17/18 Promotion Charge

[alreadyexists]

I’d even be happy with us ‘doing a Middlesbrough’, and being level on points but second on goal difference.

Although without subsequent relegation obv.

Edited February 4, 2018 by alreadyexists

[VillaAlex]

Done a table view of remaining fixtures for each team 2nd to 6th. Home games are green, away are red. As mentioned by others feels we have the easiest run in along with Derby. Cardiff have a lot of easy home fixtures but also some very difficult away games. I also don't see Bristol City challenging now as they have too many tough away games. Not sure what to make of Fulhams run in.

[OutByEaster?]

It's good to see us scoring goals too - we're now one away from matching our total for the whole of last season and eight away from our second biggest total in any season this century. We scored a whopping 71 in 2007-08 which might be a difficult one to topple, but with 46 scored so far and 16 games to go there's no reason why we might not beat that.

 

[bannedfromHandV]

9 hours ago, VillaAlex said:

Just seen the highlights of Cardiff... Jesus Christ Leeds could not stop gifting them. Annoyingly Leeds not have several of our rivals. Hopefully they sort themselves out soon as it would be very favourable for us.

Brentford, Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday all played in games we'd have liked to see them win yesterday. 

I watched the highlight show and in each match they literally gifted easy and large victories and it got me thinking. I know its almost certainly just random coincidence and the old 'law of average' in footballing terms but it feels like we never get gifted a match in that way. 

Is there a small chance that teams really are raising their games when they play us because of who we are (which is both annoying but also a compliment)?

[Vive_La_Villa]

10 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Brentford, Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday all played in games we'd have liked to see them win yesterday. 

I watched the highlight show and in each match they literally gifted easy and large victories and it got me thinking. I know its almost certainly just random coincidence and the old 'law of average' in footballing terms but it feels like we never get gifted a match in that way. 

Is there a small chance that teams really are raising their games when they play us because of who we are (which is both annoying but also a compliment)?

My mate who supports Leeds said he felt like they had this problem for years. Every team wanted to beat Leeds. 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Vive_La_Villa

[Eastie]

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

My mate who supports Leeds said he felt like they had this problem for years. Every team wanted to beat Leeds. 

I Blame billy Bremner and Norman hunter  

Edited February 4, 2018 by Eastie

[TRO]

40 minutes ago, Eastie said:

I Blame billy Bremner and Norman hunter  

I could name that team it was fabulous.....Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles defied the big man theory......they dominated everyone.

It comes from the Heart......desire, will to win.

back on topic......that should be the aim, emulate them.

Edited February 4, 2018 by TRO

[Vive_La_Villa]

I can't think of Billy Bremner without thinking of Al Capone. 

[MikeAVFC]

Going to go right to the last day this. Don't think I'll be able to handle the nerves!

[Villarocker]

Leeds have sacked Christiansen so maybe they will get a new manager bounce in time for their games against out promotion rivals? 

[AvfcRigo82]

6 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

It's good to see us scoring goals too - we're now one away from matching our total for the whole of last season and eight away from our second biggest total in any season this century. We scored a whopping 71 in 2007-08 which might be a difficult one to topple, but with 46 scored so far and 16 games to go there's no reason why we might not beat that.

 

I feel it will be a close one indeed. It would require us to now score 2 goals per game on avg. In every remaining game this season.

If it will be beaten I feel it will be only marginally.

[Villarocker]

I had a look at Derby's remaining fixtures last night. I reckon they will get another 31 points. To do them, we will need 33 to avoid GD. 10 wins, 3 draws, 3 defeats or, 9 wins, 6 draws, 1 defeat. Can't see the latter so think we need to win 10 and avoid defeats against Derby, Cardiff and Fulham and that should be enough. 

[Jareth]

2 hours ago, villarocker said:

I had a look at Derby's remaining fixtures last night. I reckon they will get another 31 points. To do them, we will need 33 to avoid GD. 10 wins, 3 draws, 3 defeats or, 9 wins, 6 draws, 1 defeat. Can't see the latter so think we need to win 10 and avoid defeats against Derby, Cardiff and Fulham and that should be enough. 

Yep - unless we get lucky those games against Derby, Cardiff and Fulham are key. I think we'll take 4 points from those games, losing to Fulham.

[Eastie]

3 hours ago, villarocker said:

I had a look at Derby's remaining fixtures last night. I reckon they will get another 31 points. To do them, we will need 33 to avoid GD. 10 wins, 3 draws, 3 defeats or, 9 wins, 6 draws, 1 defeat. Can't see the latter so think we need to win 10 and avoid defeats against Derby, Cardiff and Fulham and that should be enough. 

There will be many strange results even more  so in this division - we have it on our hands now and it’s all about what we do from here-Fulham looks the hardest game left but is winnable -stand strong and believe

Edited February 5, 2018 by Eastie

[omariqy]

17 hours ago, VillaAlex said:

Done a table view of remaining fixtures for each team 2nd to 6th. Home games are green, away are red. As mentioned by others feels we have the easiest run in along with Derby. Cardiff have a lot of easy home fixtures but also some very difficult away games. I also don't see Bristol City challenging now as they have too many tough away games. Not sure what to make of Fulhams run in.

My eyes. 

[omariqy]

It's so hard to predict. We have all tried. We will win games that we don't expect to and lose games we would expect to win. I think we will go on another bad run but it just depends on how many games and other results at that time. Bare minimum is that we need to target another 9 or 10 wins. 

[Demitri_C]

1 hour ago, omariqy said:

It's so hard to predict. We have all tried. We will win games that we don't expect to and lose games we would expect to win. I think we will go on another bad run but it just depends on how many games and other results at that time. Bare minimum is that we need to target another 9 or 10 wins. 

We cant afford another bad run if we want 2nd. We can lose the odd game or draw but losing patch we might as well wave the flag.

I think and hope we beat blose and then most likely we will drop points at Fulham. If derby drop poibts in next two then it wont be end of the world.

 

 

[rodders0223]

Quote

Derby County forward Johnny Russell is set to join Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City after rejecting a new deal to stay with the Rams.

The Scotland international, 27, has played 25 times this season, helping Derby go second in the Championship.

But he was due to be out of contract in the summer and will join Kansas on an undisclosed deal before the start of the MLS season in March.

Manager Gary Rowett said on Monday that he was resigned to losing Russell.

• LISTEN: Rowett resigned to losing attacker Russell

"He's been offered improved contracts. But his wish is to pursue a chance to play in the MLS," Rowett said.

"Based on the fact he has basically turned down those contracts we will have to look at the situation."

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42864590

I must have missed this earlier last week - decent result for us that, good little player.

 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

That is bonkers. 

[VILLAMARV]

Basically 2/3 of the season gone now. 56 points from the 90 on offer so far. I still think high 80's points-wise would be enough to grab 2nd. Winning another 10 games would leave us unlucky to miss out on second place imo, regardless of the results in the other 6 games. Obviously the games against Derby, Cardiff, Wolves and Fulham look like they may be crucial in terms of positioning ourselves up the top - the real 6 pointers. SHA, Bolton, Sunderland, Hull and Reading are going to be fighting for their lives so to speak. Wednesday could yet get dragged into it down the bottom, although I'd still have them down to finish in that mid table group with Norwich, Ipswich and Millwall all of whom we still have to visit along with QPR who we entertain at VP. Leeds and Preston are the other 2 teams to visit VP and at the moment they both could still be in the hunt for the play-offs.

First 15 games - 26 points - W7 D5 L3 (26/45) - In there the awful start, after 7 games it was 1 win, 3 draws and 3 losses 6 points from a possible 21. After that we managed to win every other game with the exception of the away derbies at SHA and Wolves. 8 games 6 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss (19/24)

Second 15 games - 30 points - W9 D3 L3 (30/45) - starting with the disappointing loss to Sheff Weds and Terry's injury we then won 3 on the bounce before the wobble through December. Up to the defeat at Brentford on Boxing Day, in that 9 game sequence we grabbed 3 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses so 12 points from a possible 27. From the Middlesbrough game until now we obviously have won 6 on the trot (18/18)

16 games to go - 48 points on offer obviously.

I want to beat Hull and I want revenge over Reading, those two results would kind of put the bad start behind us in my head at least. A chance to make amends. Bolton wasn't the easiest game for us earlier in the season. Sunderland really do look a mess but nothing's a given. The big game out of this little group though is obviously on Sunday for us. 5 games and 15 points up for grabs against the relegation contenders. Blackburn did the double over Newcastle last year lets not forget.

We as a historical entity if nothing else should always strive to get 3 points against any Holloway team so lets imagine that a bit coz it makes me all warm and fuzzy to think of a 'nothing' club like ours ramming his words down his throat for the rest of his career. Ipswich and Norwich are beatable imo. Sheff Weds always seem to have had the rub of the green in our previous games over the last couple of years maybe there's a bogey team thing developing - maybe we're due a bit of luck against them though. I keep saying it but I just don't like the look of Millwall away on the last day. Never an easy place to go if either team needs a result. Obviously 15 points available in those 5 games against the mid table teams there too. For us, Ipswich and Millwall away are up in the last 5 games along with Cardiff, Leeds and Derby.

So Fulham away then on the 17th, followed by Preston at home 3 days later. 2 big games there before the month is out. In March we have the Wolves game. And then April sees the visits of Cardiff, Leeds and Derby to B6 and what looks increasingly like it may be a 'grandstand finish' for someone. Lets hope it's us.

SHA, Fulham [a], Preston, Sheff Weds [a] in the next 4 games then. All big games imo for different reasons. 8-12 points from those games would be huge.