Testing month coming soon

[Spinal Wheels]

After our wonderful unbeaten start to the season I can't begin to stress how important our next two home games could prove come next May. If we can just manage to get a further 6 points by 5.00pm next Saturday following a win against Bristol City & Preston North End, then that will lay the foundations very nicely for a period of games over the following 5 or 6 weeks where we face at least 5 of the top 7 teams in the league. So come on everyone lets really show our ambitions to all the other teams & be safely sitting on 31 points from 13 games by next Saturday evening. Do that & I believe anything is possible for us. .

 

[nwgull]

After our wonderful unbeaten start to the season I can't begin to stress how important our next two home games could prove come next May. If we can just manage to get a further 6 points by 5.00pm next Saturday following a win against Bristol City & Preston North End, then that will lay the foundations very nicely for a period of games over the following 5 or 6 weeks where we face at least 5 of the top 7 teams in the league. So come on everyone lets really show our ambitions to all the other teams & be safely sitting on 31 points from 13 games by next Saturday evening. Do that & I believe anything is possible for us. ��.

I reckon that we'll get 7-10 points from those 5 tough matches; we seem to play well against the decent teams: Ipswich, Hull, Cardiff etc.

 

[Stat Brother]

I reckon that we'll get 7-10 points from those 5 tough matches; we seem to play well against the decent teams: Ipswich, Hull, Cardiff etc.

In theory by then the team will have a decent buffer, as the cabal behind the Albion will be fighting among themselves over the next 2 games.

 

[durrington gull]

After our wonderful unbeaten start to the season I can't begin to stress how important our next two home games could prove come next May. If we can just manage to get a further 6 points by 5.00pm next Saturday following a win against Bristol City & Preston North End, then that will lay the foundations very nicely for a period of games over the following 5 or 6 weeks where we face at least 5 of the top 7 teams in the league. So come on everyone lets really show our ambitions to all the other teams & be safely sitting on 31 points from 13 games by next Saturday evening. Do that & I believe anything is possible for us. ��.

Need 6pts from Bristol C n PNE deffo

 

[Bozza]

The fixtures are such that everyone who was at home this weekend seems to be away for this week's double round of games.

That means all our closest chasers are on the road, twice, whilst we have two home fixtures which, on paper at least, look by far the easiest...

Reading are away to Rotherham and Fulham
Middlesbrough are away to Cardiff and Wolves
Birmingham are away to Bolton and Hull
Burnley are away to Forest and Blackburn

Derby (who could be 6th later today) are away to Blackburn and Huddersfield

 

[Working class pride]

Just need to worry about ourselves. Far too early in the season still to look at who is playing who. It's a great start to the season but still very early days. Get past New Year and then look at the table. Zamora joining in the players who are scoring however is helpful. If we are to challenge then he will need to score goals.

 

[warmleyseagull]

Agree with OP. Have posted before about the importance of September and October and how the top two at the end of the season nearly always average 2pts+ per game in this 8/9 game spell (with notable exception of Bournemouth last season). 12 from 6 so far is fine; 2 home wins would almost mean a 'free hit' at Reading though that is undoubtedly THE one to win if we can.
Be useful if Blackman is crocked in next 2 games...

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

All ifs and buts.
But if we can pick up 6 points from the next 2 games, which is likely.
And if the others drop points from their travels, which again is likely.
Then draws in the tough games to follow will be good enough to keep them at arms length but no reason why we should not win some of those games anyway.
Agreed its all too early, but its a situation we find ourselves in, and a very nice situation it is too.

 

[Diablo]

Lets not get above ourselves with less than 1/4 of games played. However we have 25 points from 11 games....worst scenario we need 21 points from 35 to stay up. To win the League (Bournemouth did it with 90 last season) we need say 68 from 35 games.

So we are averaging nearly 2.3 points per game we only need 1.9 per game from now on for automatic promotion.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

We really need to stuff Bristol and Preston and keep this train going!

 

[B52]

The fixtures are such that everyone who was at home this weekend seems to be away for this week's double round of games.

That means all our closest chasers are on the road, twice, whilst we have two home fixtures which, on paper at least, look by far the easiest...

Reading are away to Rotherham and Fulham
Middlesbrough are away to Cardiff and Wolves
Birmingham are away to Bolton and Hull
Burnley are away to Forest and Blackburn

Derby (who could be 6th later today) are away to Blackburn and Huddersfield

As has been said on here and elsewhere, any team can beat any team in this league so looking at other teams games is not very helpful.
All we and the club need to concentrate on is our own games and performances, and to keep on picking up points, let the rest fight amongst themselves

 

[BUTTERBALL]

We have to take each game as it comes. Bristol City have just hit a bit of form and Tuesday night games at the Amex are not exactly known for their legendary atmosphere. We need to focus on the game in hand. I would be delighted with a 1-0 as this is exactly the type of game we have slipped up with in the past.

 

[nwgull]

We really need to stuff Bristol and Preston and keep this train going!

It'd be nice to go in to the 90th minute with more than a 1 goal lead. Considering how well we have played in most games this year, it is amazing to think that Derby county at home last season was the last time we achieved that!

 

[BensGrandad]

All the time we can win at home and draw away the other teams will have a problem catching us.

 

[Seasidesage]

Next two results could give us a valuable buffer before the tougher games ahead, but both Brizzle and PNE are already fighting for their lives and will not be easy. If we pick up six points it should mean that we will be there or thereabouts come January and if we are I suspect that TB will go for it come January.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

We have to take each game as it comes.

That's the key. Don't think any further forward than the next match, secure the points and don't worry about what the rest of the division are doing.

 

[WhingForPresident]

We're never going to get an 'easy' run of fixtures in this league, it may be cliche but there is literally not one 'easy' game in the Championship, as we have shown by beating some of the better sides, like Ipswich & Fulham, yet dropping points to some of the weaker sides, ie Bolton and Huddersfield.

It's not going to get any easier, but the fact we're able to go away, play far below our best and still grind out a win is encouraging.

 

[Quinney]

The next two look "winnable" but these are the games that have let us down in recent years. Bristol City battered Forest in the first half last week and could have scored 4 or 5.

 

[sparkie]

All we need to worry about for now is

1) Win on Tuesday
2) Win on Saturday
3) Look at the table next Saturday night and see how it looks.


As for Reading, well it can't be any worse than our miserable visit last season. To show how far we have come, O'Grady scored a penalty that night, and Halford was playing right back. It was grim.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Just need to worry about ourselves. Far too early in the season still to look at who is playing who. It's a great start to the season but still very early days. Get past New Year and then look at the table. Zamora joining in the players who are scoring however is helpful. If we are to challenge then he will need to score goals.

Not strictly correct. History shows that there is a 70% chance of the team top after 12 games going up - and by Boxing Day (not New Year) a 90% chance.

Many a slip and all that, but we have every right to be excited and optimistic.