DE.

If we fail to get into the playoffs then not really. His first 7 games in charge (almost all against teams far below us in the table) will have destroyed what was otherwise a very attainable chance to get into the playoffs. Just one win against any of those teams would see us in 5th right now and with our fate in our own hands. Instead we have to rely on other teams, as usual. Those performances weren't just bad, they were absolutely appalling, and as the man at the helm he has to take some responsibility for that. If we get into the playoffs, fair enough, he's proven people wrong. Otherwise it's a case of too little too late, unfortunately. We need a manager and a team who can play when the pressure is on, not just when they are the underdogs.

Four wins in a row mean we go into the final game with the largest run of recent momentum, but over six games Millwall have a slightly better return than us (15/18 compared to 13/18). Millwall have also won their last two, so are going into the final day with the wind in their sails as well. Boro's form continues to be erratic, and they go into the final day having lost and drawn their last two games. Should Bristol City lose on Monday, then both themselves and Coventry go into the final day having lost their last two matches, both stumbling badly at the finish line. They could conceivably both fall out of the playoffs with Millwall, Rovers or Boro replacing them. If Bristol City lose on Monday against Leeds then it leaves two spots open on the final day to be contested between themselves, us, Coventry, Millwall and Boro. If they draw then Rovers and Millwall could still overtake them, but they'd be out of Boro's reach. If they win then 5th is theirs no matter what. Their final game is Preston at home, and with Preston in dire form (1 win in 14) it's hard to see anything other than a home win. Pressure can do funny things to a team, though. Taking a win against Leeds on Monday out of the equation - if Bristol draw against Leeds then another draw against Preston would almost certainly be enough for them to get a playoff place. Neither Rovers nor Boro could catch them at that point, and it would take a Millwall beating Burnley by 8 or 9 goals for them to overtake Bristol, as both would be on 69 points. A loss would give both Millwall and Rovers the opportunity to overtake if both win their matches, but Rovers would need to overcome a -3 GD - so if Bristol lose 1-0, Rovers would need to win 3-0 (not sure what would happen if we both finished on the same GD). Should Bristol lose against Leeds, not much changes in terms of the above outcomes, but a Rovers victory alongside a Preston victory could see us leapfrog Bristol without needing to overcome GD, as we'd be a point ahead of them. Coventry face Boro. A win for Coventry sees them in the playoffs no matter what (unless Millwall absolutely wreck Bumley). A draw means Boro miss out, but Coventry would be overtaken if Rovers or Millwall win (there are theoreticals around Bristol City losing badly in their last two games, meaning they'd go below Coventry on GD, but let's leave that as unlikely). A loss would mean Coventry drop out of the playoffs. Boro would get into 6th if both Rovers and Millwall fail to win. Boro have far superior GD to Millwall, so if Millwall drew they would fall behind Boro, whilst Rovers would be a point behind them. Millwall play the six-fingered ones away. A win would see them into the playoffs if Coventry draw or lose (with Bristol it would depend on their result against Leeds on Monday). A draw is unlikely to see them jump above Bristol, unless Bristol get majorly hammered by Leeds and/or Preston. It would put them above Coventry if Coventry lost, however, as Coventry would have lost to Boro, that would put Boro ahead of Millwall on GD and therefore Millwall would miss out. So basically, a draw is highly unlikely to get Millwall into the playoffs, as it would require Bristol City to get their GD annihilated in their last two matches. A loss will end their chances, as even if a ridiculous goal swing happened (eg Millwall losing 1-0 but Coventry losing 6-0), Boro would jump ahead of them into 6th. As far as Rovers are concerned - we play Sheffield United away. A nothing match for Sheff Utd, who may rest some players in preparation for the playoffs. If we win and both Coventry and Millwall fail to win, then we're in the playoffs. If one of Coventry or Millwall win, then we would only get into the playoffs if Bristol City at the very least lose and draw their last two matches. Lose and draw means it would come down to GD between us and them, two losses for Bristol would mean we'd go above them. Again, though, their last game is Preston, so... very low chances of this happening. A draw would see us miss out. Why? Because it would require Coventry to lose - and Coventry play Boro. If Boro win, they go above us by one point. Goes without saying if we lose then we miss out, but can only drop as low as 9th (if Boro win or draw). For Boro, playing Coventry away, only a win will sneak them into the playoffs. They'd also be relying on Rovers and Millwall failing to win. If both Rovers and Millwall draw, then a Boro win would take them into 6th on account of their superior GD. If either Millwall or Rovers win, then Boro can only get into the playoffs if Bristol City lose their last two games against Leeds and Preston, as they would overtake Bristol on GD, and the final table would read either Millwall or Rovers in 5th, and Boro in 6th. This is a an unlikely outcome, but technically possible. I think I've got that all correct. Possible I've miscalculated somewhere though, in which case I have just wasted 30 minutes of my life.

Basically all teams between 5th and 17th are much of a muchness, really. I don't think there's any significant difference in quality between any of them, just a case of momentum and injuries determining where the points have fallen this season. Very, very rare for a team to be able to finish 6th on less than 70 points (as far as I can tell it's only happened once in the last 10 years, when Sunderland scraped in with 69 points a couple of seasons back). The average for a team finishing 5th is to be in the mid-to-high 70s. Funnily enough, the only case where it's been less than that average was the same season Sunderland got 6th with 69 points - Coventry finished 5th with 70 points. So yeah, based on averages the teams getting 5th and 6th this year are the best of a weak bunch, much like in the 22/23 season.

Congrats to Oxford and Portsmouth for staying up. A great achievement for both of them. Plymouth would be in with a shout of staying up as well if not for their wretched goal difference. Barring an insane goal swing on the final day, they are down along with Cardiff. That leaves one relegation place open, which could go to any of Stoke, Derby, Preston, Luton or Hull. Stoke and Derby play each other on the final day - the winner survives, the loser would be looking nervously at the Hull, Preston and Luton results. A draw would be enough for Stoke, but leave Derby in the same position of awaiting the Hull, Preston and Luton results. The only difference would be that if Derby lose then Luton and Preston could draw and go above them. if they draw then Luton and Preston would need to win to go above them. A draw would probably be enough for them to survive, but not guaranteed. To be in a position where it's in their own hands is still one hell of an achievement regardless, considering where they were when Eustace jumped ship. Preston play Bristol City away - no dead rubber as Bristol City will need to win to be sure of a playoff position (unless they beat Leeds tomorrow, in which case, it will be a meaningless match for them). A draw would leave Preston at the mercy of the Stoke, Derby, Luton and Hull results, whilst a loss would leave them needing Hull and Luton to lose. Luton play WBA away. It's a nothing game for WBA, as they can't make the playoffs now. Pretty much the same situation for Luton as Preston if they draw. If they lose then they'll need Hull to lose as well, as Hull have superior goal difference and could leapfrog Luton with a draw. Finally, Hull play Portsmouth away from home. A nothing game for Portsmouth as they are already safe. A draw could see Hull leapfrog Derby, Preston or Luton depending on how those results go. A win would see them safe as one of Derby and Stoke will have to drop points. A loss means they go down. Stoke are the only one of these teams who play at home, but with the added pressure of it being against another team fighting for survival. Form wise in the last 6 games... Stoke: 8/18 (but lost their last two matches) Derby: 8/18 (won their last two matches) Preston: 2/18 (lost their last four matches, in total collapse) Luton: 11/18 (won their last three matches, definitely the team in form, only lost 1 in their last 6, against us) Hull: 7/18 (very erratic form) Based on the above I would say there is a good chance that Preston could go down. Luton meanwhile are going into the final day with a lot of momentum. It's going to be a fascinating final day at the bottom.

Tbf I think I predicted this exact scenario 🤣 just hope I'm proven wrong with my conclusion that we'll narrowly miss out as usual.

Lol, seriously? They're still 7th...

Pretty much all teams from Stoke downwards deserve to be in League 1 next year.

Actually think a draw would be us all over. An unimpressive result that still leaves us with a minute chance of sneaking 6th on the last day (which we won't).

Like being taken back to the Bowyer years. Very nostalgic.

Preston 0-1 Plymouth, lol

Fully expect another win today to make sure our final game carries maximum disappointment when we yet again fall just short. If there's one thing the owners, board room, various managers and players have collectively mastered over the past few years, it's raising the fans hopes to then brutally smash them to pieces by the seasons end.

Well done Eddie, appreciate you can't necessarily take an aggressive or outright confrontational tone as that will burn bridges and make it much more difficult to get guests in in future. Ultimately Gestede's answers speak for themselves. He's parroting the club's stance, but in a way that lacks any intelligence or nous. He's actually damningly honest about the lack of ambition and the contempt for the fanbase that exists in the Ewood hierarchy. He's making it as clear as can be that the plan is to try and survive in the division by purely relying on cheap recruitment and academy graduates. Anybody with any sense knows where that will eventually lead us.

What's funny is that Gregg himself was also inexperienced - at least for the role we gave him. I didn't particularly rate him, but at the same time I don't think he came here to just ride the gravy train. It felt like he did believe he could make a difference and the 'project' alongside JDT was something that may bear fruit if the pair of them were allowed to take their vision forward. Obviously Venky's ended up taking a wrecking ball to that, but nonetheless, regardless of his ability I think Broughton was sincere in what he was trying to achieve. I don't get that same feeling from Gestede at all. Pretty much the total opposite.

I can remember Salgado saying some stuff about Venky's in Twitter years ago. Wonder if he'd be interested in this?

It would also be different if the owners had not taken a stable, well run Premier League club and transformed it into a middling Championship club with zero ambition other than to break even with player sales. Even if we are to accept where we are at the present time (which I don't), there is no reason to forgive what they've turned this club into.

Tbf, Waggott already told us this was the plan back when JDT was in charge. He literally said, during that infamous leased coach interview, that the objective is purely to stay in the division and sell players for profit. That was a couple of years ago and evidently nothing has changed. At the very least, you can't say the club is lacking transparency in this regard. Waggott and now Gestede have been very clear that you are paying to come and watch a development squad tasked purely with staying in the division. Fans that aren't protesting in some way or backing the coalition are accepting this as the club's purpose for existing. The hierarchy couldn't have made it any clearer. There is a project, but it doesn't involve getting into the PL. That isn't even a secondary objective - it doesn't matter to them. It's why no manager with ambition is ever going to stay here for very long.

If they were smart, they'd just trot Waggott out for interviews. He's been in the game long enough to master the art of saying a lot without actually saying anything. Gestede is a novice and every interview he's involved in exposes that. There's an air of arrogance to his demeanour as well which makes it worse, as he hasn't earned the right to have his words taken seriously let alone trusted. It's possible he's trying to project confidence rather than arrogance, but it's definitely the latter to me.

If I want to watch academy players I'll go watch the u18s and the reserves. I want the first team to be focused on winning matches. One has to assume they are actively trying to ensure season ticket sales plummet, as this entire interview screams "we have no ambition".

Sure, I'm not saying he had anything directly to do with it - but I think he knew about it and kept quiet until questioned by the media. Now granted I wouldn't expect him to raise the alarm of his own volition, but, it leaves a sour taste regardless.

I don't really have any strong feelings towards TM either way. I don't hate him, nor do I have any real affection for him. I'd probably feel different if he'd left a bit earlier, before the "it's not 1995 anymore" comments and the shady business with Brockhall. Also went down in my estimation with the way he spoke about the club after he left - making us out to be small time compared to the likes of Sunderland and admitting to encouraging staff to leave whilst he was still here. Difficult for me to look past that. Nonetheless, I was pleased to hear he was healthy again and remain curious as to how he does at other clubs. The past is the past and I don't think he said or did anything with malicious intent - I just don't think he viewed us with the same ambition and pride as a supporter. So it goes - we aren't his club, we were just one of many jobs he's had.

Why would you be so angry after securing promotion? Wtf. Absolutely braindead.

He's struggled there, but thought they'd make the decision at the end of the season. It doesn't often work out the second time around for managers - especially with Mowbray's first time at WBA being so long ago. I could see their logic in hiring him. Got Sunderland in the playoffs somewhat recently and was doing well at Brum before his health issues. Has proven himself a decent manager at this level, so it was reasonable to think he'd do alright. Obviously wasn't working out for him this time around, but three months isn't much time. If the idea was hire Mowbray to secure a playoff spot then possibly not the wisest move, as he struggled to get us there during his time here. I'm guessing they looked at the impact he had when he first joined Sunderland and thought they might get that. He seems like a bit of a Bobby Robson type in that his life's passion is football and working in it, so assuming he does want to continue it'll be interesting to see where he surfaces next.

Derby go 3-1 up against WBA.

Luton 3-1 Bristol City

Their decent GD (compared to other teams down there) may save them in the end. Their last two games are Hull and Stoke, so it's all very much in their own hands.