Championship 2025/26 Season

[StanSP]

9 minutes ago, AjcW said:

I don't buy into the "perfect chance for a reset" bollocks either. Sunderland and Derby only got back after being sold to competent owners....

And when you look at how we've been mismanaged recently, there's absolutely little chance we get it right this time around. 

 

It's a chance for a reset. I wouldn't go as far to say it's perfect. And I wouldn't have confidence that our hierarchy know what to do in this situation. Bottom has no clue. The people closest to him have no idea. The whole direction and strategy of the club is so misaligned. 

 

 

[Bert]

10 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

Blackburn are irrelevant.

 

We're now in a straight points race with Oxford and West Brom.

 

We need to get 3 more points than Oxford and 5 more points than West Brom with 12 to play for.  West Brom are unbeaten in their last 6 and Oxford have only lost once in that time, winning two. Oh and both have got Wednesday left.

 

We probably, realistically, need to win all four games to stay up.

 

Essentially, Ipswich just relegated us.

 

Agree mostly, I think a minimum of 9 will be needed. 
 

Genuinely think we will beat Portsmouth on Saturday to give us that little bit of false hope. But that’ll be our last win of the season, followed by two defeats and a draw. 

[AKCJ]

1 minute ago, Bert said:

Agree mostly, I think a minimum of 9 will be needed. 
 

Genuinely think we will beat Portsmouth on Saturday to give us that little bit of false hope. But that’ll be our last win of the season, followed by two defeats and a draw. 

I'd honestly be staggered if we beat Portsmouth.

 

I just think we'll collapse now (If we haven't already).

 

I think we'll lose to Portsmouth and Hull. I then think they'll beat Milwall and Blackburn when the pressure is off. Exactly like last season.

[Les-TA-Jon]

10 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

Blackburn are irrelevant.

 

We're now in a straight points race with Oxford and West Brom.

 

We need to get 3 more points than Oxford and 5 more points than West Brom with 12 to play for.  West Brom are unbeaten in their last 6 and Oxford have only lost once in that time, winning two. Oh and both have got Wednesday left.

 

We probably, realistically, need to win all four games to stay up.

 

Essentially, Ipswich just relegated us.

 

Yep. Basically impossible for us to stay up now - and if we do, it'll only be because we somehow finish above West Brom and Oxford 

 

 

Looking at the Points Swing situation, Blackburn and Portsmouth are almost guaranteed to finish above us, since they need only a 6 point swing. I.e they finish above us if we lose a single game and they win a single game. 

[Bert]

9 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I'd honestly be staggered if we beat Portsmouth.

 

I just think we'll collapse now (If we haven't already).

 

I think we'll lose to Portsmouth and Hull. I then think they'll beat Milwall and Blackburn when the pressure is off. Exactly like last season.

I mean my thinking is certainly one that’s clutching at straws - the typical thing of Portsmouth beating two teams in a race for automatic promotion then lose to a side that are at rock bottom. 

[jayfox26]

10 hours ago, Finnegan said:

 

Blackburn are irrelevant.

 

We're now in a straight points race with Oxford and West Brom.

 

We need to get 3 more points than Oxford and 5 more points than West Brom with 12 to play for.  West Brom are unbeaten in their last 6 and Oxford have only lost once in that time, winning two. Oh and both have got Wednesday left.

 

We probably, realistically, need to win all four games to stay up.

 

Essentially, Ipswich just relegated us.

 

Even if we won all 4 remaining (we won't), there's still a chance we down 

[RowlattsFox]

Few people have said it so I'm obviously missing something obvious but why are Blackburn being discounted. I mean, they would need to lose their 2 next games and if we won 2 of our next 3 we would be 1 point behind them going into the final day? If we miraculously won all 3 we'd be ahead of them...(if they lose their games, but I don't think it's impossible) 

 

Lot's of ifs and buts I know  

[Stavros81]

1 minute ago, RowlattsFox said:

Few people have said it so I'm obviously missing something obvious but why are Blackburn being discounted. I mean, they would need to lose their 2 next games and if we won 2 of our next 3 we would be 1 point behind them going into the final day? If we miraculously won all 3 we'd be ahead of them...(if they lose their games, but I don't think it's impossible) 

 

Lot's of ifs and buts I know  

Big question is though where are our wins coming from?

[Les-TA-Jon]

3 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Few people have said it so I'm obviously missing something obvious but why are Blackburn being discounted. I mean, they would need to lose their 2 next games and if we won 2 of our next 3 we would be 1 point behind them going into the final day? If we miraculously won all 3 we'd be ahead of them...(if they lose their games, but I don't think it's impossible) 

 

Lot's of ifs and buts I know  

Blackburn and Portsmouth are only a 6 point swing away from being guaranteed to finish above us. They means if they win a single game, we cannot lose a single game - otherwise they finish above us. And they both play us so they can potentially get their 6 point swing in the fixture against us too. 

 

If Blackburn win a single game, and we draw a single game - that's a 5 point swing - and we could only finish above them with maximum points for us, 0 points for them and on goal difference...

Edited 15 April by Les-TA-Jon

[AKCJ]

3 minutes ago, jayfox26 said:

Even if we won all 4 remaining (we won't), there's still a chance we down 

If we did, we'd be on 53 points.

 

Oxford's remaining fixtures are Derby (A), Wrexham (H), Sheff W (H) and Milwall (A). They'd need 9 points to get to 53. I'd say that's unlikely.

 

WBA's remaining fixtures are PNE (A), Watford (H), Ipswich (H) and Sheff W (A). They'd need 7 points to get to 53. I'd say that's somewhat unlikely.

 

Blackburn's remaining fixtures are Coventry (H), Sheff U (A) and Leicester (H). They need 5 points to get to 53. I'd say that's very unlikely.

 

Portsmouth's remaining fixtures are Leicester (H), Coventry (A), Stoke (A) and Birmingham (H). They need 5 points to get to 53. I'd say it's quite unlikely.

 

Charlton's remaining fixtures are Sheff W (A), Ipswich (H), Hull (H) and Swansea (A). They need 4 points to get to 53. I'd say that's extremely likely.

 

 

 

Yes it is possible we get relegated on 53 points but we'd be very unlucky.

 

 

 

[Les-TA-Jon]

5 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Few people have said it so I'm obviously missing something obvious but why are Blackburn being discounted. I mean, they would need to lose their 2 next games and if we won 2 of our next 3 we would be 1 point behind them going into the final day? If we miraculously won all 3 we'd be ahead of them...(if they lose their games, but I don't think it's impossible) 

 

Lot's of ifs and buts I know  

 

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

If we did, we'd be on 53 points.

 

Oxford's remaining fixtures are Derby (A), Wrexham (H), Sheff W (H) and Milwall (A). They'd need 9 points to get to 53. I'd say that's unlikely.

 

WBA's remaining fixtures are PNE (A), Watford (H), Ipswich (H) and Sheff W (A). They'd need 7 points to get to 53. I'd say that's somewhat unlikely.

 

Blackburn's remaining fixtures are Coventry (H), Sheff U (A) and Leicester (H). They need 5 points to get to 53. I'd say that's very unlikely.

 

Portsmouth's remaining fixtures are Leicester (H), Coventry (A), Stoke (A) and Birmingham (H). They need 5 points to get to 53. I'd say it's quite unlikely.

 

Charlton's remaining fixtures are Sheff W (A), Ipswich (H), Hull (H) and Swansea (A). They need 4 points to get to 53. I'd say that's extremely likely.

 

Yes it is possible we get relegated on 53 points but we'd be very unlucky.

 

This is exactly what this is for

 

We're down!

[David Guiza II]

42 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Few people have said it so I'm obviously missing something obvious but why are Blackburn being discounted. I mean, they would need to lose their 2 next games and if we won 2 of our next 3 we would be 1 point behind them going into the final day? If we miraculously won all 3 we'd be ahead of them...(if they lose their games, but I don't think it's impossible) 

 

Lot's of ifs and buts I know  

I was just about to say similar...

 

Blackburn could quite easily lose on Friday to a Cov side who are looking to get the title sewn up/promotion party (eurgh!). Their penultimate game is then away at Sheff Utd, where they're more than capable of losing too. In this dream world - were we to get 4 points or more from our next three games, then it would put us within 3 points of them whilst facing them on the final day.  

 

It's not inconceivable that Oxford get no more than a point from Derby (A) and Wrexham (H) too - so even a fairly meagre 4 points from the next three, with results going our way, leaves us with one game shootout against Blackburn to stay up.  

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Cov pulled off a 2014 Brighton at home performance on Friday night to see Blackburn safe - or if Oxford beat Derby and or Wrexham, such is life. But objectively it's still somewhat open. 

 

Of course it's all absolutely immaterial because we're beyond pathetic and even on the rare occasion over the past few weeks that results have gone our way we've returned the favour almost immediately by serving up utter crap - but who doesn't love a hypothetical? 

 

EDIT - forgot about Oxford playing Sheff Wed also. So, yeah, we'd also need them to lose at Millwall on the final day in the above scenario - or a West Brom points deduction etc. 

 

 

Edited 15 April by David Guiza II

[filbertway]

6 minutes ago, David Guiza II said:

I was just about to say similar...

 

Blackburn could quite easily lose on Friday to a Cov side who are looking to get the title sewn up/promotion party (eurgh!). Their penultimate game is then away at Sheff Utd, where they're more than capable of losing too. In this dream world - were we to get 4 points or more from our next three games, then it would put us within 3 points of them whilst facing them on the final day.  

 

It's not inconceivable that Oxford get no more than a point from Derby (A) and Wrexham (H) too - so even a fairly meagre 4 points from the next three, with results going our way, leaves us with one game shootout against Blackburn to stay up.  

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Cov pulled off a 2014 Brighton at home performance on Friday night to see Blackburn safe - or if Oxford beat Derby and or Wrexham, such is life. But objectively it's still somewhat open. 

 

Of course it's all absolutely immaterial because we're beyond pathetic and even on the rare occasion over the past few weeks that results have gone our way we've returned the favour almost immediately by serving up utter crap - but who doesn't love a hypothetical? 

 

 

Yeah this was my thinking as well.

 

If Oxford and West Brom are in the discussion then there's no reason Blackburn shouldn't be.

 

And as you rightly say, realistically, nobody else is in the discussion

 

Unless.... 

[Stuntman_Mike]

27 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Few people have said it so I'm obviously missing something obvious but why are Blackburn being discounted. I mean, they would need to lose their 2 next games and if we won 2 of our next 3 we would be 1 point behind them going into the final day? If we miraculously won all 3 we'd be ahead of them...(if they lose their games, but I don't think it's impossible) 

 

Lot's of ifs and buts I know  

Edited 15 April by Stuntman_Mike

[Happy Fox]

18 minutes ago, David Guiza II said:

I was just about to say similar...

 

Blackburn could quite easily lose on Friday to a Cov side who are looking to get the title sewn up/promotion party (eurgh!). Their penultimate game is then away at Sheff Utd, where they're more than capable of losing too. In this dream world - were we to get 4 points or more from our next three games, then it would put us within 3 points of them whilst facing them on the final day.  

 

It's not inconceivable that Oxford get no more than a point from Derby (A) and Wrexham (H) too - so even a fairly meagre 4 points from the next three, with results going our way, leaves us with one game shootout against Blackburn to stay up.  

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Cov pulled off a 2014 Brighton at home performance on Friday night to see Blackburn safe - or if Oxford beat Derby and or Wrexham, such is life. But objectively it's still somewhat open. 

 

Of course it's all absolutely immaterial because we're beyond pathetic and even on the rare occasion over the past few weeks that results have gone our way we've returned the favour almost immediately by serving up utter crap - but who doesn't love a hypothetical? 

 

 

 

Effectively we need 8 points from 4 games to match surpass Blackburn's points total, I just don't see this happening at all, even if Blackburn lose their next two they would only need a point against us to survive.

[Chelmofox]

I *think* the last time we won 3 games in a row was April 20th -> April 29th 2024 for that final push to win the championship.

 

We've done 2 games i think twice since.

 

This lot dont know how to win games.

Edited 15 April by Chelmofox

[Les-TA-Jon]

18 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Yeah this was my thinking as well.

 

If Oxford and West Brom are in the discussion then there's no reason Blackburn shouldn't be.

 

And as you rightly say, realistically, nobody else is in the discussion

 

Unless.... 

It's because Portsmouth and Blackburn have 2-4 points more than Oxford and West Brom and they play us. Portsmouth and Blackburn only need a 6 point swing vs Leicester to finish above us. 

If Leicester somehow stay up, it'll very likely only be because we've finished above West Brom and Oxford. 

[Les-TA-Jon]

6 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

I *think* the last time we won 3 games in a row was April 20th -> April 29th 2024 for that final push to win the championship.

 

We've done 2 games i think twice since.

 

This lot dont know how to win games.

5 occasions we won 3 in a row (or more) in 23/24 under Maresca. None since. 

 

One instance of back to back wins in 24/25 under Cooper. Two instances this season under Cifuentes. 

 

17 wins total out of last 80 league matches...

Edited 15 April by Les-TA-Jon

[Number 6]

Entertaining hypotheticals you'd have to include Blackburn and Portsmouth because we play both. As much as they require fewer points both games represent an opportunity for a swing in our favour.

 

We won't take the opportunity of course, but if you're looking at hypothetical scenarios I wouldn't discount either.

[Les-TA-Jon]

2 minutes ago, Number 6 said:

Entertaining hypotheticals you'd have to include Blackburn and Portsmouth because we play both. As much as they require fewer points both games represent an opportunity for a swing in our favour.

 

We won't take the opportunity of course, but if you're looking at hypothetical scenarios I wouldn't discount either.

I think my point is that they can achieve the 6 point swing they need, in any 'matchweek' or in the game versus us. Which is what makes it so likely they both finish above us. 

[Number 6]

4 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

I think my point is that they can achieve the 6 point swing they need, in any 'matchweek' or in the game versus us. Which is what makes it so likely they both finish above us. 

Yeh we've almost no margin for error if we were to finish above them. But entertaining us getting 12 points feels as fanciful as entertaining us getting 3 tbh.

[Finnegan]

1 hour ago, AKCJ said:

I'd honestly be staggered if we beat Portsmouth.

 

The weird part is that I wouldn't be "staggered" if we beat anyone, really. It's a shit league and I don't think our strongest side is as abysmal as it's form.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can't see us winning, I can barely see us winning again at all this season. I think there's an intangible funk all over the squad and I don't see it changing without a total refresh. I've started convincing myself that League One will be good for us, get a good clearout and force us to re-think our approach to recruitment. It probably won't and I imagine the financial crippling will ruin us for a few more seasons but yknow.

 

But, yeah, as shit as we are I don't think it would surprise me we actually won a game. I keep getting flashbacks to how devastating we were in the first half against Southampton when it briefly looked like we were ok. I mean that's what we're capable of. It just never happens.

 

[filbertway]

12 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

It's because Portsmouth and Blackburn have 2-4 points more than Oxford and West Brom and they play us. Portsmouth and Blackburn only need a 6 point swing vs Leicester to finish above us. 

If Leicester somehow stay up, it'll very likely only be because we've finished above West Brom and Oxford. 

I see where you're coming from, but I still think that if there is talk that we can amount enough points to finish above West Brom, then it's also realistic that we can finish above Blackburn given their fixtures. The game in hand. The fact we still have to play them.

 

We'll know a lot more come Wednesday. We could be relegated. We could be 2 points off Blackburn with 2 to play.

 

Okay, we'll be relegated...But discussing this is more entertaining than reading the same inane comments about how awful the players and management are

 

 

[TheGoldenGod]

3 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

The weird part is that I wouldn't be "staggered" if we beat anyone, really. It's a shit league and I don't think our strongest side is as abysmal as it's form.

 

One win in 17 games, I absolutely would be staggered if we beat Pompey...a team with fight and momentum.

[AKCJ]

9 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

The weird part is that I wouldn't be "staggered" if we beat anyone, really. It's a shit league and I don't think our strongest side is as abysmal as it's form.

 

Don't get me wrong, I can't see us winning, I can barely see us winning again at all this season. I think there's an intangible funk all over the squad and I don't see it changing without a total refresh. I've started convincing myself that League One will be good for us, get a good clearout and force us to re-think our approach to recruitment. It probably won't and I imagine the financial crippling will ruin us for a few more seasons but yknow.

 

But, yeah, as shit as we are I don't think it would surprise me we actually won a game. I keep getting flashbacks to how devastating we were in the first half against Southampton when it briefly looked like we were ok. I mean that's what we're capable of. It just never happens.

 

I don't think that on paper there is a single team in the league that is better than ours. I honestly think that. We've got players that have played at a very high level all over the team and they ought to be capable enough to get us out of this division in the right way. As you say, that first half against Southampton proves that there is genuine talent in the team.

 

But i've never met a squad with such little fight in them. I know it's easy for fans of clubs to say that their team doesn't care and 95% of the time I would say they're getting carried away but I think it's clear that this squad does not care. It's clear that the vast majority of them would leave today if you asked them. There is no leadership and there are extremely few players who actively want to roll their sleeves up and ensure we stay up.

 

When they meet a Portsmouth side that is motivated and hungry they will finish 2nd best.