Given our unbelievable record sine Big Val took over and the number of records we've broken in the last few months, it's forgivable to think our recent form hasn't been so hot, due to a couple of blips. It's worth pointing out over the last 6, we're 7th in the form table, and of the teams above us only Bournemouth and Watford have collected more points. Brentford and Swansea have a single win each from their last 6, to our 3. We could do with taking 4th or 5th place and avoiding Bournemouth for the semis.
Thanks for that. The down side of having such a good five months or so is assigning far too much importance to each defeat - I've definitely been guilty of that over the past few weeks! Torn on avoiding Bournemouth, to be honest. They're the form team but, as I've said before, I'd back us to beat anybody over two legs. I think the possibility of not turning up or being outclassed in a one-off game might be our weakness.
I'm the opposite. In a one-off game I back our lads to work harder than theirs, and our gaffer to have a plan that gives us an edge. Over two legs, overall quality should have more of a chance of shining through. That said, however we go in, we go in as well prepared as any other side. None of them will fancy playing us.
Interesting comparison We've won as many games as the 96/97 promotion season.with 3 to play. Won 11 away games. 3 more than 96/97 promotion season. 6 pts short of 96/97 promotion season . 9 to play for.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/formtabelle/wettbewerb/GB2?saison_id=2020&min=38&max=44 Here's the table I meant to reference.
It was over 45 games though. We can't include the Oxford game of 96/7 unless Ismaels team have a piss up for the week before Norwich and take to the field with bottles still in hand. Not sure who'd be the one to vom on the touchline to do a proper phoenix from the flames!
I agree about initially avoiding Bournmouth, people say it doesn't matter, I would ask them if given a choice who would you want to play first out of them three I reckon imo Bournmouth wouldn't be first choice at all
I reckon we match up well against Brentford, and I don't think it matters who we'd get in the final. We've played Swansea on a couple of cabbage patches in both games this year, and we're 50/50 against Bournemouth. We do well when teams try to play against us, and on a good pitch like Wembley they're more likely to do so.
Form can be a very fickle thing. In January, we went from 3 straight losses, to no wins in 5, to unbeaten in 3 then the rest is history.
Bournemouth seem to be ending their season on a high and will take some stopping. That said, if you were in their shoes, would you rather be on the receiving end of a 90 minute battering from Dike, Morris and Helik or a 180 minute battering?
Form goes out the window in the play offs. How many times have we witnessed the better (third placed) or in form team goes to pot when they need to cut the mustard?
How about this (hoping these figures are right now).... Prior to VI arriving, we had 3 pts from 6 games (0.5 pts / game). Between then and Dike arriving, we played 21 games, won 10, scored 33 points (1.57 pts / game). Since Dike arriving*, we played 16, won 12, 38 points (2.4 pts / game) 2+ points per game is usually automatic promotion level. (* Not proposing Dike is the sole reason, just picking this as a convenient point mid-wayish through the season)
