Promotion rivals watch

[Minneapolis Town Tractor]

Not having a good day so keeping it short, you did just now what other teams seem unable, that is turn a losing situation into a winner.   We ourselves continue to **** everything up and lose valuable points against opposition teams we really should be beating.     Fact of the matter is we're simply not good enough to realistically challenge for those promotion places.    We,ve brought in a couple of players that may contribute little and the faith in the manager can only last for so long.

 

You're going to be a premier league side in a few months so good luck to you.   There's nothing disingenuous about those words, you,re simply more consistent than others and don,t throw away opportunities like ourselves for example.    I wish i could say we might join you by end of season but have to realize it,s not going to happen unfortunately.  

[Ovis aries]

The Leeds goalie was absolutely outstanding today , and all the defence had a blinder .

[eddie]

I think all 3 of us will win our next 2 matches. 

[Bris Vegas]

Not having a good day so keeping it short, you did just now what other teams seem unable, that is turn a losing situation into a winner.   We ourselves continue to **** everything up and lose valuable points against opposition teams we really should be beating.     Fact of the matter is we're simply not good enough to realistically challenge for those promotion places.    We,ve brought in a couple of players that may contribute little and the faith in the manager can only last for so long.

 

You're going to be a premier league side in a few months so good luck to you.   There's nothing disingenuous about those words, you,re simply more consistent than others and don,t throw away opportunities like ourselves for example.    I wish i could say we might join you by end of season but have to realize it,s not going to happen unfortunately.  

[EastKentRam]

So tight now, every game for the top 7 is absolutely huge.

Really tough fixture for Bournemouth now Tuesday the form Forest are in. We could be 5 points clear of third assuming Ipswich win. 

[Alph]

​Oops

[Ambitious]

The performance levels against Rotherham and Wednesday have been good - not outstanding, but good. 

I've looked forward to Eddie Howe's post match reaction recently. He is by nature a very smug manager and when things don't go to plan he just comes across as bitter. He likes throwing in snide comments and pretending that Bournemouth are always playing below par. It'll be interesting to see how he responds.

On Middlesbrough, it's hard to say after the Leeds game. They've put in a good performance, for the large part, but have shown panic in front of goal. If they had taken a breather and created better opportunities rather than chancing half efforts then they could have been better off.

Watford, who were within three points of us, were well beaten at home in typical fashion. As soon as they look the real deal, they seem to slip back into averageness. I saw no team in the Championship created fewer chances on the day. Norwich, however, look like they could push for the top two despite my previous reservations. They've got two big games coming up, if they can get six points then I think they will be a serious threat.

Ipswich, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I just don't see the 'quality' so to speak. They're an effective side that are very good at what they do but team's know what to expect now. I just don't see where their extra dimension will, can, come from. The signings of Varney and Chaplow could almost be passed off as a wind up. 

Brentford, despite their problems, look a great team. Warburton almost looked bemused by Howe's presser after the match on FLS and from the extended highlights, I could see why. Bournemouth's keeper didn't help matters, but they moved the ball so quick. Jota is a player who I'd look at regardless of what division we're in next season. He has that extra bit about him.

Wolves made our draw at Rotherham seem almost laughable with their performance and they seem to have a lot of fight left in them. ****o, Sako and Afobe look a good trio at the moment - certainly in form. 

Bournemouth face a Forest side full of confidence, having won their last two home games by big margins, so could be due a slip up. Brentford host Blackpool - no contest. Ipswich host a plucky Birmingham side, could be tricky. Norwich face a tough, long, fixture at Blackburn - it's a game I'll be cheering the Lanc side on for. Bolton, who have lost their last three away games, travel to Boro - only one winner. We host Charlton, who haven't been great away from home this season. In fact, they've won just three games - Wigan, Norwich and Reading.

It's been a bizarre couple of weeks in the Championship, so you can't rule anything out, but I fancy the top 8 to strengthen before Saturday.

[Bris Vegas]

I read the Watford forums on Norwich and I'm not sure if they're being bitter or not but they really didn't rate them. Called them very much a Malky Mackay Cardiff City type.

Eddie Howe does come across as really smug doesn't he? He's turning in to an unpopular manager a**** fans in the Championship, though Bournemouth are good to watch and I like their players.

Boro will be kicking themselves losing to Leeds. Maybe they're tired? I guess it was just one of those games, but that's likely to happen when you're built on a strong defence rather than a strong attack.

Wolves' win over Rotherham actually looks quite bizarre. They didn't domiante, and chances were pretty much 50/50. Similar to our win over Wolves I guess in that we scored pretty much every attack we had - a controlled 5-0 rather than a Fulham-type thrashing where we could have scored more.

There is still a long way to go, and I'm still backing Bournemouth to win the league despite thier wobble.

 

[mcsilks]

I read the Watford forums on Norwich and I'm not sure if they're being bitter or not but they really didn't rate them. Called them very much a Malky Mackay Cardiff City type.

Eddie Howe does come across as really smug doesn't he? He's turning in to an unpopular manager a**** fans in the Championship, though Bournemouth are good to watch and I like their players.

Boro will be kicking themselves losing to Leeds. Maybe they're tired? I guess it was just one of those games, but that's likely to happen when you're built on a strong defence rather than a strong attack.

Wolves' win over Rotherham actually looks quite bizarre. They didn't domiante, and chances were pretty much 50/50. Similar to our win over Wolves I guess in that we scored pretty much every attack we had - a controlled 5-0 rather than a Fulham-type thrashing where we could have scored more.

There is still a long way to go, and I'm still backing Bournemouth to win the league despite thier wobble.

 

[Bris Vegas]

​

Boro played well yesterday and were simply unlucky to lose. That's football.

I don't think Bournemouth have the squad. That depth required is beginning to tell.

I think the top 6 will read:

1. Boro    2. Norwich     3. Derby    4. Bournemouth    5. Wolves    6. Watford

 

[sage]

I read the Watford forums on Norwich and I'm not sure if they're being bitter or not but they really didn't rate them. Called them very much a Malky Mackay Cardiff City type.

Eddie Howe does come across as really smug doesn't he? He's turning in to an unpopular manager a**** fans in the Championship, though Bournemouth are good to watch and I like their players.

Boro will be kicking themselves losing to Leeds. Maybe they're tired? I guess it was just one of those games, but that's likely to happen when you're built on a strong defence rather than a strong attack.

Wolves' win over Rotherham actually looks quite bizarre. They didn't domiante, and chances were pretty much 50/50. Similar to our win over Wolves I guess in that we scored pretty much every attack we had - a controlled 5-0 rather than a Fulham-type thrashing where we could have scored more.

There is still a long way to go, and I'm still backing Bournemouth to win the league despite thier wobble.

 

[RamNut]

​I think that Sheff Wed gifting us a penalty and getting a man sent off could count as 'luck' I guess, but we haven't had a 30-yard deflected goal either unlike last season (Barnsley and Charlton).

That's why I believe we are the best team in the league - but whether it will be enough to get top two, I hope so. We deserve it off the back of the last 16 months or so!

[Ovis aries]

Gifting us a penalty?

we had a goal disallowed in order to award us the penalty.

 

[RamNut]

​The ref has to give the penalty or he can not give a red card , Bents "goal" was never going to stand .

[Gritstone Ram]

​The ref has to give the penalty or he can not give a red card , Bents "goal" was never going to stand .

[CaverRam]

Have to agree about Eddie Howe. You read his Wikipedia background and you'd want to hold him up as a proper football man and the future of English football, but then you listen to him post match and he sounds like a an English Billy Davies. He comes across as a peevish and small minded weasel. Saying they were unlucky yesterday is unbelievable, they could have lost by 5 goals easily...very poor by him.

I first started to dislike him when he brought Burnely to Derby 3 years ago, took an early lead and then his team spent 70 minutes wasting time in the most embarrassing fashion. He could go a long way but needs some coaching of how to be a statesman rather than a git.

And Boro winning the title? The Boro fans say their best performance all season was beating us at the Riverside, we seem to be judging them by those standards. Remember we tore Leeds apart at home? Boro forums think their forward line is crap (ex ram Bamford excepted). 

We should fear nobody, we're all capable of losing and drawing, we just need to make sure we do that a little less than everyone else. 

[Ovis aries]

 Edie Howe is stone certain to be a future F****t manager, its never his or the teams fault when they lose, they are always the better side and its just bad luck  when the fail . pwick

[ramsbottom]

From what I saw of the Boro game I wouldn't class a lot of their chances as sitters.  Many folks of Twitter were raving about the Leeds keeper having one of those afternoons but it's not like he stopped a number of one on ones or volleys from point blank range.  A majority of them you'd expect a competent Championship keeper to keep them out.  Admittedly the deflected shot he tipped over was pretty naughty though.

As for Bournemouth & Howe, if he thinks that game yesterday was nip and tuck he's on some seriously strong medication, Brentford missed chance after chance.  Boric finally showed his true colours when put under a bit of pressure and he's been one of their better performers.

I'm more weary of Norwich as their forward line, pound for pound, can be just as effective as ours and they're starting to pick up momentum at the right time.

[Ovis aries]

From what I saw of the Boro game I wouldn't class a lot of their chances as sitters.  Many folks of Twitter were raving about the Leeds keeper having one of those afternoons but it's not like he stopped a number of one on ones or volleys from point blank range.  A majority of them you'd expect a competent Championship keeper to keep them out.  Admittedly the deflected shot he tipped over was pretty naughty though.

As for Bournemouth & Howe, if he thinks that game yesterday was nip and tuck he's on some seriously strong medication, Brentford missed chance after chance.  Boric finally showed his true colours when put under a bit of pressure and he's been one of their better performers.

I'm more weary of Norwich as their forward line, pound for pound, can be just as effective as ours and they're starting to pick up momentum at the right time.

[Animal is a Ram]

Twitter bolleaux is linking Antony Knockaert to Ipswich on loan.

Decent signing that - If we hadn't got Ince/Lingard, I wouldn't have been too disappointed with that. Tore us a new one in the cup game, IIRC.