BOF Posted May 8, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 8, 2017 A case can be made for any of them really. Reading. Well they finished a clear 3rd in the league. Historically that's the best position to finish in order to be promoted from the playoffs, and they won 4 of their last 5 games so they have good form as well. Sheffield Wednesday. Finished 2nd in the form guide and after a wobble between games 36 & 39 they finished the season with 6 wins from 7, only losing on the last day to Fulham. Huddersfield Town. Basically rested their entire first team in preparation for the playoffs, so they could well be the fittest side in the knockouts. Despite patchy form, this could be a big advantage and Wagner is clearly no fool. Could be the dark horses. Fulham. As I stated on the previous page, these were literally the best side in the division for basically the 2nd half of the campaign. They finished top of the form guide too, and go into the playoffs with a serious head of steam. It's a pity Fulham play Reading in the semi, as they would both be my pick of the bunch. My money would be on Fulham to go up, but either way I think the playoff winner is coming from their semi. Current bookies odds Fulham 15/8 Sheff Wed 5/2 Huddersfield 3/1 Reading 4/1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 I would say Wagner is a fool since he got caught playing a weakened team and played a stronger team yesterday which means his keeper is now out of the play-offs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 8, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 8, 2017 6 minutes ago, Zatman said: I would say Wagner is a fool since he got caught playing a weakened team and played a stronger team yesterday which means his keeper is now out of the play-offs I'm not sure how that makes him a fool. He knowingly played a weakened team, which rests his players more going into the playoffs, and if playing a stronger team for game 46 makes him a fool then surely everyone else is too as they all played strong teams. His keeper getting a red doesn't make Wagner a fool. It makes Ward a fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Well if Wagner had of played his strong team vs blues, nobody would have batted an eyelid that he played a reserve team vs Cardiff as they had nothing to play for, teams all had to play their full team because that idiot has got an investigation over his head for doing that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 8, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 8, 2017 6 minutes ago, Zatman said: Well if Wagner had of played his strong team vs blues, nobody would have batted an eyelid that he played a reserve team vs Cardiff as they had nothing to play for, teams all had to play their full team because that idiot has got an investigation over his head for doing that He's still not a fool. Basically the only thing he has done different to anyone else in the whole run-up to the playoffs is play a weakened team in one of the games. Something which would be entirely legal in the Premier League, but not in the backward world of the EFL. Take the fine. I think he did the right thing for his squad, and if it results in them being promoted, maybe put a few extra quid onto the cheque so the EFL can buy themselves something nice with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 45 minutes ago, BOF said: I'm not sure how that makes him a fool. He knowingly played a weakened team, which rests his players more going into the playoffs, and if playing a stronger team for game 46 makes him a fool then surely everyone else is too as they all played strong teams. His keeper getting a red doesn't make Wagner a fool. It makes Ward a fool. He is a fool. They have been embarrassed in the last two games, and usually the in form teams win the play offs and huddesfield are hardly in form. he completely shot himself in the foot with that pathetic team selection against blose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 8, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 8, 2017 7 minutes ago, Demitri_C said: he completely shot himself in the foot with that pathetic team selection against blose. I genuinely don't get this 'shot himself in the foot'. His side had started to stutter. Results were getting worse. They'd only won 2 of their previous 7 league games. In May it's reasonable to think fitness might be the cause of a downturn. This after all is a side who have punched above their weight all season. They were not expected to be where they are. He was already guaranteed a place in the playoffs so he decided to rest his team for a game. Whatever about what the EFL think of it, that's up to them and their rules but he did what he thought was right for his own squad and I find it very difficult to blame him for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 2 hours ago, BOF said: I genuinely don't get this 'shot himself in the foot'. His side had started to stutter. Results were getting worse. They'd only won 2 of their previous 7 league games. In May it's reasonable to think fitness might be the cause of a downturn. This after all is a side who have punched above their weight all season. They were not expected to be where they are. He was already guaranteed a place in the playoffs so he decided to rest his team for a game. Whatever about what the EFL think of it, that's up to them and their rules but he did what he thought was right for his own squad and I find it very difficult to blame him for that. Resting a whole team is ridiculous. If Bruce did this in their position I would not be happy. It's like the mon Europa fiasco and that was not even as bad as what Wagner did. i just see it pointless resting a whole team dies nothing fir confidence. If anything give them reduced game time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 It was odd when Fulham came to VP early on in Bruce's reign and parked the bus. Last few months they've easily played the best football at this level tbh and have some really talented players like Cairney and Sessegnon. You sort of feel though of all of them there Sheff Weds need this promotion more than most given what they've invested in the squad over the last two years. They have a strikeforce of Winnall, Fletcher, Rhodes and Hooper to juggle all of whom would be on decent wages. I can see them imploding a bit if they don't go up. Sacking Carvahal and making major changes to their squad. I see our friend Wagner was hinting at that in his post match interview yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 3 hours ago, Demitri_C said: He is a fool. They have been embarrassed in the last two games, and usually the in form teams win the play offs and huddesfield are hardly in form. he completely shot himself in the foot with that pathetic team selection against blose. I honestly think he's rested his squad to avoid a 2-legged affair with Fulham. He's happier playing Reading or Sheff Wed. (And fair enough, really). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 39 minutes ago, bobzy said: I honestly think he's rested his squad to avoid a 2-legged affair with Fulham. He's happier playing Reading or Sheff Wed. (And fair enough, really). Having to face Sheffield Wednesday (a derby) with away keg second for new is a crazy fixture fir them. Wednesday are going to win that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Just watching boro against Chelsea. I know it's Chelsea but bloody hell boro look awful. Really if stats sane squad along with Sunderland I see both sides as poorer than Brighton and Newcastle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 I find it completely bewildering how overlooked Reading have been this season. We've had people clamouring for Wagner, Monk, Hughton... even Dean Smith. Not even a word for Jaap Stam who has led Reading to 3rd place in his first season (last season they finished 17th). No-one is touting him as a manager we should be looking at, no-one fancies Reading to win the playoffs... ...most underappreciated club of the season? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Yes, I've said before you look at the Reading squad and it's nothing special. Yann Kermogrant is their main striker and he's retiring in a years time. Some decent young players but you'd think it would've been miles away from top 6 standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 1 hour ago, bobzy said: I find it completely bewildering how overlooked Reading have been this season. We've had people clamouring for Wagner, Monk, Hughton... even Dean Smith. Not even a word for Jaap Stam who has led Reading to 3rd place in his first season (last season they finished 17th). No-one is touting him as a manager we should be looking at, no-one fancies Reading to win the playoffs... ...most underappreciated club of the season? This is actually a very good point. I would much rather have Stam than Wagner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 11, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 11, 2017 1 hour ago, bobzy said: I find it completely bewildering how overlooked Reading have been this season. We've had people clamouring for Wagner, Monk, Hughton... even Dean Smith. Not even a word for Jaap Stam who has led Reading to 3rd place in his first season (last season they finished 17th). No-one is touting him as a manager we should be looking at, no-one fancies Reading to win the playoffs... ...most underappreciated club of the season? Without doubt they're the most under-appreciated, but he's certainly not going under anyone's radar. Maybe on here he is, but I've United mates who wouldn't mind having him back at Old Trafford at some point. He is almost to them what Mellberg is to us. A modern man-mountain who they still love. I think the main reason Huddersfield for example are getting more love this season than Reading are is because Reading are a recent Premier League side with big financial backing, so although they only came 17th last season, playoffs is more what's expected of them, whereas Huddersfield really is a rags to riches story and 17th is more their realm. So with the resources available to both, Huddersfield is the bigger achievement. Reading are my 2nd pick to go up if Fulham don't, and they play each other in the semi ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 18, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 18, 2017 So the fool is into the final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 With the lottery of penalties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted May 18, 2017 Moderator Share Posted May 18, 2017 It's OK to be wrong Demitri. It's how we grow. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 1 hour ago, BOF said: It's OK to be wrong Demitri. It's how we grow. Think Huddersfield have the momentum now fancy them to do it. Just goes to show, being the stronger side doesn't automatically mean your going to win the play offs . I really did think Fulham were going to do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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