The Championship 2020-21

No one has said that because it’s clearly ********.

 

It comes up a lot

 

No, surely what is being said is that Norwich was the easiest game last season, that we beat them twice, and that therefore there is no reason to presume we can’t beat them this season, as they haven’t suddenly transformed into Real Madrid in a couple of months.

The idea that Norwich is an easier game that Rotherham or Wycombe is just nonsensical.

 

Came here to post something similar, but well put here.

After the Newcastle game, we had a much smaller gap back to Villa and Bournemouth and faced the very likely prospect of not taking a single further point all season (which is exactly what happened).

People trying to equate this season to that are just trying to cushion the blow mentally for if the unthinkable was to happen. It won't and deep down they know it.

 

Lordy platy I hope you are correct and deep down if I think calmly and logically I know you are.
However we all have baggage and scars that jangle the nerves and play on our fears so I understand why people are uneasy.

 

I agree that the comparison doesn't stack up but I understand, and share, people's nerves.

I felt that we would survive after the Newcastle game because at the bottom of the league you don't expect teams to win their games in hand. Villa, with some good fortune, managed that and we paid the price.

At the top of the league you would expect teams to convert games in hand to 3 points. That's why, in my mind, we are probably 6 points clear right now. It should be enough but we cannot afford to go for anything other than wins. We cannot rely on others to drop points because, over 5/6 games, there is no guarantee they will.

 

The real answer to all of this is that, for a glorious couple of weeks, as we observed collapses in both our immediate rivals which allowed us to overtake them entirely, and in which they collectively failed to record a win in eight games, we all to varyingly subconscious degrees were briefly transported through the looking glass to a shadow realm where it seemed almost as though after all the tribulations of this season we might just suddenly promenade to an automatic spot nice and easily without having to have gladiatorial battles with said rivals, or rely on representing the best version of ourselves as a team for every remaining game, or even wait until the last day of the season. It might have just happened, and we got very close to that eventuality - if those collapses had carried on for perhaps even one more game each, Shangri-La would basically have been reached; a seductive prospect, however unlikely.

As it is, suddenly we have to rely on actually being the best team again, and that comes with all the pressure and nerves and anticipation when something is so desperately close, and others are trying to take it away from you. So it's a bit of a drastic snapping back to reality (to those varying degrees, again). We're all speculating about what might need to happen for any eventuality, how we might play in the next match, and what our rivals might do, but of course, in reality, not one of us has a single clue and all we can do is watch the unbearably fraught seconds tick by.

Scrabbling about reading the runes for any type of encouragement (other than our players/record/etc yadda yadda), I watched the Cycling GK's video for the first time last night - his most recent one, for reasons I can't fully explain. At the start he talked briefly about the Boro game and how he believed it was a point gained, claiming that among other things 'the boys were tired'. In a situation in which there's not much incentive for him to lie, we can probably put a fair amount of stock in that assessment. And if it is the case, then this enormous break between games (which, I presume, is the longest we've had this season outside of internationals?!?) might just be exactly what we need to get everyone fully refreshed and back to the all-action technowizardry of that long stretch of wins pre-international-break. Given that the slightly lacklustre/muted nature of the three performances since then is the main tangible concern playing on anyone who is concerned's mind, we might see a lot of worry dispelled at 12.30 on Saturday.

 

My worry won't be dispelled until 2:30pm on Saturday. We have to win, Swansea most probably will win at home to Wycombe and Brentford have Millwall at home. A Millwall team we are banking on getting 3 points at home against the following Saturday.

 

It really couldn't. We didn't play well but at no pint were Boro going to win that game

 

As mentioned earlier, Brentford have Millwall this Saturday (easy win), but then Cardiff on Tuesday, Bournemouth the Saturday after, Rotherham on the Tuesday and then us on the Saturday.

Even if they win all of those games, they'll be exhausted and will likely have picked up a few injuries along the way. If they win against both Cardiff and Bournemouth and we lose against Luton, then I'll start getting a bit worried.

Swansea have easy fixtures (other than Reading), but their recent form suggests they can lose to sides near the bottom of the table as easily as they can to top sides. If they lose one match and we beat Luton, it will be almost impossible for them to catch us.

My mindset means I'm always looking up rather than down. When we play Norwich, they will have played Bournemouth two days before, who have played well against the top sides and are fighting to reach the play offs. If we can beat Luton and Norwich, then the gap will be down to two points with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

Cardiff are as good as out of the picture now, they are 12 points behind 6th place Barnsley with 5 to play. Reading are 5 points behind the play offs, they are in last-chance-saloon now.

 

Yes but of course being 1 point ahead of Brentford when we play them, with the Swansea game to follow when they have an easy last game, would be a very poor position to be in. We'd then probably need a draw and win in those last 2 games which would be tough. Not impossible but tough.
Let's just hope we beat Luton and millwall.

 

I'd also worry in that scenario if we draw at Luton.

If we beat Luton and win at Norwich we can all relax.....

 

I have posted these on the statistics thread as well:

 

Scum 1 WATFORD 3
Norwich 1 WATFORD 2
WATFORD 2 Millwall 0

Job done. Stop worrying.

 

I can see Brentford winning 4 games, drawing 1 and losing 1, so therefore taking 13 points from a possible 18 - which would put them on 86 points (4 clear of us with a probable better GD).

We beat Scum and Millwall and it's job done!

Brentford have to play something like 5 games in 15 days (us being the fifth game), so can see them burning out by the time we go there and we will turn them over.

 

In all fairness Wednesday handed the match to Swansea on a plate. They certainly didn't look anything special, it could of gone either way in all fairness.
But again all we need to do is focus on us, the run we're on is nothing but fantastic. Sarr is back to his best and it looks like the squad is nearly at full fitness. If it wasn't that it's a derby game Saturday everyone would be thinking it's a nailed on three poi ts if we go about things the right way. We're far superior all over the pitch and on the bench, confidence is brimming so what's not to like?
Ok Reading could and should probably of scored against us but we should of also converted another chance too. But it doesn't matter now the points are in the bag.
Saturday we will out football them, outfight them and score two or three without reply.
Going back to Reading, Xisco noted the problem and changed things at HT that was good to see, Ok they still played some nice stuff but didn't trouble our goal until near the end and DB held that shot with ease making it look easier than it was.
All the Scummers will have is set pieces. Concentrating and doing our jobs properly will snuff out that.

 

I can't even see the Northern Bar stewards scoring.

 

The two big chances Reading had were mainly down to silly errors by us. They did have a bit of control in the midfield in the first half which was nicely improved in the second half with Sanchez around.

 

Nigel Pearson will sort Brentford out on the last day. He would do anything for his old club.

 

Troy 'guarding against complacency' by talking about promotion like its already guaranteed. Is there no limit to this man's stupidity?
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/04/...ng-back-troy-deeney-blasts-22m-tottenham-man/

 

As if he will still be part of our squad anyway lol.

Thanks but no thanks Troy my boy. We all said last summer we didn't need you this season and our great run of form has coincided with your absence.

 

Talksport radio state promotion is a done deal for Norwich and Watford.
Norwich yes. Watford, due to their run
in no way.
It is their for us to throw it away
The teams beneath Watford have hit form.
I hope we can gain promotion, but l have a nagging feeling that will miss out.
I would be most happy to be wrong.

 

Best we can hope for is a draw from Norwich? Beat them once and been pretty much on a par with them since Xisco arrived. Will be a very tough game but I hope the squad won't be so defeatist (drawist?!)

 

Needing to win a home game against a team who likely can't catch us on the last day isn't ideal but quite achievable.

Certainly not a disastrous position.

 

If Deeney getting more involved with the first team and providing 'motivation' leads to us missing out on promotion that fool better not ever show his face in Watford again is all I can say

 

It certainly isn't by any means nailed on, but this is a minor madness - Swansea have managed two wins over terrible teams after four straight losses without scoring a goal, and Brentford managed one (high-scoring) win over a team that just lost their manager and have nothing to play for after drawing four straight games in a row. Suggesting they have 'hit form' isn't yet even covered by the word generous, and if that is what they have done, then what's the term for what we've done?!

 

"The teams beneath Watford have hit form" and compared to WFC form you are worried??

 

Or what

 

Nah mate. Not the mockers, the mountaineering. Climbing up the league.

 

Nonsense. Much expectation last year that we would win at WHU, be safe and push them into relegation range trouble. Short memories, it was only last summer ?

 

If we are only a point above Brentford I'm sure we will be in range of swansea given their run in.

 

13 out of 15, or 7 out of 15 or indeed 6 out of 15. I reckon I can spot the form team out of that lot. We might as well sell the Crown Jewels now save waiting till the summer

 

My gut feel is;
If we win both games vs L & M we will be 90% certainly finish 2nd.
If we draw one, its 50%.
If we don't win either, 25%