Is keeping ahead in the table vital at this stage?

The psychologists will always say it is best to stay out in front and keep your opponents down for as long as possible when in a competitive situation. In the Championship we know that teams go on runs and can sneak up all of a sudden with a few wins. Being out in front though for a long time brings its own kind of pressure and I think AFCB passed that test in a major way with the Watford win.

Stephen is rather getting used to the table looking like this. 

We have all heard the players say that they want to stay in first place and that beating the teams around them is now key. I hope that the gaps start to happen quickly now as the Cherries start to see new steps on their way to their ultimate objective. It is incredible that this side is just 12 points or four wins away from what it achieved points wise last season. If they can reach that goal in February then they really will be well set to take one of the top two places and by that stage we could see seventh and eight position some 16 or 18 points behind the leaders. 

All the top sides have had the odd defeat as we go into February and I don't feel that winning every game is something you can bank on at any stage. We usually see some shock results with lower sides scuppering those set to challenge for promotion and AFCB have one of those ties this coming weekend against Wigan Athletic. It is nervous enough when the players have to play a team in and around them, but I find it is worse watching when they need to play teams they are expected to beat, as winning any game is not a simple task in this league. Whether the players go into these games with the same mind set as if they were taking on a team in second or third is probably what try but are not easily  able to do, and in many ways this makes such encounters thrilling ties, as it does not matter how you get the points as long as you get them when trying to forge a gap at the top of the table.

To be frank, I can't see any easy games in the run of fixtures to come, it's just about winning and keeping the wins coming and letting everything else take care of itself. UTCIAD!

Thanks to those who have voted so far in our poll on whether the movement of the Fulham fixture has caused you problems or not.