Championship 21/22

[BRFC4EVA]

Good old championship. Utterly crazy division. That's no win in 10 combined now for the top 2 teams in the league. Win on boxing day vs Hull and potentially we go joint top!

[only2garners]

Just now, BRFC4EVA said:

Good old championship. Utterly crazy division. That's no win in 10 combined now for the top 2 teams in the league. Win on boxing day vs Hull and potentially we go joint top!

There’s no potentially about it - Fulham don’t play until Monday. We just need to win by 18 clear goals to be clear on top….

[Aqualung]

48 minutes ago, El Tombro said:

I thought we got him on loan from Sporting Lisbon.

You are correct... I think he played only 1 or 2 games for them before coming to us on loan. 

Went on to play a lot more games for Burnley after being loaned out numerous times to different clubs. 

[SuperBrfc]

Cracking result for us tonight. Fulham beginning to feel the pressure? I have to stop myself from getting carried away, but it looks to be opening up for us right now.

Hull away is as winnable as they come. The only thing stopping me from saying we are going to batter them is the amount of winnable games we have fluffed in recent years. Hopefully it is different on Sunday. COYB.

[only2garners]

I would be very wary of underestimating Hull - they have been on decent form of late and gave Forest a good game on Saturday. They are on an upward trajectory compared to Big Club who are heading the other way.

Whilst not complaining about Fulham losing I am always of the view that when two rivals play (and at least half of the league still are) then a draw is always the best result. The Blades have won four in a row now.

[JHRover]

I'd personally have rather Fulham drew with Sheffield tonight.

At the moment I am looking at reducing the number of clubs who might be able to rise from mid-table and overtake us. I'm looking at in-form and decent squads Sheff Utd, Forest and Middlesbrough in particular as potential threats to deal with.

Fulham will at the very least be in the top 6, probably top 2 come the end of the season. It would take a disastrous collapse for them to not at least finish 6th. So we need to accept that. Meanwhile clubs like Forest, Sheff Utd and Middlesbrough we will probably need to finish above if we want top 6.

Hopefully we continue to put distance between ourselves and these clubs. I am hoping that all 3 just have momentum after managerial changes that won't be sustained, but I think Wilder and Cooper are good managers who will fancy their chances of getting top 6 so every point we gain on them will be important.

[Exiled_Rover]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Me too.

Thought I was the only person in the Country.

Not only does it ruin every boxing event I have to endure it at at Rovers as well.

And the cricket, sadly.

[Admiral Nelsen]

10 hours ago, JHRover said:

I'd personally have rather Fulham drew with Sheffield tonight.

At the moment I am looking at reducing the number of clubs who might be able to rise from mid-table and overtake us. I'm looking at in-form and decent squads Sheff Utd, Forest and Middlesbrough in particular as potential threats to deal with.

Fulham will at the very least be in the top 6, probably top 2 come the end of the season. It would take a disastrous collapse for them to not at least finish 6th. So we need to accept that. Meanwhile clubs like Forest, Sheff Utd and Middlesbrough we will probably need to finish above if we want top 6.

Hopefully we continue to put distance between ourselves and these clubs. I am hoping that all 3 just have momentum after managerial changes that won't be sustained, but I think Wilder and Cooper are good managers who will fancy their chances of getting top 6 so every point we gain on them will be important.

 

I thought the same with Boro vs Bournemouth, but for this one I actively wanted Fulham to win. Even with their dodgy form, I think Fulham are still massive favourites to go up (probably as Champions) with their quality and depth. 

 

Bournemouth are a different kettle of fish, I think they're there for the taking either for Rovers or another one of the chasing pack. At the same time, we're not secure enough in the top 6 to not worry about teams like Boro & Sheffield United. Sheff. U in particular worry me if they carry on with this run.

[JacknOry]

Concentrate on ourselves and the rest takes care of itself. At this point though, would we consider it a failure if we did not at least secure a playoff place from the position we find ourselves at the moment?

[Wheelton Blue]

2 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Concentrate on ourselves and the rest takes care of itself. At this point though, would we consider it a failure if we did not at least secure a playoff place from the position we find ourselves at the moment?

On the face of it, yes.

Our position is pretty fragile though, in respect of injuries and suspensions. It would only take 2 or 3 key players to miss a series of games for our fortunes to reverse.

[1864roverite]

9 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Concentrate on ourselves and the rest takes care of itself. 

Spot on 100%

[Admiral Nelsen]

2 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Concentrate on ourselves and the rest takes care of itself. At this point though, would we consider it a failure if we did not at least secure a playoff place from the position we find ourselves at the moment?

 

Certainly getting there, although a bad January on and off the pitch could change expectations very quickly. 

 

We'd probably need somewhere between 70-75 points to be confident of securing a top 6 spot. Our 6 fixtures before the end of January are:

Hull (a)

Barnsley (h),

Hudds,

Cardiff (a), 

Middlesbrough (h)

Luton (a).

 

If we keep the squad together, and get something like 3 wins and a draw from those 6 games, then really average form until the end of the season should be enough for the top 6. 

[JacknOry]

6 minutes ago, Wheelton Blue said:

On the face of it, yes.

Our position is pretty fragile though, in respect of injuries and suspensions. It would only take 2 or 3 key players to miss a series of games for our fortunes to reverse.

My opinion too. Pre-season it was not an expectation for me, but now that we're up there, I would deem falling out of the top 6 as another failed season. 

[Oldgregg86]

13 hours ago, Aqualung said:

Stockport, Gillingham and Crewe in there. How times have changed. 

And tranmere

[JHRover]

Its amazing how the confidence flows after good performances and results.

For example I would normally look at a trip to Cardiff in January as a tough one we would struggle to get anything from but now I think - particularly given their position and form - I'd be disappointed not to win.

In fact I look at our remaining 23 games and other than WBA and Fulham away, possibly also Sheff Utd and Preston away I don't see anything as daunting or something we should be happy with a point from.

[only2garners]

47 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Concentrate on ourselves and the rest takes care of itself. At this point though, would we consider it a failure if we did not at least secure a playoff place from the position we find ourselves at the moment?

We are currently exactly half way through the season - way too soon to be making predictions one way or the other.

[TruRover]

While there’s no doubt that the championship is as poor a standard this season as we have seen for years, I am of the firm belief it has become a lot more competitive in the last month or so. 
 

Despite their poor runs of forms West Brom, Fulham and Bournemouth all have squads which the rest of us can’t compete with, and eventually will all hit a green patch where we will see there quality. 
 

Then you have the emergence of Forest, Boro and Sheffield who have all done well with managerial appointments and clearly have the squads, aswell as finances for January, to break into the top 6. Along with QPR and Stoke who have been consistently up there all season there is now quite serious competition for the playoffs spots, whereas before they have kind of been up for grabs - hence we’ve seen Coventry and Blackpool occupy at times. 
 

Where we come into that is the big question. I think if we can keep hold of our squad in January then we have a chance of top 2. However we need to stay clear of injuries or TM death spirals of we could very well end up midtable come end of the season.

[MarkBRFC]

12 hours ago, only2garners said:

There’s no potentially about it - Fulham don’t play until Monday. We just need to win by 18 clear goals to be clear on top….

Fulham play Birmingham on Boxing Day don't they? So we can't go joint top if they pick up at least a point.

Its Bournemouth who play on the Monday.

[rigger]

20 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Fulham play Birmingham on Boxing Day don't they? So we can't go joint top if they pick up at least a point.

Its Bournemouth who play on the Monday.

What do you mean there is no Father Christmas ?

[only2garners]

27 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Fulham play Birmingham on Boxing Day don't they? So we can't go joint top if they pick up at least a point.

Its Bournemouth who play on the Monday.

You're right - I was confusing the two weekend schedules.

[Ulrich]

6 minutes ago, rigger said:

What do you mean there is no Father Christmas ?

Well there is, sort of, but I'd phrase it, mummy and daddy Christmas.

[Cuppliance]

On 20/12/2021 at 20:09, RevidgeBlue said:

Me too.

Thought I was the only person in the Country.

Not only does it ruin every boxing event I have to endure it at at Rovers as well.

I disliked it from the very first time I heard it. It's just become a really annoying, over rated, and over played song like Mr.Brightside.

[K-Hod]

Over kill of any song absolutely ruins it. Is there no danger of people listening to any different music? There’s plenty of it about!

[AllRoverAsia]

On 20/12/2021 at 19:58, Carbz said:

Sorry to sound like a 'Negative Nancy' but I've always hated that song.

Sorry to sound like a 'Positive Percy' but I've always loved that song.

[Ulrich]

1 hour ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Sorry to sound like a 'Positive Percy' but I've always loved that song.

Sounds like a poll coming on to me 👍