Relegation Rivals

Exiled_Addick

With our three games in hand we could theoretically climb as high as 15th (based on the current table and not taking account that teams above us may be playing each other before we catch up on our games). However, winning all three games in hand with a +ve swing in goal difference of 15 might be a bit of stretch, so who do we reckon are our realistic targets to catch and over take before the end of the season?

I think we will stay ahead of Barnsley and Yeovil, although Barnsley will stay up too IMO. Of the teams above I reckon it'll be Millwall, Donny and Blackpool and we'll finish 19th. Blackpool in particular look a right mess, only have a care taker manager and have picked up 4 pts from a possible 45. Incredible they were pace setters back in September. Our last game of the season could yet be a relegation decider.

operationpig

Despite Yeovil winning today I still feel they will go, I've always thought Millwall will go down, on paper they shouldn't but Holloway hasn't made an impact and I personally don't rate him as a relegation battling manager (see Leicester). Its all about the the third spot for me and it's hard to tell atm, it changed every week but Blackpool are still in free fall, Doncaster seem a poor side, Barnsley might just sneak away but it'll be tight.

Yeovil, Millwall and Blackpool.

Algarveaddick

Coming into the dressing room from their respective wins, both Yeovil and Barnsley's teams would have expected to be above us. I think the psychological effect of this win and our games in hand might be quite significant on those two and Millwall. We will gain enough points from those games in hand to put us out of the relegation zone, so as long as we keep our noses in front, all will be well ( and today, I think it will ).

soapy_jones

In regards to Millwall or us. A big BIG game coming up. Speaking as one of the older gentlemen on CL who has seen so much disappointment from this derby fixture I would just love it if we could win this year. The psychological effect of a win is incalculable in regard to the relegation scrap.

We can but dream...

Vincent

soapy_jones said:

In regards to Millwall or us. A big BIG game coming up. Speaking as one of the older gentlemen on CL who has seen so much disappointment from this derby fixture I would just love it if we could win this year. The psychological effect of a win is incalculable in regard to the relegation scrap.

We can but dream...

Soapy no need to waste a dream on beating Millwall
We will beat Millwall and This game will change the course of our season.
We ground out a win yesterday and I believe we will grind out a result at the Den and the pressure on Holliway will be immense on what is Millwall's biggest game of the season

The_President

Even a draw v Millwall will be sufficent in my opinion.

BigRedEvil

Our home fixtures look very favourable on paper

The_President

Oddschecker have us now as 5th likeliest to be relegated at 9/4 with Millwall the 3rd placed at evens.
Value bet here, as Piggy eludes to, is Pool at 5/1 - they are in freefall and could very well 'do a Wolves'

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/championship/relegation

GretnaGreenAddick

Yeovil & Barnsley will go down still in my opinion, just not enough quality over the season.

Millwall will go down unless they change the manager again and pray to get that new manager lift.

Blackpool to go down if Millwall get in a talented manager.

Danny Addick

operationpig said:

Despite Yeovil winning today I still feel they will go, I've always thought Millwall will go down, on paper they shouldn't but Holloway hasn't made an impact and I personally don't rate him as a relegation battling manager (see Leicester). Its all about the the third spot for me and it's hard to tell atm, it changed every week but Blackpool are still in free fall, Doncaster seem a poor side, Barnsley might just sneak away but it'll be tight.

Yeovil, Millwall and Blackpool.

Really? I can't see Millwall going down with Holloway. Agree about Leicester and that he's not made an impact so far. I don't get why they're struggling as their squad is mid table at least - Steve Morison, Nicky Bailey, Beevers, Chaplow, Campbell, Jackson, Macdonald. Can't understand why they've struggled.

Holloway is a good motivator though and I think this will save them ultimately.

Huskaris

I watched the football league show today and noted that only Yeovil had a pitch as bad as ours... Could it be costing points? Barnsleys was also pretty awful to be honest.

RedPanda

Haha, with the games in hand Millwall could go bottom. That fixture in three weeks is huge, I know it's them but we can not lose that one.

SELR_addicks

Our fixtures look terrible.

Really need to pick up points against all the clubs down near us, because I have a feeling we won't be getting much luck against Leicester, Burnley and Derby.

dizzee

Huskaris said:

I watched the football league show today and noted that only Yeovil had a pitch as bad as ours... Could it be costing points? Barnsleys was also pretty awful to be honest.

If we were Barca I would say yes it is costing us points. However when we get the ball it very rarely touches the ground.

stackitsteve

Barnsley, Blackpool & Yeovil have been my picks for a while but could now see Millwall over Barnsley

Huskaris

dizzee said:

Huskaris said:

I watched the football league show today and noted that only Yeovil had a pitch as bad as ours... Could it be costing points? Barnsleys was also pretty awful to be honest.

If we were Barca I would say yes it is costing us points. However when we get the ball it very rarely touches the ground.

Because we know we can't play it on the floor due to the mud? That argument is like saying people who only drink piss when there's no water around prefer piss to water! We have no choice haha. God knows Reza and church aren't supposed to have the ball played to them in the air, we were lucky that we didn't play in the strong winds because Reza would have been carried off, they are both built for quick balls along the ground, not hoofball, but we have no choice, so I would say it is costing us points probably. I *hope* that the pitch gets better and these players do prefer the ball on the floor to in the air than swamp hoofball because if they don't we really are in trouble!

Oggy Red

I couldn't possibly call who will be relegated, as all 3 relegation placed teams won yesterday.

That 21st position (currently Millwall) is the immediate target - and with games in hand, all 3 bottom placed teams will now believe that 21st is very achievable.

No team is completely cut adrift, and it's a very open scramble for safety - and with 3 games in hand on Millwall and Donny, we must make them count.

All in our own hands.

The_President

There's always at least 1 team that plummets into the bottom 3 - at the moment, that team looks like being Blackpool - 16 games without a win.
It seems recently that Yeovil,Milwall,Barnsley and Donny have all been playing each other in the last couple of weeks - so that generally means that you would think that most of the games left are against top half oppos. I had a brief looksy at this , and Barnsley in particurlar have a real tough run-in, therefore for me, i discount Yeovil and Barnsley.
Whats the Millwall board saying? - anyone know the main Wall forum?
Maybe i shouldnt say it, but we seem to be in the best position of the bottom 5 - just need to ensure we dont lose at The Den.
As a few people have mentioned, if we can escape this season, then next will be a very different one i'm sure.

Stig

Danny Addick said:

operationpig said:

Despite Yeovil winning today I still feel they will go, I've always thought Millwall will go down, on paper they shouldn't but Holloway hasn't made an impact and I personally don't rate him as a relegation battling manager (see Leicester). Its all about the the third spot for me and it's hard to tell atm, it changed every week but Blackpool are still in free fall, Doncaster seem a poor side, Barnsley might just sneak away but it'll be tight.

Yeovil, Millwall and Blackpool.

Really? I can't see Millwall going down with Holloway. Agree about Leicester and that he's not made an impact so far. I don't get why they're struggling as their squad is mid table at least - Steve Morison, Nicky Bailey, Beevers, Chaplow, Campbell, Jackson, Macdonald. Can't understand why they've struggled.

Holloway is a good motivator though and I think this will save them ultimately.

I can't speak for those other players, but I know from bitter experience that having Bailey in a side is not necessarily enough to beat the drop.

Garrymanilow

I say it every year but Barnsley always sneak out somehow. I don't know how they do it but they're almost impossible to send down. As a result we're reliant on Yeovil, Donny and one other in my opinion. Millwall seem to have an ability to clamber out as well so I really hope Blackpool's freefall continues. Considering those games in hand it's up to us to get ourselves out though. It doesn't matter how badly the teams above us do if we don't do anything to catch up to them.

I just had a horrible image of relegation being between us and Blackpool on the final day and Fuller scoring to send us down. And probably injuring himself in the process.

The_President

Garrymanilow said:

I say it every year but Barnsley always sneak out somehow. I don't know how they do it but they're almost impossible to send down. As a result we're reliant on Yeovil, Donny and one other in my opinion. Millwall seem to have an ability to clamber out as well so I really hope Blackpool's freefall continues. Considering those games in hand it's up to us to get ourselves out though. It doesn't matter how badly the teams above us do if we don't do anything to catch up to them.

I just had a horrible image of relegation being between us and Blackpool on the final day and Fuller scoring to send us down. And probably injuring himself in the process.

Or feigning injury to get a Pen.
Yeah, i saw that fixture and thought that we need to be 4 points clear of them by the time that happens.

stonemuse

The_President said:

Garrymanilow said:

I say it every year but Barnsley always sneak out somehow. I don't know how they do it but they're almost impossible to send down. As a result we're reliant on Yeovil, Donny and one other in my opinion. Millwall seem to have an ability to clamber out as well so I really hope Blackpool's freefall continues. Considering those games in hand it's up to us to get ourselves out though. It doesn't matter how badly the teams above us do if we don't do anything to catch up to them.

I just had a horrible image of relegation being between us and Blackpool on the final day and Fuller scoring to send us down. And probably injuring himself in the process.

Or feigning injury to get a Pen.
Yeah, i saw that fixture and thought that we need to be 4 points clear of them by the time that happens.

The way Blackpool are playing, we could well be more than 4 points clear by then.

Their last win was on 30 November and they have only scored 8 goals since then whilst conceding 31!

Unless something drastic happens, they are going down.

Fanny Fanackapan

RedPanda said:

Haha, with the games in hand Millwall could go bottom. That fixture in three weeks is huge, I know it's them but we can not lose that one.

Almost thinking of delaying our week away by a couple of days ......

But maybe I'm the Jonah & the lads will win without me .

Will be a nervous wreck that afternoon !

mid_life_crisis

4 of the next 6 league games are at home. (Watford, Hudders, Bournemouth, Burnley)
We have to make sure we win a minimum of 2 of these and hopefully pick up a draw or 2 from the other 4.
34/35 points with 11 to go would put us in with a fighting chance, but I see the home form as crucial since, with a couple of exceptions, the away fixtures look horrendous.

The_President

stonemuse said:

The_President said:

Garrymanilow said:

I say it every year but Barnsley always sneak out somehow. I don't know how they do it but they're almost impossible to send down. As a result we're reliant on Yeovil, Donny and one other in my opinion. Millwall seem to have an ability to clamber out as well so I really hope Blackpool's freefall continues. Considering those games in hand it's up to us to get ourselves out though. It doesn't matter how badly the teams above us do if we don't do anything to catch up to them.

I just had a horrible image of relegation being between us and Blackpool on the final day and Fuller scoring to send us down. And probably injuring himself in the process.

Or feigning injury to get a Pen.
Yeah, i saw that fixture and thought that we need to be 4 points clear of them by the time that happens.

The way Blackpool are playing, we could well be more than 4 points clear by then.

Their last win was on 30 November and they have only scored 8 goals since then whilst conceding 31!

Unless something drastic happens, they are going down.

Odd though, arent Blackpool still receiving parachute payments?

Holdkneebomb

Yeovil, Barnsley and Millwall

IdleHans

The_President said:

stonemuse said:

The_President said:

Garrymanilow said:

I say it every year but Barnsley always sneak out somehow. I don't know how they do it but they're almost impossible to send down. As a result we're reliant on Yeovil, Donny and one other in my opinion. Millwall seem to have an ability to clamber out as well so I really hope Blackpool's freefall continues. Considering those games in hand it's up to us to get ourselves out though. It doesn't matter how badly the teams above us do if we don't do anything to catch up to them.

I just had a horrible image of relegation being between us and Blackpool on the final day and Fuller scoring to send us down. And probably injuring himself in the process.

Or feigning injury to get a Pen.
Yeah, i saw that fixture and thought that we need to be 4 points clear of them by the time that happens.

The way Blackpool are playing, we could well be more than 4 points clear by then.

Their last win was on 30 November and they have only scored 8 goals since then whilst conceding 31!

Unless something drastic happens, they are going down.

Odd though, arent Blackpool still receiving parachute payments?

Not sure their parachute has opened...

ShootersHillGuru

Blackpool are in disarray but can't see them not getting enough to stay out of bottom three. Yeovil look the weakest but apart from that I think any from Us, Barnsley, Donny and Millwall. Like Blackpool I don't think any from Bolton, Bournemouth or above getting sucked in. That means it's going to be very very tight right to the wire. We have to win v Barnsley and not lose at The New Den. I predict a last day where permutations could see any of the current bottom five relegated.