What's good to see is that for the first time since the autumn, our recent points per game (in the last 8 games) is now better than the seasonal average
Hull are plummeting while Boro are really poor too, today has made the relegation battle really interesting
What's good to see is that for the first time since the autumn, our recent points per game (in the last 8 games) is now better than the seasonal average
Hull are plummeting while Boro are really poor too, today has made the relegation battle really interesting
41 points would have kept us last season. Could surpass that target before end of February
Was about to mention that myself, this is going to be one of those seasons where a team goes down with a really decent points total, as the gap between top and bottom is so small
Ipswich came bottom with a pathetic 31 points last season, 1 behind Bolton. Luton now have 30 with 12 games to go!
41 points would have kept us last season. Could surpass that target before end of February
Was about to mention that myself, this is going to be one of those seasons where a team goes down with a really decent points total, as the gap between top and bottom is so small
Ipswich came bottom with a pathetic 31 points last season, 1 behind Bolton. Luton now have 30 with 12 games to go!
As I said on this thread a few days ago, only once in the past 6 years has a team got over 50 points and gone down, think 50 will be safety again this year, 3 more wins and a few draws thrown in to get there
Even without deductions. If we win in the week we will only be three points off Wednesday and Birmingham too if they lose. I think we are at a point now when we have to look up and not down. There is a group of clubs within range that we need to climb above, the rest will look after itself.
Boro play 2 home games before they come to us on 7 March. Leeds on Wednesday then Forest on Monday night. They could be in serious trouble when they come to us.
Similarly Hull are home to Barnsley and Leeds. Interesting times. We must concentrate on Wednesday. Probably the easiest of the 2 games.
I think we'll need at least 50 points to stay up.....maybe even 52 or 53. Strange season this one. Anyone can beat anyone else. Fulham lost at home to Barnsley.....not just a flukey, backs to the wall 1-0, but 3-0. The bottom 3 have all picked up a couple of wins recently & whilst we have won 3 this month we are still only 5 points off the bottom 3. As pp said above, Ipswich finished with 31 points last season.....Luton already have 30 with 12 games still to go.
Not sure we'll need 53 to stay up, in fact i'm sure 50 will be enough.
Wigan currently occupy 22nd place with 34 points from 34 games a point a game average means 22nd is on course to finish with 46 pts so as it stands 46 and better goal difference will be enough to stay up.
Even if we average a point a game in our last 12 games taking 12 points will see us finish on 51 pts i'm very confident we'll be safe with that.
I think we'll need at least 50 points to stay up.....maybe even 52 or 53. Strange season this one. Anyone can beat anyone else. Fulham lost at home to Barnsley.....not just a flukey, backs to the wall 1-0, but 3-0. The bottom 3 have all picked up a couple of wins recently & whilst we have won 3 this month we are still only 5 points off the bottom 3. As pp said above, Ipswich finished with 31 points last season.....Luton already have 30 with 12 games still to go.
Last season Rotherham were 3rd bottom, relegated on 40 points. The team finishing 21st this year is going to need quite a few more than that.
This season we're already on 39 points. And we're only 6 points from 12th position. Teams just above us could easily be drawn into trouble. Not only is it in our own hands, we look to have enough in the tank, especially if we win our 6-pointers at home. But we could still be in trouble if we don't.
And there's the rub ...... the teams in the bottom half of the table mostly still have to play each other - and both teams can't win. We've seen it's pretty much a dog-eat-dog division; any team is capable of winning on the day. And conversely, unless one unlikely team hits a purple patch with promotion form, plenty of struggling teams will drop points regularly. That's why they are relegation strugglers.
How many points do we need? ..... basically, just 1 more than the team that finishes 22nd. Pick up enough points in our own games, focused only on 1 match at a time - then it really doesn't matter what the other strugglers do.
After the weekend's results it looks as if you could perm any 3 from 8. That said the teams in the bottom three (Wigan, Barnsley, Luton) have a harder job than anyone whilst those on the biggest winless streaks (Hull, Middlesbrough) will be most worried about arresting their fall. Thankfully Charlton are in neither of these two groupings.
Based on our performances against Forest and Luton, I reckon our first team are pretty decent and shouldn't have any worries. I think the biggest fear is that we pick up another bunch of injuries.
Watching the EFL highlights, it did seem that just about all the penalty decisions in the Championship went the way of the home side, some soft penalties awarded to home sides (e.g. Brentford and Preston) or incorrectly not given to the away side (Millwall should have had a penalty at Wigan, but the ref gave a free kick outside the box)
These borderline decisions might make all the difference...
Comments
What's good to see is that for the first time since the autumn, our recent points per game (in the last 8 games) is now better than the seasonal average
Hull are plummeting while Boro are really poor too, today has made the relegation battle really interesting
Ipswich came bottom with a pathetic 31 points last season, 1 behind Bolton. Luton now have 30 with 12 games to go!
The way so many teams are being dragged back Im not so sure now
Stoke pick up 2-0 home win against play off chasing Cardiff today.
Some context behind the form of our recent opponents. I think we’ve done very well to pick up ten points in the last six games.
Hull - 2 points from 8 games.
Middlesbrough - 4 points (no wins, 4 draws) from 8 games.
Huddersfield - 8 points from 9 games.
Similarly Hull are home to Barnsley and Leeds. Interesting times. We must concentrate on Wednesday. Probably the easiest of the 2 games.
I'm now thinking we might need 50, with Wigan & Barnsley & Luton all picking up.
Wigan currently occupy 22nd place with 34 points from 34 games a point a game average means 22nd is on course to finish with 46 pts so as it stands 46 and better goal difference will be enough to stay up.
Even if we average a point a game in our last 12 games taking 12 points will see us finish on 51 pts i'm very confident we'll be safe with that.
Yes they've cut the player budget, but falling from 7th last season to a relegation scrap is poor
The team finishing 21st this year is going to need quite a few more than that.
This season we're already on 39 points. And we're only 6 points from 12th position. Teams just above us could easily be drawn into trouble. Not only is it in our own hands, we look to have enough in the tank, especially if we win our 6-pointers at home. But we could still be in trouble if we don't.
And there's the rub ...... the teams in the bottom half of the table mostly still have to play each other - and both teams can't win. We've seen it's pretty much a dog-eat-dog division; any team is capable of winning on the day. And conversely, unless one unlikely team hits a purple patch with promotion form, plenty of struggling teams will drop points regularly. That's why they are relegation strugglers.
How many points do we need? ..... basically, just 1 more than the team that finishes 22nd.
Pick up enough points in our own games, focused only on 1 match at a time - then it really doesn't matter what the other strugglers do.
#inourownhands
Based on our performances against Forest and Luton, I reckon our first team are pretty decent and shouldn't have any worries. I think the biggest fear is that we pick up another bunch of injuries.
These borderline decisions might make all the difference...