Jump to content
IGNORED

Just enjoy the battle for the top six


reddogkev

Recommended Posts

49 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

They’ve won their last 6 away games haven’t they? Incredible run in this demanding div...

After the start they had too, don’t think they won a game for the first 10 matches or something like that, crazy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, RedM said:

After the start they had too, don’t think they won a game for the first 10 matches or something like that, crazy

Won their first match v QPR...then had to wait until game 12 for the second win.

Actually, have a similar streaky record to us this season. Long streak without a win, then a long streak with no loss, then 5 without a win and now on 10 undefeated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Super said:

You reckon your neighbours are going to do it? Probably need to avoid defeat at Leeds on Sat to have any chance. Hope they do it I HATE LEEDS!

Yeah I think they will. To be honest I think they'll deserve it as well. The top 3 have been far better than the rest of the division and all deserve promotion really. Got a feeling Leeds might be the one to miss out, and as much as I also generally hate them, it'll really annoy me if West Brom or Boro sneak up. 

52 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Always interesting to me how the story of the season feeds fans' perspectives. Boro have had a mixed performance, few runs of results, lots of draws, lots of WWLDWDL type sequences, yet 5th and from what I hear, little disgruntlement. Or you can be like Bristol City, astronomical highs, long winning runs, contrasted with Marianas Trench style lows. Or like yourselves, an indifferent first 25 games (one 4 game loss streak aside) and then a late surge, generating as you say, generally a positive feeling perhaps? Just interests me how three teams can be 4 points apart but got there via very different journeys and how that leads to seemingly very different fan attitudes.

Yeah, very interesting. I posted on Owlstalk the other night that the positive mood amongst the Preston and Villa fans is probably similar to Wednesday at the moment, whereas Derby, Boro and yourselves is probably less so despite your sides being ahead. All about momentum I guess, but as you say the journey of the season also contributes hugely. 

I think I once read that contrary to the myth that 6th place generally has the best playoff record it's actually the side that finishes 4th. 3rd place is often still in contention for automatic promotion late in the season so can suffer tiredness after a late push. Generally the next best side (in theory) should be the one that finishes 4th. It'll be interesting if one of Leeds/Sheffield United or Norwich suffer the same fate. 

Wagner took Huddersfield into the playoffs having controversially rested most of his players for the last 2 games, but it worked despite everyone tipping Fulham that year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Won their first match v QPR...then had to wait until game 12 for the second win.

Actually, have a similar streaky record to us this season. Long streak without a win, then a long streak with no loss, then 5 without a win and now on 10 undefeated.

I know they had a hell of a lot of injuries at the start of the season, really struggled as their squad isn’t huge too so were picking from their youngsters. They do seem to find players without spending much too, they had a few gems from Ireland I think or did in the past. Very much under the radar are Preston

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, reddogkev said:

There's no way we have a team / squad good enough for the top six this season, yet lo and behold, here we are anyway - all credit to City for still being in with a chance.

My advise is to enjoy the end of a bloody good season and see if we can raise our game again to phenomenal heights, after this lengthy break.

I doubt we will finish top six, we don't have the firepower, as we all know.  But it's going to be an exciting end if we can stay in contention until the last few games.

Also, even taking City out of the equation, I find it incredible how many teams are still in with a genuine shout of 5th and 6th place, what a finish in store for all of us.

COME ON YOU REDS, UP THE CITY!

As long as we do battle, that was an element missing on Tuesday night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its gonna be difficault to be top six, but that also is the cenario for the other clubs. Think that the rest we now got will be good. We have to go in to the right track again. Tempo, rythm, movement. We are still in the fight and nothing is impossible. To be top six we must play better ofcause. Always believe, COYR!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Esmond Million's Bung said:

As long as we do battle, that was an element missing on Tuesday night.

absolutely, we need warriors on the pitch now if we are to succeed this season.  No more weak, timid performances like Tuesday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, reddogkev said:

There's no way we have a team / squad good enough for the top six this season, yet lo and behold, here we are anyway - all credit to City for still being in with a chance.

My advise is to enjoy the end of a bloody good season and see if we can raise our game again to phenomenal heights, after this lengthy break.

I doubt we will finish top six, we don't have the firepower, as we all know.  But it's going to be an exciting end if we can stay in contention until the last few games.

Also, even taking City out of the equation, I find it incredible how many teams are still in with a genuine shout of 5th and 6th place, what a finish in store for all of us.

COME ON YOU REDS, UP THE CITY!

We do have a team / squad good enough for top six.  We’ve been in the top 6.  We are 7th, one point behind 6th with a game in hand and we have to play them.  We are 3 points behind 5th and we have to play them too.

Our form over the past 5 league games is crap, but I think we know that very few teams in the Champ pick up their points at a consistent rate, it’s all peaks and troughs.

Wonder what Derby and Boro fans are thinking?

We are as much in it as all the other teams, more so than some of the teams down as far as Brentford in 14th.

We do need to find some form though.  For me it’s a 10 game mini-season (9 for most clubs and 8 for many of them after Saturday) and everything to play for. 

A few more things to unfold this Saturday:

Villa v Boro (Boro play Norwich after that!)

Brentford v West Brom

Preston v Brum

Sheffield Wednesday v Blackburn

Some will improve their chances, the opposite for others.

We need to get behind the boys when we return to matches on 30th March..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all , regardless of what happens it should be a great end to the season with so many sides in with a shout of the top six , its certainly IMO two from three and I agree with Visiting Owl that I think Leeds may just miss out on the autos , West Brom should be comfortable in the top six and then its a mighty scramble for the rest , Ive thought all season Villa will make the top six and they seem to click with Grealish and with that squad and the money spent they should be top six ! , we have had a very weird season and have had a couple of occasions of genuinely being concerned more about relegation ( Sheff Wed I also think at some point looking at their board was a real concern until the change of management and the superb run since  ) , our run is a little like Millwall last season but for us to make the top six will require something like 1/2 defeats in 21 games ( highly unlikely IMO ) when we still have games at Home ( and we are like you very patchy at home - 1 League Win in 6 ) to Leeds , Sheff Wed , Sheff Utd and Birmingham with very tough away games in the derby at Wigan / Brentford etc , weirdly we have also picked up six points and six straight League away wins but played frankly average at Blackburn and rode our luck and last night was unreal , we could and should have been 3-4 down and we hadn't had a shot on target at Boro until the sending off and the superb Gallagher finish and then there was only one winner ( IMO we are not playing like a top six side and think we will finish 8th to 12th ) , we also have again key injuries to Browne , Gallagher , Potts , Moult and Robinson still out so we are patched up but fighting like hell and Alex Neil is doing one hell of a job ...... I watched your game v Ipswich and its fair to say I thought your keeper had an ' interesting ' debut and you looked a little flat ? but you are very much in the hunt and will be there / there about having watched you at Deepdale ( again another home display in which being kind we where average ) for me its Norwich , Sheff Utd , Leeds , West Brom , Villa and purely looking at the fixtures I think Derby

 

Mortis

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, RedM said:

It’s the team with momentum that usually does well in the playoffs isn’t it. For me that team is Preston. I said a couple of weeks ago when I was there that I wouldn’t be visiting Deepdale again, I think that choice will be made for me.

I agree but we do still have time to become a team with momentum towards the end of the season. 

Oh dear I am being an optimist.......there lies potential disappointment :facepalm:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, Mortis said:

Hi all , regardless of what happens it should be a great end to the season with so many sides in with a shout of the top six , its certainly IMO two from three and I agree with Visiting Owl that I think Leeds may just miss out on the autos , West Brom should be comfortable in the top six and then its a mighty scramble for the rest , Ive thought all season Villa will make the top six and they seem to click with Grealish and with that squad and the money spent they should be top six ! , we have had a very weird season and have had a couple of occasions of genuinely being concerned more about relegation ( Sheff Wed I also think at some point looking at their board was a real concern until the change of management and the superb run since  ) , our run is a little like Millwall last season but for us to make the top six will require something like 1/2 defeats in 21 games ( highly unlikely IMO ) when we still have games at Home ( and we are like you very patchy at home - 1 League Win in 6 ) to Leeds , Sheff Wed , Sheff Utd and Birmingham with very tough away games in the derby at Wigan / Brentford etc , weirdly we have also picked up six points and six straight League away wins but played frankly average at Blackburn and rode our luck and last night was unreal , we could and should have been 3-4 down and we hadn't had a shot on target at Boro until the sending off and the superb Gallagher finish and then there was only one winner ( IMO we are not playing like a top six side and think we will finish 8th to 12th ) , we also have again key injuries to Browne , Gallagher , Potts , Moult and Robinson still out so we are patched up but fighting like hell and Alex Neil is doing one hell of a job ...... I watched your game v Ipswich and its fair to say I thought your keeper had an ' interesting ' debut and you looked a little flat ? but you are very much in the hunt and will be there / there about having watched you at Deepdale ( again another home display in which being kind we where average ) for me its Norwich , Sheff Utd , Leeds , West Brom , Villa and purely looking at the fixtures I think Derby

 

Mortis

Could Birmingham, Villa and Sheffield Wednesday all be ruled out due to FFP?  @Mr Popodopolous

Brum most likely to get points deduction.  Villa, a lot depends on holding company I think.  Wednesday 20.7m loss in 16/17, recently announced a change to reporting year, pushing it out 2 months, so haven’t even published 17/18’s yet!  What are they hiding and EFL will be very interested in 18/19’s projected accounts.  Nobody has left for any money in the last two seasons except Jack Hunt (!!).  In the same period they haven’t spent much apart from £10m on Rhodes.  They may be sweating!!

March’s EFL Meeting will be pivotal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Reigate Red said:

I agree but we do still have time to become a team with momentum towards the end of the season. 

Oh dear I am being an optimist.......there lies potential disappointment :facepalm:

I think the momentum will be downwards though as normal after a cup exit/Jan window.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Could Birmingham, Villa and Sheffield Wednesday all be ruled out due to FFP?  @Mr Popodopolous

Brum most likely to get points deduction.  Villa, a lot depends on holding company I think.  Wednesday 20.7m loss in 16/17, recently announced a change to reporting year, pushing it out 2 months, so haven’t even published 17/18’s yet!  What are they hiding and EFL will be very interested in 18/19’s projected accounts.  Nobody has left for any money in the last two seasons except Jack Hunt (!!).  In the same period they haven’t spent much apart from £10m on Rhodes.  They may be sweating!!

March’s EFL Meeting will be pivotal.

Has any team yet ever had a big points deduction for spending too much, that cost them promotion?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Could Birmingham, Villa and Sheffield Wednesday all be ruled out due to FFP?  @Mr Popodopolous

Brum most likely to get points deduction.  Villa, a lot depends on holding company I think.  Wednesday 20.7m loss in 16/17, recently announced a change to reporting year, pushing it out 2 months, so haven’t even published 17/18’s yet!  What are they hiding and EFL will be very interested in 18/19’s projected accounts.  Nobody has left for any money in the last two seasons except Jack Hunt (!!).  In the same period they haven’t spent much apart from £10m on Rhodes.  They may be sweating!!

March’s EFL Meeting will be pivotal.

Well if all our rivals are deducted points, the play-offs are ours!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Bri Stool City said:

Has any team yet ever had a big points deduction for spending too much, that cost them promotion?

Our 6 fingered friends.  Not under FFP rules, but not only were they denied promotion, they were punished further by relegation....in effect a two division relegation!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Could Birmingham, Villa and Sheffield Wednesday all be ruled out due to FFP?  @Mr Popodopolous

Brum most likely to get points deduction.  Villa, a lot depends on holding company I think.  Wednesday 20.7m loss in 16/17, recently announced a change to reporting year, pushing it out 2 months, so haven’t even published 17/18’s yet!  What are they hiding and EFL will be very interested in 18/19’s projected accounts.  Nobody has left for any money in the last two seasons except Jack Hunt (!!).  In the same period they haven’t spent much apart from £10m on Rhodes.  They may be sweating!!

March’s EFL Meeting will be pivotal.

It will indeed!

Birmingham should be any week now, it's been dragged out for far too long already- not fair on either the rest of the division, or not that I have much sympathy, them...

Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday. Well in trouble you'd think- the only risk here is that Aston Villa somehow get their HS2 compensation to give them a small reprieve or have made an arrangement to sell Grealish for say £25-30m and backdate...that'd solve one issue for them but leave them with an enormous hole if they stay down if it's the latter to fill for next season.

Sheffield Wednesday? Again look in trouble but right near the release of their accounts, shifted their reporting period date to end of July 2018 from end of May 2018- that may enable Rhodes off the wage bill for a month, the Hunt sale to be counted in last seasons accounts and any released off the wage bill. They also have some scheme apparently to try to raise revenue- 1867 Scheme, they maybe trying to stave off the inevitable, scramble to just within compliance for now and sell say Reach in the summer. Whether it'll work I doubt but can't see the EFL being so harsh as with Birmingham if they show that they are actively trying to comply. 6 point deduction due to no aggravated breach for this year should eliminate them from playoff contention. :fingerscrossed:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

It will indeed!

Birmingham should be any week now, it's been dragged out for far too long already- not fair on either the rest of the division, or not that I have much sympathy, them...

Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday. Well in trouble you'd think- the only risk here is that Aston Villa somehow get their HS2 compensation to give them a small reprieve or have made an arrangement to sell Grealish for say £25-30m and backdate...that'd solve one issue for them but leave them with an enormous hole if they stay down if it's the latter to fill for next season.

Sheffield Wednesday? Again look in trouble but right near the release of their accounts, shifted their reporting period date to end of July 2018 from end of May 2018- that may enable Rhodes off the wage bill for a month, the Hunt sale to be counted in last seasons accounts and any released off the wage bill. They also have some scheme apparently to try to raise revenue- 1867 Scheme, they maybe trying to stave off the inevitable, scramble to just within compliance. Whether it'll work I doubt but can't see the EFL being so harsh as with Birmingham if they show that they are actively trying to comply. 6 point deduction due to no aggravated breach for this year should eliminate them from playoff contention. :fingerscrossed:

Interesting...what can we hit Preston with...?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The bit I don't get is that people say Monk has overperformed etc.

Well I can't see their wage bill as having come down much from last season when it was huge- yes he has done a solid job through the turmoil and yes he is a decent manager, but they are still overpaying so this media narrative...don't fully buy it.

According to the most recent half year results I've seen or interpretation of them, they still "only" paid £16m in wages in the financial year to December...an improvement of £3-4m yes but still not exactly evidence of cost cutting etc. Not quite working a miracle, as some like to state.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

The bit I don't get is that people say Monk has overperformed etc.

Well I can't see their wage bill as having come down much from last season when it was huge- yes he has done a solid job through the turmoil and yes he is a decent manager, but they are still overpaying so this media narrative...don't fully buy it.

According to the most recent half year results I've seen or interpretation of them, they still "only" paid £16m in wages in the financial year to December...an improvement of £3-4m yes but still not exactly evidence of cost cutting etc. Not quite working a miracle, as some like to state.

I almost included them in another thread of clubs punching above their budgets, but yes, you are right, they haven’t tried to cut their wage bill much at all, not generated funds from selling players.  I’d call that ‘aggravated breach’!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I almost included them in another thread of clubs punching above their budgets, but yes, you are right, they haven’t tried to cut their wage bill much at all, not generated funds from selling players.  I’d call that ‘aggravated breach’!

I mean, they've made more of an effort than Aston Villa I'd say what with making certain players unavailable for selection to try and persuade them out the door- but that isn't saying much and in terms of finances, is nowhere near adequate!

Not selling Che Adams is an aggravated breach. This could be another...from what I've read though, well I'll write it on the FFP thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...