The playoffs it is

[dougcollins]

If we meet the undead in the play-off final I can't see it ending well.

[TPClaret]

Ridiculous statement. Let’s just give up. Some proper wet wipes these days. Fight till the end.

[bobinho]

It's not done yet, but we're now chasing and the season is in the final straight.

Time to play like it and occasionally gamble on losing out on one point, to try and get three.

That last paragraph I believe is the key. Leeds will be promoted automatically because they don’t settle for what they have. They gamble and take a point when it looks like they’re getting none, they take all three when it looks like they’re getting one. We look to have the players to do it, but sadly we also look like we are satisfied with what we have.

I agree with the OP, I think the play offs is the most likely outcome now. Beating Sheff Utd (big ask that) still leaves us two behind them, and if we don’t learn quickly how to convert the chances we make into goals, we will continue to drift away.

[Vincent'sCap]

If we meet the undead in the play-off final I can't see it ending well.

If we play them I can see it being all Hunky Dory and us being a Premier league club next season stop fretting

[boatshed bill]

That last paragraph I believe is the key. Leeds will be promoted automatically because they don’t settle for what they have. They gamble and take a point when it looks like they’re getting none, they take all three when it looks like they’re getting one. We look to have the players to do it, but sadly we also look like we are satisfied with what we have.

I agree with the OP, I think the play offs is the most likely outcome now. Beating Sheff Utd (big ask that) still leaves us two behind them, and if we don’t learn quickly how to convert the chances we make into goals, we will continue to drift away.

Either of the top 2 could have a loss of form and would then be catchable, providing we keep our high level of consistency and maybe up our performances a bit.
Tis a bit early to throw in the towel.

[JohnMcGreal]

That last paragraph I believe is the key. Leeds will be promoted automatically because they don’t settle for what they have. They gamble and take a point when it looks like they’re getting none, they take all three when it looks like they’re getting one. We look to have the players to do it, but sadly we also look like we are satisfied with what we have.

I agree with the OP, I think the play offs is the most likely outcome now. Beating Sheff Utd (big ask that) still leaves us two behind them, and if we don’t learn quickly how to convert the chances we make into goals, we will continue to drift away.

Spot on.

[Bfc]

As yet the play off Semi Final dates have not been confirmed. The 1st legs are expected to be on the 17th and 18th May. The 2nd legs on the 21st and 22nd, with Final on Monday the 26th. Any holiday plans I had for May, have now been put on the back burner.

[kwwden]

Looking like the playoffs to me. But we can win the playoffs.

[JR1882]

Looking like the playoffs to me. But we can win the playoffs.

2 nil nils, win on pens then a 1-0 in the final. Easy

[kwwden]

2 nil nils, win on pens then a 1-0 in the final. Easy

Sorted.

[Burnley1989]

No it doesn't. You on the jungle juice?

big fan of jungle juice, what ever happened to it...

[summitclaret]

As yet the play off Semi Final dates have not been confirmed. The 1st legs are expected to be on the 17th and 18th May. The 2nd legs on the 21st and 22nd, with Final on Monday the 26th. Any holiday plans I had for May, have now been put on the back burner.

More likely to be 10/11 and 13/14, as the final will be Saturday 24th May.

[bumba]

As yet the play off Semi Final dates have not been confirmed. The 1st legs are expected to be on the 17th and 18th May. The 2nd legs on the 21st and 22nd, with Final on Monday the 26th. Any holiday plans I had for May, have now been put on the back burner.

EFL website has Saturday 24th May for the championship play off final, already confirmed.

[bumba]

big fan of jungle juice, what ever happened to it...

Incredible stuff back in the day

[Burnley1989]

Incredible stuff back in the day

The original DLS stuff was brilliant

[The Shire Claret]

We’re going to win the league

[fidelcastro]

We’re going to win the league

Based on what?

Our ability to grind out 0-0 draws?

[jrgbfc]

If we meet the undead in the play-off final I can't see it ending well.

Definetely don't need that. Imagine the nerves, tension, all the hassle and aggro that would go with it.

[The Shire Claret]

Based on what?

Our ability to grind out 0-0 draws?

Consistency

Sheff U were dire yesterday … absolutley dire …

They are going to loose a few before the seasons out and still have to come to us

Leeds due their annual capitulation

UTC

[fidelcastro]

Consistency

Sheff U were dire yesterday … absolutley dire …

They are going to loose a few before the seasons out and still have to come to us

Leeds due their annual capitulation

UTC

What consistency? The consistency to draw games we should be winning?

Sheffield may have been dire yesterday, but they still won and that's all that counts.

Leeds having a capitulation just sounds like wishful thinking on your part and not based on their current team/squad.

[Bfc]

Bumba, as my post says, only the Semi Final dates are not yet confirmed.

[blatherwickstattoos]

We won’t get beat again this season but we still might not get automatic. A crazy crazy season

[Bowclaret]

We win the league.

Edwards is a game changer and season changer - he starts on Friday and we blow this league away !

Who is going to beat us ? Check out the run in - we have the easiest !

[The Shire Claret]

What consistency? The consistency to draw games we should be winning?

Sheffield may have been dire yesterday, but they still won and that's all that counts.

Leeds having a capitulation just sounds like wishful thinking on your part and not based on their current team/squad.

My points I feel are valid but they are my opinion and I could be wrong come the end of the season.

But my glass is half full and players and coming back at the right time along with Edward’s looking very promising

UTC

[fidelcastro]

My points I feel are valid but they are my opinion and I could be wrong come the end of the season.

But my glass is half full and players and coming back at the right time along with Edward’s looking very promising

UTC

I sincerely hope you're right, but I just don't think we've got quite enough going forward to be top two (never mind win it) .

Brownhill will obviously need to show his PL quality now

[The Shire Claret]

I sincerely hope you're right, but I just don't think we've got quite enough going forward to be top two (never mind win it) .

Brownhill will obviously need to show his PL quality now

Ha

Needs to earn his place back in the starting 11 first

[fidelcastro]

Ha

Needs to earn his place back in the starting 11 first

Shouldn't be difficult if he's as good as you claim.

[Roosterbooster]

Check out the run in - we have the easiest !

Yet this season we have failed to beat:
Derby
Hull
Stoke
Portsmouth
Oxford
Preston
Millwall
QPR
Middlesbrough

All currently outside the top 10
There are absolutely no guarantees we win these "easy" games

[The Shire Claret]

Shouldn't be difficult if he's as good as you claim.

I claim he’s a lower league PL squad player and he has and still is a very important player for us

Different Opinions

Don’t know why it bothers you

[bumba]

Bumba, as my post says, only the Semi Final dates are not yet confirmed.

I know but you wrote final Monday 26th when it's been confirmed for Saturday 24th

[dandeclaret]

It's not done yet, but we're now chasing and the season is in the final straight.

Time to play like it and occasionally gamble on losing out on one point, to try and get three.

The last few games….

Beat Oxford 1-0 - missed 4 big chance/
Beat Southampton 1-0 in the fa cup
Beat Hull 2-0 missed a few big chances
Drew with Preston 0-0 missed 4 big chances

Doesn’t feel like gambling or not is the issue really…… the nil
Nil with Preston was pretty different to those early season. Fine margins, as Dyche would say. I think your assessment of this team has been constantly harsh for a good while now.

[ClaretTony]

The last few games….

Beat Oxford 1-0 - missed 4 big chance/
Beat Southampton 1-0 in the fa cup
Beat Hull 2-0 missed a few big chances
Drew with Preston 0-0 missed 4 big chances

Doesn’t feel like gambling or not is the issue really…… the nil
Nil with Preston was pretty different to those early season. Fine margins, as Dyche would say. I think your assessment of this team has been constantly harsh for a good while now.

Some of the 0-0 draws have been poor but just before the Oxford game you list we had the 0-0 at Portsmouth when we were denied the clearest of penalties. And earlier in the season the 0-0 at West Brom would have been 1-0 but for the bizarre disallowing of a perfectly good goal.

[Bowclaret]

The last few games….

Beat Oxford 1-0 - missed 4 big chance/
Beat Southampton 1-0 in the fa cup
Beat Hull 2-0 missed a few big chances
Drew with Preston 0-0 missed 4 big chances

Doesn’t feel like gambling or not is the issue really…… the nil
Nil with Preston was pretty different to those early season. Fine margins, as Dyche would say. I think your assessment of this team has been constantly harsh for a good while now.

Spot on - we are very close and the over reaction to a draw yesterday is mind boggling ! Albeit, we should have blown them away quite easily.

Again, we win this league.

[dandeclaret]

Some of the 0-0 draws have been poor but just before the Oxford game you list we had the 0-0 at Portsmouth when we were denied the clearest of penalties. And earlier in the season the 0-0 at West Brom would have been 1-0 but for the bizarre disallowing of a perfectly good goal.

Yeah, we had a bit of luck vs Preston and possibly Blackburn (although I think Dolan is offside when he blocked the centre half off) in those early derby games, but nothing really since, including yesterday’s penalty, where the ball played the man rather than vice versa in my opinion. It feels different to me recently. We’ve created and missed decent chances, and I’d include the one yesterday where Anthony had swapped sides, cut in and put it just over (along with the 2 Foster chances and the Humphries / Flemming ones in your match report). Foster needs a goal badly to give him some
Confidence. Fine margins, fine margins indeed.

[ClaretTony]

Yeah, we had a bit of luck vs Preston and possibly Blackburn (although I think Dolan is offside when he blocked the centre half off) in those early derby games, but nothing really since, including yesterday’s penalty, where the ball played the man rather than vice versa in my opinion. It feels different to me recently. We’ve created and missed decent chances, and I’d include the one yesterday where Anthony had swapped sides, cut in and put it just over (along with the 2 Foster chances and the Humphries / Flemming ones in your match report). Foster needs a goal badly to give him some
Confidence. Fine margins, fine margins indeed.

Very much fine margins in a lot of the 0-0 games. Anthony should do better with the one just after he's gone onto the left and the one early in the game he should have given to Foster who himself missed two good chances. The Humphreys/Flemming one would have counted had we scored, neither were flagged offside by the assistant.

[dandeclaret]

Very much fine margins in a lot of the 0-0 games. Anthony should do better with the one just after he's gone onto the left and the one early in the game he should have given to Foster who himself missed two good chances. The Humphreys/Flemming one would have counted had we scored, neither were flagged offside by the assistant.

Yep, that failure to execute the penultimate pass has been a fairly consistent theme through the season. I think they fail to deliver that final pass more than most of the teams I’ve seen us played against. Opposition teams don’t get into dangerous areas, Burnley get in, but don’t deliver that final pass.

[dougcollins]

Very much fine margins in a lot of the 0-0 games. Anthony should do better with the one just after he's gone onto the left and the one early in the game he should have given to Foster who himself missed two good chances. The Humphreys/Flemming one would have counted had we scored, neither were flagged offside by the assistant.

I imagine most people on her like Anthony a whole lot more than I do. Never looks up, his final delivery is generally substandard.

But he flatters to deceive, and that seems to work.

[dandeclaret]

In wasn’t a fan at all early season, thought he was like Junior Stanislas - worked hard, but didn’t commit to anything.. I thought he was below his recent standards on Saturday, but recently I think he been very good. He’s been a great outlet, he has created plenty, and his touch at times is as good as anything I’ve seen at Burnley.

[Goliath]

In wasn’t a fan at all early season, thought he was like Junior Stanislas - worked hard, but didn’t commit to anything.. I thought he was below his recent standards on Saturday, but recently I think he been very good. He’s been a great outlet, he has created plenty, and his touch at times is as good as anything I’ve seen at Burnley.

Junior Stanislas was an excellent player that just really didn't fit in to a Dyche system. He really was fantastic for Eddie Howe in the PL, a much better player than Anthony

[dandeclaret]

What about not fitting into an Eddie Howe system at Burnley?

[TsarBomba]

Spot on - we are very close and the over reaction to a draw yesterday is mind boggling ! Albeit, we should have blown them away quite easily.

Again, we win this league.

If you look at the game in isolation then yes, a point at Deepdale isn’t to be sniffed at.

But in the context of this season, and the need to start turning these draws into wins, it is definitely 2 points dropped.

It is fine margins, but there is a lack of intent to go and win games late on- and with 11 0-0’s, nobody can argue otherwise.

It’s not an overreaction, but a frustration.

[JR1882]

If you look at the game in isolation then yes, a point at Deepdale isn’t to be sniffed at.

But in the context of this season, and the need to start turning these draws into wins, it is definitely 2 points dropped.

It is fine margins, but there is a lack of intent to go and win games late on- and with 11 0-0’s, nobody can argue otherwise.

It’s not an overreaction, but a frustration.

Agreed - draws like this (and the Leeds one) are good results in isolation, but become frustrating/poor results when added to draws with the likes of stoke & pompey.

[gtclaret]

I thought that on 3rd February after we didn't sign a striker

[Juan Tanamera]

Congratulations to the OP on his first (?) post after clocking in yesterday.

[TopCat]

Leeds don’t look like they are going to implode this year.
Us or Sheffield for me, and they are grinding out results that are not necessarily deserved.
Long way to go yet!!

[Holtyclaret]

Over quarter the season yet to go …………….

[Holtyclaret]

Over quarter the season yet to go …………….

[Wembley09]

We could be 7 points behind Leeds this time tomorrow.

But I'm grateful for the Blades point deduction too, otherwise we'd be 7 points behind them aswell.

[Spijed]

We could be 7 points behind Leeds this time tomorrow.

But I'm grateful for the Blades point deduction too, otherwise we'd be 7 points behind them aswell.

They play each other at the weekend so one of them is bound to drop points. The game against Sheffield Wednesday becomes ever more important as a result

[Bfc]

Bumba, apologies and thanks for correcting my mistake.