Championship table

[Milltown1882]

5 points between 5th and 17th. 8 points between us and 3rd. What a bonkers league.

[Oppycat]

Yes Birmingham 14th, beat us tomorrow they could be 6th

[Oppycat]

Sorry, beat us today. Time flies

[RickyBobby]

Yes Birmingham 14th, beat us tomorrow they could be 6th

They would go 5th.

[NewClaret]

Massive incentive for them. Feel tomorrow could be a banana skin.

[mybloodisclaret]

Feel tomorrow see's us go 3 points clear again.

[RVclaret]

Massive incentive for them. Feel tomorrow could be a banana skin.

I felt the same against Boro last week but…

Tbf Birmingham played quite well against us last time, they have a very energetic midfield who pressed well, and went quite direct.

Having said that, in that game we were without Beyer and Benson (both playing extremely well right now), I recall the pitch being poor and I also feel we have gone up a level or two regardless.

Could be a game that our bench ‘wins’ this one.

[Quickenthetempo]

I felt the same against Boro last week but…

Tbf Birmingham played quite well against us last time, they have a very energetic midfield who pressed well, and went quite direct.

Having said that, in that game we were without Beyer and Benson (both playing extremely well right now), I recall the pitch being poor and I also feel we have gone up a level or two regardless.

Could be a game that our bench ‘wins’ this one.

Our mentality is far stronger now, we have simply learned to win games now.
We got nervous when in front for a while.

[ClaretLoup]

You cannot estimate the strength of the opposition from their league position in this Division.

Blues will be a very tough nut to crack tonight, Only Sheffield have conceded fewer goals away from home but in Scott Hogan they have a striker who can nick one.

In recent years they have done OK at Turf Moor only one defeat in their last four visits.

A victory tonight would be an immense achievement and put the lads four wins clear of the pack.

Come on you Clarets!

[HiThere]

Feel tomorrow see's us go 3 points clear again.

That's the spirit. We're at home and will have Maatsen, Beyer and Benson in who didn't play in the reverse 1-1.

[HiThere]

That's the spirit. We're at home and will have Maatsen, Beyer and Benson in who didn't play in the reverse 1-1.

Correction, Benson came on after 86 mins.

[chekhov]

The prediction league is a nightmare.

[Lowbankclaret]

Just goes to show what a competitive and level league it is. It’s just at the minute two teams are flying. Let’s hope it continues.

[NewClaret]

I felt the same against Boro last week but…

Tbf Birmingham played quite well against us last time, they have a very energetic midfield who pressed well, and went quite direct.

Having said that, in that game we were without Beyer and Benson (both playing extremely well right now), I recall the pitch being poor and I also feel we have gone up a level or two regardless.

Could be a game that our bench ‘wins’ this one.

The Boro nervousness was understandable given their form going in to the game. The Brum concern for me is more around my recollection of how they played against us last time.

As you say though, it’s true the early season games didn’t see us with a fully fit squad and we had players like Vitinho playing a different position every week. We’re far more settled now and at home, where I’ve just rest we’ve sold out, so hoping that works to our advantage!

I thought we were great against Boro. Just hoping we don’t take a half a sloppy goal to up the tempo.

[NewClaret]

You cannot estimate the strength of the opposition from their league position in this Division.

Agree, the chasing pack is so tight that it’s almost impossible to call. It all depends how they turn up and if we do. Cannot be complacent as all teams are physical, athletic and can sit back then nick one… as we’ve seen.

For me it rests on how well we turn possession in to opportunities/goals.

[mybloodisclaret]

Listen, Blues are not a bad side, they have a very good MF. They played well against us at their place. Personally I didn't think we played very well at their place.

We have now gelled.
We are playing scintillating football, as Sky Sports call us "The Championship's Entertainers"
We haven't been beaten at home.
A win puts us 11 points clear of 3rd. That is a massive incentive.
Zaroury is home.
The Turf is SOLD OUT, even though the match is on Sky.
We are the leading goal scorers in English football.

I can not see past a home win tonight. That is not arrogance nor putting down the opposition, that is just how I see it.

Come on you Clarets.

[Holmeclaret]

A win puts us 11 points clear of 3rd. That is a massive incentive.
Zaroury is home.

A double figure lead over third place is the most important thing at this this stage. Get ourselves promoted early and then enjoy the tussle for the title with the blades. The fact that it’s going to a fight will keep the motivation going right up until the end of the season. Too early to say all this? Possibly, but I see no reason for that gap not to keep on increasing from what I’ve seen so far this season.

[tiger76]

It does appear that Burnley and Sheff Urd are a cut above the rest, and both should be promoted with relative comfort, as for the play-off's that could well go down to the last week of the season, as could the battle for survival judging by how tight it is.

Great to witness such excitement as a neutral, but I'm just glad we aren't likely to be involved thankfully, it's too bleeding tense enduring the play-off's.

[Stan Tastic]

You cannot estimate the strength of the opposition from their league position in this Division.

Blues will be a very tough nut to crack tonight, Only Sheffield have conceded fewer goals away from home but in Scott Hogan they have a striker who can nick one.

In recent years they have done OK at Turf Moor only one defeat in their last four visits.

A victory tonight would be an immense achievement and put the lads four wins clear of the pack.

Come on you Clarets!

What does it matter how they performed years ago with totally different players and managers on both teams?

[ClaretLoup]

Stan, you are absolutely right there is no logic to it, but for example why can we never beat Luton at home? Burnley haven't done it since 1995 in 7 attempts but Burnley have beaten them five times at their place in the same time period.

Birmingham are similar, only two wins at home against them in the last 10 attempts since 1976.

[1882Clarets1882]

I'd expect a very vocal away following tonight . Being on tele probably means their armchair fans will be absent with proper / hard-core/ real / loyal call it what you want will make the journey to Lancashire. Hopefully make a cracking atmosphere under the lights.

[TheFamilyCat]

We're 15 points clear of Birmingham. That suggests to me we're a much better team. Of course we shouldn't take anything for granted I don't see the reason for some of the trouser soiling going on here.

[Stan Tastic]

Stan, you are absolutely right there is no logic to it, but for example why can we never beat Luton at home? Burnley haven't done it since 1995 in 7 attempts but Burnley have beaten them five times at their place in the same time period.

Birmingham are similar, only two wins at home against them in the last 10 attempts since 1976.

Obviously it's coincidence as nothing else makes sense.

[HiThere]

We're 15 points clear of Birmingham. That suggests to me we're a much better team. Of course we shouldn't take anything for granted I don't see the reason for some of the trouser soiling going on here.

Well said.

[claretspice]

We're the better side but Birmingham are a dangerous underdog, sort of team who could easily do a job on us. Certainly likely to be a game where the crowd will need to stay patient.

[elwaclaret]

I thought West Brom were up their with the best teams we’ve faced… under the new manager they are finally out of the traps, I expect them to be heading into and through the chasing pack towards us.

[HiThere]

I thought West Brom were up their with the best teams we’ve faced… under the new manager they are finally out of the traps, I expect them to be heading into and through the chasing pack towards us.

WBA are top of the form table over the last 6 games (on GD). Level with us and SU on points. Boro, Sunderland and Coventry who I was thinking of before looking at the form table are 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.

[claretspice]

Suspect WBA are the team everyone worries about getting in the playoffs. Suspect automatic is out of reach for them realistically - they'd need the best part of 50 points from 22 games which is a huge ask.

[Quicknick]

At the beginning of the season I predicted: 1 Burnley 2 WBA 3 Norwich.

[Rowls]

Stan, you are absolutely right there is no logic to it, but for example why can we never beat Luton at home? Burnley haven't done it since 1995 in 7 attempts but Burnley have beaten them five times at their place in the same time period.

Birmingham are similar, only two wins at home against them in the last 10 attempts since 1976.

Pareidolia
The Mars Effect

[Rowls]

At the beginning of the season I predicted: 1 Burnley 2 WBA 3 Norwich.

How could we play both teams at the same time?

[Aclaret]

How could we play both teams at the same time?

Easy with this squad !

[wilks_bfc]

How could we play both teams at the same time?

Like this?
https://youtu.be/EzbnKQKszm4