Rival Watch

[Stranded]

to be honest Barnsley I would say have the easiest run in, they have to play Bournemouth, us and Norwich as there last game that is all i can see them losing on there current form.

I would prefer Barnsley beat Bournemouth as they have the harder run in and I think it will be between us and them for the final play off place.

Getting to the stage now where average form sees us in unless one of Bournemouth or Cardiff go on a silly run.

If we go W5 D2 L4, so bang average, we hit 77pts.

Assuming both Bournemouth and Cardiff would go past us on GD, Bournemouth would need 21/33 and Cardiff 23/33.

[From Despair To Where?]

I did not realise Steve Cooper's dad was ex referee Keith.......

I can see where Steve gets his looks.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Didn’t look a pen to me seeing it a few times. Swansea bloke has either had a full on shot and then hit the tackle, which generally isn’t given, or the Boro bloke got a big chunk of the ball

Either way, very rarely see that given

Boro had a perfectly good goal disallowed as well. Not too dissimilar to the Swans pen, but given as a foul on the defender.

[CountryRoyal]

Didn’t look a pen to me seeing it a few times. Swansea bloke has either had a full on shot and then hit the tackle, which generally isn’t given, or the Boro bloke got a big chunk of the ball

Either way, very rarely see that given

Boro had a perfectly good goal disallowed as well. Not too dissimilar to the Swans pen, but given as a foul on the defender.

Absolutely baffling decision I just don’t see what he saw.

[Zip]

Swansea have been gifted four points in their last two games. We should be above them.

[windermereROYAL]

And Steve (handsome) Cooper said both pens they got this week were stone wall, I`m surprised he kept a straight face, absolutely disgraceful from Gavin Ward, you can actually see him point for a corner before changing his mind.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Can't stop watching that disallowed Boro goal. Absolutely shocking decision. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if that happened to us.

[Royalwaster]

Can't stop watching that disallowed Boro goal. Absolutely shocking decision. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if that happened to us.

Only consolation is that Colin is their manager ...

[JR]

And Steve (handsome) Cooper said both pens they got this week were stone wall, I`m surprised he kept a straight face, absolutely disgraceful from Gavin Ward, you can actually see him point for a corner before changing his mind.

Lost all respect for Steve Cooper with that interview. Would be very disappointed if Pauno came out with that dishonest/dilusional rubbish and I’m confident he wouldn’t.

[CountryRoyal]

That Dike Barnsley goal was lucky af. Wasn’t even looking at the goal for ages before he struck it, no way he meant to go near post.

[URZZZZ]

We could have a fair lead over Bournemouth before the close of the international break - as their games before it are against two top 6 sides (Barnsley and Swansea). Two draws there would be preferable as it would really give us a chance to open the gap - especially with them not having a game on the 20th due to FA Cup involvement

If we really have any aspiration to get top 2, we’ve probably got to be looking at 9 points (7 minimum) from this next week and hope Swansea drop points who have a fairly hard run on in their next few games. Unlikely to snatch second given the amount of teams ahead of us but all we can do is win our games and see what’s what

[NewCorkSeth]

Unpopular opinion coming I know but it was a penalty. Just watched it a few times and it seems clear the Swansea player gets to the ball milliseconds before the defender. I hate it but correct call imo.

[Stranded]

We could have a fair lead over Bournemouth before the close of the international break - as their games before it are against two top 6 sides (Barnsley and Swansea). Two draws there would be preferable as it would really give us a chance to open the gap - especially with them not having a game on the 20th due to FA Cup involvement

If we really have any aspiration to get top 2, we’ve probably got to be looking at 9 points (7 minimum) from this next week and hope Swansea drop points who have a fairly hard run on in their next few games. Unlikely to snatch second given the amount of teams ahead of us but all we can do is win our games and see what’s what

Stolen from Twitter but everyone in the top 8 has at least 3 games left against the others in the top 8. Watford and us have the most games left with 5 - Brentford and Barnsley both just 3.

League table for the top 8 is as follows:

Norwich P 10 Pts 19
Swansea P 10 Pts 19
Brentford P 11 Pts 19
Bournemouth P 10 Pts 15
Reading P 9 Pts 13
Cardiff P10 Pts 11
Watford P 9 Pts 8
Barnsley P 11 Pts 7

Interestingly* win our game(s) in hand and our record against the top sides stands up against the other sides around us.

So from that, Barnsley really struggle against the top sides and Watford are a real surprise struggler. 4 of their last 6 games, starting with our game on GW41 are against the other sides in the current top 5 - last 2 games are Brentford (a) and Swansea (H).

Shows that if we can be withing striking distance going into the last 2 or 3 games, we could still hit the top 2.

[NewCorkSeth]

We could have a fair lead over Bournemouth before the close of the international break - as their games before it are against two top 6 sides (Barnsley and Swansea). Two draws there would be preferable as it would really give us a chance to open the gap - especially with them not having a game on the 20th due to FA Cup involvement

If we really have any aspiration to get top 2, we’ve probably got to be looking at 9 points (7 minimum) from this next week and hope Swansea drop points who have a fairly hard run on in their next few games. Unlikely to snatch second given the amount of teams ahead of us but all we can do is win our games and see what’s what

Stolen from Twitter but everyone in the top 8 has at least 3 games left against the others in the top 8. Watford and us have the most games left with 5 - Brentford and Barnsley both just 3.

League table for the top 8 is as follows:

Norwich P 10 Pts 19
Swansea P 10 Pts 19
Brentford P 11 Pts 19
Bournemouth P 10 Pts 15
Reading P 9 Pts 13
Cardiff P10 Pts 11
Watford P 9 Pts 8
Barnsley P 11 Pts 7

Interestingly* win our game(s) in hand and our record against the top sides stands up against the other sides around us.

So from that, Barnsley really struggle against the top sides and Watford are a real surprise struggler. 4 of their last 6 games, starting with our game on GW41 are against the other sides in the current top 5 - last 2 games are Brentford (a) and Swansea (H).

Shows that if we can be withing striking distance going into the last 2 or 3 games, we could still hit the top 2.

5 games against the top 8.

Glad we are getting players back and reminding form. Hope the lads are pumped!

[Stranded]

We could have a fair lead over Bournemouth before the close of the international break - as their games before it are against two top 6 sides (Barnsley and Swansea). Two draws there would be preferable as it would really give us a chance to open the gap - especially with them not having a game on the 20th due to FA Cup involvement

If we really have any aspiration to get top 2, we’ve probably got to be looking at 9 points (7 minimum) from this next week and hope Swansea drop points who have a fairly hard run on in their next few games. Unlikely to snatch second given the amount of teams ahead of us but all we can do is win our games and see what’s what

Stolen from Twitter but everyone in the top 8 has at least 3 games left against the others in the top 8. Watford and us have the most games left with 5 - Brentford and Barnsley both just 3.

League table for the top 8 is as follows:

Norwich P 10 Pts 19
Swansea P 10 Pts 19
Brentford P 11 Pts 19
Bournemouth P 10 Pts 15
Reading P 9 Pts 13
Cardiff P10 Pts 11
Watford P 9 Pts 8
Barnsley P 11 Pts 7

Interestingly* win our game(s) in hand and our record against the top sides stands up against the other sides around us.

So from that, Barnsley really struggle against the top sides and Watford are a real surprise struggler. 4 of their last 6 games, starting with our game on GW41 are against the other sides in the current top 5 - last 2 games are Brentford (a) and Swansea (H).

Shows that if we can be withing striking distance going into the last 2 or 3 games, we could still hit the top 2.

5 games against the top 8.

Glad we are getting players back and reminding form. Hope the lads are pumped!

All in the last 8 games to - well the run is we play all 5 between GW 39 and 45, with Luton and Derby thrown in for a "breather". Straight into it after the international break. So if we can have a 7/9 pt week in the run up then we'll hit those games rested and in great form.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Unpopular opinion coming I know but it was a penalty. Just watched it a few times and it seems clear the Swansea player gets to the ball milliseconds before the defender. I hate it but correct call imo.

Not really got an issue with the penalty, the disallowed Boro goal on the other hand was nuts.

[From Despair To Where?]

I think the issue with the penalty for Colin is the ref, who was quite close to it, originally gave a corner before deferring to the linesman. It was a very soft penalty though, and not the first given to Steve "son of a referee" Cooper's side this week, let alone this season.

Don't like Ayew's run up either. I though you weren't allowed to do that sort of stuttering run up. <EDIT> the law actually says you can't stutter or feint in the kicking stride so technically his run up is perfectly legal. I have noticed that he tends to send his penalties more or less down the middle so I don't know why keepers don't just stand up to him.

[CountryRoyal]

I think the issue with the penalty for Colin is the ref, who was quite close to it, originally gave a corner before deferring to the linesman. It was a very soft penalty though, and not the first given to Steve "son of a referee" Cooper's side this week, let alone this season.

Don't like Ayew's run up either. I though you weren't allowed to do that sort of stuttering run up. <EDIT> the law actually says you can't stutter or feint in the kicking stride so technically his run up is perfectly legal. I have noticed that he tends to send his penalties more or less down the middle so I don't know why keepers don't just stand up to him.

Because as a keeper if you just stayed still and then the taker put it to either side you’d be absolutely slaughtered.

Agreed though if it was me and I studied him and 9/10 of his pens went down the middle, it’s the logical thing to do!

[NewCorkSeth]

I think the issue with the penalty for Colin is the ref, who was quite close to it, originally gave a corner before deferring to the linesman. It was a very soft penalty though, and not the first given to Steve "son of a referee" Cooper's side this week, let alone this season.

Don't like Ayew's run up either. I though you weren't allowed to do that sort of stuttering run up. <EDIT> the law actually says you can't stutter or feint in the kicking stride so technically his run up is perfectly legal. I have noticed that he tends to send his penalties more or less down the middle so I don't know why keepers don't just stand up to him.

Because as a keeper if you just stayed still and then the taker put it to either side you’d be absolutely slaughtered.

Agreed though if it was me and I studied him and 9/10 of his pens went down the middle, it’s the logical thing to do!

Yeah I reckon keepers don't want to look silly. Isn't there some stat that shows the highest percentage of penalties scored are taken straight down the middle?

Sorry, to clarify, highest conversion rate of penalties are the ones taken down the middle.

[From Despair To Where?]

I think the issue with the penalty for Colin is the ref, who was quite close to it, originally gave a corner before deferring to the linesman. It was a very soft penalty though, and not the first given to Steve "son of a referee" Cooper's side this week, let alone this season.

Don't like Ayew's run up either. I though you weren't allowed to do that sort of stuttering run up. <EDIT> the law actually says you can't stutter or feint in the kicking stride so technically his run up is perfectly legal. I have noticed that he tends to send his penalties more or less down the middle so I don't know why keepers don't just stand up to him.

Because as a keeper if you just stayed still and then the taker put it to either side you’d be absolutely slaughtered.

Agreed though if it was me and I studied him and 9/10 of his pens went down the middle, it’s the logical thing to do!

He doesn't power them though and just about every one he takes is into the middle third of the goal. He seems to get the keepers to go early and just sticks it the opposite way. I just think that if you stand up to him, you force him to go for the corners where the margin for error is smaller.

The keeper's not really expected to save a penalty (Cue the Joao jokes), its down to forcing errors from the taker.