The team that finish 6th

'they have to go on a run for one reason.
Bristol-boro said:
Are going to be dangerous because whoever it is are going to have to go on a run to take that spot so are going to be on form going into the play offs.
Looking at the fixtures for the different teams I have a sneaky suspicion that West Brom might sneak in.
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They aren't good enough to be in the top 6 now !
 
It's rare a team in 6th wins the play-offs, they're usually 6th for a reason.

It's only happened in 5 seasons since the play-offs were introduced.

- 1992 was Blackburn, the biggest spenders in the league and 2nd highest scorers after the champions.

- 1997 was Crystal Palace, 2nd highest scorers in the league outside of the champions.

- 2004 was Crystal Palace again, 3rd highest scorers.

- 2005 was West Ham, the one time the 6th placed winner didn't score more goals than most other teams.

- 2010 was Blackpool, top scorers in the league outside of the top 2.

Obviously there's far more to it than just scoring goals, but of the teams outside of the top 6 right now, none are particularly free scoring, bar Sunderland.
 
TeaCider said:
It's rare a team in 6th wins the play-offs, they're usually 6th for a reason.

It's only happened in 5 seasons since the play-offs were introduced.

- 1992 was Blackburn, the biggest spenders in the league and 2nd highest scorers after the champions.

- 1997 was Crystal Palace, 2nd highest scorers in the league outside of the champions.

- 2004 was Crystal Palace again, 3rd highest scorers.

- 2005 was West Ham, the one time the 6th placed winner didn't score more goals than most other teams.

- 2010 was Blackpool, top scorers in the league outside of the top 2.

Obviously there's far more to it than just scoring goals, but of the teams outside of the top 6 right now, none are particularly free scoring, bar Sunderland.
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Sunderland finished 6th in 1990 but Swindon technically won the playoffs

Blackpool the lowest points scoring team to gain promotion to the prem (70 points i think)
 
The best team usually wins the playoffs. Obviously it is a competitive league and things change over the course of a season so league position alone doesn't tell you which team is best. This season we are comfortably the best team in the playoffs, we're just unfortunate we started the season, with different management, by giving everyone a massive headstart. One off games can go either way but still the best team usually wins. If everyone performs to the best of their abilities (from all teams) then the best team wins. The other teams need the best team not to perform to the best of their abilities so it is up to us to make sure we do.
 
It doesn't matter who we play, we still need to perform to our best when it matters.

Can we do that? Under Carrick you'd back us, but there always a bit of lady luck needed too.

It's a cup game scenario and teams that can score freely tend to fare better, especially those that can fight back from being behind.

I'd back us to beat anyone
 
As someone said earlier the team is 6th for a reason, they aren't as good as the teams above them.
Let's see how the results go this week
 
I think Cov will get in. Last game against us, if we're in a settled position of 3rd or 4th and cant move we may rest 1 or 2, they'll need a win and i can see that happening.
I don't fear anyone this year in the play offs, it isnt like a team in 6/7/8th is on an incredible run and has stormed the table since xmas beating everyone, it's a tight league and i really think we're the team that nobody wants to play. Luton/Millwall at their place will be a test but we've battered Millwall away before and Luton, i certainly don't fear them over 2 legs. It's the big occasion at Wembley im worried about but with MC, serial winner, i think he would say the right things and have enough about him to get us over the line.
 
KDG said:
6th is my biggest worry, particularly if its a West Brom or Watford.
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The one team I'm confident aren't making the play-offs now is Watford.

They have to bridge a 4 point gap and overtake 6 teams in 4 games.
All the teams above them play each other, so they'd need them all to end in draws to have a chance, and even then, that might not be enough.

Blackburn play Coventry and Preston.

Preston play Blackburn and Sunderland.

Sunderland play Watford, West Brom and Preston.

Norwich play West Brom.

West Brom play Norwich and Sunderland.

Coventry play Blackburn.

At least 3 of the teams above them are guaranteed to pick up points in those head to heads, potentially all 6.

Watford would have to win as well just to keep pace.

And that's not including the kinder fixtures that the other teams have.
 
A
Davey_C said:
Sunderland finished 6th in 1990 but Swindon technically won the playoffs

Blackpool the lowest points scoring team to gain promotion to the prem (70 points i think)
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And then the team relegated with the most goals scored/most points (I forget which) from the prem.
 
Jedi boro said:
It’ll be the final

So yes big test
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It’ll also suit us to play them at Wembley. We have some players that have played there before, and played big games before. We play a possession based game, on a big pitch that would be really, really hard work for Luton’s players, add in the nervous energy of playing at Wembley and they’ll be ripe for the plucking in the last 30….both got to get there first though
 
Odds to finish top 6:

Millwall 3/10
Blackburn 5/4
Norwich 3/1
Coventry 10/3
West Brom 7/2
Sunderland 13/2
Preston 7/1
Watford 33/1
Swansea 250/1

Odds to be promoted:
Luton 3/1
Boro 7/4
Millwall 4/1
Blackburn 10/1
West Brom 10/1
Norwich 12/1
Coventry 14/1
Sunderland 25/1
Preston 40/1
Watford 80/1
Swansea 750/1

I think Millwall - with their fixtures - are a shoe in for top 6.

Then of the remaining teams and the fixtures left, I worry about West Brom the most. I think they've had a very poor season by their standards and with the players they have available. West Brom are filled with experience and I'd worry those experienced pro's would step up their game when it mattered.

Of the rest, I don't worry about any of them. Including Sunderland.
 
Big_Nothing said:
A

And then the team relegated with the most goals scored/most points (I forget which) from the prem.
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I think Palace were relegated from the PL with the most points (49), but this was when it was a 22 team PL, so maybe that doesn't count.

As for the team finishing 6th, even if it's not Milllwall or Blackburn, there's no reason to think they'll be on a massive surge of form. They're where they are becusae they're decent, but have struggled with consistency. Sunderland have, I believe, yet to string together 3 wins all season. If they won their last 2 to scrape in, would I be hugely worried about them continuing that winning sequence?
 
I think WBA will nick 6th looking at the fixures, but losing Dike is a blow and could cost them. Coventry have a nice set of fixtures and we will have an opportunity to stop them. I don’t see Norwich making it largely because of the CB issue. Blackburn have a nightmare last 5 games, so i doubt they’ll make it, Preston similarly have some tough games. Sunderland have some tough games too, but were they to make it, I would doubt they’d beat Luton.

Playing Luton at Wembley would be my ideal. They way they play means they will be less suited to Wembley than us imho. The one thing Sunderland have is recent Wembley experience, if they got there it would be our toughest final for me because of the atmosphere.

I’d also hope that if it were a Boro v Sunderland final that neither the Junior doctors or nurses were on strike that weekend
 
Always a myth. Yes it's great to be in form, but it's more whether the better team in a one off game are applying themselves.

Forest 4th
Brentford 3rd
Fulham 4th
Villa 5th
Fulham 3rd
Huddersfield 5th
Hull 4th
Norwich 3rd
QPR 4th
Palace 5th
 
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