nPower Championship Run-In Watch

Udinese also loan their players to Granada who are currently in LaLiga so I doubt Udinese would take their players back from Watford

Not those that they don't need, but look at Vydra, for example (who is on loan at Watford from Udinese) : Chosen the Championship's Player of the Season, has scored 20 goals and as far as I know Udinese aren't exactly stacked in the striker department. If I were Udinese's manager I'd want Vydra back at Udinese for next season.

A full round of games in the Championship tonight, here are the most important ones in terms of relegation fears and promotion hopes:

Barnsley v Derby
You get a feeling Barsnley are punching above their weight (even) in the Championship. Currently one point separates them from safety. Not sure how much you can talk about "mid-table" in this season's Championship, but if there is one, then Derby are definitely there (5 pts from relegation).

Blackburn v Huddersfield
Blackburn 20th (22nd gets relegated), Huddersfield 19th, one point between them. A glorious chance for Blackburn to ease their relegation fears (although those Champions League aspirations seem still quite far away).

Cardiff v Charlton
Charlton in relatively good form, have sneaked up to 9th, but still very unlikely to make it to the play-offs. Cardiff could pretty much seal their division title here.

Ipswich v Crystal Palace
Eh, looks like nearly every game could have a big impact on relegation & promotion; I guess that just goes to show what an incredible Championship season this has been. Ipswich 17th and four from relegation, but it's Holloway's Palace that are more desperately in need of some points from this one as their form has been miserable: 3 defeats and 2 draws in their last 5 and not looking promising for them even though they're still in the playoff spots.

Leicester v Bolton
Crystal Palace lost their manager Dougie Freedman to Bolton earlier in the season and he was doing great job at Palace and is now doing great job at Bolton, who have climbed to the last playoff spot and are 8-0-2 in their last 10. Some form. Leicester haven't won in 9 games, but are still only 2 points behind Bolton and very much in the mix to make it to the playoffs. Perhaps the biggest match of the round.

Middlesbrough v Nottingham Forest
Yeah, I'm on a roll here and writing something almost about every game, but hey, Forest are one spot away from the playoffs, only on goal difference. Middlesbrough 1-2-7 in their last 10, so my money's on Forest on this one. Watch them lose.

Millwall v Watford
Apparently a lot of people on GL would like to see Watford and Zola in the Premiership. They've slipped six points behind Hull City and an automatic promotion, but a win here and you never know.

Peterborough v Brighton
Peterborough unbeaten in 9, but still find themselves only one point and one place above relegation territory. Brighton in 5th and very much believing they'll make the playoffs. A huge game.

Wolverhampton v Hull City
They were on a three-game winning streak recently and I believe I wrote something positive about them on here, but Wolves have lost two since and are second-from-bottom again, but just two points from safety. Hull, on the other hand, would grab the second automatic promotion spot with two hands should they be victorious here.


So, a real big night in what has got to be the most hard-fought league in Europe this season. I'm pouring myself a good glass of whiskey (Aberlour 10-yo tonight) and eagerly waiting to see which teams come out with the crucial points tonight and which ones will leave their fans ever so disappointed with three rounds to go after this round

Was it Hull that had that shocker-season in 2008?

Cardiff Promoted to the PL

One day soon the league is going to have 20 welsh teams.

Hull will get proomted on friday after beating the already relegated Bristol City.

Steve Bruce is back

Great Leader SteveBruce

As we know already, Cardiff secured promotion with their draw with Charlton. They are also very very close to securing the division title since Hull lost to Wolves, lifting the Wanderers up from the relegation spots, but only on goal-difference.

Watford lost to Millwall and therefore blew their chance to close the gap to Hull who are still 6 points clear in the second promotion spot and probably as good as up, meaning Michael Laudrup might not be the Premiership's most handsome manager next season.

Spoiler:

Peterborough and Brighton drew 0 - 0, both gained one, perhaps crucial spot in the table (20th and 4th).

Ipswich trashed Crystal Palace 3 - 0 and Palace fans won't be happy with Holloway if they don't even make the playoffs.

Leicester with a huge 3 - 2 win over Bolton, overtaking them in the table for 6th.

As I said on the previous page, Middlesbrough v Nott Forest had a Forest win all over it when looking at the teams' form and what they still had to play for (Middlesbrough nothing, Forest everything). Forest lost 1 - 0.

Lastly, Blackburn did manage to beat Huddersfield and looks like they'll avoid the disaster of successive relegations.

All right, three rounds to go!

By the way, what a job McCarthy has done at Ipswich:

Ipswich have now conceded just six goals in their last 14 Championship games, having let in 51 in the previous 29

Was it Hull that had that stunning season in PL 2008?

Only the first half...

They beat the sh*t out of Arsenal IIRC. Geovanni scored, i think.

It was just 2-1 via a fluke and a Giovanni special....

Art Morte wrote:As we know already, Cardiff secured promotion with their draw with Charlton. They are also very very close to securing the division title since Hull lost to Wolves, lifting the Wanderers up from the relegation spots, but only on goal-difference.

Watford lost to Millwall and therefore blew their chance to close the gap to Hull who are still 6 points clear in the second promotion spot and probably as good as up, meaning Michael Laudrup might not be the Premiership's most handsome manager next season.

Spoiler:

Peterborough and Brighton drew 0 - 0, both gained one, perhaps crucial spot in the table (20th and 4th).

Ipswich trashed Crystal Palace 3 - 0 and Palace fans won't be happy with Holloway if they don't even make the playoffs.

Leicester with a huge 3 - 2 win over Bolton, overtaking them in the table for 6th.

As I said on the previous page, Middlesbrough v Nott Forest had a Forest win all over it when looking at the teams' form and what they still had to play for (Middlesbrough nothing, Forest everything). Forest lost 1 - 0.

Lastly, Blackburn did manage to beat Huddersfield and looks like they'll avoid the disaster of successive relegations.

All right, three rounds to go!

That is a HUGE understatement. They'll be riots.
But to be fair, our expectations at the beginning of the season was a strong top half finish but Dougie F had us dreaming of the brighter lights.

Now though, it's playoffs or bust.

http://www.skysports.com/football/league/0,19540,11687,00.html

Hull drew with Bristol last night, so if Watford beat Blackburn today they'd close the gap to four points with two games to go. Hull's draw also meant that Cardiff need just a point from Burnley to seal their title today.

Most of the games today are important ones, let's see which teams can take care of their business today

Right, so, Cardiff were crowned champions today, Watford closed the gap to Hull to four points and Peterborough were beaten for the first time in 10 games, leaving them above the relegation cut only on goal-difference.

In other news: Bolton re-entered the playoff spots thanks to their win over Middlesbrough and the 2 - 2 draw between Palace and Leicester.

Brighton with a comprehensive 6 - 1 trashing of Blackpool to all but seal their playoff place.

Huddersfield climbed out of the relegation zone while Wolves and Barnsley remain there, both on 51 points with Peterborough.

Three clubs with games in hand, for the rest it's two rounds left

OOH Man what a finale is awaiting us. 1 game left.

1. Cardiff - 86(Champions)
2. Hull City - 78
3. Watford - 77
4. Brighton & Hove Albion - 72
5. Crystal Palace - 68 (1 game in hand vs Millwall)
6. Bolton - 67
7. Nottingham Forest - 67
8. Leicester City - 65

Last Round fixtures:

Hull City vs Cardiff
Watford vs Leeds United
Brighton vs Wolves
Crystal Palace vs Peterborough
Bolton vs Blackpool
Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City

Insane round of matches.

At the beginning of the season I called for Cardiff, Watford, and Brighton to be promoted. sooo close right now.

Watford and Hull

Hull has Cardiff? GTFI.

I believe in Watford now

If Cardiff beat Hull, then Watford only needs a draw to get promoted automatically. Zola

Bolton must win against Wolves to hold on to that last Playoff spot.

Nottingham vs Leicester Rivalry match for a shot at a playoff spot.

Crystal Palace have to face Millwall in the South Londod Derby before facing Peterborough. They only need 1 win out of the 2 to clinch the Playoff spot.

Man I don't want Hull anywhere near the PL. Watford are soo much more entertaining. GTFI

COME ON Udinese B

Chalobah carried Watford.

McEachran carried Boro into 2nd before Ameobi Jr f'd it all up.

Dat Chelsea influence.

Jay Spearing was named Bolton's player of the season He 's carrying them to a playoff spot.

Gil wrote:Chalobah carried Watford.

McEachran carried Boro into 2nd before Ameobi Jr f'd it all up.

Dat Chelsea influence.

Boro fans don't seem to rate him very highly, I know he started off well.

But when I was listening to north east football phone in the other day there was a few saying hes crap.

Couldn't see the point in him he doesn't anything.

Asking if there was a clause in his loan deal that said he had to play because he should be dropped.