Will there be two play-off places up for grabs?

[Mo Gosfield]

Leicester are starting to twitch ( 3 straight defeats ) and have a tricky game away at Blackpool on Saturday. The Tangerines will be out to impress Ince snr after losing last night. Although Leicester have a game in hand, the gap between 7th and 5th could be quite small on Saturday night. ( Providing we do the business )
Hull, Palace and Watford are all in form and I don't expect the wheels to come off at Cardiff ( although they must still be reeling from the footballing lesson that was dished out on Tuesday night! )
Blackburn, Forest and Leeds will be looking to finish strongly and it could end up with six clubs vying for two spots.

 

[Notters]

Don't forget Watford and their points deduction!

 

[Stat Brother]

We properly NEED the 6 points Burnley and Huddersfield have to offer.

From then on it'll be pretty close to a 7 team shoot out, for 6 places.

 

[stugbhafc1]

We properly NEED the 6 points Burnley and Huddersfield have to offer.

From then on it'll be pretty close to a 7 team shoot out, for 6 places.

This

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Don't forget Watford and their points deduction!

I understand that the Football League are considering an application for a name change from the Hornets. " Watgranudinese Football Club " is the proposed change. Thought " Udinese ( UK ) Football Club " might be more appropriate.

 

[scooter1]

I think there is realistically one place up for grabs, currently held by Middlesborough. Unless one of the teams above them falls right over, I can't see them getting caught - they've just eeked out a big enough gap

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Leicester are starting to twitch ( 3 straight defeats ) and have a tricky game away at Blackpool on Saturday. The Tangerines will be out to impress Ince snr after losing last night. Although Leicester have a game in hand, the gap between 7th and 5th could be quite small on Saturday night. ( Providing we do the business )
Hull, Palace and Watford are all in form and I don't expect the wheels to come off at Cardiff ( although they must still be reeling from the footballing lesson that was dished out on Tuesday night! )
Blackburn, Forest and Leeds will be looking to finish strongly and it could end up with six clubs vying for two spots.

I wouldn't count on Blackpool doing us any favours. They're slipping towards the relegation battle (only 5 points Wolves). And they've appointed Paul Ince as manager.......

 

[Napper]

As things stand today we are playing for the 6th place

Things change and WILL change though.

Win the next two and I think we'll have 5th to play for as well.

Easy to make a case to catch Palace what with game in hand , them to play at home etc but still slightly out of reach . . . for now

2nd is gone now. We'd have to win 5 more games than Hull win with only 14 left . . . simply not going to happen

 

[Rugrat]

As things stand today we are playing for the 6th place

Things change and WILL change though.

Win the next two and I think we'll have 5th to play for as well.

Easy to make a case to catch Palace what with game in hand , them to play at home etc but still slightly out of reach . . . for now

2nd is gone now. We'd have to win 5 more games than Hull win with only 14 left . . . simply not going to happen

Agree with this we need to keep our sights firmly on Boro (and Palace I think too) and watch out behind for one of B'burn, Forest and Leeds

Right now I see it as 6 teams chasing 2 spots but as you say that will change over 2/3 games

 

[Mo Gosfield]

I wouldn't count on Blackpool doing us any favours. They're slipping towards the relegation battle (only 5 points Wolves). And they've appointed Paul Ince as manager.......

Fair point...but all new managers have ' a honeymoon period ' surely?.....even Paul Ince!
( Sorry...was forgetting Mark Robins at Huddersfield....ouch!! )

 

[Commander]

I think there is realistically one place up for grabs, currently held by Middlesborough. Unless one of the teams above them falls right over

Which they will. Guarantee it. At least one of the teams in the current top 6 will bugger it up, and they'll be a team that sneaks in that nobody was expecting, it always happens. There's still almost a third of the season to go.

 

[Insel affe]

The Palace game is the key.... We must win that

 

[Napper]

Agree with this we need to keep our sights firmly on Boro (and Palace I think too) and watch out behind for one of B'burn, Forest and Leeds

Right now I see it as 6 teams chasing 2 spots but as you say that will change over 2/3 games

Watford and Palace still big time in the hunt for 2nd so looking up. Negative results for these and they start feeling the pressure behind the same way Leicester currently are and the same we are. We are back in the hunt and now looking up. Very key !

Bottom line is we have to keep winning. I think Boro will probably beat Millwall on Sat but not an issue , win our games and it will happen. Hopefully with the next period of games we can get in the top 6 and then twist the screw with our game in hand away to Barnsley.

Game on !

 

[Postman Pat]

The top 9 still have a number of games against each other that will have a big impact on the top positions:

Us:
Palace (H)
Forest (A)
Leicester (H)
Boro (A)
Leeds (A)

Cardiff:
Boro
Leicester
Watford
Forest
Hull

Hull:
Palace
Forest
Watford
Boro
Cardiff

Watford:
Hull
Cardiff
Leicester
Leeds

Palace:
Hull
Leeds
Brighton
Leicester

Leicester:
Leeds
Cardiff
Brighton
Palace
Watford
Forest

Boro:
Cardiff
Hull
Brighton
Forest

Forest:
Hull
Brighton
Cardiff
Boro
Leicester

Leeds:
Leicester
Palace
Brighton
Watford.

 

[chucky1973]

The Palace game is the key.... We must win that

its not the key, we will lose a few more this season that goes without saying if we lose to a team already guranteed a play off spot, its dont really affect anything and Palace bar a shit run will be in that play off. 2 wins in the next 2 home games is a must , it keeps pressure on the top 6 and more importantly opens a gap to 8th. The big big game for us now is away to Boro.

 

[T soprano]

Which they will. Guarantee it. At least one of the teams in the current top 6 will bugger it up, and they'll be a team that sneaks in that nobody was expecting, it always happens. There's still almost a third of the season to go.

Yeah Palace will bugger it up
Murray due an injury , out 3 months with hernia
Zaha 3 match ban for diving
Philips loses his zimmer frame
Dobbie loses his socks and gets blisters
Holloway has a nervous breakdown
And Palace miss out on the play offs

 

[Titanic]

Fair point...but all new managers have ' a honeymoon period ' surely?.....even Paul Ince!
( Sorry...was forgetting Mark Robins at Huddersfield....ouch!! )

or Martin Hinshelwood? More like a one night stand than a honeymoon!

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Which they will. Guarantee it. At least one of the teams in the current top 6 will bugger it up, and they'll be a team that sneaks in that nobody was expecting, it always happens. There's still almost a third of the season to go.

Leicester looked safely ensconced in the play-offs with a good shout for automatic not very long ago. Now, it looks different. I suppose we also have to consider that Blackburn, Forest and Leeds will be playing each other and therefore dropping points to each other.
As previously mentioned we have to fill our boots in the next two games, as this run of away games looks tricky. Bristol City fighting for their life, Barnsley on fire and Bolton, solid and unpredictable. ( Take 4-5 points now ) Thats followed by Palace and Forest ( a )..on paper...tough!

 

[oldboyroy]

There will be plenty of twists and turns yet it only takes 3 or 4 wins on the bounce to get right into the pack and then 2nd place will be in touching distance but likewise 3 or 4 losses and your out of it!!

 

[Arkwright]

Only a couple of weeks ago I was firmly of the opinion that we had no chance of getting a Play Off and yet now there is hope. I said on here points in the bag are better than games in hand but if you win those games......

We think we are looking at 6th spot at best and yet we don't know the twists and turns ahead, there are four Play Off spots up for grabs, who knows the top five might lose a few games and the chasing pack put together a winning run.

I've always thought the team to catch are Palace in fifth place but the buggers keep on winning. While Leeds won last night and must themsleves feel that they are in with a shout of Boro or us.

Win at home and draw away and it's in the bag.