[Albion] Four of the top six still to play...

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Didn't the Derby chairman just sack their manager the other day due to his 'short-term view' i.e. focusing on promotion? Think we can safely discount Derby from any 'top six' calculations. Their chairman will only be happy when their new manager has safely steered them to mid-table mediocrity. Honestly, if you were a Derby fan, why would you even bother going for the rest of this season under their current regime?

 

[Paris]

Our record at Middlesbrough over recent years has been sound. If we had to go up there and get a result to seal automatic promotion i'd fancy our chances. Glenn Murray in the dying seconds, from a Zamora flick on. Ulloa jumping around in the away end. Chris Hughton given the keys to the West Pier

 

[Tekanne]

Our record at Middlesbrough over recent years has been sound. If we had to go up there and get a result to seal automatic promotion i'd fancy our chances. Glenn Murray in the dying seconds, from a Zamora flick on. Ulloa jumping around in the away end. Chris Hughton given the keys to the West Pier

I have this image of Bobby scoring in the 90th minute away at Boro to clinch promotion and me (and probably 90% of Albion fans) having one big cry.

 

[darkwolf666]

We're not going to be 4 points ahead of 3rd going into that game.

Your belief, not a fact!

 

[Triggaaar]

Your belief, not a fact!

Well obviously.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Preston and Forest are going to be incredibly tricky as well.

They will all be tricky, but winnable. None of our home fixtures are pushovers either. However, I fancy our chances of top 2.

 

[Monsieur Le Plonk]

http://http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/10169944/who-will-win-championship-promotion?

The interesting point for me is that we have the hardest run-in when taking into account the average position of our remaining opponents.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Didn't the Derby chairman just sack their manager the other day due to his 'short-term view' i.e. focusing on promotion? Think we can safely discount Derby from any 'top six' calculations. Their chairman will only be happy when their new manager has safely steered them to mid-table mediocrity.

You are 100% spot on here. Wassall was delighted after the performance against MK and their Chairman should be too. Here is what Wassa said:

"We are disappointed with the result but we are certainly not disappointed with the performance or the attitude and application of the players.

"The players in the dressing room are certainly not disappointed with their performance. I'm absolutely delighted with all of them and have been since Tuesday."

It's so refreshing to have a team that can just express itself without the pressure of results. Derby are known worldwide by for playing 'the Derby way'. Their fans should be rightly proud of their club sticking to it's traditions and not chasing Premier League glory. They've done enough to avoid relegation this season but even if they are relegated next season, why should their fans care if they are playing football the 'Derby way'. Great times ahead for this team.

 

[Stato]

Looking at results against other teams in the top six it seems that 'Boro have an excellent record taking 16 points from 21 and Sheffield Wed have an awful record, failing to beat any of the others in 7 attempts, 5 of these at home. Burnley and Hull have both done well at home, but not well away and Derby are the opposite, but have now played everyone at home. We have drawn all of our 4 away games against the others and of the 2 played at home, beat Hull, but lost to 'Boro. If Burnley and Wednesday stay true to their form against the top sides the stats give us the better odds against them. For Derby, the reverse is true, but both our home and their away form in these games is based on only two games each.

I am surprised at the confidence levels coming from the Wednesday forum. They have been in fine recent form, but if Brighton were in a similar position I would be concerned that there is a risk of being flat track bullies, who could struggle in the bigger matches. However, if these stats point to anything, it seems to be that, if 'Boro can get over their blip, they are capable of being better than everyone else, home or away. It seems a good thing for us that the question of whether they are in decline, or just faltering may be resolved well before we play them.

Of course as Karl Popper indicated in his criticism of Marx's historical determinism, we cannot be sure about the future just by studying the past.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I've been having a reoccurring nightmare that we miss out on automatic promotion because of our goal difference [emoji30]

I think it's quite likely (whether involving us or not) that goal difference will affect the automatic position places.

 

[Stat Brother]

People please get a hold of yourselves.

All this talk of promotion...




...WE'RE NOT SAFE FROM RELEGATION, YET.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Even if we fall at the last we will have a big say in who goes up.

Love it.

 

[darkwolf666]

http://http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/10169944/who-will-win-championship-promotion?

The interesting point for me is that we have the hardest run-in when taking into account the average position of our remaining opponents.

Damn and I thought I was the only saddo who had sat and worked that out... Burnley have the easiest run in on this basis.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

We've had our blip, Boro are having theirs, Derby too. Hopefully Sheff Wed and Burnley will soon have theirs. It's going to go to the wire ! Strap in, hold tight and enjoy the ride !!

Are teams only allowed one blip then...?

 

[GT49er]

...WE'RE NOT SAFE FROM RELEGATION, YET.

Actually, we are...........

What a lovely season we are having!

 

[Whitley Bayster]

Surely the ideal run in is to play lots of mid table teams with nothing to play for. Playing the bottom sides scrapping for their lives can be the worst scenario at the tail end of the season. But this is the Championship expect the unexpected, no game is predictable and that's why I think it's far more appealing that the Premier League in many ways

 

[darkwolf666]

Surely the ideal run in is to play lots of mid table teams with nothing to play for. Playing the bottom sides scrapping for their lives can be the worst scenario at the tail end of the season. But this is the Championship expect the unexpected, no game is predictable and that's why I think it's far more appealing that the Premier League in many ways

Here here!

 

[GT49er]

You are quite right about Hooper - without him, Wednesday would finish outside the top six. I've a feeling we'll beat them at the Amex and that they'll also struggle against Hull, Derby and Forest away. Remember, an injury to Hooper and they're out the game.

Wonder why we didn't go for Hooper? Only (!!) £3 million, apparently, so would appear to be in our price range, and didn't Chris know him at Norwich - it was CH that actually took him to Norwich wasn't it? Would seem a realistic sort of target for us, but don't seem to remember him getting much of a mention in the Murray dominated debates on here.

 

[portslade seagull]

Surely the ideal run in is to play lots of mid table teams with nothing to play for. Playing the bottom sides scrapping for their lives can be the worst scenario at the tail end of the season. But this is the Championship expect the unexpected, no game is predictable and that's why I think it's far more appealing that the Premier League in many ways

Until we get there of course, then it all changes

 

[severnside gull]

http://http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/10169944/who-will-win-championship-promotion?

The interesting point for me is that we have the hardest run-in when taking into account the average position of our remaining opponents.

We seem to have an uncanny knack this season for playing sides in their peak form often regardless of league position.
Hull are the number one in league and in current form but we caught Rotherham on a bounce in form and Bolton were 12 places higher in the form table than their league position when we played them.
We are currently 4th on current form and our next two opponents are 10th (Cardiff) and 7th (Bristol).
Best chance of maximum points on this basis comes on Saturday rather than Tuesday despite relative league positions.