Rivals for auto spots (7 Viewers)

clint van damme · 2026-01-01T17:28:08+0000

SkyblueTexan said:
If we don’t get autos, I don’t think this team is mentally strong or confident enough to go up via the playoffs.

To be fair Sunderland absolutely shut the bed in the league last season and still won the play offs.

Though I'd be hugely disappointed if we didn't finish at least 2nd from here.

no_loyalty · 2026-01-01T17:29:58+0000

Ipswich will win it without doubt, we are fighting for second place with Boro etc. Watford in great form and should be added to the list.

theskyisthelimit · 2026-01-01T17:42:12+0000

From all accounts Ipswich weren't great today. They struggle to beat teams that sit in which I assume we will.
Hopefully we have a Brum game against a team horribly out of sorts to try and get some confidence back after a tricky last four or five games.
The thing is it is still in our hands and we are 8 points clear. We would have begged for this position every season we've been in the championship and for once we are not playing catch up

Macca · 2026-01-01T17:51:45+0000

clint van damme said:
To be fair Sunderland absolutely shut the bed in the league last season and still won the play offs.

Though I'd be hugely disappointed if we didn't finish at least 2nd from here.

I'm far more of the opinion that we could win play offs than hold on to top 2 .

Brighton Sky Blue · 2026-01-01T17:53:54+0000

Much depends on transfer activity at this point. It’s critical that we add strength where we haven’t got enough, but I’m sure the club’s trying to get it in.

If we don’t I’ve got some concerns that we’ve burnt out this squad halfway through the season.

thezunigadream · 2026-01-01T17:54:03+0000

Watford will win the playoffs. They are an absolute handful.

covcity4life · 2026-01-01T17:57:36+0000

Brighton Sky Blue said:
Much depends on transfer activity at this point. It’s critical that we add strength where we haven’t got enough, but I’m sure the club’s trying to get it in.

If we don’t I’ve got some concerns that we’ve burnt out this squad halfway through the season.

Even if we don't sign anyone we will be in the autos hunt till end of season

We just play 352 when wingers need a rest

I'm not saying we don't wanna bring players in but it's not some serious problem. Our form isn't that bad to worry about season ending burnout

covcity4life · 2026-01-01T17:57:58+0000

thezunigadream said:
Watford will win the playoffs. They are an absolute handful.

They look good but it's January mate.

AFCCOVENTRY · 2026-01-01T17:59:05+0000

Louza looks like prem interest in him this Jan.

Levship20 · 2026-01-01T17:59:26+0000

covcity4life said:
They look good but it's January mate.

Well, let’s ensure we go up in autos then! Simple.

Brighton Sky Blue · 2026-01-01T17:59:35+0000

covcity4life said:
Even if we don't sign anyone we will be in the autos hunt till end of season

We just play 352 when wingers need a rest

I'm not saying we don't wanna bring players in but it's not some serious problem. Our form isn't that bad to worry about season ending burnout

When even someone like Grimes is making errors and looking leggy, it’s a legitimate concern. Field a completely rotated team for the cup next week anyway, so many tired legs out there.

fatso · 2026-01-01T18:02:05+0000

Rest the first team in the cup, and hopefully get BTA back after that.

The worry is Ipswich and Watford are on the charge, so we need to rest players and hope they find their form again asap.

Macca · 2026-01-01T18:03:01+0000

Brighton Sky Blue said:
When even someone like Grimes is making errors and looking leggy, it’s a legitimate concern. Field a completely rotated team for the cup next week anyway, so many tired legs out there.

I just want the Blues game out the way (I'm sure we will lose this one) Then its rest and respite and maybe some transfer activity. Never said it before but the FA Cup can get to fuck this year

Brighton Sky Blue · 2026-01-01T18:05:04+0000

Macca said:
I just want the Blues game out the way (I'm sure we will lose this one) Then its rest and respite and maybe some transfer activity. Never said it before but the FA Cup can get to fuck this year

If Birmingham keep that manager in for one more game I back us for a result. Back to a full strength defence but now there’s big problems in the middle which have been there for a while now with Grimes’ form dropping off.

Nick · 2026-01-01T18:05:10+0000

I think Ipswich will catch us. We just have to hope the others are worse than us.

covcity4life · 2026-01-01T18:06:01+0000

Brighton Sky Blue said:
When even someone like Grimes is making errors and looking leggy, it’s a legitimate concern. Field a completely rotated team for the cup next week anyway, so many tired legs out there.

I just think if had exact same performance but won then no one would be talking about tired legs etc

Just my opinion. I'm sure you think you would still say same

I can't see total rotation

Maybe KKH lati bidwell Allen Eccles in at most. Possibly andrews

Think it will be strongish team though

covcity4life · 2026-01-01T18:12:39+0000

It's a marathon not a sprint. Even if Ipswich close the gap further if we go into February 5-6pts clear of second I'll be happy

SkyblueTexan · 2026-01-01T18:16:39+0000

clint van damme said:
To be fair Sunderland absolutely shut the bed in the league last season and still won the play offs.

Though I'd be hugely disappointed if we didn't finish at least 2nd from here.

I think Sunderland knew the top 2 spots were going to go to Leeds, Burnley or Sheff Utd. So they took their foot off the gas, went away to Portugal to have a mid-season reset for the playoffs. If we miss out on autos after such as seemingly unassailable lead, I think we’ll bottle the playoffs like Walsall.

Brighton Sky Blue · 2026-01-01T18:21:12+0000

covcity4life said:
I just think if had exact same performance but won then no one would be talking about tired legs etc

Just my opinion. I'm sure you think you would still say same

I can't see total rotation

Maybe KKH lati bidwell Allen Eccles in at most. Possibly andrews

Think it will be strongish team though

Try to say what I see. If we see the game out I would indeed have said similar about looking leggy, because that’s how it looked.

StrettoBoy · 2026-01-01T18:37:50+0000

If we perform for the rest of the season how we have in the last seven games then we will finish with 79 points. That clearly won't be enough for automatic promotion but will see us in the playoffs. For context, last season 79 points would have seen us finish fourth.

Obviously I hope we will do better than this but it does emphasise the obvious need for a few good signings.

Brighton Sky Blue · 2026-01-01T18:44:43+0000

StrettoBoy said:
If we perform for the rest of the season how we have in the last seven games then we will finish with 79 points. That clearly won't be enough for automatic promotion but will see us in the playoffs. For context, last season 79 points would have seen us finish fourth.

Obviously I hope we will do better than this but it does emphasise the obvious need for a few good signings.

I think that run will be our worst all season.

Ccfcisparks · 2026-01-01T18:44:55+0000

StrettoBoy said:
If we perform for the rest of the season how we have in the last seven games then we will finish with 79 points. That clearly won't be enough for automatic promotion but will see us in the playoffs. For context, last season 79 points would have seen us finish fourth.

Obviously I hope we will do better than this but it does emphasise the obvious need for a few good signings.

Will our fixtures be as hard as the ones over last 7?

StrettoBoy · 2026-01-01T18:56:56+0000

Brighton Sky Blue said:
I think that run will be our worst all season.

Ccfcisparks said:
Will our fixtures be as hard as the ones over last 7?

It was a reasonably tough run and, as I said, I hope - even expect - that we will do better, although probably without hitting the heights that we did earlier in the season.

I remain cautiously optimistic that we will finish second but it does support the view I have held all along, which is that we are by no means a shoe-in for one of the automatic spots. A few good signings in January should help us achieve what we want.

I remain haunted by the season under Mowbray when we collapsed after Christmas.

Brighton Sky Blue · 2026-01-01T19:05:10+0000

StrettoBoy said:
It was a reasonably tough run and, as I said, I hope - even expect - that we will do better, although probably without hitting the heights that we did earlier in the season.

I remain cautiously optimistic that we will finish second but it does support the view I have held all along, which is that we are by no means a shoe-in for one of the automatic spots. A few good signings in January should help us achieve what we want.

I remain haunted by the season under Mowbray when we collapsed after Christmas.

People need to keep calm at the end of the day. It would help to just ignore whatever’s gone on before and look at the table as it is: we are defending a 9 point lead with 21 games to play, effectively 10 with the goal difference advantage.

That’s our job.

Rivals for auto spots (7 Viewers)

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