Race for the Playoffs

[i-Ram]

Just been considering the permeations concerning our match against millwall. Could they already be relegated by the time we play them?

If Rotherham win their next match, the Millwall have 8 points to make up, and 4 games to do it in. If they get less than 2 points from their two games before playing us, then they would be down. (In fact with two draws they'd be needing goal difference). 

But, do we want them to be down. Often, when the pressure is off, and especially in the last home game of the season, the players will pull out a good performance. It should be a nothing game, with nothing for them to play for,  it if they've got anything about them, they should give us a game. Although, I've just checked and Rotherham have Norwich next, so they're not likely to get 3 points  

Then again, if they're not relegated, then they'll be in a position where a win against us could be the three points thats the difference between staying up and going down. They'll be fighting tooth and nail. 

Only way that's an easy game is if their confidence is shot and they've given up, which, bearing in mind they just beat Wigan, doesn't look to be the case. 

So what would we rather, playing a team already relate gated, or playing a team with a sliver of hope left?

Tedd - have you been passing around the Peruvian pipe of peace tonight buddy?  Time for bed mate. Switch off.

[ramblur]

I'm more concerned about how we approach the second leg than who we play (assuming we get there).I think we have to be positive, whatever the first leg outcome.

[uttoxram75]

Will be interesting to see what happens with Watford if they don't go up - will they keep all of their players? The likes of Layun, Ighalo and Vydra are too good for this level, especially Ighalo who's like a 25-goal a season midfielder! Every week he's banging them in, and some right crackers too.

​Igloo is nearly as good as Bryson was last season.

[ramblur]

Need a nice,sunny day if we play those feckers,then.

[Daaave]

​Igloo is nearly as good as Bryson was last season.

​Bryson didn't spend half his time up front either, it's a bit of a stretch to describe Ighalo as a midfielder really. Good player mind.

[Ramarena]

Really don't want Boro if we make it. They seem to have been our bogey team for the last 20 years and you know it will be Bamford who will do the damage. 

[ariotofmyown]

Imagine if Bournemouth are top before the final match, winning with a few minutes left and the promotion party is revving up. Suddenly, the nerves strike and the conceed an equaliser and they drop down to 4th.

Eddie Howe: "Unlucky lads but let it go, let's concentrate on the game at Derby in 5 days time. I know they've beaten us there already this season and were the better team at our place. But they had that bad run and although all the injured players are back now, they did struggle against Reading today, admittedly playing a bunch of kids as they have been preparing for the playoff match for 3 weeks. That reminds me, I better not buy that house now at Sandbanks with the promotion bonus I was expecting."

[TroyDyer]

The tighter it remains at the top, the better. As @ariotofmyown has alluded to, playing a team that has just had final day heartache might be to our advantage. 

I remember when we lost to Blackburn in 92 (I think), we had just missed out on autos and they had literally snuck into to playoffs. We were licking our wounds, and they were buzzing. 

One solace to take from buggering up our season weeks ago, is that we will have time to get over it, and play back to some form. 

 

[ariotofmyown]

The tighter it remains at the top, the better. As @ariotofmyown has alluded to, playing a team that has just had final day heartache might be to our advantage. 

I remember when we lost to Blackburn in 92 (I think), we had just missed out on autos and they had literally snuck into to playoffs. We were licking our wounds, and they were buzzing. 

One solace to take from buggering up our season weeks ago, is that we will have time to get over it, and play back to some form. 

 

That playoff defeat to Blackburn was no big deal. They went up and bought Sutton and Shearer and won the Prem. We stayed down and got Kitson and Kuhl. For nearly the same amount of money and a lot less success.

[Dimmu]

That playoff defeat to Blackburn was no big deal. They went up and bought Sutton and Shearer and won the Prem. We stayed down and got Kitson and Kuhl. For nearly the same amount of money and a lot less success.

​Good to see it doesn't bother you anymore.

[ariotofmyown]

​Good to see it doesn't bother you anymore.

It could have been all so different

[TigerTedd]

It could have been all so different

​Yeah, Man Utd could have had another notch on their bed post leaving Forest as runners up. (Blimey, having just checked that, I didn't realise Forest were third that season, where did it all go wrong?)

[Curtains]

Boro 1 up at Canaries after 8 mins. 

[VulcanRam]

ON that showing I'd rather play Norwich in a play off game. They had 70 pc possession and yet created nothing of note. The Boro back line looked impenetrable. Classic away performance - score early and defend, defend, defend.

[Ramos]

ON that showing I'd rather play Norwich in a play off game. They had 70 pc possession and yet created nothing of note. The Boro back line looked impenetrable. Classic away performance - score early and defend, defend, defend.

​Not sure if our defence can manage what boro did tonight, which is go that long in a match sitting back without conceding.  But boro have been solid all season and to be honest like you say Norwich really looked poor and didn't exactly create much to test the resolve of the defence. That isn't the norwich I have usually come across this season, the times I have seen them they have been very efficient with the ball and a well organised team. I'd say their performance tonight was more in the direction of their performance against us at Carrow road and not their performance they showed against us at the IPro. 

[Bris Vegas]

Said it would be almost impossible for Norwich to get autos given their starting position. Today surprised me, but I'm backing Bournemouth and Watford for autos.

Pity as I think Derby would stand a better chance against those two rather than Norwich and Boro.

[CapeTownRams]

The power of a good, well drilled defence and consistent . It's seen them good all season. If only we had the same.....

I can't stand Boro......only positive if they go up is that we don't have to possibly play them in play-offs. One team I just know we have no chance of beating at all - never mind over two legs.

[VulcanRam]

​Not sure if our defence can manage what boro did tonight, which is go that long in a match sitting back without conceding.  But boro have been solid all season and to be honest like you say Norwich really looked poor and didn't exactly create much to test the resolve of the defence. That isn't the norwich I have usually come across this season, the times I have seen them they have been very efficient with the ball and a well organised team. I'd say their performance tonight was more in the direction of their performance against us at Carrow road and not their performance they showed against us at the IPro. 

​Absolutely, I just looked at that Boro backline with Leadbetter and Clayon sitting in front and thought they looked so solid, I'd worry about us scoring, especially as we failed to score against them in both our league games.

[TigerTedd]

We don't need play offs anyway, the championship is still on. 

You laugh, but imagine if Watford and bournemouth lost today and we win, and then they all loose the next match and win, putting us within 3pts of the top. You'd all be getting a little glimmer of excitement wouldn't you? 

Unlikely but possible. 

Hope is a terrible thing, the sooner we're mathematically incapable of autos the better. 

[Ramos]

​Absolutely, I just looked at that Boro backline with Leadbetter and Clayon sitting in front and thought they looked so solid, I'd worry about us scoring, especially as we failed to score against them in both our league games.

​Yeah Leadbitter is a player we really could do with, hes basically a younger more mobile version of eustace and would be perfect to replace him this summer as I am assuming Eustace will move on or maybe he will get one more year. But we have no chance of getting leadbitter whereever boro end up. If we go up and they stay down which is unlikely, then I'm sure we would probably go for someone better.