English Football: The Championship

**Bettyboo** · 10-04-2024, 06:37 AM

^ Don't you mean:
Leicester lost.
Leeds drew.

A decent night!

A home win tonight v Watford would make the table look sweet. But, tail-end of the season, every game is tough...

**Bettyboo** · 11-04-2024, 08:52 AM

Two points wasted... At home too against a decent middle of the table team - that's probably our chance of winning the league gone (which we don't deserve). With three very tough games coming up, two of them away, I suspect that we'll be looking at a playoff place unless our form improves a lot.

Even the last game of the season, at home v Huddlesfield might be tough if they need a draw/win to stay up.

Leicester and Leeds will likely drop more points, but we really needed those extra two against Watford last night...

**cyrille** · 11-04-2024, 09:04 AM

Yeah, Watford are good enough to make things difficult though.

Routine win for the Albion against (already relegated) Rotherham.

We're hopefully through our toughest fixtures now, and it's good to see Matty Phillips back.

It will take a wolves-style fcuk up to not make the play-offs now.

Looks like last night was fun for Bristol City fans.

**cyrille** · 11-04-2024, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by cyrille

Routine win for the Albion against (already relegated) Rotherham..

I've just seen the penalty.

Dear oh dear.

**harrybarracuda** · 12-04-2024, 06:35 PM

Sheffield United have been docked two points for Financial whatever.

The reason I posted it here is that it's the EFL and it won't apply until they get relegated.

**Bettyboo** · 13-04-2024, 09:53 AM

The whole Premier League, Championship points situation is ridiculous - their has to be a joint effort from these leagues. This is being showed very clearly in the current Leicester situation.

**cyrille** · 13-04-2024, 09:58 AM

Penalties should be imposed before February, or imposed the following season.

This current situation is just daft.

**Mendip** · 13-04-2024, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by cyrille

Looks like last night was fun for Bristol City fans.

It would have been had I known about it.

But... another routine win to be honest.

**Bettyboo** · 13-04-2024, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by cyrille

I've just seen the penalty.

Dear oh dear.

Indeed - never a penalty, side ways on with his arm perfectly aligned and flat to his body; if you chopped his arm off then it would have hit his chest. Terrible reffing - but, the Championship does have terrible refs.

We played terribly against Norwich and didn't deserve anything (worst game I've seen our captain play, but he is Egyptian and it is ramyamydamy...), but the ref missed two penalties for us, the scum endlessly fowled everytime we went past them in midfield and gave the scum endless free kicks for them diving to the floor...

I suspect that we'll lose at home to Middlesbra today before losing away to Covtry and 'ull.

**cyrille** · 13-04-2024, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Indeed - never a penalty, side ways on with his arm perfectly aligned and flat to his body; if you chopped his arm off then it would have hit his chest.

The main problem was that he was two yards outside the penalty area.

I think it might have actually hit him in the face.

So, umm...did you see it?

**Bettyboo** · 13-04-2024, 10:16 AM

I just bloody watched.

Hold on, I will watch it again...

56 seconds in:

Due to the fella being outside the box and the ball being nowhere near his arm, I thought it hit the fella behind him...

That was even worse than I originally thought - how could anybody give that??? Should not be allowed to ref again this season and should not be paid his matchday fee.

(&, I think I'll pop to Spec Savers...)

**cyrille** · 13-04-2024, 08:06 PM

Leeds 0 Blackburn 0

After 77 minutes.

**cyrille** · 13-04-2024, 08:14 PM

0-1

Always good seeing Leeds lose.

**harrybarracuda** · 13-04-2024, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by cyrille

0-1

Always good seeing Leeds lose.

Considering the possession they had, that is diabolical.

English Football: The Championship-untitled-jpg

**Bettyboo** · 13-04-2024, 08:35 PM

Wowser - well played Blackburn!!!

Every game at this time of the season is tough - Blackburn have a terrible run in and are not safe, so I thought they'd battle hard.

Sooooooo, the f'kin useless ITFC have an opportunity. I'm not optimistic, but with Coventry and Hull away next up (both difficult games), we've gotta take advantage of this home game. A draw would be ok. A win would be fantastico maximo... I'm not feeling good about it.

Buuuuut, on another front, Southampton are right back in it, playing the best football at the moment and have Leeds and Leicester to play - they can get an automatic promotion spot, so that should, might, could??? help ITFC - but, we really would be in a better position if we win today. If we lose, we're still second. A win would put us 4 points clear of Leeds (three points really, considering goal difference) - Leeds have Middlesbrough away and Southampton last game of the season... Is Tax feeling confident???

**harrybarracuda** · 13-04-2024, 10:02 PM

Well that could be sybille's night ruined.

Are you watching it sybille? How did he get two yellows in a minute?

**Bettyboo** · 13-04-2024, 10:17 PM

^ West Brom are comfortably in the playoffs - no, issues with winning or losing from here on in, they have enough points, imho.

I don't rate them too highly, but they took 5 points out of 6 against ITFC - the only team to do better was Leeds. West Brom are decent.

**Bettyboo** · 13-04-2024, 11:03 PM

I wanted more. But, with three games left to go we are massively over-performing...

Imho, Southampton have a real top two chance, and will be there until the last game.

The Premiership and the Championship are wonderfully close. Great leagues. I don't think that the third placed team (and that might well be Ipswich) will make it through the playoffs. Actually, I would bet on West Brom to get promoted.

**cyrille** · 14-04-2024, 12:01 AM

I must say BB, your posts are a refreshing change from, for example, a complete wanker waiting for someone to post on her F1 2025 thread.

**harrybarracuda** · 14-04-2024, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by cyrille

I must say BB, your posts are a refreshing change from, for example, a complete wanker waiting for someone to post on her F1 2025 thread.

Oh dear, grumpy's all upset again.

**harrybarracuda** · 14-04-2024, 08:19 AM

They only showed the second booking; imagine doing that within a minute of drawing the referee's attention.

**Switch** · 14-04-2024, 09:49 AM

I hope Ipswich get auto promoted.

Even Betty knows they will probably lose in the play offs.

The EPL is a big jump up though, especially considering where you came from this season.

**Bettyboo** · 14-04-2024, 12:41 PM

Yeah, of all the top five teams, I think Ipswich are the least capable of performing in the premiership next season - we have a division one squad mostly.

Anything can happen in the playy-offs, we do score goals, but concede far too easily. All the other top five teams have far better defenses. I wouldn't be putting money on ITFC - we are really at our limit and the playy-offs would likely be too far, as you say Switch.

**Bettyboo** · 14-04-2024, 01:04 PM

The run in:

ITFC - looks tough because all three teams (currently) have something to play for. We need points, ideally a win from the Hull game to set us up. It's a little tough, but an ok run in.

Leicester - four tricky games, and they're likely to drop points. Doable for them and it's in their own hands.

Dirty Leeds - away at Middlesbrough and last game of the season maybe very tough of Saints can still get automatic promotion. Leeds are a good team, so doable. I think they need to win the next game, so that should be a good watch.

Saints - a tough run in, and they'll have to win 4 out of 5 for an automatic spot. Tricky, but they are a very good team on their day.

West Brom - none of these games are easy, but a draw and a win should be enough for them. I reckon they'll be ok.

Norwich - they should be fine. The teams immediately below them have much tougher run ins.

My predictions...

6th West Brom 78 points
5th Norwich 80 points
4th Southampton 92 points
3rd Leeds 92 points
2nd Ipswich 95 points
1st Leicester 98 points

Edit to add: the highest points total not to get promoted is 90. It's likely that two teams will get higher and not gain automatic promotion.