Play Off Favourites

[filham]

We are destined for the play offs along with Forrest, Brentford and whoever finishes in sixth place ,  there are lots of possibilities for the sixth place. Also Brentford could pip West Brom. for automatic promotion but it means West Brom dropping points in their two remaining games.

So who will enter the play offs as favourites and with the best chance of promotion , Fulham or Brentford.

Remember we have two matches which are virtual pressure free practice matches allowing Parker to rest players and to fine tune his tactics to best match our play off opponents. Brentford have two high pressure matches with maximum focus on the teams they are playing and no opportunity to rest key players.

Will this situation give us an edge.

[Sgt Fulham]

If Brentford finish 3rd they will be favourites for the playoffs without a doubt. Then again, we were when Reading stopped us. Its almost better to go in with no expectations as unexpected defeat is absolutely crushing.

[filham]

If Brentford finish 3rd they will be favourites for the playoffs without a doubt. Then again, we were when Reading stopped us. Its almost better to go in with no expectations as unexpected defeat is absolutely crushing.

I agree going out over two legs to Forrest would be devastating , possible of course as Forrest's preparation will be the same as ours and they did win at the Cottage earlier in the season.
Wish we had something up our sleeve like the return of Kamara but it is too late for that .

[SuffolkWhite]

I said on another thread that as much as we have been inconsistent this season we do have players that can do something special! We only need a Knockhart shot to actually hit the target, BDR to start putting away chances or Cav to really turn it on. Anything is possible, as we have given it a bloody good go.

[filham]

I said on another thread that as much as we have been inconsistent this season we do have players that can do something special! We only need a Knockhart shot to actually hit the target, BDR to start putting away chances or Cav to really turn it on. Anything is possible, as we have given it a bloody good go.

Yes , I have the same dream but in fact those three strikers haven't scored for a dozen matches or so.

[The Rational Fan]

It depends on injuries, Jansson, Watkins and Benrahma all must play to be favourites
Without Benrahma, starting Brentford results are 2 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses.
Without Jansson, starting Brentford results are 2 wins, 6 draw, and 4 losses.

With Jansson, Benrahma, and Watkins starting Brentford results are 20 wins, 2 draw, and 3 losses.
If Brentford is fully fit, we will need to find a completely new level to beat in regular time.

We can focus on getting a bench together that will be better than them in extra time or in a shootout.

[SuffolkWhite]

I said on another thread that as much as we have been inconsistent this season we do have players that can do something special! We only need a Knockhart shot to actually hit the target, BDR to start putting away chances or Cav to really turn it on. Anything is possible, as we have given it a bloody good go.

Yes , I have the same dream but in fact those three strikers haven't scored for a dozen matches or so.

We live in hope! and as Lighthouse has said before It's the hope that kills you .

[Sting of the North]

It depends on injuries, without Watkins or Benrahma, Brentford could be a little toothless.
Without Benrahma starting Brentford results are 2 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses.
With..... Benrahma starting Brentford results are 22 wins, 8 draw, and 7 losses.

If Brentford is fully fit, we will need to find a completely new level to beat in regular time.
We need to focus on getting a bench together that can win in extra time or in a shootout.

As I pointed out on one of your other posts, we could very well have won when we met Brentford a few weeks ago. They had both Benrahma and Watkins playing the full 90 minutes. We don't need to find a completely new level, we only would have to put away one of our chances (if you remember the game we created more good chances than Brentford did). We cannot go into a game and be playing for extra time, that is ridicolous in my opinion. It is not Manchester City we are playing.

[The Rational Fan]

It depends on injuries, without Watkins or Benrahma, Brentford could be a little toothless.
Without Benrahma starting Brentford results are 2 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses.
With..... Benrahma starting Brentford results are 22 wins, 8 draw, and 7 losses.

If Brentford is fully fit, we will need to find a completely new level to beat in regular time.
We need to focus on getting a bench together that can win in extra time or in a shootout.

As I pointed out on one of your other posts, we could very well have won when we met Brentford a few weeks ago. They had both Benrahma and Watkins playing the full 90 minutes. We don't need to find a completely new level, we only would have to put away one of our chances (if you remember the game we created more good chances than Brentford did). We cannot go into a game and be playing for extra time, that is ridicolous in my opinion. It is not Manchester City we are playing.

I wasn't suggesting we play extra time, but if we can keep a clean sheet for 120 minutes a victory is more than likely. The plan that can win is get a clean sheet then out score them in either the first half, second half, extra time or shootout. In addition, they might not make the final or they do with a weakened team plus new formation.

[Andy S]

It's not always the favourites that go up in the plat-offs

[filham]

These Play Offs stretch nerves to the limit. I hadn't considered penalty shoot outs, can they take place in the semi final and the final.
I need to check the drinks cupboard.

[ALG01]

brentford, if they do not overtake WBA, will be bookies favourite IMO
and
we have a dreadful record of late against them
but
I didn't think they were better than us when we played and we were a tad unlucky in the last few minutes
The pressure will be different in a play off so we shall see what we shall see... I would not be risking my money on anyone!

[Skatzoffc]

Brentford for me. We had our chance to beat WBA and give ourselves a good playoff chance against them with Brentford automatic.
We've blown it now so Brentford promotion via playoffs imo. Ho hum

[The Rational Fan]

Brentford for me. We had our chance to beat WBA and give ourselves a good playoff chance against them with Brentford automatic.
We've blown it now so Brentford promotion via playoffs imo. Ho hum

Brentford have lost momentum they are no longer winning games 3-0, but instead winning them 2-1 or 1-0. They only got 0.67 xG against Preston, they are still favourites but they have peaked and hopefully they will start to slide, but alternatively they could peak again too.

[rebel]

Brentford for me. We had our chance to beat WBA and give ourselves a good playoff chance against them with Brentford automatic.
We've blown it now so Brentford promotion via playoffs imo. Ho hum

Brentford have lost momentum they are no longer winning games 3-0, but instead winning them 2-1 or 1-0. They only got 0.67 xG against Preston, they are still favourites but they have peaked and hopefully they will start to slide, but alternatively they could peak again too.

It isn't that they are losing momentum, they are playing teams who need points for survival or play offs.

[ALG01]

Brentford for me. We had our chance to beat WBA and give ourselves a good playoff chance against them with Brentford automatic.
We've blown it now so Brentford promotion via playoffs imo. Ho hum

Brentford have lost momentum they are no longer winning games 3-0, but instead winning them 2-1 or 1-0. They only got 0.67 xG against Preston, they are still favourites but they have peaked and hopefully they will start to slide, but alternatively they could peak again too.

It isn't that they are losing momentum, they are playing teams who need points for survival or play offs.

It isn't all about momentum, it is also handling pressure. Brentford have not really been tested in that department and now we shall have to see how good they are or otherwise with the pressure on them. Personally i suspect their manager will deal with it very well but you never know if the players will freeze on the big stage... that may yet be our biggest asset that mainly they have all done it before.

[WindyCity]

If Brentford finish 3rd they will be favourites for the playoffs without a doubt.

This!  Totally agree.  If Brentford does not get automatic, regardless where they finish, they will be the fave and the team to beat for promotion via the payoffs.

[ByTheRiver]

To be honest, being as boring as we are and (lately) being able to keep a clean sheet probably gives us an advantage over all others. Remember when Huddersfield went up - they scored only 1 goal in normal time across the whole three matches! The very same year, we lost to Reading and we went in as 'The Entertainers', scoring 3/4/5 routinely. I think on agg we beat the promoted Huddersfield 9-1 that season! I was at the away game and the fans were full of praise for us.

[Statto]

To be honest, being as boring as we are and (lately) being able to keep a clean sheet probably gives us an advantage over all others. Remember when Huddersfield went up - they scored only 1 goal in normal time across the whole three matches! The very same year, we lost to Reading and we went in as 'The Entertainers', scoring 3/4/5 routinely. I think on agg we beat the promoted Huddersfield 9-1 that season! I was at the away game and the fans were full of praise for us.

That Huddersfield team also got promoted with 3 draws in the playoffs IIRC

[ByTheRiver]

To be honest, being as boring as we are and (lately) being able to keep a clean sheet probably gives us an advantage over all others. Remember when Huddersfield went up - they scored only 1 goal in normal time across the whole three matches! The very same year, we lost to Reading and we went in as 'The Entertainers', scoring 3/4/5 routinely. I think on agg we beat the promoted Huddersfield 9-1 that season! I was at the away game and the fans were full of praise for us.

That Huddersfield team also got promoted with 3 draws in the playoffs IIRC

Yep - I just Goggled as that seemed right (I remember us Fulham fans being in disbelief at the time): 0-0 first leg, 1-1 second leg (win on pens). 0-0 in the final (win on pens).

With that in mind we must be favourites  :005:


(more seriously, no pens please. My lifestyle and consumption levels mean my heart is probably not in a condition to take such levels of stress)