As optimistic as I usually am, even my heart is saying that second placeis just a touch beyond us now. Reading may have a tough fixture list ahead ofthem, but I still can’t see them losing many or any of them games, let alonerelying on West Ham to win all six!
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On paper, Reading’s games against West Ham and Blackpool were tough, butyet they came through with a deserved six points so I am not expecting muchelse from now until May. So on that note, it gave me a chance to look aroundthe top six or seven in the division to have a look at who could be in theHammers way if promotion is still to become reality, so here they are:
Birmingham City-
The Blues have had a decent season after relegation from the PremierLeague last time out, but were hampered heavily by a run in the Europa League throughout the first four months of the campaign. Mid table mediocrity seemedlikely as the squad came to terms with Thursday night football, but since theirelimination at the group stage, Chris Hughton has worked wonders moving hisside up to fourth in the league.
City visit Upton Park on Monday evening and that game may go a long wayto seeing who has the edge in what I think will be the play off final at Wembley next month. The risky signing of Marlon King has more than paid off ashe has hit fine form at the right time and a squad littered with Premier League experience will fancy their chances at being back in the big time next season.
Blackpool-
A complete revamp of Ian Holloway’s squad was in order last summer asthey were relegated on the last day of the Premier League season after athrilling game against Manchester United. The likes of David Vaughan, Richard Kingston, Charlie Adam and DJ Campbell departed with experienced pros such asKevin Phillips and Barry Ferguson replacing them. Not many fancied Pool to makea genuine challenge this season, but much like the season before, they haveproved many people wrong.
The Hammers won comfortably at Bloomfield Road earlier this season with Henri Lansbury in goal, but since then Holloway’s side have improved and the likes of Stephen Dobbie, Thomas Ince and Matt Phillips have pushed their sideup the league, beating Southampton and looking good for a top six place.
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Brighton Hove and Albion-
Another side that perhaps were not expected to do as well as they havedone, Gus Poyet has got his side playing some great football and like the abovesides have a great chance of making the play offs. West Ham narrowly missed outon Craig Mackail-Smith in the summer and he has had a solid first season at Brighton, who are now nearing capacity each week at their newly built AMEX Stadium.
With a smaller budget than most, last year’s runaway League One champions have gone through good and bad spells throughout this season, but seem to win when they desperately need to and will be dangerous opponents overtwo legs.
Middlesbrough-
Always expected to be there or there abouts come May, Boro once again invested heavily throughout the squad and are slowly seeing an improvement thatleaves them on the cusp of the top six. Tony Mowbray and his side proved theywere tough customers when they snatched a late equaliser to get a 1-1 draw at Upton Park last month, but once again West Ham’s away form stands out as theyare one of only three teams to win at the Riverside all season long.
No real stand out player to be overly scared of, Boro seem to grind outresults rather than blow teams away and that should play into the arms of the Hammers, especially away from home. I am not sure I fancy a long trip to the North East on a cold Tuesday night next month, but I have a feeling I will haveno choice.
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Cardiff City-
The inconsistent Cardiff side looked certainties for at least a top sixplace in January, but the distraction, followed by heartache of the Carling Cup final with Liverpool hampered them aspirations slightly and it is only now thatthe Bluebirds seem to be recovering. Kenny Miller is bang out of form and theycan’t settle on their preferred defence, so unless they sort all things concernedout soon they may once again become the nearly men of the Championship, while arch rivals Swansea are lauding it up with the big boys.
The likes of Watford and Hull are both on good form and will bedangerous if they continue the way they are going but the likes of Leeds,Leicester, Derby and Ipswich will need to win all of their remaining games to standa chance of Wembley glory where hopefully West Ham can bounce straight back tothe Premier League at the first attempt under Mr Allardyce.
