THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS STILL WIDE OPEN AND WERE

" THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS STILL WIDE OPEN AND WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE BEEN STUTTERING. "


Hull 1 win in 10,
Cardiff 1 win in 8,
Brum 1 win in 7,
Blackpool 2 in 8,
Boro 2 in 8,
Brighton 2 in 7
West Ham 1 in 6
Leeds 2 in 7
Leicester 2 in 6





" CARDIFF CITY face a fight to the finish as they bid to secure a place in the Championship play-offs. "

With Southampton seemingly destined to clinch automatic promotion, that leaves 10 teams set to battle it out for the final automatic spot and four play-off places.

Here, we look at the fixtures those teams have left and assess who might be able to come out on top.

Let us know who you think will make the play-offs by leaving your comments below.


READING

Current position: 2nd

Remaining games: West Ham (a), Leeds (h), Brighton (a), Southampton (a), Nottm Forest (h), Crystal Palace (h), Birmingham (a)

Manager: Brian McDermott

Current form: WWDWLW

Thumbs up: The Royals are on a fantastic run and have enough momentum for a top-two spot

Thumbs down: If they don’t make second now that will be a big let-down for the play-off battles


WEST HAM

Current position: 3rd

Remaining games: Peterborough (a), Reading (h), Barnsley (a), Birmingham (h), Brighton (h), Bristol City (a), Leicester (a), Hull (h)

Manager: Sam Allardyce

Current form: WDDDDD

Thumbs up: The Hammers have a big squad packed with some really experienced players

Thumbs down: Been seen as champions-elect all season. Play-off pressure would be massive


BRIGHTON

Current position: 4th

Remaining games: Middlesbrough (h), Burnley (a), Reading (h), West Ham (a), Watford (h), Birmingham (h), Barnsley (a)

Manager: Gus Poyet

Current form: DDWLWD

Thumbs up: Poyet’s men would have over-achieved simply by making the play-offs. Pressure should be off.

Thumbs down: Having just come up there could be a lack of experience as the heat is turned up


MIDDLESBROUGH

Current position: 5th

Remaining games: Ipswich (a), Brighton (a), Cardiff (h), Hull (a), Derby (a), Doncaster (h), Southampton (h), Watford (a)

Manager: Tony Mowbray

Current form: WWLLDD

Thumbs up: In manager Mowbray they have one of the division’s wily campaigners who has been down this road before with success at West Brom

Thumbs down: After a strong campaign Boro have been finding wins hard to come by lately


BIRMINGHAM CITY

Current position: 6th

Remaining games: Doncaster (a), Burnley (a), Crystal Palace (h), West Ham (a), Bristol City (h), Ipswich (a), Brighton (a), Reading (h)

Manager: Chris Hughton

Current form: LDLWLD

Thumbs up: The Blues have goals in them and a master assists winger in former Bluebird Chris Burke

Thumbs down: It’s been a tough, long season. Will their Europa League exploits catch up with them in the end?




BLACKPOOL

Current position: 7th

Remaining games: Southampton (h), Watford (a), Barnsley (h), Nottm Forest (a), Leeds (h), Burnley (h), Millwall (a)

Manager: Ian Holloway

Current form: DLLWDL

Thumbs up: Made a late surge for the play-offs two seasons ago and went on to secure promotion to the Premier League

Thumbs down: Lost form at the worst possible time having lost three of their last six games




CARDIFF CITY

Current position: 8th

Remaining games: Millwall (h), Middlesbrough (a), Watford (h), Barnsley (a), Derby (h), Leeds (h), Crystal Palace (a)

Manager: Malky Mackay

Current form: DWLDDD

Thumbs up: Been tough to beat all season and Bluebirds fans really crank it up at this time of year

Thumbs down: Little squad rotation of late could mean tired minds and bodies at the end of the season


HULL CITY

Current position: 9th

Remaining games: Portsmouth (a), Coventry (h), Millwall (a), Middlesbrough (h), Watford (a), Barnsley (h), Nottm Forest (a), West Ham (h)

Manager: Nicky Barmby

Current form: DDWDLL

Thumbs up: Best defensive record in the league with just 30 goals conceded and that solidity could be vital in the run-in

Thumbs down: Struggled for goals all season and former England man Barmby is a rookie in the hot-seat


LEEDS UNITED

Current position: 10th

Remaining games: Watford (h), Reading (a), Derby (h), Peterborough (h), Blackpool (a), Cardiff (a), Leicester (h)

Manager: Neil Warnock

Current form: LDWDLW

Thumbs up: The Neil Warnock factor. Knows exactly what it takes to get promoted and will use all his experience to try and take Leeds up

Thumbs down: Inconsistent form and a difficult run-in make them an outside bet, especially if things get tight at Elland Road


LEICESTER CITY

Current position: 11th

Remaining games: Nottm Forest (h), Doncaster (h), Ipswich (a), Millwall (a), Burnley (h), West Ham (h), Leeds (a)

Manager: Nigel Pearson

Current form: LLWLDW

Thumbs up: Squad packed with quality and if they made the play-offs would fancy themselves against anyone

Thumbs down: Five-point gap is a lot to make up at this stage after campaign of turmoil, probably given themselves too much to do

That sums up just how nervy it is for all the clubs, maybe we need to take a little step back and look at the wider picture. It's there if we want it, lets grab it.

Last edited by PtB on Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Leicester are starting to scare me. From the bottom half a few weeks back and now just 4 points behind us. I can see them still being in it at the end of April

we only have to play 2 of the top 10, on paper we technically have the best run in!

the form team going into the play offs usually has the momentum to go all the way!

keep the faith!

Very interesting read that.
It's all ifs and buts I guess as always but it's definetly do-able.

Gotta good feeling that we can do it this year,

NEVER SAY NEVER

we can still do this :

1. the run in is on our side, as we have on paper the easiest run in (I know, we don't play on paper!)
2. If we get there, we are the ones with the experience of playing a 2 legged semi and a final at Wembley this season (I accept Reading did last season, but they may be automatic anyway)

we've still got a very good chance

That makes it all the more frustrating Annis, as if Malky wasn't so fooking stuborn we would be in a fantastic position.

Intresting facts and it makes you think really hard about how the run in for play offs is going to pan out!

All this means nothing unless we start getting 3 points.

" THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS STILL WIDE OPEN AND WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE BEEN STUTTERING. "


Hull 1 win in 10,
Cardiff 1 win in 8,
Brum 1 win in 7,
Blackpool 2 in 8,
Boro 2 in 8,
Brighton 2 in 7
West Ham 1 in 6
Leeds 2 in 7
Leicester 2 in 6





" CARDIFF CITY face a fight to the finish as they bid to secure a place in the Championship play-offs. "

With Southampton seemingly destined to clinch automatic promotion, that leaves 10 teams set to battle it out for the final automatic spot and four play-off places.

Here, we look at the fixtures those teams have left and assess who might be able to come out on top.

Let us know who you think will make the play-offs by leaving your comments below.


READING

Current position: 2nd

Remaining games: West Ham (a), Leeds (h), Brighton (a), Southampton (a), Nottm Forest (h), Crystal Palace (h), Birmingham (a)

Manager: Brian McDermott

Current form: WWDWLW

Thumbs up: The Royals are on a fantastic run and have enough momentum for a top-two spot

Thumbs down: If they don’t make second now that will be a big let-down for the play-off battles


WEST HAM

Current position: 3rd

Remaining games: Peterborough (a), Reading (h), Barnsley (a), Birmingham (h), Brighton (h), Bristol City (a), Leicester (a), Hull (h)

Manager: Sam Allardyce

Current form: WDDDDD

Thumbs up: The Hammers have a big squad packed with some really experienced players

Thumbs down: Been seen as champions-elect all season. Play-off pressure would be massive


BRIGHTON

Current position: 4th

Remaining games: Middlesbrough (h), Burnley (a), Reading (h), West Ham (a), Watford (h), Birmingham (h), Barnsley (a)

Manager: Gus Poyet

Current form: DDWLWD

Thumbs up: Poyet’s men would have over-achieved simply by making the play-offs. Pressure should be off.

Thumbs down: Having just come up there could be a lack of experience as the heat is turned up


MIDDLESBROUGH

Current position: 5th

Remaining games: Ipswich (a), Brighton (a), Cardiff (h), Hull (a), Derby (a), Doncaster (h), Southampton (h), Watford (a)

Manager: Tony Mowbray

Current form: WWLLDD

Thumbs up: In manager Mowbray they have one of the division’s wily campaigners who has been down this road before with success at West Brom

Thumbs down: After a strong campaign Boro have been finding wins hard to come by lately


BIRMINGHAM CITY

Current position: 6th

Remaining games: Doncaster (a), Burnley (a), Crystal Palace (h), West Ham (a), Bristol City (h), Ipswich (a), Brighton (a), Reading (h)

Manager: Chris Hughton

Current form: LDLWLD

Thumbs up: The Blues have goals in them and a master assists winger in former Bluebird Chris Burke

Thumbs down: It’s been a tough, long season. Will their Europa League exploits catch up with them in the end?




BLACKPOOL

Current position: 7th

Remaining games: Southampton (h), Watford (a), Barnsley (h), Nottm Forest (a), Leeds (h), Burnley (h), Millwall (a)

Manager: Ian Holloway

Current form: DLLWDL

Thumbs up: Made a late surge for the play-offs two seasons ago and went on to secure promotion to the Premier League

Thumbs down: Lost form at the worst possible time having lost three of their last six games




CARDIFF CITY

Current position: 8th

Remaining games: Millwall (h), Middlesbrough (a), Watford (h), Barnsley (a), Derby (h), Leeds (h), Crystal Palace (a)

Manager: Malky Mackay

Current form: DWLDDD

Thumbs up: Been tough to beat all season and Bluebirds fans really crank it up at this time of year

Thumbs down: Little squad rotation of late could mean tired minds and bodies at the end of the season


HULL CITY

Current position: 9th

Remaining games: Portsmouth (a), Coventry (h), Millwall (a), Middlesbrough (h), Watford (a), Barnsley (h), Nottm Forest (a), West Ham (h)

Manager: Nicky Barmby

Current form: DDWDLL

Thumbs up: Best defensive record in the league with just 30 goals conceded and that solidity could be vital in the run-in

Thumbs down: Struggled for goals all season and former England man Barmby is a rookie in the hot-seat


LEEDS UNITED

Current position: 10th

Remaining games: Watford (h), Reading (a), Derby (h), Peterborough (h), Blackpool (a), Cardiff (a), Leicester (h)

Manager: Neil Warnock

Current form: LDWDLW

Thumbs up: The Neil Warnock factor. Knows exactly what it takes to get promoted and will use all his experience to try and take Leeds up

Thumbs down: Inconsistent form and a difficult run-in make them an outside bet, especially if things get tight at Elland Road


LEICESTER CITY

Current position: 11th

Remaining games: Nottm Forest (h), Doncaster (h), Ipswich (a), Millwall (a), Burnley (h), West Ham (h), Leeds (a)

Manager: Nigel Pearson

Current form: LLWLDW

Thumbs up: Squad packed with quality and if they made the play-offs would fancy themselves against anyone

Thumbs down: Five-point gap is a lot to make up at this stage after campaign of turmoil, probably given themselves too much to do

Good research there fella. That must have taken some work to be fair.

annis. as you know well. i would prefer to play the teams that got nothing to fight for, the bottom teams are now giving 110%, and the top teams are all loosing there bottle. so were all in the same boat. its a lottery, the top 8? will win 1 draw 1. loose 2 etc.we got to beat millwall on sat. to be in the mix

ccfc have a good a chance as anybody.you,d have been happy enough to be in this position last august.squeaky bum time now boys for all of us

That makes it all the more frustrating Annis, as if Malky wasn't so fooking stuborn we would be in a fantastic position.

Agree with you Steve - We are playing for a playoff place now...unless we go unbeaten,and the top 3 start to loose points

Pretty much what I pointed out in a thread earlie in the week. No ones in great form, the team who can turn it around will do well

Pretty much what I pointed out in a thread earlie in the week. No ones in great form, the team who can turn it around will do well

Just cannot see it being City with their lack of goal threat, and inability to keep clean sheets.

Awesome stats, just need 3 points first on Saturday, it's out of our hands everyone else matches us point for point.

I feel we've had our chances this year and blown it

DON'T BLINK