Rivals for auto spots (3 Viewers)

[Lamps]

Fuck knows .. but 12 points clear after 21 games feels enourmous

It isn't just the 12 point gap to me. We have played away at all the sides in the top 8 except for Hull. W3 D2 L1. The more difficult games played and at nearly 2 points a game.

 

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[Skyblueweeman]

It isn't just the 12 point gap to me. We have played away at all the sides in the top 8 except for Hull. W3 D2 L1. The more difficult games played and at nearly 2 points a game.

Agree...however come the back end of the season and the teams down the bottom end will be needing vital 3 point wins for survival, those games will just be as tough.

Proper banana skins.

Although it'll be the same for whoever is in 2nd, 3rd, 4th...etc..

 

[Lamps]

Agree...however come the back end of the season and the teams down the bottom end will be needing vital 3 point wins for survival, those games will just be as tough.

Proper banana skins.

Although it'll be the same for whoever is in 2nd, 3rd, 4th...etc..

I agree with everything you say. Once a siege mentality sets into a side the become a different animal. Just look at Sheffield Wednesday. We're the only side to give them a big defeat. They came very close to beating Watford yesterday. Middlesbrough could only score once against them. Their problem is too many draws but they're already relegated after two points deductions.

My point was we've gone to who so far are our rivals and got results. They now have to come to us. We haven't had an easy run of games to put us 12 points or more and plenty of goals above the sides in 3rd or below. Our biggest rivals for the title are Middlesbrough and we won at their place 2-4.

 

[Bernie Rhodes Nose]

It isn't just the 12 point gap to me. We have played away at all the sides in the top 8 except for Hull. W3 D2 L1. The more difficult games played and at nearly 2 points a game.

With our amazing goal difference you could call it 13 points ahead.

 

[skyblu3sk]

Thought I'd drop in last year's table for comparison gap between autos was a lot closer last year.

 

[edgy]

Thought I'd drop in last year's table for comparison gap between autos was a lot closer last year.
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This also highlights that it's not a formality.

Look at who was top on what points.

 

[Lamps]

With our amazing goal difference you could call it 13 points ahead.

12.99 yes

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

This is the season I’ve thought for a while is the better comparison and we know how it ended up.

 

[Lamps]

This also highlights that it's not a formality.

Look at who was top on what points.

It wasn't a formality because of how two other sides did. That's not happening this season. It isn't usual to have 3 sides consistent throughout the season. They were beat by 2 sides that both reached 100 points for the season.

We're still averaging over 100 points for the season. Any team 3rd or below would have to average at least 2.6 points a game to reach this target. None of them are consistent.

Of course it isn't a formality. But we need half a point a game less than anyone in 3rd or lower. Each time we win this gets bigger even if they win. We've only lost 2 in 21 and there's only 25 to go. We have both the best home and away records this season. We've played most of the chasing pack at their place and only lost to one of them.

That's the reality.

 

[Sick Boy]

I’m not overly confident about winning the title but we should have enough about us to finish in the top 2.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I’m not overly confident about winning the title but we should have enough about us to finish in the top 2.

I don't think any of the teams in and around us will do as much in January as I imagine we will.

 

[covcity4life]

It wasn't a formality because of how two other sides did. That's not happening this season. It isn't usual to have 3 sides consistent throughout the season. They were beat by 2 sides that both reached 100 points for the season.

We're still averaging over 100 points for the season. Any team 3rd or below would have to average at least 2.6 points a game to reach this target. None of them are consistent.

Of course it isn't a formality. But we need half a point a game less than anyone in 3rd or lower. Each time we win this gets bigger even if they win. We've only lost 2 in 21 and there's only 25 to go. We have both the best home and away records this season. We've played most of the chasing pack at their place and only lost to one of them.

That's the reality.

We have 12 home games left?

I think if we win all of them we will be top 2 even if do terrible away tbh

 

[SkyBlueChris]

We have 12 home games left?

I think if we win all of them we will be top 2 even if do terrible away tbh

13 home and 12 away

 

[covcity4life]

13 home and 12 away

Even better.

 

[SkyBlueChris]

Ipswich have 13 away and 12 home so even harder for them to catch us.

Boro have 13 home left aswell as us.

 

[Sick Boy]

13 home and 12 away

Win 10 of those home games and our away form could drop off a fair bit and we'd still do it, IMO.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Win 10 of those home games and our away form could drop off a fair bit and we'd still do it, IMO.

19 in 25 now isn’t it

 

[SkyBlueChris]

Win 10 of those home games and our away form could drop off a fair bit and we'd still do it, IMO.

Completely agree!

Although technically we have played alot of 'harder' away games already and have those teams to play again at home so I can see our away form staying pretty consistent to what it is currently and possibly a dip in home form in 2nd half of the season could be more likely!

 

[Ccfcisparks]

I can't see Ipswich, Southampton, Millwall or Preston putting in a run that will be significantly better enough than ours to threaten our automatic place. Genuinely.

 

[Lamps]

Win 10 of those home games and our away form could drop off a fair bit and we'd still do it, IMO.

To give an idea of how strong our position is..... presently Millwall, who are in 3rd, are averaging 76 points for the season. If we win 10 games and lose 15 we would be on 77 points

 

[Ccfcisparks]

To give an idea of how strong our position is..... presently Millwall, who are in 3rd, are averaging 76 points for the season. If we win 10 games and lose 15 we would be on 77 points

If we won a game lost a game for the rest of the season that would have us on 86 and basically enough. It would take some serious bed shitting, followed by some incredible runs of form from the chasing pack for us to not make it.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Can Still happen though

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Can Still happen though

It would be extremely extremely surprising

 

[Lamps]

Can Still happen though

Could and might....

But in reality we're top of both the home and away tables for the season so far. Who in their right mind would expect us to be near the bottom of both for the last 25 games?

Southampton have the players but need to get 0.68 points more than us in every remaining game just to catch up with us on points. They need 6 wins more than us from 25 games.

As for everyone else Middlesbrough and Sheffield United have the same form over the last 6 games as ourselves. Everyone else has got less points including Southampton. There's no form teams presently.

 

[skyblu3sk]

This also highlights that it's not a formality.

Look at who was top on what points.

I did think that too a timely reminder to keep the foot on the gas!

 

[Robinshio]

This also highlights that it's not a formality.

Look at who was top on what points.

Burnley were 9 points behind with a game in hand so say 6 points The final gap was 8 points so effectively turned around 14 points. It needs a similar turn around to catch us. Ipswich would just take us by a point

 

[MikeyMoo]

Burnley were 9 points behind with a game in hand so say 6 points The final gap was 8 points so effectively turned around 14 points. It needs a similar turn around to catch us. Ipswich would just take us by a point

That's why the home game vs Ipswich would be a very good one to win...

 

[Flying Fokker]

Next 3 games each team. Google Gemini guesses:

It won’t happen like this but gives a hint of how difficult it is to keep challenging.

H to H against current top 10 (Games so far)

 

[bigfatronssba]

Can Still happen though

Sheffield Wednesday can still win the league and FA Cup

 

[jordan210]

I’d like to get a few more points between us and Boro. Their fans are getting a bit cocky.

but I’d love us to go up with them.

 

[skybluelee]

Thought I'd drop in last year's table for comparison gap between autos was a lot closer last year.
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Burnley won their 21st game too so essentially third had 41 points, with 4th breathing down their necks on 40.

This season 3rd and 4th have 35 and with the greatest respect Preston and Millwall are not going to be anywhere near as strong as Burnley and Sunderland were last year over 46 games.

 

[Sick Boy]

I’d like to get a few more points between us and Boro. Their fans are getting a bit cocky.

but I’d love us to go up with them.

The only thing we need to worry about at this point is the gap to third.

 

[covcity4life]

The only thing we need to worry about at this point is the gap to third.

Worry yes

but nothing wrong with monitoring the gap to 2nd with a view to winning the league

 

[TomRad85]

Worry yes

but nothing wrong with monitoring the gap to 2nd with a view to winning the league

I'd like to stay ahead of Boro, even better if they just fall off. It's clearly better if it requires 2 teams to go on an unbelievable run to catch us rather than just 1.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

This now needs to read

Middelsborough