Administrator Stan 18,428 Posted May 6 Administrator Share Posted May 6 all games live on Sky Sports 1st Legs Sunday 12th May, 2024 Norwich vs Leeds, 12.00 West Brom vs Southampton, 14.15 2nd Legs Thursday 16th May, 2024 Leeds vs Norwich, 20.00 Friday 17th May, 2024 Southampton vs West Brom, 20.00 FINAL Sunday 26th May, 2024 TBC vs TBC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Hewitt 1,287 Posted May 6 Share Posted May 6 Got to be Leeds or Southampton surely. I'll go for Southampton based on @Lucas's theory that Leeds will choke and bottle it in the play offs. I'll be shocked of West Brom or Norwich go up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted May 6 Share Posted May 6 Anyone but West Brom, please. And Norwich now feel like a slightly dull yo-yo club. Although many could perhaps imagine Ipswich & Norwich usefully taking 2 of the bottom 3 spots. Leeds & Southampton certainly seem the 2 that could add something to the mid table areas of the top division. Maybe raise the relegation bar back to more normal levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,428 Posted May 6 Author Administrator Share Posted May 6 I think Leeds will overcome their 'choker/bottler' tag this time round. Southampton are the most formidable of the remaining 3, but even so I think they'll beat them in the final if they both get there, and I think they both will. Norwich are bit hit and miss, as are West Brom. They're the kinds of teams that when they're on it, they can just overcome teams with ease, but those kinds of days haven't been consistent enough and they can chuck in a stinker of a game or result. Leeds and Southampton on the other hand can be much more 'on it'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas 3,829 Posted May 6 Share Posted May 6 Why Leeds will not win the Playoffs... Exhibit A. Our historic Playoff Record. '06 Championship Final, Lost to Watford. '08 League One Final, Lost to Doncaster '09 League One Semi, Lost to Millwall '19 Championship Semi, Lost to Derby Exhibit B. We are completely out of form. 4pts from our last 6 games. Out of all the playoff teams, our form has dropped off a cliff. It's very hard to win tje playoffs coming in completely cold to not winning games. Confidence is low. Exhibit C. Textbook Leeds Season Only Leeds could get 90pts and not get promoted. That total would be easily good enough for Top 2 in any other season. Infact, we will become only the second team since Sunderland in '97, to get 90pts in a season and not go up. It's absolutely written that we will now fail. Exhibit D. The Leeds United Factor Out of all the clubs, Leeds will always carry the most pressure going into playoffs because of the size of the club and the expectancy levels they carry. On pretty much most occasions, Leeds players have shown they cannot handle the pressure. As you can see, I've zero confidence in us winning them. Nothing is really pointing in our favour. You need a bit of luck to get through these and that's something we've generally lacked on the really, really big moments. Being honest, I think we 100% deserve to go up, Farke's done an amazing job in the circumstances. But as we know in Football, it never works that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,428 Posted May 6 Author Administrator Share Posted May 6 26 minutes ago, Lucas said: Exhibit B. We are completely out of form. 4pts from our last 6 games. Out of all the playoff teams, our form has dropped off a cliff. It's very hard to win tje playoffs coming in completely cold to not winning games. Confidence is low. I was looking at this the other day for Luton & Forest, but went back a bit further to see if form does actually have a bearing on who eventually wins the play-offs... 22/23 Luton last 6 form - won 3, drew 3 21/22 Forest last 6 - won 4, drew 1, lost 1 20/21 - Brentford last 6 - won 4, drew 2 19/20 - Fulham last 6 - won 4, drew 2 18/19 Villa last 6 - won 4, drew 1, lost 1 Point being that any 4 of you are screwed basing it on form . All 4 teams are in the bottom half for the last 5 form table. Norwich 12th, Southampton 13th, West Brom 16th and Leeds 22nd. I hope it's not a sign of things to come in terms of quality of the games... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Dan+ 1,919 Posted May 7 Subscriber Share Posted May 7 Norwich are going to be in the right place at the right time here aren't they. I can fully sense a repeat of 2019. Leeds win the away leg 0-1 and then go out at home. It's a fascinating playoffs. You have two sides who are quite a bit better than the others that you would fancy to make up the final, but both of them have shown seriously low floors in recent pressure games and I think that'll act as a leveller. I really can't call it. Practically speaking I want Norwich or West Brom up. I think we need the help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas 3,829 Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 Think it'll be an absolute travesty for West Brom or Norwich to go up having finished so far behind. Could take maybe 7-8pts ahead of them both and losing out but 15-17pts gap is massive. I'll be jealous if it's Southampton because but if it is them, at least they only finished 3pts behind and they did the double over us. You can tolerate that a bit more. I think the only fans that will probably want us to win them will be Portsmouth, simply because they'll be licking their lips at the thought of the South Coast derby returning next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 2,217 Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 I think I'd prefer West Brom out of everybody. No offense @Lucas but between our times in the Championship and the Premier League I'm a bit bored of you now lol. Southampton I just can't stomach anymore, too dull for too long. Norwich, even duller. I know West Brom were especially dull when they were in the Premier League all those years ago but I've always quite liked watching matches on TV when theyre at home and also, it's a funny part of the West Midlands that you'd only really know exists through watching football. Plus Lenny Henry supports them and thats always a fun little celebrity spotting from the camera man. Tenuous reasons for wanting and not wanting clubs to go up, I know, but I think it just speaks to how boring the promotion race actually is in terms of clubs in it. Essentially, West Brom aside, it has become a mini Premier League this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Dan+ 1,919 Posted May 7 Subscriber Share Posted May 7 1 hour ago, Lucas said: Think it'll be an absolute travesty for West Brom or Norwich to go up having finished so far behind. Could take maybe 7-8pts ahead of them both and losing out but 15-17pts gap is massive. I'll be jealous if it's Southampton because but if it is them, at least they only finished 3pts behind and they did the double over us. You can tolerate that a bit more. I think the only fans that will probably want us to win them will be Portsmouth, simply because they'll be licking their lips at the thought of the South Coast derby returning next season. Serie B have a pretty good system for this I think. It's something like the top two go up, then whoever of 3rd-10th gets within X number of points of 2nd makes up the playoffs. It's probably the fairest I've seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas 3,829 Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 18 hours ago, Danny said: I think I'd prefer West Brom out of everybody. No offense @Lucas but between our times in the Championship and the Premier League I'm a bit bored of you now lol. Southampton I just can't stomach anymore, too dull for too long. Norwich, even duller. I know West Brom were especially dull when they were in the Premier League all those years ago but I've always quite liked watching matches on TV when theyre at home and also, it's a funny part of the West Midlands that you'd only really know exists through watching football. Plus Lenny Henry supports them and thats always a fun little celebrity spotting from the camera man. Tenuous reasons for wanting and not wanting clubs to go up, I know, but I think it just speaks to how boring the promotion race actually is in terms of clubs in it. Essentially, West Brom aside, it has become a mini Premier League this season. West Brom? Lenny Henry? Tell me you can't stand Leeds without telling me you can't stand Leeds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny 2,217 Posted May 8 Share Posted May 8 1 hour ago, Lucas said: West Brom? Lenny Henry? Tell me you can't stand Leeds without telling me you can't stand Leeds You dont want a bit of Lenny Henry popping up on Sky? Mrs. Johnson…welcome to my shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Palace Fan 3,409 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 It should be an interesting clash of styles in these matches. Whilst the Leeds/Norwich has some fantastic individuals on both sides that should decide who goes through, the West Brom/Southampton pairing feels like it could be a tactical and more methodical tie which could be decided on which manager gets it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil-Dick Willie 3,259 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 On 08/05/2024 at 01:13, Lucas said: Think it'll be an absolute travesty for West Brom or Norwich to go up having finished so far behind. Could take maybe 7-8pts ahead of them both and losing out but 15-17pts gap is massive. I'll be jealous if it's Southampton because but if it is them, at least they only finished 3pts behind and they did the double over us. You can tolerate that a bit more. I think the only fans that will probably want us to win them will be Portsmouth, simply because they'll be licking their lips at the thought of the South Coast derby returning next season. You entitled little cunt hahahaha. You come down with permier league players, fail to beat Ipswich to the punch and you think a team like West Brom who's been grinding in the champo for years don't deserve to go up? I hope you fumble the fuck outa this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Hewitt 1,287 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 5-0 wins for Norwich and West Brom please. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick 2,283 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Lively start from Norwich, not really made any chances yet. Leeds will surely wake up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Hewitt 1,287 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 0-0 in both games. Leeds and Southampton with the advantage methinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcanuck 175 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Both seemed like pretty tame games, everybody trying not to lose maybe? Hopefully at least one team in the return fixture will have a real go at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick 2,283 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Yeah both games were a bit of a shit watch, to be honest. Sets the second legs up to be interest, and likely much better games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,428 Posted May 12 Author Administrator Share Posted May 12 Been out all day. Weirdly not surprised to see these ones end 0-0. Usually quite cagey affairs and seem to liven up a lot in the 2nd legs. Atmosphere at Elland Road on Thurs will be mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas 3,829 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 20 hours ago, Devil-Dick Willie said: You entitled little cunt hahahaha. You come down with permier league players, fail to beat Ipswich to the punch and you think a team like West Brom who's been grinding in the champo for years don't deserve to go up? I hope you fumble the fuck outa this. Ah yeah fair, a team who finished 17pts behind another deserve to go up over them because they've been grinding it out for years? Same team that's been up and down from the PL more times than a whore's drawers, and only relegated in 2021? Yeah, ok. Good example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas 3,829 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 3 hours ago, Redcanuck said: Both seemed like pretty tame games, everybody trying not to lose maybe? Hopefully at least one team in the return fixture will have a real go at it. 100% None of the sides look super confident. Feels like it's a bit of a leveller for Norwich and West Brom against the two supposed stronger sides. Speaking for ourselves, think we're playing a bit with the stabilisers on, that 2nd half we'd have gone on to win pre international break I think, but we seem very timid at the moment. Clearly we played today to nulify them and back ourselves at home although I felt Norwich were massively there for the taking if we were a bit more braver and decisive on the ball. I guess it's a good result not losing away and you want to stay in these ties long as possible but I think we got to really come out Thursday night and hit them hard, get the crowd onside and them on the backfoot, or it's going to be another one of those slog's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil-Dick Willie 3,259 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 3 hours ago, Lucas said: Ah yeah fair, a team who finished 17pts behind another deserve to go up over them because they've been grinding it out for years? Same team that's been up and down from the PL more times than a whore's drawers, and only relegated in 2021? Yeah, ok. Good example. So you deserve to go up when you couldn't finish top 2 with the 2nd most cash and the 2nd best squad? Then YOU get to be the yo yo team, which is okay, but not okay for West Brom? Sit down and enjoy your cheap matchday tickets for another season son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,428 Posted Thursday at 19:09 Author Administrator Share Posted Thursday at 19:09 Leeds 1 up! Gruev with a deceptive free kick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebird Hewitt 1,287 Posted Thursday at 19:13 Share Posted Thursday at 19:13 Come on Norwich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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