And Then There Were 4?

[Port Said Red]

Two weeks ago it looked like a 5 horse race for the top two places, even if some of the pundits and Tiny Penis believed otherwise!

After todays results it's now looking like it's between the top 4 teams for two places and everyone else fighting for the remaining play off places.

It may be too earlier to call this and things can change very quickly, but it really looks like Charlton have falllen out of the race.

[bcfcas1]

Its great to see some of our big rivials stuttering, especially WBA, but the way this season is going I don't think anyone can safely call who is in the promotion race and who isn't! Wide open still!

[double-trouble]

Its great to see some of our big rivials stuttering, especially WBA, but the way this season is going I don't think anyone can safely call who is in the promotion race and who isn't! Wide open still!

WBA bottled it , mmm maybe but the pressure is on them to keep up now .

Bloody Stoke just been niggling away since prior to xmas , got there and staying there . Will they falter ? Me thinks so .

Watford look like they are in for the long run after their dodgy spell .

How annoying on Sky Sports .

Geoff Stelling or Sir Geoff in this household praising City on getting to 2 nd spot twice as if we've been nowhere near the top all season .

Been top 6 all season Sir Geoff , come on your the best one out there , don't join all the other toss*rs on your channel .

Even Mrs Double Trouble was fuming , nearly spilt my cup of tea .

Shocking .

[bcfcas1]

I think Stoke will show us there real auto promotion credentials in their next two games away to Preston and QPR. If they get results there you could argue that they will keep going.

Just as city have taken 6 fantastic points from two potential banana skin away games we now need to get the results at home to back them up, starting with Hull

[fka dagest]

WBA bottled it , mmm maybe but the pressure is on them to keep up now .

Bloody Stoke just been niggling away since prior to xmas , got there and staying there . Will they falter ? Me thinks so .

Watford look like they are in for the long run after their dodgy spell .

How annoying on Sky Sports .

Geoff Stelling or Sir Geoff in this household praising City on getting to 2 nd spot twice as if we've been nowhere near the top all season .

Been top 6 all season Sir Geoff , come on your the best one out there , don't join all the other toss*rs on your channel .

Even Mrs Double Trouble was fuming , nearly spilt my cup of tea .

Shocking .

Strange, I'm pretty sure I heard him say we had been up there all season earlier in the programme.

[Guest Eamer]

It's been four teams for a little while now. Haven't been worried about Charlton joining the party at the top all season through really. They'll need to get their act together if they want automatic promotion. WBA really need to do the same aswell but obviously we all hope they don't.

[MarcusX]

How many times does a team go on a run from mid november and keep it up right to the end? I believe Stoke WILL falter. I reckon their run has started to early, whereas ours? Is ours just starting at the right time? If we beat hull thats 4 wins from 5, 5 unbeaten. We go into the Charlton game on great form then and they possibly go into it on a bad run. Sneak a point there? That will be 6 games into the block of 10 and 14 points taken.

It would leave us 6 unbeaten facing a beatable Leicester side. We could then face Watford at home on a fantastic run, playing magical football which they wont be able to cope with hopefully.

Then PLymouth, Cardiff and Norwich, all 3 are winable though Cardiff id take a draw now.

possibly still unbeaten and the possiblity of only needing 2/3 wins from the last 5. 4 of which are against teams with nothing left this season or fighting relegation. Bearing in mind we could do ourselves huge favours if we beat Watford.

I see it coming down to Preston home, ala Rotherham last year. And what a game that would be.

Obviously its all ifs and buts. They way its gone this season i wouldnt be surprised if we lose to Hull, Southampton and another but beat Watford, Charlton and Stoke.

[Dave Youell]

Stoke have got to be due a few losses, it's impressive what they've done, but I can't see them getting to the end of the season and keeping this run up.

Watford since they sold King haven't been the same, they are still a long ball team with no end product

West Brom's form since the turn of the year is shocking, i keep expecting it to change but it isn't!

We have consistantly bounced back from bad patches. Think we will have another one before the end of the season, but another 7 wins based on the season so far isn't out of our reach based on our form on the season overall

[dezgimed]

I heard Stelling praise us no end.

He's glad we're keeping up there.

[paignton red]

Just been speaking to a friend who supports the pastie munchers, he doesn't bullshit and if they are crap,

he will say so. He is saying sturrock has got them playing really well, and i think with their recent results

they could be very dangerous when we play them.

Everybody has us down to beat them in the predictions, but i have a nasty feeling about that.

I hope to god i am wrong!

[Nibor]

36 points left to play for, Charlton are certainly not out of the running they would just have to win a few games on the trot to be right back in there.

Our mentality and team spirit is probably our greatest strength as a side and that will be of great importance between now and the end of the season.

Hopefully other teams will respond less well to pressure.

[Will Rollason]

Bookies (365) still have Watford and Baggies to go up with Stoke next and they aint usually far wrong.

Had Hull down as a win for us from the start but their away form is excellent, still think we will edge it, but i have us down to lose at Charlton and Leicester .....but...... now i don't know......

Charlton concede 5, Leicester ??? who knows, Baggies lose AT HOME ( Hull had 5 booked as well), Watford only manage a draw at home to stuggling Preston.........

good aint it? :D :D :D

apart from Stoke. They're still there getting results and pi**ing on our chips.. :angry:

[YattonRed]

Just been speaking to a friend who supports the pastie munchers, he doesn't bullshit and if they are crap,

he will say so. He is saying sturrock has got them playing really well, and i think with their recent results

they could be very dangerous when we play them.

Everybody has us down to beat them in the predictions, but i have a nasty feeling about that.

I hope to god i am wrong!

Yeah have to keep a close eye on Halmosi he has been playing really well recently. Keep the faith! G. Johnson in we trust.

[Andy Horsman]

Plymouth are dark horses and in stunning form despite having sold so many 'name' players, but they must be glad they got rid of the gas deadwood to Leicester!!!

[Loderingo]

Two weeks ago it looked like a 5 horse race for the top two places, even if some of the pundits and Tiny Penis believed otherwise!

After todays results it's now looking like it's between the top 4 teams for two places and everyone else fighting for the remaining play off places.

It may be too earlier to call this and things can change very quickly, but it really looks like Charlton have falllen out of the race.

I don't think Charlton have been in the race for auto for some time. They don't seem to have been put together a good enough run at any point. Their form has them consistently 5th or therabouts.

The team to watch now is West Brom. They're on a bad run in the league and now have 2 key games against Plymouth (H) and Sheff W (A). After that they miss another week due to the cup. IMHO if they don't get 4-6 points from those 2 games they could end up 9-12 points behind which is too far behind even with 2 games in hand (remember the old adage of points in the bag being better than games in hand). It would then be down to 3!

[Guest DanC]

I think it's 4 teams yes but WBA could be the next to fall, 6 points behind albeit with a game in hand but if they don't win that game then that's them out of it really. I think this FA cup run has been a real distraction for them and that is why I wasn't upset we were knocked out.

[ciderscoobz]

I was down in Plymouth the other week with work and we were taken to see the Ply-muff V Barnsley. Sturrock has got them playing some good football although i don't think they have enough to turn us over. I think they will struggle to defend against the likes of Sproule and Carle, they seemed to be very slow in their build up play as well. Halmosi is always a danger, although they gave a debut to Jamie Mackie (signed from Exeter i was told) he looks like he is going to be useful for them but Louis will sort that one out. I can see them in the playoff places but certainly not threatening the top 2. West Brom are slipping, as someone said earlier the FA cup has been a bit of a distraction and when they turn the sags over it will be even more of a distraction as they then will be looking at playing a Prem Club. Charlton have fallen too far back. Some big games coming up for us, Stoke, Watford, Plymouth, Cardiff although it would be foolish to think that these games alone will lead us to the pot of gold at the end of the premiership rainbow. Games against the likes of Hull, Norwich and Preston on the final day have to be taken seriously too. Then we can live the dream.

[Hicksy-BCFC]

I was down in Plymouth the other week with work and we were taken to see the Ply-muff V Barnsley. Sturrock has got them playing some good football although i don't think they have enough to turn us over. I think they will struggle to defend against the likes of Sproule and Carle, they seemed to be very slow in their build up play as well. Halmosi is always a danger, although they gave a debut to Jamie Mackie (signed from Exeter i was told) he looks like he is going to be useful for them but Louis will sort that one out. I can see them in the playoff places but certainly not threatening the top 2. West Brom are slipping, as someone said earlier the FA cup has been a bit of a distraction and when they turn the sags over it will be even more of a distraction as they then will be looking at playing a Prem Club. Charlton have fallen too far back. Some big games coming up for us, Stoke, Watford, Plymouth, Cardiff although it would be foolish to think that these games alone will lead us to the pot of gold at the end of the premiership rainbow. Games against the likes of Hull, Norwich and Preston on the final day have to be taken seriously too. Then we can live the dream.

Every game is going to be hard in this run-in now but I am so glad we have played West Brom twice now and Watford and Ipswich away.

I spoke to a mate who follows West Brom on the phone last night and he said there's a general worry up there now that they've blown it.

The fact that its us and Stoke in the top two seems to rattle them even more, which is pretty funny.

I still don't agree they are out of it, win their game in hand and they're only 3pts behind us with us having Watford home, Plymouth hone, Stoke away all to go.

Still, it ain't boring. I prediced we'd finish 12th at the start of the season!!!!!

[double-trouble]

I think it's 4 teams yes but WBA could be the next to fall, 6 points behind albeit with a game in hand but if they don't win that game then that's them out of it really. I think this FA cup run has been a real distraction for them and that is why I wasn't upset we were knocked out.

ITS A VERY GOOD POINT AND ONE WE WE TOUCHED ON LAST WEEK . THE CUP IS / WILL BE A DISTRACTION TO THEM WITH CATCH UP GAMES IN THE WEEK TAKING THERE TOLL ON THE PLAYERS TURNING OUT WITHOUT THE NIGGLING INJURIES .

ALSO ANY CARDS PICKED UP WILL TAKE OUT PLAYERS

[Rednready]

City on 61 points. GJ wants 7 wins from 12, giving us 82 points.

Other teams in the running.

Charlton and Plymouth on 52 points. Need 10 wins from 12, giving them 82 points. [ currently 5th and 6th ]

Ipswich and Hull on 51 points. Need 10 wins from 12, giving them 81 points. [ currently 7th and 8th ]

City just need to maintain their season long average of around 1.7 points per match.

Chalton,Plymouth, Ipswich and Hull need to average around 2.7 points per match. Unlikely.

The top 2 spots should be between Stoke, Watford and City. WBA have the distraction of the FA cup, and having to make up games and points, always tough. All said, we are just about assured of a play off spot and if we beat Watford we become an excellent chance of auto promotion.

I think the play off system stinks. It extends an already long season and that is a strain on the even tougher season ahead. The players and staff need a decent holiday.

[havanatopia]

Two weeks ago it looked like a 5 horse race for the top two places, even if some of the pundits and Tiny Penis believed otherwise!

After todays results it's now looking like it's between the top 4 teams for two places and everyone else fighting for the remaining play off places.

It may be too earlier to call this and things can change very quickly, but it really looks like Charlton have falllen out of the race.

more like a 3 horse race.. Pressure is all on WBA to win their game in hand and hope we all slip up. The Addicks have been off the pace for weeks. Keep up.

[Alex_BCFC]

more like a 3 horse race.. Pressure is all on WBA to win their game in hand and hope we all slip up. The Addicks have been off the pace for weeks. Keep up.

With all the top teams to play each other I don't think you can write off WBA yet, especially with their squad too, but it is looking tough for Charlton so I would say a 4 horse race now.

[Hicksy-BCFC]

With all the top teams to play each other I don't think you can write off WBA yet, especially with their squad too, but it is looking tough for Charlton so I would say a 4 horse race now.

West Brom are far from out of it.

They've got a game in hand and on their day can destroy any team in this league.

Charlton are as out of it as Palace, Hull and the others for auto now.

4 left involved, and we're one of 'em!!!!!!!!!

[idrm18]

the watford home game is going to be massive, as long as form is good up till then that cold be the game that guarentees playoff place at least

[Northern Red]

Charlton are probably gone, but never say never. They need to beat us to have any chance.

I don't think WBA are out of it, but they can't afford many more slip-ups. The Cup is definately a distracion, and the ideal scenario would be for the Gas to take them to a replay (and then lose on penalties or late in extra time :tongue: ), while hoping the cabbage patch at the Mem will cause a few injuries to key players.

As for Stoke, they're due a sticky spell, but we've been saying that for a while and it shows no sign of coming. Maybe the start of the season was their dodgy patch, where they were awful for about 3 months. Amazingly for a team managed by Tiny Penis, they are scoring goals for fun.

[havanatopia]

feast your eyes on these stats lads... remarkable is an understatement...

This season:-

POS TEAM PLAYED WON DRAWN LOST FOR AGAINST GD FOR have AGAINST have PTS P/GAME PTS

2 --- City 34 17 10 7 42 40 2 1.23 1.17 1.79 61

and exactly a year ago...

4 City 33 17 8 8 45 30 15 1.36 0.90 1.78 59

remarkable for the coincidence and, particularly, for the achievement this season.

[Rednready]

So based on our whole season we've won half our games and drawn slightly less than a third.

If we acieve that for our final 12 matches thats P12- W6- D3- L3 = 21 pts.

No better or worse than what we've been doing all season and enough for auto promotion.

I suggested some time back that 81/82 points would be a likely total at our then rate of 1.7 points per match. Now we are very close to 1.8 points per match.

That would put us at 21 points and 82 for the season. IMO that will be enough.

We are a play off team and only have to maintain our current average to achieve automatic promotion. I believe we have the squad. Its now down to GJ's selections and tactics. Next season will be harder, it has to be now to sieze the moment.