I Fancy Ipswich To Drop Points At Blackburn - Notes From Our Play-Off Rivals Thursday, 30th Apr 2015 20:30 by HarryFromBath HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the camps of each our three final day play-off rivals by delving into their forums. With a play-off place at stake and our destiny very much in our own hands going into the final weekend of the season, I have taken this opportunity both to take stock of how our rivals’ supporters are feeling and how they see on Saturday’s games playing out. It is worth starting this series of small reports by outlining the league table situation ahead of Saturday’s final games. Ipswich (78 Pts, GD +19) are a point ahead of Derby (77 Pts, GD +32) and three points ahead of Brentford (75 Pts, GD +16) and Wolves (75 Pts, GD +12). With two play-off places up for grabs, we will prevail with a win or a draw. Should we lose by one goal at Blackburn, Derby can overtake us with a draw, Brentford can catch us with a win by a two-goal margin and Wolves can less probably pass us by winning by a six-goal margin. While we travel to ninth-placed Blackburn, our three rivals have the easier games on paper. Derby entertain a Reading team without a league win in nine games and on a five-match losing streak, while Brentford and Wolves play host to relegated Wigan and Millwall respectively. Wolves - We Can Dream The Impossible Dream“It’s not easy and we have done well, but we need everything crossed for this weekend”, “No question we are grasping at some mighty fine straws here.” Most Wolves have accepted that any serious aspirations went when we came away from Molineux with a draw a fortnight ago. “Well done Kenny Jackett and the boys. That was an excellent result under a lot of pressure.” Wolves ground out a 1-0 win courtesy of a first-half Benik Afobe goal at a then relegation-threatened Wigan on Saturday to keep their fading hopes of a play-off place alive.  “The Ipswich draw was the final nail in our promotion hopes and we are probably where we deserve to be. Brentford have had a fantastic season and Ipswich have predictably battled their way through. Derby have underperformed but deserve their top six place.” They are still quite happy after what has been a decent first season back in the division. “At least we have taken it to the last day when strange things have been known to happen”, “It’s going to the last game of the season”, “Going to the last day - a very good season by Jackett and the lads. “We have a very good chance next season if we get it right in the summer and can keep all players barring Sako”, “Unless we see a miracle happening, we have to accept that eighth position would have been acceptable at the start of the season”, “We know just how strange this league can be.” Losing the Points Lottery“The bottom half teams might be easier to beat, but the top eight are the strongest top eight I have seen for a long time in the Championship”, “The fact that we could get 78 points and finish eighth is quite frankly ridiculous. It won’t happen again.” Some fans haven’t forgotten their relegation with 51 points two seasons ago and are cursing their luck again this year. “Millwall go down with 10 points fewer than we got when we were relegated, and we miss the play-offs with the highest points total ever. Wolves and luck just never go together.” Millwall on Saturday“How many times have we seen teams with bugger all to play for come out and get a win? This is just what Millwall could do”, “There is no reason for Millwall supporters to come now, relegated and with nothing to play for.” “We need a blistering start against Millwall to put Brentford under pressure.” Despite the odd nervous comment about their game against the Lions, most fans are confident that they will win on Saturday. Royals on the Beach“Reading are on the beach, so Derby will win that one easily or at least get a draw. There is no point depending on them. The only way we would get something now would be by Blackburn beating Ipswich and us hammering Millwall”, “I really can’t see Reading getting anything from Derby.” “I’m not excited about Reading righting the ship against Derby either, but if there is the slightest chance of an Ipswich slip-up away at Blackburn - maybe the best chance of the bunch - then an unmotivated Millwall getting tonked five or six-nil could put some real pressure on the Tractor Boys.” “I can see us winning and can see Brentford slipping up, but Reading winning at Derby? They did it in the FA Cup, but with the exception of Blackpool, I cannot think of another team I’d rather not have to rely on”, “I think a 4-0 win for us and a 3-0 defeat for Ipswich ties everything up.” Most Wolves think our game gives them the best chance of sneaking into the top six. “The only way we stand any chance of that sixth spot is if Ipswich lose at Blackburn, Wigan don’t get thumped at Brentford and we beat Millwall five or six-nil - clutching at straws but you never know.” Brentford - Agent Rhodes is our Best Hope“This discussion is doing my head in. I’m a bag of nerves already and it’s only Tuesday”, “The only thing that would leave me gutted on Saturday is either Derby or Ipswich giving us the opportunity and us not taking it by screwing up against Wigan”, “I just wish it was Saturday now.” While most Wolves are philosophical about their chances, things are a good deal more anxious in West London. “This is the greatest season and the best football I have witnessed at Griffin Park in 43 years. I’ll be devastated if we don’t make the play-offs as it will be a massively missed opportunity.” Goals by Alan Judge and James Tarkowski secured a routine 2-0 win for the Bees at Reading on Saturday, but supporters’ minds were fixed on results elsewhere. “Ipswich’s late winner against Forest and Derby’s equaliser at the Den made me want to bang my head against a brick wall.” Supporters are delighted with how the season has gone. “It’s brilliant to have one of those ‘big’ last games of the season”, “We have had a great first season in the Championship whatever happens”, “If we win and don’t make it, we will applaud the team for their efforts and say ‘we tried our best’.” “A great season which has been spoilt somewhat by the last quarter. I guess only three points in our last four home games most certainly has not helped”, “Two points thrown away against Bolton is the reason we are in this position. It has been a great season, but it could have been even better.” Targeting Ewood Park“Reading are currently on a five-game losing streak. They cannot possibly end the season with six losses in a row, surely. Show a little pride lads”, “Unfortunately I can see Derby going ahead in the 12th minute and not looking back from there. Still, you never know.” “We definitely cannot rely on Reading to put in a performance.” Bees have little in faith in Reading to do them any favours having witnessed them first hand on Saturday. “It’s hard to fathom Derby losing to Reading despite their late season collapse, so Blackburn-Ipswich is the one.” “To put it simply, Ipswich have to lose, we have to win and one of the games has to have a margin of at least two goals”, “Wigan have nothing to play for and we will smash into them. If Blackburn’s front two smashes into a less-than-convincing Ipswich defence, Griffin Park will go bananas.” “Let’s hope Blackburn don’t give their prize asset strikers the day off. Remember Ipswich have got this far because of a solid defence but we couldn’t ask for better opponents. The team we need to see losing are playing the top ‘nothing to play for’ team, with no pressure but talent aplenty.” “The $64,000-dollar question is whether Rhodes or Gestede can keep up their recent scoring for Rovers. Rhodes has scored three in their last four games, while Gestede has scored five in the last three. If either of those grabs an early goal, it will be fun and games.” Jordan Rhodes“I have a feeling Jordan Rhodes has a big part to play in our season”, “I’m praying Jordan has a great day for Blackburn”, “It might be a good time for everyone on Twitter to send pleading messages to Jordan Rhodes.”  With some fans under the impression that our former striker supports the Bees, where he scored seven goals in 14 games while on loan in 2008/09, many are hoping he will do them a favour having netted in three of his four games against us for Blackburn. “Without Jordan Rhodes doing us a major favour, I can’t see Ipswich getting anything less than three points at Blackburn.” Dark Last Day Memories“I still have this thought that Murphy’s miss for Ipswich at Portman Road could turn out to be their equivalent of Marcello Trotta’s penalty against Doncaster.” Saturday’s last day of the season game with has brought back unhappy memories of the Bees’ catastrophic final day defeat two years ago. “What would be intolerable for us would be another Ealing Road crossbar moment, where we are awarded a penalty to make the play-offs. How could we all cope watching that sequence being played out?”, “Maybe Lady Luck will smile on us for a change.” Some Kind Words about Ipswich“If Ipswich make it they really deserve it. They have had to put up with being called s*** from all rivals this season yet could get 81 points. They have good players in important areas and are really well organised. I have seen them five times this season and they are a bloody hard nut to crack.” “Their fans were a good bunch both times we played them.” In the midst of all the discussion on how to overtake us, a number of Bees were happy to recognise our strengths. “I would much rather play our brand of football but it makes me smile at how many other fans slag them off.” “Typical of a McCarthy team, they defend properly have got one of the top strikers in the league and have picked up points when it matters. I still think they will find it tough against Blackburn.” Derby - Praying we don’t Bottle it. Again.“I honestly don’t know how to feel. I don’t know if I have faith in the play-offs. I don’t know how I would take dropping out of the play-offs. I don’t know if I have enjoyed the season or not. I just feel disengaged and exhausted with this side”, “How we are still in the top six is baffling.” “If we get into the play-offs, quite often it’s the poorest team that goes up. We’ll be laughing all the way to the Premier League”, “We are so bad that we might win this”, “It would be a disaster, even greater than before, if this lot went up.” “Our recent form has made me wonder want would happen if we did go up. We’d have to invest massively to avoid a similar fate to ‘that’ season.” The Rams are actually unbeaten in their last six games, but the manner of some of their results has left many fans at their wits’ end. Millwall 3 - 3 DerbySome calamitous defending from keeper Lee Grant and two penalties either side of a Tom Ince freekick saw Millwall take a 3-1 lead last Saturday before a Chris Martin penalty and a Jeff Hendrick volley rescued a late point for County in an incident filled game. Fans were left lamenting their defending. “Millwall’s first goal was one of the most ridiculous I have ever seen in my life, like something off a comedy sketch”, “It reminded me of Newcastle under Kevin Keegan, free-scoring but with an open defence. It was entertaining but frustrating.” “Our defence is shambolic. Is it the personnel or the system without a recognised defensive midfielder?”, “Schteve seems incapable of picking a back four that complement both each other and our tactics, and he seems incapable of coaching them in how to defend.” Steve McClaren“If we fail to even get in the play-offs, I’ll happily drive McClaren to Newcastle”, “If we don’t make the play-offs. I’ll be calling for his head”, “Much of the blame would have to fall at his feet. We had a winning formula, were doing perfectly fine and suddenly dropped off. He failed to correct the slide.”  “Nigel Clough left a decent team, not a successful one and not one in the play-offs, not one which won more games that it lost. How have we gone backwards?” Fans have been frustrated with recent performances, but many still back their manager. “Persistent rumours of his departure haven’t helped”, “I would blame McClaren for the way he has dealt with the Newcastle rumours but no way would I sack him. He remains our best manager since Jim Smith.” Reading on Saturday“Reading have only won four away games this season, at Norwich, Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Wolves. Yikes.” While Wolves and Brentford fans see this game as a foregone conclusion, most Rams are far less confident. “Do you trust this team to get a result with maximum pressure on? “A tired Reading will be beaten by the Rams, having played Rotherham during the week”, “Just like a tired Millwall who played Blackburn midweek before last Saturday’s fixture”, “Even without Chris Martin we are scoring for fun, Unfortunately our opponents score for fun against us.” “I have seen nothing to convince me that we will definitely get the result next Saturday and nothing to suggest that we won’t”, “We’re at home and Reading are on the beach”, “Three reasons why they won’t be on the beach - [former Forest players] Simon Cox, Jamie Mackie and Chris Gunter.” Middlesbrough or NorwichThere has been little discussion about Town on Rams message boards. We cannot meet them until the play-off final and it is as if we are in opposite halves of a tournament draw. They have however had plenty to say about who they would prefer to meet should they make it through on Saturday. “We would struggle over two legs against an in-form Norwich but we could maybe get away with it. As far as Boro are concerned there is no hope for us. Aitor Karanka knows exactly how to nullify us. Even a team like Boro who struggle to score would see us off with our leaky defence.”  “At least Norwich represents an open game. I do not want Middlesbrough and any Ram who prefers them is a fool”, “Boro have us completely figured out. Some Rams have failed to remember that we never looked like breaking them down in 180 minutes of football this season.” “I’m happy for Norwich to play Ipswich. They will kick seven bells out of each other and hopefully the winners will get a couple of injuries and one or two sent off in the two legs”, “Play Boro in the semis and take a 2-0 lead to theirs. Meet Ipswich in the final and we would batter them 3-0.” “The semi-final is the game that will realistically decide our fate. Ipswich in the final should be fine”, “We have got to get there first.” This plaintive comment from a Ram after the Millwall game summed up many fans’ feelings: “I just want this season to end before my heart ends it for me. The doctor forced me to do a less stressful job quite a few years back. He would be devastated if he knew which team I supported.” WebsitesThe busiest Wolves forum is Molineux Mix. The most active Brentford message board is Griffin Park Grapevine . Registration is needed to access some sections, and the most active Derby board is the Derby County Fans Forum.
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