Promoted with 70 points

[Carwin261]

Apart from Sheffield Utd ,the best of the rest are only averaging 1 1/2 points a game giving an end of season total of 69,6 wins & a draw would do it.

[tiger76]

Apart from Sheffield Utd ,the best of the rest are only averaging 1 1/2 points a game giving an end of season total of 69,6 wins & a draw would do it.

One or two will likely come out of the pack and maybe push up around the 80 point mark, however the top 2 are seemingly in a league of their own and the only question is who will lift the title because both are heading up.

[4midable]

Watching sheffield at min
Look bang average

[RVclaret]

Watching sheffield at min
Look bang average

Sheff play like this. They give up a lot of the ball and it feels like they are under pressure a lot. But they grind out the win. Reminds me of us under Dyche in the title winning season.

[4midable]

Blackpool deserve a draw

[Devils_Advocate]

You never know one of those teams currently looking like an also ran might just go undefeated for the whole second half of the season

[4midable]

Sunderland for playoffs

[Spijed]

One or two will likely come out of the pack and maybe push up around the 80 point mark, however the top 2 are seemingly in a league of their own and the only question is who will lift the title because both are heading up.

Both teams with an 11 pt gap and vastly superior GD.

[RVclaret]

Both teams with an 11 pt gap and vastly superior GD.

Could be 14 for us by this time tomorrow

[4midable]

To lose 5 games without others losing is near enough impossible

[ClaretLoup]

Michael Duff sent off at Barnsley tonight.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Promoted in March almost a certain.

20-25 more points should do it

[Pickles]

Promoted in March almost a certain.

20-25 more points should do it

Imagine, just imagine if it's at...

[ClaretLoup]

Michael Duff sent off at Barnsley tonight.

Sorry wrong thread

[jrgbfc]

West Brom the team to watch now I think. If Corberan was there from the start of the season they'd be up alongside us and the Blades.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Imagine, just imagine if it's at...

Could very well be.

Not sure it matters either way tbh we will get around points and only Sheffield will get near that.

[Pickles]

West Brom the team to watch now I think. If Corberan was there from the start of the season they'd be up alongside us and the Blades.

I think this too.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Only a massive amount of injuries are going to stop us from being automatically promoted.

That or the Sun exploding.

[Newcastleclaret93]

West Brom the team to watch now I think. If Corberan was there from the start of the season they'd be up alongside us and the Blades.

If West Brom manage to achieve 2 points per game for the rest of the season (promotion form) the max points they would get would be 79 points.

They are too late to enter the automatic places.

[agreenwood]

The teams in 3rd and below are pretty much going to have to average more than two points a game to top the 80 point mark. They’ll be needing about 14 wins from the last 21 games.

You’d basically be looking at something akin to what we did in those 23 games of 2015/16. It’s not something that happens often.

[tiger76]

If West Brom manage to achieve 2 points per game for the rest of the season (promotion form) the max points they would get would be 79 points.

They are too late to enter the automatic places.

West Brom could a good bet to emerge through the lay=off's, however I agree they'd have to embark on a crazy run to even threaten the top 2.

[Newcastleclaret93]

West Brom could a good bet to emerge through the lay=off's, however I agree they'd have to embark on a crazy run to even threaten the top 2.

Yes I think they are a good shout for play offs as are Sunderland.

But if we win tomorrow we should start planning for the prem.

[Quicknick]

Yes I think they are a good shout for play offs as are Sunderland.

But if we win tomorrow we should start planning for the prem.

If we win at Stoke, we need to keep on winning.

[Bigvince]

Watching sheffield at min
Look bang average

The parallels between Sheffield United and a S Dyche side can’t be underestimated, they more often than not find a way to win, even whilst not playing at their best!

[Spijed]

This was the table in 15/16 after 25 matches.

Didn't realise Boro had more points than we currently have.

[summitclaret]

There's a lot of chicken counting going on. It's looking brilliant atm. However, I am absolutely certain that VK and CB will not be counting any. Thank goodness.

[Newcastleclaret93]

There's a lot of chicken counting going on. It's looking brilliant atm. However, I am absolutely certain that VK and CB will not be counting any. Thank goodness.

Not chicken counting just simple math.

We are currently on target to achieve around 96 points based on points per game.

The third best team in the league would have to win 19 of there remaining 21 games to reach that.

[TsarBomba]

I read earlier that the average to get automatic is 86+. So 36 from 22 will see us there or thereabouts.

That requires a huge drop off from us to ‘only’ get to 86.

And those chasing will need to get 47+ in their 21 games.

I’m far from counting our chickens but it’s not looking likely.

[Clarets4me]

West Brom the team to watch now I think. If Corberan was there from the start of the season they'd be up alongside us and the Blades.

I seem to remember posting after the 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns, that at the end of the season, that will be regarded as a good point.
Certainly, any other Championship team would take an away point at West Brom if they were offered it ...

[Chobulous]

Not chicken counting just simple mathS

Hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of correcting that for you

[claptrappers_union]

West Brom are the best team we played this season. Despite them scoring a last gasp equaliser, I thought they deserved a win. I can’t say that about any other clubs we’ve dropped points against… maybe Sheff Utd.

[IanMcL]

Erik Pieters played Centre back for WBA and their commentators loved him.

[basil6345789]

Not chicken counting just simple math.

We are currently on target to achieve around 96 points based on points per game.

The third best team in the league would have to win 19 of there remaining 21 games to reach that.

maths

[ClaretinJapan]

West Brom the team to watch now I think. If Corberan was there from the start of the season they'd be up alongside us and the Blades.

Agreed, think Watford might put a run together too.

[Jamesy]

West Brom the team to watch now I think. If Corberan was there from the start of the season they'd be up alongside us and the Blades.

Yes West Brom have certainly got momentum at present. Middlesbrough will also be pushing hard. These two could easily achieve 80 points so would say 85 required. Another 10 wins from 22 games and a few draws.
Looking at Kompany though, even if we achieve promotion with a few to spare he won’t want to ease off the gas.

[Vegas Claret]

this guy sums it up perfectly but I'm also in the not counting chickens corner - it's a good job Kompany has been brought up trying to win every game, score as many goals as you can and break as many records as possible !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uharkAxH440

[claretandy]

It could be a record low points tally needed to get into the play-offs, it will keep it interesting for those as low as 17th only being a couple of wins away.

[claretandy]

This was the table in 15/16 after 25 matches.

Didn't realise Boro had more points than we currently have.

So Boro only got another 37 points from 22 games
We got another 51 points from 21 games.

It would take something like this to happen again.

[Lancasterclaret]

I think its worth remembering that we are currently on an incredible run

Obviously we'd all like it to continue as long as possible, but we do need to be realistic

Couple of big tests coming up, especially as we will have to make changes due to the schedule

[RVclaret]

Looking at Kompany though, even if we achieve promotion with a few to spare he won’t want to ease off the gas.

Agree. I think he was quoted recently, when asked about 8 wins in the last 9.

“It's still not good enough, though. There's one game missing in there.”

One game at a time for me.

[agreenwood]

I think its worth remembering that we are currently on an incredible run

Obviously we'd all like it to continue as long as possible, but we do need to be realistic

Couple of big tests coming up, especially as we will have to make changes due to the schedule

Agree with this. It’s very English of me, but some of the over-confidence on here makes me feel really uneasy.

[Swizzlestick]

Well it’s only really Newcastleclaret putting the bunting up, a person utterly unconcerned with the concept of nuance.

[timshorts]

It's our form that counts. The next 10 games will be fairly crucial looking at the fixtures. They look tougher than March and late Feb.
Plus, until the transfer window has closed, we really can't tell which of our opponents have the ability to improve. If West brom and Watford, say, bring in a couple of key signings, they could quite possibly do what we have done in the first half of the season.
We might also lose a player or two - either in the transfer window, or to injury after it.

[Conroy92]

Every chance we could be 13 or 14 points clear of third tonight!

[Ampth7]

There are still a lot of games still to go yet so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Is promotion ours to lose? Yes. Are we there yet? No. Have teams in similar positions to ours in previous seasons fallen by the wayside? Yes.
There will be no tempting of fate from me; instead I’m taking the one game at a time approach starting tonight at Stoke! UTC

[Spijed]

It's our form that counts. The next 10 games will be fairly crucial looking at the fixtures. They look tougher than March and late Feb.
Plus, until the transfer window has closed, we really can't tell which of our opponents have the ability to improve. If West brom and Watford, say, bring in a couple of key signings, they could quite possibly do what we have done in the first half of the season.
We might also lose a player or two - either in the transfer window, or to injury after it.

The gap teams will have to make up (if you discount inconsistent sides such as Rovers) is greater than we had to make up in 2016.

[Greenmile]

My chickens have been counted. We will finish top with more than 100 points and close to 100 goals.

I’m pretty confident that my complacency will not rub off on VK and the team - mostly because they have no idea who I am.

[mdd2]

Watch out for WBA Sunderland and Boro as well as Watford IMO on present form
Far too early to write any off it the top 12 and to assume we won’t bomb for a spell

[mdd2]

A lot depends on our squad size and players who are fit on Feb 1st

[keith1879]

You never know one of those teams currently looking like an also ran might just go undefeated for the whole second half of the season

That reminds me of something