Orlandi: Top two is a long shot

5:00pm Friday 1st March 2013 in Sport By Andy Naylor

Andrea Orlandi Andrea Orlandi

Andrea Orlandi admits it will be tough for Albion to barge their way into the automatic promotion race.

But the in-form Spanish midfielder is optimistic about their chances of being involved in the Championship play-offs.

Sixth-placed Albion are 11 points behind Watford with two games in hand after Gianfranco Zola's men were held 1-1 at Wolves tonight.

They are nine points adrift of arch rivals Crystal Palace, who have also played two matches more after tonight's 1-0 win at Derby and visit The Amex a fortnight on Sunday.

Orlandi, speaking before tonight's games, said: “It’s quite far. We’ve got a game in hand on Watford but it is difficult. Now we are being consistent, which is the main thing we were always talking about.

“We are in a good run, playing well, and when we don’t play well we are getting results which is what we were missing, so I think we have got a good chance. Now we have got Vicente back, which is really important, and we are ready for the challenge.”

Albion fought their way to an uncharacteristic 1-0 win against Burnley at The Amex last Saturday. Orlandi said: “Against Hull it was the same.

“That’s what we have to do, scrap for three points. It will be the same kind of game against Huddersfield, really hard and tough. It’s going to be a war again and we have to make sure we are up for it. We definitely will be.”

Comments(17)

Seagulls Over Surrey (SOS) says...
5:27pm Fri 1 Mar 13

We dare to dream!

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Old Scrote of the Amex says...
5:39pm Fri 1 Mar 13

If you want to end up in the top 6, aim for the top 2.

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pjwilk says...
5:39pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Lets barge our way to the playoffs and then anything can happen.

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saraman says...
5:55pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Old Scrote of the Amex wrote:
If you want to end up in the top 6, aim for the top 2.
You beat me to it Old Scrote. Go all out to win every game and if we do we will surely finish in the top two. If not, we will undoubtedly be in a play-off position. Now is the time for hit or bust.

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Alfie T says...
6:05pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Will Buckley is apparently fit, so a place on the bench at least, Huddersfield will be desperate for a result and will fight. We will need to be patient tomorrow, but I can only see a win, 3.1.

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Old Scrote of the Amex says...
6:10pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Slightly off-topic, so apologies... but there's a very interesting thread on one of the Huddersfield forums regarding the division's best players. Buckley and Bridcutt both get plenty of mentions, Ince, Knockeart and Vydra get the most, a few mention Zaha (although he is vastly out-voted by Bolasie) and no-one at all mentions Europe's second leading goalscorer. Strange how different fans see the game.

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DESLYNHAMSMOUSTACHE says...
6:24pm Fri 1 Mar 13

One team in the top six today will completely blow it, one team will come from nowhere winning 7+ games on the bounce.We seem to have found the knack of playing below par and winning ugly, grinding out results so I wouldn't bet against us finishing top 2.Looking forward tomorrow, now is the perfect time to revenge that result in August 2009 (7-1). Lets go for it and send a clear message of intent to those that are above us, all be it temporarily.

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Jonathan Mouette says...
6:38pm Fri 1 Mar 13

On Orlandi's previous thread with reference to a play-off spot being an ambition... I wrote 'Disappointingly realistic - already given up on the automatic spots... I suppose it's better than being unrealistically optimistic... Oh well, off to Wembley we go then...'

Maybe a little dose of optimism is raising the hopes of all involved. As usual those little fingers are firmly crossed...

I'll be watching the Watford match on-line tonight (as will GP hopefully). Just in case no one else has noticed, the Wolves defence has been horrifically slow in turning and likes to back off until it is often too late... Check it out; it is, after all, our last game of the season and possibly the most important of the lot.

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Freeloaders says...
7:11pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Old Scrote of the Amex wrote:
If you want to end up in the top 6, aim for the top 2.
Just how i see it.Best way im sure.

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VegasSeagull says...
7:29pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Top two or top six, there is something about the word, 'top,' that I like when speaking of our team.

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WestStander17 says...
8:14pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Old Scrote of the Amex wrote:
Slightly off-topic, so apologies... but there's a very interesting thread on one of the Huddersfield forums regarding the division's best players. Buckley and Bridcutt both get plenty of mentions, Ince, Knockeart and Vydra get the most, a few mention Zaha (although he is vastly out-voted by Bolasie) and no-one at all mentions Europe's second leading goalscorer. Strange how different fans see the game.
Staying off-topic.....apolog
ies!

Your last comment suggests you disagree with what people have suggested. Who do you think should be in it?

Vicente is surely the best player in The Championship.

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MrHove says...
8:49pm Fri 1 Mar 13

We should focus on the next game rather than talking about top 2, if we lose sight then we will end up outside the play-offs.
One game at a time lads starting with a good win tomorrow!

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Far gull says...
9:27pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Mr Hove . Spot on especially as results tonight going with form ! We just need to cement that 6 th spot as I think this season that is likely to be the only one available to the Albion, IMHO .
Forecast a tad warmer tommorow , lets hope that warms the Spanish into further action ;-)

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tonytowner1 says...
10:25pm Fri 1 Mar 13

MrHove wrote:
We should focus on the next game rather than talking about top 2, if we lose sight then we will end up outside the play-offs.
One game at a time lads starting with a good win tomorrow!
Yep. Process, not outcome

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Old Scrote of the Amex says...
12:20am Sat 2 Mar 13

WestStander17 wrote:
Old Scrote of the Amex wrote:
Slightly off-topic, so apologies... but there's a very interesting thread on one of the Huddersfield forums regarding the division's best players. Buckley and Bridcutt both get plenty of mentions, Ince, Knockeart and Vydra get the most, a few mention Zaha (although he is vastly out-voted by Bolasie) and no-one at all mentions Europe's second leading goalscorer. Strange how different fans see the game.
Staying off-topic.....apolog

ies!

Your last comment suggests you disagree with what people have suggested. Who do you think should be in it?

Vicente is surely the best player in The Championship.
No I don't disagree regarding a certain ex-player, but I think with the amount of mentions Knockeart gets that they're going by performances at Huddersfield. Just shows that not everyone rates Zaha and GM :-D

They're chuffed Bridcutt is missing as he has, for them, been one of this season's stand-out performers.

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Captain Haddock says...
9:30am Sat 2 Mar 13

I agree with the list, Old Scrote and would certainly add WestStander's trump card Vicente to the top of the list...he's easily the best player in The Championship.

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Captain Haddock says...
9:32am Sat 2 Mar 13

Which forum is that discussion on, Scroty?

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