Re: Championship rivals thread

[Trotters]

I think they mean "mental health coaches".

[danclare82]

I don't know if anyone is planning on going noses game but it's mayhem tonight on ticket site. Took me 3 hours to get mine and some people are still queuing from 5 o'clock!

[De Kuip]

Someone I know who is a Villa hating, slum-dwelling, 12-toed, inbred freak(spit) told me loads of them are buying tickets in the Villa parts but would you not need a buying history to do that?
I hope they are and that they get battered. Mind you, if the only way you'd spot them is if they jumped up when they scored, well, looks like they won't be spotted then....

[Villa_Dan]

The Holte is sold out and the upper Trinity is opened for the Blues. Wonder what the attendance will be vs Norwich??

As for them buying tickets in the home end - probably in the family areas and their scumbag fans will claim they "took over"

[The Utterer]

I see Derby nicked a 1-0 against QPR which puts them in a much stronger position than us if Sheff Weds & Fulham do slip up. I think this talk of a late promotion push is fantasy talk though anyway tbh.

[Trotters]

This is fantastic.@De Kuip drunk-posting.

[Dazzle]

Angus McDonald, my new favourite player!

[Villa Ranger]

I see Derby nicked a 1-0 against QPR which puts them in a much stronger position than us if Sheff Weds & Fulham do slip up. I think this talk of a late promotion push is fantasy talk though anyway tbh.

I've allowed myself to muse on this a little bit and I don't wanna piss on anyone's parade but...actually I do. I love pissing on parades. In fact, I tour the country looking for any parade I can find, get myself up the highest building on the parade route, get my Mickey out and piss like a Russian racehorse.

Anyway, there are a few things to consider here.

Back on the 20th February we had just lost to the Barcodes after a 9-game losing streak in the league. We were in 17th place, that is, 8th from bottom and 6 points from safety.

Fast forward a mere 40 days and we have won 6 of our last 7 games. Absolutely incredible and something that I, and very few others, could never have foreseen at that time, and yet we have only climbed to 11th. This, despite being the top team in all 4 divisions over those 40 days.

So that busts Championship Myth No.1: If you put a good run together in the Championship, you can climb the table really quickly.

This is the reason I think 6th place is just out of our grasp because I can't remember such a winning streak since the 1981 title-winning season, but when I look at the table it's like we're running through treacle.

That brings me to Championship Myth No.2: The team that finishes 6th carries momentum into the playoffs and often gets promoted.

I've always thought this was true, probably because I've never paid enough attention to the Championship to see if it's real.

It isn't.

The team finishing 6th has been promoted only twice in the 12 years the format has been going. In contrast, the 3rd placed team has been promoted 6 times, that is 50% of the time, so even if we perform the miracle, the odds are still stacked against us.

Despite all the above, I still have hope, and it's the hope that kills ya.

Step forward: Gollum...  

[Trotters]

I've said I have no hope but fact is, it's denied hoped. I'm telling myself we've no chance so I won't be totally pissed off that our season ends 2 games too soon.

I'm 99% sure that'll there will be a long thread about which two games cost us a spot in the play-offs but I'm really desperately hoping that the 1% will come good.

I get the comments that we're not ready for the premiership. But I suspect that if we do get promoted, the spending spree to ensure Bruce is given the best opportunity to stay in the league will be substantial! So whilst I think we could really walk next season in this league, I'd much rather us get that 6th place and then destroy all before us.

And if we can keep our run going, other teams will be looking just to hold out for a draw against us - a long way from the start of the season when there was blood in the water and every manager knew it.

[Dazzle]

If we win this evening we're closing on either Derby or Fulham as they're playing each other. MUST beat QPR tonight. If we can win by two clear goals and Derby/Fulham is a draw we go in front of Derby. Actually just noticed that Norwich are away at Huddersfield, and if Norwich could kindly lose by the odd 3 goals or so we might feasibly jump them as well. Sheff Wed away at relegated Rotherham, I had them down as an away win a couple of weeks back but it's now a test for them given their little slump. Results have to go our way soon, right?!!
All that said I would prefer Derby to beat Fulham and Rotherham to beat Wednesday. We need Fulham and Sheff Wed to start feeling heat.

[AstonThriller]

Let's just take one game at a time and see what happens. That's all we can do really. BUT, if anyone actually looks at the remaining fixtures of the five teams above us I think you'll find that things could get VERY interesting if we continue this good run. That's all I'm gonna say.

[achilles]

I like the optimisism but it ain't going to happen, just enjoy the last few games in peace and tranquility!

[UnclePanda]

Id be happy to see us win as many as we can now, and take that into a proper title challenge next season.

Preferably in the Prem!

[Dazzle]

So, who will be fully behind a Birmingham win this coming weekend?!!

[The Utterer]

Win every game and we have a chance is the way i see it after the last 2 wins and looking at the fixtures of all those clubs above us. Chances of us winning the next 6 must be ridiculous however

[Dazzle]

Next three games will see someone fall away imo. It's likely Fulham will gain 6 from the next possible 9pts, Derby I reckon will bag 3-4pts from a possible 9pts, Preston I think will struggle to get more than 3, Brentford 7-9pts, given their current form Norwich will do well to take 5-6pts from their next 4 games, Sheff Wed 4-5pts.
With my most optimistic hat on in a mystic meg style I'm hoping the table looks very close to this after 43 games;

6th Sheffield Wednesday 69pts
7th Fulham 67pts
8th Villa 66pts
9th Derby 62pts
10th PNE 62pts
11th Brentford 61pts
12th Norwich 60pts

[AstonThriller]

Next three games will see someone fall away imo. It's likely Fulham will gain 6 from the next possible 9pts, Derby I reckon will bag 3-4pts from a possible 9pts, Preston I think will struggle to get more than 3, Brentford 7-9pts, given their current form Norwich will do well to take 5-6pts from their next 4 games, Sheff Wed 4-5pts.
With my most optimistic hat on in a mystic meg style I'm hoping the table looks very close to this after 43 games;

6th Sheffield Wednesday 69pts
7th Fulham 67pts
8th Villa 66pts
9th Derby 62pts
10th PNE 62pts
11th Brentford 61pts
12th Norwich 60pts

IF the table looks like that with three to go then my McGrath it will be a nerve-wracking end to the season wouldn't it? Next weekend is gonna be another big test as we play before Sheff Wed and it's a massive chance to pile more pressure on them.

[Dazzle]

It's interesting reading rivals forums! Just taken a few minutes reading some Sheffield Wednesday comments/topics and when it comes to battles for a playoff place there is no mention of Villa at present! Just the way I prefer it to be. They are nattering about how they won ugly last night and that they're looking disjointed, a couple of quality moments from Fletcher being the difference against a relegated Rotherham side. They seem concerned about Leeds, derby, PNE, and Fulham..........and that's it! I am a betting man, and for me Brentford look a team in great form..........and are still available at 200-1! Of all the teams in and around the playoffs they look to have a preferable run-in. The championship ALWAYS throws in a curve ball at seasons end!

Update; I've found one guy on a Fulham forum who is talking about keeping an eye on Villa and the run we're on. Pretty much everyone else dismissing us as too far behind, understandably.
It's quite clear how optimism is running through pretty much most of the fans, they are all expecting 6th spot or better on the back of winning their remaining games. I really hope as many as possible remain in the hunt until the last weekend, that'd be one hell of a squeaky arsed bun fight!

[Dazzle]

Excellent, Norwich smashed 3-0

[Villa_Dan]

Not exactly rivals right now but got to comment on the Newcastle game - fucking howler from the referee to eclipse all howlers. Dropped an absolute clanger tonight

[De Kuip]

Not exactly rivals right now but got to comment on the Newcastle game - fucking howler from the referee to eclipse all howlers. Dropped an absolute clanger tonight

Shame as well as the only thing keeping the abject shite from the sty from dropping like a stone is the slightly more abject shite below them. It doesn't help when one of the teams below the snotnoses get served up by shit reffing.

[Villa_Dan]

The fuck up benefited Burton mate

[Trotters]

Actually I never watched any IH coached game until these2. Sorry,he's better manager than I thought. Without him, QPR couldn't stay at 16th. https://t.co/XhKuZTOxIe

— Dr. Tony Xia (@Dr_TonyXia) April 5, 2017

[Guest]

Imagine if we went up back up and got into the CL while winning a trophy here and there. Xia would be unbearable lol

[4BetLite]

Xia will never be unbearable, even if he sat on my face eating egg foo yung in an egg foo yung eating contest.

Really hope Burton stay up.

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