Four horse race

[darkwolf666]

Could be four teams all on 74 points by 5pm Saturday

I knew the 'Boro game was a big one, but didn't realise it was a 31 pointer

 

[Dirty Dave]

31 pointer?

 

[darkwolf666]

31 pointer?

You know, like when they say "Saturday's game is a 6 pointer"!

We are currently on 43 points, so to reach 74 points on Saturday the game must be worth 31 points...

 

[Dirty Dave]

I've only just realised sorry - should have read 4 teams could be on 44 points

 

[Guinness Boy]

Saturday will tell us how good we are relative to Boro (including squad strength given that we will have injuries and Dunk suspended). For me it's a banker draw. That would set us up nicely to push on with a decent January window though I suspect Boro and Derby are not done spending yet either.

My worry is that a top group is forming but that it is a group of 4 as the OP said. Obviously only 2 go up and I can see that not being decided until the last couple of games against Derby and Boro.

There are a couple of worries in the pack too. Will Reading continue to underachieve? Their squad is way better than their league position. QPR with Austin under JFH will get plenty of results too. If they sell Austin though they're screwed.

 

[Justice]

We would have more points with Liam Bong KLL and Baldock good thing is they should all be with us in January.

 

[Hampster Gull]

5 still for me

 

[Uh_huh_him]

All 4 teams could be on 2 points a game on Saturday evening. That's quite a competitive group of 4. Could this be the season when 2 points a game doesn't guarantee promotion?

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

5 still for me

Except Ipswich are only a point behind Burnley, and Cardiff only 2 points behind.

If Burnley are in, so are Ipswich and Cardiff.

4 horses, or 7 horses.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

A quick glance at goal difference makes us the 4th of the 4, but I think with some clever transfer moves and the return of some of the injured we have an excellent chance of making the top two. Beat Boro on Sat and the stats look incredibly rosy for us.

It's worth noting that it's goals conceded that puts us at the bottom of the four, not goals scored. Does our defence need strengthening more than our attacking options?

 

[saafend_seagull]

We would have more points with Liam Bong KLL and Baldock good thing is they should all be with us in January.

Liam and bong no. End of feb for them two.

 

[Notters]

Some people seem a lot more confident than I am!

 

[Brighton Mod]

It will be close, no doubt, this is the Championship the most competitive league in the world. I will say however, that currently we are seeing the most exciting football we have ever seen at the Amex. Hughton is going for it, might have done better with his substitutions at QPR, but that's history now. Would be great to beat Boro on Saturday, but there is not an easy match in this division, plenty of time for some to drop away and others to emerge.

 

[Icy Gull]

Being unable to hold a lead away from home will end our top two ambitions IMO.

 

[Rugrat]

Some people seem a lot more confident than I am!

Not me (just yet) for all sorts of reason (injuries back maybe, transfer business done, just nearer the end) I'm looking at end of Jan to see what's what

Wondering what the Derby boards (if they had one) were saying this time last year?

That said, the more any kind of gap can develop the more we can feel confident of one or the other

 

[patchamalbion]

I think people are naive to think it's a 4 or 5 horse race when we're only 50% of the way through the season! 6 points/7 points is not a large gap, we could play a title rival one week and just lose and then slip up on the Tuesday night and if one of those teams won twice that gap has gone!

Plus there is always one team that goes on an excellent run from mid table

I'm still confident but it's too early for this chat.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Lets not forget the traditional coming from nowhere in February/March team, Ipswich I'm thinking are already making a move.

 

[Justice]

Being unable to hold a lead away from home will end our top two ambitions IMO.

win at home point away gets the job done.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Any team at anytime can implode...........

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Being unable to hold a lead away from home will end our top two ambitions IMO.

Agree. It's a habit we need to change very quickly. But whilst we're learning this lesson, we're still managing to come away with points which gives me hope!