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Post by andyk on Apr 9, 2008 21:56:17 GMT
Imagine how they are feeling now at Hull...never in their history been in the top flight, they're on a fantastic winning run which saw them beat Watford 3-0 in their last game, all the teams around them bar West Brom are losing, and here they are with 5 games left and promotion is in their own hands. In addition, their final few games should hold no more fears than ours do. There'll be a buzz on Humberside like never before. I can easily see them winning all their remaining games - and remember, we need them to drop at least 3 points to be able to overtake them at all.
Sorry to inject a bit of realism into the post-Watford-Barnsley euphoria, but I think it'll be West Brom and Hull for the top 2 places, and although we still have a chance at present, it is quite possible that regardless of what we do in the last 4 games, it is already too late.
Our main hope is this: that as ourselves, Watford, Bristol City and West Brom have done, Hull may be about to find out the difference between gaining an automatic promotion spot - and keeping it. Hopefully they'll react in the same way that we did! However, by the time they get into the top two, it may be so close to the end of the season that any nerves will be dispelled by the sight of the finishing line so near, as so often happens with teams in this position with just a couple of games to go.
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Post by mumf14 on Apr 9, 2008 21:58:31 GMT
Mmmmm , The temptation is to 'do' a Ted 1965 in answer to your question...
But instead I'll just go with 'NO'.
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Post by FullerMagic on Apr 9, 2008 21:59:03 GMT
And with that amazing buzz comes amazing pressure - like nothing any of them have ever experienced.
If they get more than 12 points out of the 15 available and take it out of our hands, it'll be a colossal achievement.
But surely it's 90% likely that (an unlikely) 4 wins will see us home
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Post by wardrobe monster on Apr 9, 2008 21:59:31 GMT
True, but they've got a tough run in. These last few games will be impossible to predict.
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Post by nantwichstokie on Apr 9, 2008 22:03:51 GMT
'and remember, we need them to drop at least 3 points to be able to overtake them at all'
They still have to win there game in hand to overtake us first??!! Pressures on them now, lets see how they like it.
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Post by Olgrligm on Apr 9, 2008 22:04:03 GMT
Fraizer Campbell worries me. He might go far, he's certainly good for a few goals. He'll have been cheaper than Ameobi too, I imagine.
He's a young lad, will he choke under pressure. No team has got to the top and stayed there this season, it's been a slippery slope downwards thereafter. No idea why, feng shui specialists needed at the Football League HQ?
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Post by Brookstokie on Apr 9, 2008 22:06:18 GMT
Hull's run in looks very difficult:
QPR (H)
Barnsley (A)
Sheff Utd (A)
Palace (H)
Ipswich (A)
I think that if they get 9 points out of those games, with all the pressure that comes at this end of the season they will have done very well.
The last four are huge games and QPR the type of team that blow hot n cold and on their day can get a result. Hardest run in of anyone by far IMO.
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Post by trebor63 on Apr 9, 2008 22:08:51 GMT
I tend to agree with you AndyK. I've been very optimistic for ages and fiorst predicted automatic promotion whilst leaving Bloomfield road before Christmas.
But our recent run and our constant spurning of chances over and over and over again has lseen us go from a position of great strength to one of a more familiar 'IF we win and IF they lose, type scenario.
We are now out of the top two with Hull breathing down our necks and likely to jump us very soon. We not only need to win(draws are no good now) we have to hope others lose too. If we lose at Coventry the automatics could be all but gone.
The picture does and has changed that often that MAYBE the cards will fall for us over the next couple of games, I bloody hope so BUT I won't be holding my breath. Stoke have hurt me once too often this year and I'm now trying to teach myself to expect nowt and anything good is a bonus!!!
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Spud
Youth Player
Posts: 466
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Post by Spud on Apr 9, 2008 22:12:09 GMT
They haven't been top yet and haven't had that bout of altitude sickness.
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Post by y_oh_y_delilah on Apr 9, 2008 22:16:32 GMT
Right now I wouldn't swap our position for their's.
Unless Hull are all super human then the pressure has to tell and lets face it they're not THAT brilliant.
After the brilliant run they've had, they still have to win the game in hand and after that getter better results than ourselves. If they do it, they'll certainly fully deserve it.
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Post by elliottgold on Apr 9, 2008 22:17:24 GMT
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Post by FullerMagic on Apr 9, 2008 22:21:30 GMT
Form could well go out of the window this close to the finishing line with your players getting a proper sniff of the Premiership in their nostrils. Ours certainly did once we hit the top.
The pressure is going to be amazing from now on, and your run-in is much tougher than ours on paper (for what that's worth)
If we can get one good result on Saturday to get us out of this trough, I'd seriously fancy us.
Big if though.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2008 22:27:29 GMT
Said earlier I think for some daft reason it will be us and 'ull for the Prem  |
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Post by Danstoke82 on Apr 10, 2008 7:22:21 GMT
Just cant see how Dull's streak will continue, there are no easy games in this league as everyone always said and if they win all of their 5 games then for obvious reasons they deserve to be there, lets hope the jitters hit the KC and an Man Ure recall for Fraizier Campbell. Because he is the one who has fired them up there.
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Post by Godo on Apr 10, 2008 7:45:55 GMT
I can only refer regular reqaders to my post of 3 weeks ago when I said Brazil and Hull would go up automatically and the play offs would go to the team with the momentum over the last 4-6 games - Palace?
And I hate that smarmy smirking twat Phil Brown as well!
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Post by lordb on Apr 10, 2008 7:57:23 GMT
sorry but Hull are shit
as it happens so is the entire fucking league
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Post by barndoorbanjo on Apr 10, 2008 8:07:46 GMT
They have the momentum in their favour which gives them a strong chance.
However can they handle the pressure at the top unlike so many of their rivals.
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Post by OldStokie on Apr 10, 2008 9:09:29 GMT
QPR (H) Win.
Barnsley (A) Lose.
Sheff Utd (A) Win.
Palace (H) Draw.
Ipswich (A) Win.
That's ten points. We have to match them with 3 wins and a draw including beating Brizzle which will see us up automatically. IMHO.
OS.
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Post by swanster on Apr 10, 2008 9:19:06 GMT
As I've said on another thread, I think they'll struggle at Ipswich on the last day.
They will be scrapping for the last play-off place and have the best home record in the league. So a draw for Hull in that match would give them about 76 points.
Having said that, we need to win all four of our games to have any chance at all.
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Post by FullerMagic on Apr 10, 2008 9:20:11 GMT
I think we'll have a fighting chance for 2nd with 3 wins and a draw (as long as we beat Bristol)
I think we're more or less guaranteed to go up with 4 wins.
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Post by jezzascfc on Apr 10, 2008 9:30:18 GMT
I tend to agree with you Grapey, it is just that it takes an enormous leap of faith to imagine us getting at least 3 wins out of the last four on present form.
Still, being a Stokie for all these long, hard years, faith is the only thing that has kept me going.
Saturday is the biggie now - if we can get over that hurdle, playing well in the process, it may just give us the lift we need to "push on" and go for it in the final three.
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Post by Etain Tur-Mukan on Apr 10, 2008 9:48:16 GMT
It's typical Stoke syndrome coming up again imho.
After our recent dreadful run, with people perhaps not expecting much from our remaining games due to our form etc. and also expecting that we'll throw this golden opportunity away. It'll be just like us to go and win these four games quite convincingly and earn promotion!
I think we'll do it, starting with a 1-0 win at Coventry.
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Post by Davef on Apr 10, 2008 11:12:52 GMT
That's been pretty much the Pulis trademark in the last couple of seasons. Dodgy results and performances followed by a quick unbeaten spell or run of straight wins.
It happened last season when Hendrie and Diao turned up, and around Easter time when we gave ourselves a last fighting chance of getting into the play offs.
Already this season we had that unbeaten run before Christmas and then the five straight victories in February.
We need one now like never before!
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