mkowl

I don't question any of the above, but it would be great to win Saturday but its no cause for any celebration as the job will not be done Beyond a quick lap of the pitch to acknowledge the supporters, then back inside to re-focus I appreciate I am a miserable fucker but hearing about folk taking inflatables and creating a "party" atmosphere - what fucking planet are these numpties on Ok its probably the "we had a nice day out at Wembley" shit for brains people in our so called fan base.

I mean they still had a theoretical chance of getting automatic promotion before last night OK a very long shot mainly because the sheep shaggers play Carlisle and only need a point but i would be fuming if we rested players in that scenario

And could still miss out on the play offs. Cheltenham winning last night, unusual for Peterborough to choke. Always interesting to keep an eye on where the last match dramas in other leagues may be.

Tbf them beating us will be on their honours board for a long time.

I simply don't get that thinking. If Brum get a draw at Udders they can get 50 points and have a better goal difference already. By definition if they win and we lose in the final game the goal difference gets worse. Similarly if Huddersfield win, the goal difference is less but still better and as above the swing would arise Stoke and QPR are on 50 points and a better goal difference Plymouth and Blackburn get a win they are above us. I hate to tell you, there are 3 relegation places and with my maths we would be in one of them if we lost at Sunderland and the fairly plausible other scenarios resulted. A win v West Brom guarantees fuck all stress free

I liked Byers, the type of midfielder I prefer, can put in tackles but able to distribute the ball. I think the injury last year really impacted him and he never looked at the level needed this season. But that whole area needs more quality in depth should we get another crack at this level.

Aside from the non - penalty he gave (probably correctly though he guessed) he did alright that game I mean the next time he could be shit

Whilst the play off system does get derided, the benefit of keeping seasons alive cannot be discounted. Only 3 games, those at Bristol City, Cardiff and Watford are dead rubbers. And only 8 definite Championship teams for 2024/25 (currently in there), 9 if you include Pompey, 10 with the Pigs that are joining

Scenarios for this weekend then Us v West Brom QPR v Leeds (Fri) Udders v Brum Millwall v Plymouth Blackburn v Coventry Southampton v Stoke The one certain outcome is if Udders lose they are relegated. You do think at least one of those will drop, but there are scenarios where both could survive For the rest 53 points guarantees safety, invariably that will drop to 52 or even 51 after this round of games. Whilst the balance of probability favours Stoke and QPR surviving those fixtures look daunting. A win for us is requisite of course, but our poor goal difference creates the jeopardy on getting to 50 points and still being relegated. It is Championship madness that at round 45/46 half the fixtures impact the relegation picture

I will share my winnings as agreed - post sponsored by Nottingham Forest

I presume we weren't playing Man U

Can't beat a personal anecdote. Saturday is the exact 50th anniversary of my first visit to a match A relegation dogfight in the 2nd tier. Not much changes really

I think having got this far to be in control of the outcome - albeit its the Championship getting 3 wins on the spin is very low probability - is an achievement. I worry more about the fan base thinking job done. I have watched Wednesday far too long and have a strong body of evidence to know that until every full time whistle is blown in 2 weeks, hope for the best, fear the worst. I am self admitted an pessimistic optimist. Until its mathematically certain I accept no fate, good or bad

Best ever season I have witnessed to be more precise

I think my point was in response to another - Rohl is too decent a manager to let complacency step in. I concur he won't. However my point was that Atkinson did allow that. The fact that it preceded our best ever season means in hindsight that failure got overlooked. But it still lurks, the scars. Even if we win on Saturday, its no time for any form of celebration of job done. As we saw with Coventry yesterday the football God's are cruel.