The Chasing Pack - GAME OVER AMIGOS

[Langers]

Thought I'd start a new thread to discuss the teams battling for automatic/play off places. There are some big games coming up and whilst we've got the Magic Number thread (which is going to get very interesting indeed in mere weeks) maybe we can talk about the challenging sides in more general terms here? Because it's a very interesting scrap with twists and turns every week.

So - Villa dropped another 2 points tonight after being gifted a penalty by Preston. They could be 4 adrift of 2nd place if Cardiff win at Ipswich tomorrow. Derby could go above Villa with a win over Leeds.

Tomorrow is Brizzle v Fulham, and as well as our trip to Fulham on Saturday, there's another big game towards the top as Brizzle travel to Cardiff.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They're chasing in as much as Jamie O'Hara could theoretically chase after Gareth Bale.

Anyway, will be interesting to see how Fulham set up against us on Saturday. They need to win. They are perpetually as soft as shite, but are a very good team when they click.

 

[Langers]

Chasing each other then, if you like!

 

[darlowolf64]

I was going to stick the remaining fixtures for the "chasing" teams and will do so in the morning if I'm not beaten to it

 

[The Bear]

Fulham at home was one of the easiest wins I've seen this season. Like Dan says they've clicked recently though and at home will likely go at us. Could suit us down to the ground. Get an early goal and they could capitulate.

 

[Alan]

Fulham are the most dangerous of the other hopefuls for me. Since we beat them, they've gone 11-3-2. 6 clean sheets. They're in fantastic form.

 

[sycophantia]

Fulham are the most dangerous of the other hopefuls for me. Since we beat them, they've gone 11-3-2. 6 clean sheets. They're in fantastic form.

Fulham are in good form but they are a good footballing side which plays into our hands I think, don't think they can out play us and our defence is stronger so I'm hopefull for a win......no guarantees obviously

 

[GLASGOWOLF]

After the last 2 games the Villa posts on Social Media about catching us has somewhat receded.

As Dan said i'v got more chance of shagging Taylor Swift than any one has of catching us

 

[Langers]

I've no idea who will get 2nd.

I thought Cardiff were going to fade and struggle to reach the top 6 after their implosion at the turn of the year, but they've found form again.

Derby looked better than the rest when they had their good run and now they're dropping points regularly again.

Villa won 7 on the spin which is superb in this division regardless of opposition, but 1 point and 1 goal in their last 2 games means they've lost ground. They look shite without Grealish and Adomah.

Fulham still look like a very good side - they should have scored more than the 2 they got against Villa and have also been on a good run.

I can't see Brizzle getting back up to 2nd - and I really hope they drop out of the top 6 altogether. Or - even better - lose to a dodgy offside goal in the last minute at Wembley.

I wouldn't like to predict the top 6 right now.

 

[Norman Deeley]

Fulham - Wolves on Saturday has the potential to be the best Champo game of the season. As for the chasing pack, Villa were booed off at HT last night. Am I right in thinking they'll be knackered by FFP if they don't go up this year? Suspect that Cardiff may kick their way to 2nd, only for their astutue manager to be once again shown up in the Prem.

 

[Tony Towner]

I'd go with:
Wolves
Fulham
Villa
Cardiff
Derby
Boro

 

[Tony Towner]

Fulham - Wolves on Saturday has the potential to be the best Champo game of the season. As for the chasing pack, Villa were booed off at HT last night. Am I right in thinking they'll be knackered by FFP if they don't go up this year? Suspect that Cardiff may kick their way to 2nd, only for their astutue manager to be once again shown up in the Prem.

If they are sensible they aren't knackered in terms of likely to get fined, but they won't be able to bring anyone in on big wages like they did this season, so they won't be signing the likes of Terry or Snodgrass again.

 

[Langers]

There were 31,000-ish at Villa Park last night - 10,000 less than there was for the Birmingham game. And yep, they'll have big problems if they don't go up.

Fulham have a hell of a fixture list:

Tonight: Bristol City (a)
Saturday: Wolves (h)
March 3rd: Derby (a)
March 6th: Sheff Utd (h)
March 10th: Preston (a)

If they win tonight, they're right up there. If they come out of that run of games with a decent points haul, I'd fancy them to nick 2nd place.

 

[Carrotdude]

When we played Fulham they were completely possession based with zero cutting edge. They seem to have added a lot more goal threat since then, I’ve always liked watching them play tbh so I’d rather they finish second than anyone else. I think they’ll come unstuck in that run of games though.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

I think any of Cardiff, Villa, Derby, or Fulham could take 2nd but it's hard to predict who it'll be as they all seem to be as inconsistent as each other. I'd like Derby & Fulham to come up with us but suspect Cardiff may nab 2nd spot. I'd love Villa to lose in the play offs just to see if they end up in a load of shit next season.

 

[Dinowolf]

There were 31,000-ish at Villa Park last night - 10,000 less than there was for the Birmingham game. And yep, they'll have big problems if they don't go up.

Fulham have a hell of a fixture list:

Tonight: Bristol City (a)
Saturday: Wolves (h)
March 3rd: Derby (a)
March 6th: Sheff Utd (h)
March 10th: Preston (a)

If they win tonight, they're right up there. If they come out of that run of games with a decent points haul, I'd fancy them to nick 2nd place.

While Fulham have their next 5 games, this is what the other chasers are doing

Cardiff ---- Villa ---- Derby
tonight (a) Ipswich ----- (h) Leeds
(h) Bristol C (a) Sheff W (a) Reading
(a) Brentf'd (h) QPR (h) Fulham
(h) Barnsley (a) Sunderl'd (a) QPR
(h) Brum (h) Wolves (a) Forest

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

3 points tonight and we kill it absolutely stone dead surely. We will be over a point a game remaining clear.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Just for reference, after last night's little setback, Villa now need 2.31 ppg to reach 90 points, and 2.46ppg to reach 92.

We need 1.29ppg and 1.43ppg for the same targets.

 

[darlowolf64]

Fixtures here for the top 7 vs teams in the top 10 as they are, realistically, trying to get into the play-offs though it is unlikely that Bristol City and Sheff Utd can overcome the current 19 and 20 point gap, respectively.

WOLVES; Fulham (A), Villa (A), Boro (A), Cardiff (A), Derby (H)

CARDIFF; Bristol City (H), Brentford (A), Derby (A), Sheff Utd (A), Wolves (H), Villa (A)

VILLA; Wolves (H), Cardiff (H), Derby (H)

DERBY; Fulham (H), Cardiff (H), Preston (A), Wolves (A), Boro (H), Villa (H)

FULHAM; Bristol City (A), Wolves (H), Derby (A), Sheff Utd (H), Preston (A), Brentford (H)

BRISTOL CITY; Fulham (H), Cardiff (A), Preston (A), Brentford (H), Boro (A), Sheff Utd (H)

SHEFF UTD; Fulham (A), Brentford (A), Cardiff (H), Boro (H), Preston (H), Bristol City (A)

The first 5 fixtures in the Fulham list of games are actually their next 5 fixtures so their impact on the promotion places will be known 10th March
Villa seem to have the easiest remaining games but their fixtures are against us and the two nearest teams to them in the table and so defeats would be very costly for them

 

[Jinky]

I’d love Fulham to finish 2nd, but I just can’t see them beating all the teams they’ve got coming up. 1 or 2, sure - but not all of them. And I don’t think they’ll beat us either. Hopefully Fulham can get themselves up via the play offs because they’re a decent club, playing football in the right way, and it’s a cracking away day (can’t wait for Saturday).

Out of the others, I just can’t see past Cardiff. If they can get something out of the Bristol City fixture, they should beat both Barnsley & Birmingham as they’re both awful. They should be sitting in a strong position from there - which means Villa will he left with the lottery of the play offs.