then for me it's all over, they lose them then the slimmest of chances still remains.
I actually think Burnley will beat Leicester on Saturday, as Leicester seem to be having their dodgy run now. If Burnley do win, that will be that for first and second imo.
mmmm .... both very impressive, Burnley is actually 16 league games undefeated (so, excluding the FA cup loss to Southampton - 4-3, not a bad result, considering) Burnley v Leicester will be an excellent match
