On Tuesday: Huddersfield (3 points behind us) are at home to Bristol City, who need a win to keep their play-off hopes alive. Bristol City also have a better away record than they do home.
Luton are at home to Brentford. Although the Hatters are 9 points away from us, it’s still good to take notice. Brentford need a win to push them into 3rd and 3 points behind Leeds, who are away at Middlesbrough on Wednesday.
On Wednesday: As mentioned, Middlesbrough are at home to Leeds. A win for Leeds could put them 1 point behind top (depending on what West Brom do at home to Preston on the Tuesday) and keep some breathing space between them and the chasing pack.
Hull are at home to a Barnsley side who have found a bit of form. So long as we win get a win at Wednesday, I think a win for Barnsley wouldn’t be a bad result as it certainly drags Hull into it. Although, a win for Hull would leave us 11 clear of Barnsley as long as we won.
Stoke are away at Blackburn. A tough game for both sides, but the Potters head further north against a side who must win to keep their chances alive for top 6. A loss for Blackburn is a tough ask for them get into those play-off positions. Stoke are on a run similar to us. We definitely want a home win here.
Reading entertain a rejuvenated Wigan. The Latics have picked up 11 points from their last 6. We most certainly hope that Reading stop that form and get a win in midweek.
Overall, this set of midweek fixtures are huge. A lot is riding on many of the games for different reasons. Arguably, although we’re away from home, we have the fixture that could be the easiest. We’re playing a team that are on a poor run of form, whilst as I mentioned in the original post, sitting 11 points away from top 6 and relegation. Everyone else has something more serious to play for.
Might be a silly question, but given the fact we're playing in Sheffield Wednesday night and Huddersfield Saturday, would the team stay up North for a couple of days rather than travelling back to London Wed night/Thurs morn then travelling back up Friday?
Might be a silly question, but given the fact we're playing in Sheffield Wednesday night and Huddersfield Saturday, would the team stay up North for a couple of days rather than travelling back to London Wed night/Thurs morn then travelling back up Friday?
Might be a silly question, but given the fact we're playing in Sheffield Wednesday night and Huddersfield Saturday, would the team stay up North for a couple of days rather than travelling back to London Wed night/Thurs morn then travelling back up Friday?
Great question ? Lovely stay in a 5 star hotel, over looking the new water features that Yorkshire has to offer. Massages, swimming and working on tactics for another 6 pointer in Huddersfield.
Agree in principle that Taylor and Bonne is our best pair probably but not convinced Bonne will start so soon after his long lay off. I think he'll be an impact sub once more. Hemed may even start given that he wasn't too bad at Forest apparently. Whether that was just by his standards or in general I cannot say as I wasn't there.
Anything will be a bonus from the crappiest team I have seen play this year? I watched their defeat at Luton. I am expecting us to beat them and Bowyer needs to prioritise the next game, not Saturday's game.
"Anything from this would be a bonus".....is a statement already trying to reduce self-expectations. As mentioned, if Luton recently beat them and they're horribly out of form, we are not playing the same clinical team that were at the Valley.
Their best player, Fletcher is coming back from injury and not fully fit. He will probably be on the bench, Bannon, who is a very decent player is carrying an injury though playing through it. I thought they were powder puff v Luton and bereft of any ideas. I remember thinking, If they were Charlton I would be livid at that performance.
"Anything from this would be a bonus".....is a statement already trying to reduce self-expectations. As mentioned, if Luton recently beat them and they're horribly out of form, we are not playing the same clinical team that were at the Valley.
Their main striker has been injured, should make a return on Wednesday. That'll help them
Yes Bowyer likes to freshen things up, and we have a number of players coming back from injury, but it slightly baffles me why so many of our player seem to struggle with playing full 90s, and midweek games as well.
Looking up Ollie Watkins for example, not only has he played every league game for Brentford this season, scoring 21 goals, in nearly all of them he played the full 90 too, the earliest he's gone off was in the 82nd minute. Indeed Brentford have 9 players who've played over 30 matches this season, when we have just 2 (Lockyer and Phillips)
I think to focus on one game or the other this week is a very dangerous approach.
If we don't get it right then the points gap between us and the bottom three could have evaporated completely by Saturday evening.
This is a huge week for all of the teams in the shakeup and two big performances from us could really change things in our favour.
Likewise, two poor results could leave us in trouble.
We're in a series of games where we should be targeting wins. Realistically we won't win them all, but none of them are the sorts of matches where we have anything to fear, or where we ought to be resting players for so called "easier" fixtures.
Comments
Huddersfield (3 points behind us) are at home to Bristol City, who need a win to keep their play-off hopes alive. Bristol City also have a better away record than they do home.
Luton are at home to Brentford. Although the Hatters are 9 points away from us, it’s still good to take notice. Brentford need a win to push them into 3rd and 3 points behind Leeds, who are away at Middlesbrough on Wednesday.
On Wednesday:
As mentioned, Middlesbrough are at home to Leeds. A win for Leeds could put them 1 point behind top (depending on what West Brom do at home to Preston on the Tuesday) and keep some breathing space between them and the chasing pack.
Hull are at home to a Barnsley side who have found a bit of form. So long as we win get a win at Wednesday, I think a win for Barnsley wouldn’t be a bad result as it certainly drags Hull into it. Although, a win for Hull would leave us 11 clear of Barnsley as long as we won.
Stoke are away at Blackburn. A tough game for both sides, but the Potters head further north against a side who must win to keep their chances alive for top 6. A loss for Blackburn is a tough ask for them get into those play-off positions. Stoke are on a run similar to us. We definitely want a home win here.
Reading entertain a rejuvenated Wigan. The Latics have picked up 11 points from their last 6. We most certainly hope that Reading stop that form and get a win in midweek.
Overall, this set of midweek fixtures are huge. A lot is riding on many of the games for different reasons. Arguably, although we’re away from home, we have the fixture that could be the easiest. We’re playing a team that are on a poor run of form, whilst as I mentioned in the original post, sitting 11 points away from top 6 and relegation. Everyone else has something more serious to play for.
Big opportunity for us on Wednesday.
Lovely stay in a 5 star hotel, over looking the new water features that Yorkshire has to offer. Massages, swimming and working on tactics for another 6 pointer in Huddersfield.
Ee By gum, will train spotters win ? eck as like.
Matthews | Lockyer | Sarr | Doughty
Davis
Cullen | Lapslie
Oztumer
Bonne | Taylor
Actual prediction 2-2
Cullen and Bonne to score.
If we have Lyle, Bonne and Ozzy starting we will score at least one and probably two.
With our five man defence playing in our own half we will concede at least one and probably two if that Fletcher bloke gets an airing.
2.2
Agree in principle that Taylor and Bonne is our best pair probably but not convinced Bonne will start so soon after his long lay off. I think he'll be an impact sub once more. Hemed may even start given that he wasn't too bad at Forest apparently. Whether that was just by his standards or in general I cannot say as I wasn't there.
Looking up Ollie Watkins for example, not only has he played every league game for Brentford this season, scoring 21 goals, in nearly all of them he played the full 90 too, the earliest he's gone off was in the 82nd minute. Indeed Brentford have 9 players who've played over 30 matches this season, when we have just 2 (Lockyer and Phillips)
https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/head_to_head.sd?team_id=527&team2_id=2330