Hotting up for our 6th place rivals - who would you like to play?

[Tony Currie]

Could be any of the following.

Bristol City (Preston at home) **
Coventry City (Middlesbrough away)
Millwall (Burnley away)
Blackburn (SU away)
Middlesbrough (Coventry at home)

**Bristol play Leeds today so could be definite 5th if they beat them.

 

[Superblades]

Blackburn or Coventry.

 

[RecordBreakers]

We've got enough to beat any of them 100% Coventry & Boro are absolute shite, Blackburn found a bit of form but are also poor millwall are in good form. I'm not worried about any of the sides they should be worried about us were streets ahead in terms of points and quality in squads. I know points count for nothing in the playoffs but we should and believe we will go into them fearing no one.

I think it was Brentford who eventually broke there playoff hoodoo on the 10th time of asking, let's hope we do the same. UTB

 

[HillStreet Blade]

Be fitting to get a win at Wembley on the 100th anniversary of our last win there.

 

[Blades1971]

Anybody. Let's show any of them who this club really is. No negativity. No ifs,buts. Front foot all the way. Positive Psychology is the key. Look out who ever is put in front of us. End of.

 

[biggiesablade]

Anyone but Millwall, for some reason they scare me.

 

[Large Mendonca]

Written in the stars - first playoff loss in 1988 to Bristol City, and the team to break our hoodoo at Wembley. Don’t care who we get in the semis as they’re all beatable.

 

[Pintor75]

Blackburn

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Blackburn Rovers
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Coventry City
Bristol City

In that order.

I wouldn't underestimate Coventry based on the 3-1 at Bramall Lane.
We've not got near that level since and Coventry wouldn't be naive enough to play that same way against us.
They have the best squad of the sides that are left (Rudoni, Wright etc. are capable of hurting anybody).

Millwall & Bristol, stylistically, are all wrong for us and would frustrate.
Bristol are particularly awkward opposition because they keep the ball well. I thought they deserved to beat us in both games this season, but I know others disagree.

Blackburn aren't good and I would really fancy us against them, but we would need to lose to them this weekend for that happen.
And I don't rate Middlesbrough. They've some good players, but I think they're a bit soft.

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

Not Blackburn as that means they beat us on Saturday and dint fans and players confidence and raise theres!

Coventry and Boro in semi. Closest to reach for the away leg midweek and tactically they play in a way we seem to attack better .

For tactical reasons hope it’s Sunderland in the final, if we make it, although I think Bristol City will beat them and provide an extremely difficult opponent.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

Would be ok with Blackburn over two legs.

 

[bladesince64]

Wouldn't want Millwall.

They would be so up for it.

Clubs who sneak into the play-offs late in the window have literally nothing to lose.

 

[Swinton Blade]

For some reason I would rather play Bristol City, Coventry or Middlesbrough over 2 legs than Millwall or Blackburn.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

One thing is for sure…Each one of them won’t be afraid of playing us. They’ll see us as a significant step down from playing Leeds or Burnley.
Just hope we can live up to our billing as the third best team in the Championship.

 

[bladesmanluke]

A vote for Blackburn is a direct vote for us to lose on Saturday. No thanks

 

[Blade56]

Would be ok with Blackburn over two legs.

That means playing them 3 more times int next few weeks

 

[BarcaBlade]

A vote for Blackburn is a direct vote for us to lose on Saturday. No thanks

Indirect, surely.

 

[Aston max]

Haven't really got a preference they're all going to be hard games, just want us to win the next 4 matches, that'll do

 

[jono_t2000]

Cov or Boro for me.

Millwall and Bristol are the dark horses and have our number.

Blackburn play some turgid stuff under Ismael but his team starting to get used to it and become effective

 

[loyalblade95]

Cov or Boro, both are barely holding onto their playoff spots and whoever wins out of the two on Saturday would be limping into the playoffs (like what Sunderland are doing).

While we can't underestimate either of them, they are both poor at the moment, the poorest of the 5 potential teams we could play.

If Blackburn or Millwall get in on the last day, they'll be in good form and fired up to play well in the semis.

Bristol City, I'd be more confident playing them in a 1 off game at Wembley than I would be if we had to play them over 2 legs, whereas with Cov and Boro, I'm confident we'll beat them over 2 legs in the semis.

 

[Frank the tank]

It will be cov then
Sunderland in the final

 

[Gin&Juice]

Not arrogant. But us, Leeds and Burnley are levels above all of the teams in the league.

The problem is, we’re not as ruthless as the other two, we were too cautious when we don’t need to be, and we lost Souttar, Arblaster and Souza isnt as fit as earlier in the season.

RE the other playoff teams.

Bristol City are the prime example. They’re no where near our level on paper. Frustratingly they were nothing special at home a few months ago. Yes, they deserved a point, but it was our stupidity and not their players that got them the draw.

Including Sunderland, they’re too inconsistent, more prone to make mistakes, no where near our level defensively. They also insist on playing out from the back, terribly, which admittedly we do, but we at least have better players in that position.


Basically. This is the only time in the playoffs I’ve felt we have by far the superior team. Not that it means anything, but anything other than promotion with the players we have would be a failure, especially after giving Wilder almost 16 million to spend in January…

Previous years:

96/97 - We were too inconsistent, despite the optimism and late surge the previous season and Jan Age scoring every game, didn’t feel as confident as I do now.

97/98 - Limped into 6th, luckily. Completely new team from the one that beat Sunderland 9 months earlier. Sunderland far stronger than us. Absolutely insane that they bottled it in 98, be similar to us if we bottled it this year.

02/03 - Exceeded expectation all season, and was confident. Was a very hard division that season. Wolves were well backed, Forest had the two top scorers + Huckerby. Not as confident as now.

08/09 - Blackwell. Don’t make the same mistake Wilder…

21/22 - Hindisght we should’ve done better, but I don’t remember fans being as optimistic compared to now.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Middlesboro.

Boro will beat Coventry
Burnley will beat Millwall
Blades will beat Blackburn.

Simples.

 

[programmechap]

Not arrogant. But us, Leeds and Burnley are levels above all of the teams in the league.

The problem is, we’re not as ruthless as the other two, we were too cautious when we don’t need to be, and we lost Souttar, Arblaster and Souza isnt as fit as earlier in the season.

RE the other playoff teams.

Bristol City are the prime example. They’re no where near our level on paper. Frustratingly they were nothing special at home a few months ago. Yes, they deserved a point, but it was our stupidity and not their players that got them the draw.

Including Sunderland, they’re too inconsistent, more prone to make mistakes, no where near our level defensively. They also insist on playing out from the back, terribly, which admittedly we do, but we at least have better players in that position.


Basically. This is the only time in the playoffs I’ve felt we have by far the superior team. Not that it means anything, but anything other than promotion with the players we have would be a failure, especially after giving Wilder almost 16 million to spend in January…

Previous years:

96/97 - We were too inconsistent, despite the optimism and late surge the previous season and Jan Age scoring every game, didn’t feel as confident as I do now.

97/98 - Limped into 6th, luckily. Completely new team from the one that beat Sunderland 9 months earlier. Sunderland far stronger than us. Absolutely insane that they bottled it in 98, be similar to us if we bottled it this year.

02/03 - Exceeded expectation all season, and was confident. Was a very hard division that season. Wolves were well backed, Forest had the two top scorers + Huckerby. Not as confident as now.

08/09 - Blackwell. Don’t make the same mistake Wilder…

21/22 - Hindisght we should’ve done better, but I don’t remember fans being as optimistic compared to now.

Well finish at least 20 points ahead of 6th, which I believe is a record in any division. Hence the gap between 3rd and 6th has never been wider and we should therefore be hot favourites.

But this is United...

 

[programmechap]

To put that into perspective. The current gap between us and the current 6th (23 points) is greater than the gap between 6th and bottom (22 points).

That's insane...

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Not arrogant. But us, Leeds and Burnley are levels above all of the teams in the league.

The problem is, we’re not as ruthless as the other two, we were too cautious when we don’t need to be, and we lost Souttar, Arblaster and Souza isnt as fit as earlier in the season.

RE the other playoff teams.

Bristol City are the prime example. They’re no where near our level on paper. Frustratingly they were nothing special at home a few months ago. Yes, they deserved a point, but it was our stupidity and not their players that got them the draw.

Including Sunderland, they’re too inconsistent, more prone to make mistakes, no where near our level defensively. They also insist on playing out from the back, terribly, which admittedly we do, but we at least have better players in that position.


Basically. This is the only time in the playoffs I’ve felt we have by far the superior team. Not that it means anything, but anything other than promotion with the players we have would be a failure, especially after giving Wilder almost 16 million to spend in January…

Previous years:

96/97 - We were too inconsistent, despite the optimism and late surge the previous season and Jan Age scoring every game, didn’t feel as confident as I do now.

97/98 - Limped into 6th, luckily. Completely new team from the one that beat Sunderland 9 months earlier. Sunderland far stronger than us. Absolutely insane that they bottled it in 98, be similar to us if we bottled it this year.

02/03 - Exceeded expectation all season, and was confident. Was a very hard division that season. Wolves were well backed, Forest had the two top scorers + Huckerby. Not as confident as now.

08/09 - Blackwell. Don’t make the same mistake Wilder…

21/22 - Hindisght we should’ve done better, but I don’t remember fans being as optimistic compared to now.

BladesPod did a pretty good run down of why we're not actually "way better than everybody else in the play-offs."

Since matchday 23 (post-Souttar) we've won a point less than Coventry, a point more than Bristol and only 5 points more than Millwall.

This team hasn't been the same since we lost him, and it will be extremely tight against whoever we play.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Absolutely insane that they bottled it in 98, be similar to us if we bottled it this year.

If we are to lose ala Sunderland, let's hope we follow up with romping the league season after.

 

[robbiez666]

I think people are really writing Blackburn off but they have players who can hurt us. Blackburn seem to have good or bad runs. When they're on good runs they're almost unbeatable.

 

[derfblade.3]

Could be any of the following.

Bristol City (Preston at home) **
Coventry City (Middlesbrough away)
Millwall (Burnley away)
Blackburn (SU away)
Middlesbrough (Coventry at home)

**Bristol play Leeds today so could be definite 5th if they beat them.

Coventry are at home to Boro not away.

 

[mikeheath]

The Robins as a friend has a season ticket and might be able to get me a ticket

Only thing is he might be upset and the last time he got me a seat with him I had an idiot next to me who spent all the match telling me that Chris Morgan, who wasn’t even playing, was a dirty player