I actually think we'll win the league

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Two games in hand, if won, will see us top (at this moment in time) loads of games over the next month, 13 games to go. As soon as we get that elusive goal I think the heads'll go up and we'll hit a purple patch towards the end of the season, not forgetting the potentially crucial last day of the season home game against Birmingham.

I understand we've had more than a chance to capitalise on the top 2's mistakes and really should've sorted this terrible run of form with the last two home games, we have most definitely rode our luck with regards to Wolves and Birmingham as we all seem to be bottling it.
Wolves are most likely feeling the pressure more than we are - they need to win their games (which they aren't) to cancel out our games in hand in the event that we win them and Brum are seemingly playing rather nervously, desparate to hang on to the other auto spot, which gives Reading the psychological edge right now. I expect that it'll be very close at the end with Cardiff in the automatic promotion fight too.

Whether this is my heart speaking, rather than my head, remains to be seen but as long as we pull our thumbs out then I think we've got more than a shout of winning the league, let alone automatic promotion.

[Ozymandias]

Blimey fella, don't come on here with your happy go lucky postings and optimism.

Get the hell outta here.

[andrew1957]

I also still believe we will do it. We just need a couple of consecutive wins - scrappy 1-0 ers will do and I think the confidence will start to return.

But to be fair I could say the same about any of the top 6 or so. If any of them can win 4 games out of the next 6 they will be in the driving seat.

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Blind optimism? We shall see

[rg6royal]

'greed with this thread. I know we have been poor of late and have been playing like a team in the bottom half of the division but I believe we have a strong squad who are up for the challenge and will rally on to win the league.

[Snowball]

On December 1st the table looked like this (all clubs had played 19 games)

---PL--GD-Pts
01 19 +19 46 Wolves
02 19 +11 40 Birmingham
03 19 +21 34 Reading
04 19 +10 31 Sheffield Utd
05 19 +01 30 Burnley
06 19 +05 29 Cardiff City
07 19 +02 29 Plymouth
08 19 +03 28 Swansea City
09 19 +01 28 Preston
10 19 -02 28 QPR
11 19 +08 27 Ipswich Town
12 19 +04 26 Crystal Palace
13 19 +00 26 Bristol City

TODAY

01 64 20 Wolves
02 61 10 Birmingham
03 59 29 Reading
04 56 04 Preston
05 55 15 Sheffield Utd
06 54 07 Bristol City
07 53 14 Cardiff City
08 52 13 Swansea City
09 52 01 Burnley
10 50 10 Ipswich Town
11 48 01 QPR
12 48 07 Wednesday
13 47 01 Coventry
14 44 03 Crystal Palace
19 39 12 Plymouth

[Snowball]

YOU THINK OUR FORM OVERALL HAS BEEN BAD? LOOK AT HOW WE HAVE DONE AGAINST ALL OUR RIVALS!


ONLY ONE SIDE HAS GAINED POINTS ON US (BRISTOL) (in their win at our place)
BUT THEY HAVE PLAYED TWO GAMES MORE.

THE ONLY OTHER SIDE TO HAVE POSSIBLY IMPROVED ITS POSITION IS CARDIFF. THEY ARE A POINT WORSE OFF BUT HAVE A GAME IN HAND.

Reading are 15 points better off, GD +22 +2 Games in Hand v Plymouth.
Reading are 07 points better off, GD +07 +0 Games in Hand v Crystal Palace
Reading are 07 points better off, GD +07 +2 Games in Hand v Wolves.
Reading are 05 points better off, GD +05 +1 Games in Hand v QPR
Reading are 04 points better off, GD +09 +2 Games in Hand v Birmingham.
Reading are 03 points better off, GD +10 +2 Games in Hand v Burnley
Reading are 02 points better off, GD +06 +1 Games in Hand v Ipswich
Reading are 01 points better off, GD +03 +1 Games in Hand v Sheffield Utd
Reading are 01 points better off, GD +02 +1 Games in Hand v Swansea
Reading are 00 points better off, GD +05 +2 Games in Hand v Preston

Reading are 01 points better off, GD -01 -1 Games in Hand v Cardiff

Reading are 03 points worse off, GD +01 but they have two Games in Hand v Bristol

[PEARCEY]

Snowball.

Were your born like this?
Where did you get this obsession with statistics from?
Do you work out the mathematical probability of shagging a bird every time you go out on the pull?

[Snowball]

Snowball.

Were your born like this? Where did you get this obsession with statistics from?
Do you work out the mathematical probability of shagging a bird every time you go out on the pull?

(a) Who says I'm a bloke?

(b) I'm 103


(c) Those stats are ferkin amazing. All the blather and doom on this list and we are a LOT better off than we were before kick-off three months ago...


Y'see, Pearcey, when we cut to the chase and check the FACTS (and those aren't "statistics" just the table)
it reveals that steadily, steadily we have moved from 3rd-4th favourites to first/joint favourites DESPITE
the recent run.

I 'd bet a pound to a penny that nobody on this list thought we'd done this well

[CMRoyal]

(a) Who says I'm a bloke?

Ever seen a female train spotter? Nuff said...

[Pseud O'Nym]

Do you work out the mathematical probability of shagging a bird every time you go out on the pull?

(a) Who says I'm a bloke?

Homophobe.

[Wizard]

(a) Who says I'm a bloke?

Ever seen a female train spotter? Nuff said...

I know a few

[Pseud O'Nym]

(a) Who says I'm a bloke?

Ever seen a female train spotter? Nuff said...

I know a few

Do you have their numbers?

[Wizard]

Do you have their numbers?

I have the 18 and 19 year old's numbers. Not the 65-ish year old one.

[Pseud O'Nym]

Do you have their numbers?

I have the 18 and 19 year old's numbers. Not the 65-ish year old one.

Not nostalgic for the steam age then? Personally I'm always affected by the sight of an old boiler getting up to pressure.

[winterwood]

its your heart speaking....given the form of late, we will need changes NOW and really good fortune as we have been lucky with other results and even with 2 games in hand how long can this luck last??
I am ever hopefull as thats why we go week in week out but its all looking a bit too familar with last year....how come we see it and Coppell does'nt....

[Sun Tzu]

Presumably Wolves and Birmingham are saying exactly the same - they have had the same luck becasue if we'd picked up half the points we should have done we'd be out of sight already....

[winterwood]

yep, all very frustrating..just read Coppells latest missive...looks like big changes are on in the Defence for tomorrow.....thats not the issue its up front...and on the wings not the Defence.....Really am not a Coppell knocker...but as sure as eggs are eggs he took us up and down you would think he would have got over the loyalty barrier...

[M-U-R-T-Y]

Presumably Wolves and Birmingham are saying exactly the same - they have had the same luck becasue if we'd picked up half the points we should have done we'd be out of sight already....

Presumably. But like I said, the games in hand give the psychological edge and I think they are key. If we don't get anything out of them then I think it's play offs abound barring a very very good run of form.

[seahawk10]

I approve of this thread. I thought the same thing before the Forest game. Then I had a moment of weakness and some doubt crept in. Snowball you have restored my faith.