Rival Watch

[Stranded]

Just looking through the fixtures

Cardiff have Barnsley and Peterborough in their next 2. Derby have 2 games before we next play.

Table could look very different by the time we ply Bristol. Expecting cardiff to pull well clear

Hadn't realised until yesterday that Derby are in contention to stay up mainly on home form - only 2 away wins. Expecting them to lose tonight and beat Hull next week.

Could do with Barnsley managing not to lose tonight and then we really want Cardiff to beat Peterborough.

Of course the key thing, is we really need to go to Bristol and win. Their defence is nearly as leaky as ours, let in 21 in last 8 (v 23) but been scoring at a rate of 2 per game over than time. So 0-0 then.

Although Bristol are W5 D1 L2 at home over the past 8, so not easy at all with 0 confidence.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Ultimately it comes down to ourselves. Of course I'd like other teams to do us a favour when possible but we need to get points and wins in our own games, if we don't get that then we will never get out of it and we can't be relying on others forever.

We've been pretty fortunate to date that the teams below us since November time haven't managed to wrack up enough points to see us fall into the relegation zone as it is. For all of our bad luck this season, maybe we should count out blessings with the fact that we aren't in the relegation zone despite how out of form we have been for a good couple of months.

The manager labelled February as the month where we could kick on and see an improvement, he said this 2/3 weeks ago now, so I am expecting we will do so and our fixtures so look pretty favourable as well this month on paper.

[Stranded]

Ultimately it comes down to ourselves. Of course I'd like other teams to do us a favour when possible but we need to get points and wins in our own games, if we don't get that then we will never get out of it and we can't be relying on others forever.

We've been pretty fortunate to date that the teams below us since November time haven't managed to wrack up enough points to see us fall into the relegation zone as it is. For all of our bad luck this season, maybe we should count out blessings with the fact that we aren't in the relegation zone despite how out of form we have been for a good couple of months.

The manager labelled February as the month where we could kick on and see an improvement, he said this 2/3 weeks ago now, so I am expecting we will do so and our fixtures so look pretty favourable as well this month on paper.

No agreed we can't expect anyone to help us out. In fact it might even help us if Derby win both as having them 1 point behind us (even if we have 2 games in hand) should light a fire.

January has been awful but and it is a but that is no excuse (the manner of defeats has been hideous) - we lost to sides who are currently placed in:

1st
4th
6th
7th
9th

and of those we only have to play Luton again.

Of our last 18, only 6 remain against the current top 10. We have the entire bottom half bar Derby left to play.

[South Coast Royal]

Ultimately it comes down to ourselves. Of course I'd like other teams to do us a favour when possible but we need to get points and wins in our own games, if we don't get that then we will never get out of it and we can't be relying on others forever.

We've been pretty fortunate to date that the teams below us since November time haven't managed to wrack up enough points to see us fall into the relegation zone as it is. For all of our bad luck this season, maybe we should count out blessings with the fact that we aren't in the relegation zone despite how out of form we have been for a good couple of months.

The manager labelled February as the month where we could kick on and see an improvement, he said this 2/3 weeks ago now, so I am expecting we will do so and our fixtures so look pretty favourable as well this month on paper.

No agreed we can't expect anyone to help us out. In fact it might even help us if Derby win both as having them 1 point behind us (even if we have 2 games in hand) should light a fire.

January has been awful but and it is a but that is no excuse (the manner of defeats has been hideous) - we lost to sides who are currently placed in:

1st
4th
6th
7th
9th

and of those we only have to play Luton again.

Of our last 18, only 6 remain against the current top 10. We have the entire bottom half bar Derby left to play.

Of course the team that are in 1st position we beat earlier in the season but then were thrashed for the return fixture so league positions don't mean too much, especially in this division where there are so many erratic teams.
Two of our "easier" fixtures are against Birmingham and Blackpool who are classic iffy or erratic teams where you need to catch them on a bad day rather than a going day.

Thanks for your continuing optimistic postings (even you have dropped away in recent weeks) as it keeps us doom-mongers a little less gloomy-we expect Meite to return a lesser player than before after such a serious injury and Joao to be out injured again soon whereas you think of Meite hitting top form, Joao scoring a hatful of goals and both Swift and Laurent to get back to their earlier form.

Obviously I/We hope that you are right and that we are wrong but it does take such a massive leap of faith to believe that we can suddenly turn things around quickly from the dire apology of a team that has turned up of late.
Maybe a change of manager might help.

[URZZZZ]

Just looking through the fixtures

Cardiff have Barnsley and Peterborough in their next 2. Derby have 2 games before we next play.

Table could look very different by the time we ply Bristol. Expecting cardiff to pull well clear

Hadn't realised until yesterday that Derby are in contention to stay up mainly on home form - only 2 away wins. Expecting them to lose tonight and beat Hull next week.

Could do with Barnsley managing not to lose tonight and then we really want Cardiff to beat Peterborough.

Of course the key thing, is we really need to go to Bristol and win. Their defence is nearly as leaky as ours, let in 21 in last 8 (v 23) but been scoring at a rate of 2 per game over than time. So 0-0 then.

Although Bristol are W5 D1 L2 at home over the past 8, so not easy at all with 0 confidence.

Believe that Bristol have dropped 11 points alone from goals conceded in the 90th minute this season - which seems remarkably high. Clear they have major defensive concentration issues but the problems for us seem to be of late, our attempts to chase games have been pathetic

[Franchise FC]

Just looking through the fixtures

Cardiff have Barnsley and Peterborough in their next 2. Derby have 2 games before we next play.

Table could look very different by the time we ply Bristol. Expecting cardiff to pull well clear

Hadn't realised until yesterday that Derby are in contention to stay up mainly on home form - only 2 away wins. Expecting them to lose tonight and beat Hull next week.

Could do with Barnsley managing not to lose tonight and then we really want Cardiff to beat Peterborough.

Of course the key thing, is we really need to go to Bristol and win. Their defence is nearly as leaky as ours, let in 21 in last 8 (v 23) but been scoring at a rate of 2 per game over than time. So 0-0 then.

Although Bristol are W5 D1 L2 at home over the past 8, so not easy at all with 0 confidence.

Believe that Bristol have dropped 11 points alone from goals conceded in the 90th minute this season - which seems remarkably high. Clear they have major defensive concentration issues but the problems for us seem to be of late, our attempts to chase games have been pathetic

3-3 draw (0-0 at 90 minutes)

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Ultimately it comes down to ourselves. Of course I'd like other teams to do us a favour when possible but we need to get points and wins in our own games, if we don't get that then we will never get out of it and we can't be relying on others forever.

We've been pretty fortunate to date that the teams below us since November time haven't managed to wrack up enough points to see us fall into the relegation zone as it is. For all of our bad luck this season, maybe we should count out blessings with the fact that we aren't in the relegation zone despite how out of form we have been for a good couple of months.

The manager labelled February as the month where we could kick on and see an improvement, he said this 2/3 weeks ago now, so I am expecting we will do so and our fixtures so look pretty favourable as well this month on paper.

No agreed we can't expect anyone to help us out. In fact it might even help us if Derby win both as having them 1 point behind us (even if we have 2 games in hand) should light a fire.

January has been awful but and it is a but that is no excuse (the manner of defeats has been hideous) - we lost to sides who are currently placed in:

1st
4th
6th
7th
9th

and of those we only have to play Luton again.

Of our last 18, only 6 remain against the current top 10. We have the entire bottom half bar Derby left to play.

Of course the team that are in 1st position we beat earlier in the season but then were thrashed for the return fixture so league positions don't mean too much, especially in this division where there are so many erratic teams.
Two of our "easier" fixtures are against Birmingham and Blackpool who are classic iffy or erratic teams where you need to catch them on a bad day rather than a going day.

Thanks for your continuing optimistic postings (even you have dropped away in recent weeks) as it keeps us doom-mongers a little less gloomy-we expect Meite to return a lesser player than before after such a serious injury and Joao to be out injured again soon whereas you think of Meite hitting top form, Joao scoring a hatful of goals and both Swift and Laurent to get back to their earlier form.

Obviously I/We hope that you are right and that we are wrong but it does take such a massive leap of faith to believe that we can suddenly turn things around quickly from the dire apology of a team that has turned up of late.
Maybe a change of manager might help.

The positions clubs occupy now in the table tell you a far greater picture of the sort of season they are having and the quality of their team. It can obviously still fluctuate but I think most would be in agreement than 95% of the clubs will probably finish in and around the positions they are in now, possibly Luton being one exception as they are aiming towards the play offs.

[Zip]

Just looking through the fixtures

Cardiff have Barnsley and Peterborough in their next 2. Derby have 2 games before we next play.

Table could look very different by the time we ply Bristol. Expecting cardiff to pull well clear

Hadn't realised until yesterday that Derby are in contention to stay up mainly on home form - only 2 away wins. Expecting them to lose tonight and beat Hull next week.

Could do with Barnsley managing not to lose tonight and then we really want Cardiff to beat Peterborough.

Of course the key thing, is we really need to go to Bristol and win. Their defence is nearly as leaky as ours, let in 21 in last 8 (v 23) but been scoring at a rate of 2 per game over than time. So 0-0 then.

Although Bristol are W5 D1 L2 at home over the past 8, so not easy at all with 0 confidence.

We really need Derby to lose tonight. They have only had three days rest since their last game. Huddersfield have had five and are nine games unbeaten.
I would hope Hull would hold Derby to a draw based on their recent form.

[South Coast Royal]

No agreed we can't expect anyone to help us out. In fact it might even help us if Derby win both as having them 1 point behind us (even if we have 2 games in hand) should light a fire.

January has been awful but and it is a but that is no excuse (the manner of defeats has been hideous) - we lost to sides who are currently placed in:

1st
4th
6th
7th
9th

and of those we only have to play Luton again.

Of our last 18, only 6 remain against the current top 10. We have the entire bottom half bar Derby left to play.

Of course the team that are in 1st position we beat earlier in the season but then were thrashed for the return fixture so league positions don't mean too much, especially in this division where there are so many erratic teams.
Two of our "easier" fixtures are against Birmingham and Blackpool who are classic iffy or erratic teams where you need to catch them on a bad day rather than a going day.

Thanks for your continuing optimistic postings (even you have dropped away in recent weeks) as it keeps us doom-mongers a little less gloomy-we expect Meite to return a lesser player than before after such a serious injury and Joao to be out injured again soon whereas you think of Meite hitting top form, Joao scoring a hatful of goals and both Swift and Laurent to get back to their earlier form.

Obviously I/We hope that you are right and that we are wrong but it does take such a massive leap of faith to believe that we can suddenly turn things around quickly from the dire apology of a team that has turned up of late.
Maybe a change of manager might help.

The positions clubs occupy now in the table tell you a far greater picture of the sort of season they are having and the quality of their team. It can obviously still fluctuate but I think most would be in agreement than 95% of the clubs will probably finish in and around the positions they are in now, possibly Luton being one exception as they are aiming towards the play offs.

You are probably right about final positions being not much different eventually from what they are now.
With Middlesboro and WBA currently on 45 points and in 5th and 6th I would guess that all the teams down to Blackpool on 37 points would consider now that they have a chance of the play-offs.

Of our remaining 18 games, 9 are against teams looking to make a run to the play-offs plus 2 games against the current 2nd and 3rd placed in Blackburn and Bournemouth so, at least for some time ,these teams have something to play for in terms of the top end and the rest of the games are against teams that are either already in the battle to stay up or might get dragged in so will have something to play for as well.

Incidentally I don't necessarily buy into the idea that teams do better when they have something to play for but others do feel that way.

The one good thing IMHO is that it will ,for a while at least, be very much in our own hands even if we might feel that the current players and manager are showing little to give us belief.
A new manager and a couple of free agent signings might help our cause.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I think you have also got to factor in that teams at the bottom end of the table do tend to be poor around this time of year (December-February time) but you end up noticing results pick up towards the back end of the season as clubs continue to fight for survival. So even though those games against teams looking to make the play offs look difficult now, it becomes a different game entirely when there are only a few games remaining.

I don't agree with that either when people say teams do better when there is something to play for. Teams in mid table such as Millwall will always pick up points against sides at the top/bottom in their last 10 games because they are still a decent team in the league as well. Less pressure on them for results as well can be a benefit, but they still usually pick up wins and results despite people always writing them off as they have nothing to play for.

[Horsham Royal]

...The one good thing IMHO is that it will ,for a while at least, be very much in our own hands...

Being super pedantic, it's not in our own hands. If Posh win their game in hand we are 22nd.

[Franchise FC]

...The one good thing IMHO is that it will ,for a while at least, be very much in our own hands...

Being super pedantic, it's not in our own hands. If Posh win their game in hand we are 22nd.

Being hyper-pedantic, if we beat Posh we go/stay above them, so it is still very much in our own hands

[paultheroyal]

...The one good thing IMHO is that it will ,for a while at least, be very much in our own hands...

Being super pedantic, it's not in our own hands. If Posh win their game in hand we are 22nd.

Being hyper-pedantic, if we beat Posh we go/stay above them, so it is still very much in our own hands

what Franchise said

[Pepe the Horseman]

Ismael sacked.

[CountryRoyal]

Ismael sacked.

I don’t think West Brom’s squad is that great, certainly don’t think they should be walking the league. Admittedly I didn’t see a lot of their games but I’d take him here.

[Zip]

...The one good thing IMHO is that it will ,for a while at least, be very much in our own hands...

Being super pedantic, it's not in our own hands. If Posh win their game in hand we are 22nd.

It’s still in our hands though as we still have to play them. They could say it's in their hands too of course

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I don't think the West Brom squad is as strong as Fulham's or Bournemouth's but it's certainly enough for a play off position. I suppose for them the worrying trend of results has seen them drop dangerously close to falling out of them altogether which would be a failure for them.

I would also take him as well for us right now.

[Hendo]

I'd be a strong no for Ismael, thought his Barnsley team last year were an absolute horror to watch. Would be another poor appointment.

[NathStPaul]

Holy fcuk they have appointed Roun Gourlay CEO!

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/ron-gourlay- ... albion-ceo

[NathStPaul]

“During my short time here as a consultant I have seen and felt the disconnect between the club and its supporters and I will work tirelessly to rectify that. Open dialogue with fans will play a key part in rebuilding trust and I intend to communicate with supporters and the media on a regular basis"