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EFL Championship - Promotion & Play-offs Run-in


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Can't remember the last time there was a 3-way race for the title, let alone automatic promotion! Leeds play Southampton on the final day but I suspect that may not have all that much significance as previously expected...

 

Next round of games:
Norwich vs Ipswich
Coventry vs Leeds
Leicester vs Birmingham
Blackburn vs Southampton
Stoke vs West Brom
Watford vs Preston
Middlesbrough vs Swansea
Cardiff vs Hull

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I think it's still Leicester's title to lose. There run in is significantly better than that of Leeds or Ipswich.

Norwich or Coventry for 6th place feels very difficult to call.

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Leicester will still win the title. They have had their wobble and in some respects, been taken down a peg from what seemed like a cakewalk, particularly Enzo Maresca. Think he's shown a little naiveity as a manger new in the game the last couple months and I'm sure he's learnt some lessons.

But they remain a top quality team and the fixtures are too good. The West Brom/Saints double header in April is maybe the one bump in the road you could see but you'd fancy them with two home games. That was a big psychological win for them Monday, a release for players feeling the pressure and feels like the moment they got their house in order despite everything going on around them off the field.

Either us or Ipswich for 2nd. I look at Ipswich's games and think surely they'll drop points but I've been thinking that for a while and they just don't go away. They deserve the plaudits for everything they have done absolutely. However, I do feel like they've rode their luck and some. Can that keep happening? I've got to believe it can't but as I said before, they have so much momentum now I just don't know.

I'll be gutted to finish below them given we've stuck 8 past them in two games and IMO, a much better side but I know Football doesn't always work like that.

I also know supporting Leeds, we'll find any way we can to wobble and shoot ourselves in the foot so I still expect a wobble. We really need Gruev back as soon as possible. Losing him, Gnonto and Connor Roberts over Internationals was brutal. But we do have a manager with prime experience of this situation and he won't panic. Can't call it though.

Playoffs are interesting because whoever falls in there between us and Ipswich will obviously possess a massive danger still, albeit, be on a massiver downer. I'd fear for us if it was us given our history in these, where as I feel Ipswich could go again given they've surpassed so much expectation.

Southampton will be like a wounded animal and possess a lot of class still. West Brom are tatctically the best well drilled team. Then it's a toss up between Norwich and Coventry for the final spot. Kinda feel Norwich might just keep it together and get over the line so there is huge potential for an Ipswich/Norwich playoff semi which would be pretty epic.

But I'd find it hard to back against Southampton I think. Over two legs they beat West Brom for me and I'd fancy them in the final.

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I feel a lot more confident having watched the Norwich game - but then there is a part of me that thought they played right into our hands. They executed virtually nothing that works against us.

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People wonder why Leeds fans sing "Sky TV, are fucking shit..."

Well, not content with moving our away game with Middlesbrough to a Monday night, they've now moved the away game at QPR to a Friday.

So from both games being 7 days apart, we've now got to to go to Boro and QPR in the space of 5 days, the penultimate week of the season. Last sort of thing you're wanting as you come to the end if a gruelling season.

This will mean 7 out of our last 8 have been moved for Sky and the total for the season is beyond ridiculous compared tot he others. They've well and truly milked this cash cow dry.

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45 minutes ago, Lucas said:

People wonder why Leeds fans sing "Sky TV, are fucking shit..."

Well, not content with moving our away game with Middlesbrough to a Monday night, they've now moved the away game at QPR to a Friday.

So from both games being 7 days apart, we've now got to to go to Boro and QPR in the space of 5 days, the penultimate week of the season. Last sort of thing you're wanting as you come to the end if a gruelling season.

This will mean 7 out of our last 8 have been moved for Sky and the total for the season is beyond ridiculous compared tot he others. They've well and truly milked this cash cow dry.

We probably can't be far behind you. 

We've got Millwall away on a Tuesday night, then Plymouth away on the Friday night. 

I get they want to milk the promotion race to its max, but it's madness how much they do. 

They've moved Preston away for us as well to the Monday night before the final weekend. 

I think there needs to be a rule incorporated so that the final two matchdays are played at the same time on the same day. There's enough channels for them to have various matches still on, but don't fuck over the fans when it's at the most pivotal time of the season. 

 

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9 hours ago, Lucas said:

People wonder why Leeds fans sing "Sky TV, are fucking shit..."

Well, not content with moving our away game with Middlesbrough to a Monday night, they've now moved the away game at QPR to a Friday.

So from both games being 7 days apart, we've now got to to go to Boro and QPR in the space of 5 days, the penultimate week of the season. Last sort of thing you're wanting as you come to the end if a gruelling season.

This will mean 7 out of our last 8 have been moved for Sky and the total for the season is beyond ridiculous compared tot he others. They've well and truly milked this cash cow dry.

I raise you 8 of our last 9. Pretty much exclusively dog shit kick off times too. Will only get worse in this league next season as well.

It's in peoples interests to go IPTV.

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9 hours ago, Dan said:

I raise you 8 of our last 9. Pretty much exclusively dog shit kick off times too. Will only get worse in this league next season as well.

It's in peoples interests to go IPTV.

Off topic, but a mate of mine mentioned that Disney are looking to go down the Netflix route of cracking down on password sharing. It just makes me laugh that the likes of Sky, Netflix etc piss and moan about piracy and all that, only to push you towards IPTV with continuous adverts, price increases etc.

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17 hours ago, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Off topic, but a mate of mine mentioned that Disney are looking to go down the Netflix route of cracking down on password sharing. It just makes me laugh that the likes of Sky, Netflix etc piss and moan about piracy and all that, only to push you towards IPTV with continuous adverts, price increases etc.

I quite openly use it. It'll always be an option while they continue to offer this piss poor value for money service.

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7 hours ago, Dan said:

I quite openly use it. It'll always be an option while they continue to offer this piss poor value for money service.

Same here. I was hesitant at first, but my old man sorted it out for me when I moved out and haven't looked back since.

Plus it's in his name, so he'll be going to prison instead if the polcie have nothing better to do. :)

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Automatic Promotion:
image.png

Title race takes another twist! Leicester won, while Ipswich and Leeds both lost by 1-goal margins. The one game in hand that Leicester have could prove crucial...

 

Play-offs:
image.png

Strong showing for the 6 left in the race for play-offs, as none of them lost. Norwich arguably having the best day as they kept the 4-point gap to Coventry by beating rivals Ipswich. Preston have an outside shot of catching up, despite only 7 points off with 6 left to play.

 

Next round of games:
Millwall vs Leicester
Ipswich vs Watford
Leeds vs Sunderland
West Brom vs Rotherham
Sheff Weds vs Norwich
Southampton vs Coventry
Hull vs Middlesbrough

Preston vs Huddersfield

 

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We've got to do it now. We've got arguably the best run in, top spot and the game in hand. We can even afford a loss and still win the league.

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Leicester lose, Leeds draw and Southampton win. Great chance for Ipswich to capitalise on this and take top spot.

If Southampton can capitalise on a couple of results going their way and win the game in hand against Leicester, they could sneak this.

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After we lost to Millwall on Tuesday, I was ready to write about more twists and turns. But as it is, we've somehow remained top after Ipswich and Leeds both failed to win or score against mid-table opponents with little to nothing to play for...

Automatic Promotion:
image.png

Once again, Leicester have an opportunity to have some clear daylight between them and the rest as they play on Friday night before anyone else. Southampton, with two games in hand, may find themselves with a bit of hope as teams above them dropped points...

Play-offs:
image.png

With so few games left, West Brom have pretty much nailed their play-off spot. So now it's down to 5 teams fighting it out for one spot. But Norwich have a decent gap even with 3 teams below them having a game in hand (one of those being Coventry vs Hull). It may boil down to goal-difference, too, with Norwich and Coventry only separated by 2 goals, and Hull & Middlesbrough - who played out a 2-2 draw last night - level on +5.

Next Games:
Plymouth vs Leicester
Leeds vs Blackburn
Ipswich vs Middlesbrough
Southampton vs Watford
West Brom vs Sunderland
Birmingham vs Coventry
Preston vs Norwich
Hull 
vs QPR

 

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13 hours ago, Stan said:

We've absolutely fucked automatic promotion. 

Leeds are a point behind and still have Southampton and Middlesbrough away to play.

All four of Ipswich's games are difficult if Huddersfield are fighting relegation on the last game of the season.

I still on paper make you favourites, even if you are wetting the bed as we speak.

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4 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

Leeds are a point behind and still have Southampton and Middlesbrough away to play.

All four of Ipswich's games are difficult if Huddersfield are fighting relegation on the last game of the season.

I still on paper make you favourites, even if you are wetting the bed as we speak.

Not sure where the next win comes from given our form and performances though? Leeds and Ipswich have something about them to at least draw if they're not winning. 

Leeds will hammer Blackburn this afternoon. 

Their games are difficult, I agree but I can't see them not finishing ahead of us. 

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