2025 relegation dogfight thread

[Casey]

If it's not all over by the last day, Shrewsbury v Crawley will be massive

I honestly think we will be gone by then.

Casey

 

[Bartonyellow]

How's JJ McKiernan doing for you? See he's getting a few assists and a goal too.

Pleasantly surprised with him. Delivery is wayward at times but he has impressed of late. Decent player overall.

 

[Pedlar]

Are Peterborough in this thread now?

 

[thewwfc]

Well I did include them at the beginning of the thread, but thought that either Ferguson would have been canned by now or he’d have been backed to bring in panic signings, and neither seems to have happened (think they have shipped a bunch out, and signed a couple, but nothing major).

Looking at their form over the last 10, it’s not good:

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Are Peterborough in this thread now?

Absolutely they played like we have for most of the season

 

[Stocky]

Peterborough have a smell of MK Dons a few years ago at this level.

Play off side one year and then dropped the next. "Too good to go down" and just eventually got done by sides who had more battle and spirit. From what I can see the bottom four have plenty of fight in them to varying degrees. They won't all stay up but got a feeling they won't all go down.

 

[AmberAndy]

Just signed Nathan Bishop as a replacement, replacement goal keeper. Stags fans I believe he had a spell with you in league 2. Observations?

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Peterborough have a smell of MK Dons a few years ago at this level.

Play off side one year and then dropped the next. "Too good to go down" and just eventually got done by sides who had more battle and spirit. From what I can see the bottom four have plenty of fight in them to varying degrees. They won't all stay up but got a feeling they won't all go down.

I couldnt believe how poor they were, it was as comfortable as a (also poor) side like us will get this season. Ricky Jones and Conn-Clarke were the only threats the rest were awful. Just a shame we dont play them again.

Also why do Sky Sports always get that pleb MacAnthony on for an interview on deadline day. Already accused us of deliberately putting the kibosh on the JCH deal. Blinding decision in hindsight!

 

[AdamStag]

It’s one of those where i’m certainly glad we’ve got the early points on the board, january turned out to be rather the disaster.

With a bit more of a break of the lads and a new signing or 2 hopefully we can get those 2/3 wins we need.

Having played the bottom 3 (and losing to all 3!) it’s easy to see why they’re there, but also hope for them - i’d say out of the 3 (cambridge were the worst, then shrewsbury and crawley)

We were poor and that’s why we lost, shrewsbury were pretty average, but other Ainsworth in charge and their home form they’ve the best chance to save themselves from what i’ve seen in general.

Just my take of course.

 

[Laker]

We’ve not signed enough good players this window to be anywhere close to getting out of it. I think Bishop and Stevenson are decent signings but both strikers are unknown quantities. It’s just not enough.

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Yeah think our goose is cooked. Ballard and Stevenson look handy, Bishop can't be any worse, and even if we have left a lot of points on the table lately and not looked like our league position, by the time we've got the next two (Lincoln/Brum A) out of the way we'll need play off form to stay up.

Suspect we'll do alright out of the 5 matches after that and keep it respectable, but not anywhere near enough to stay up.

 

[Laker]

Yeah think our goose is cooked. Ballard and Stevenson look handy, Bishop can't be any worse, and even if we have left a lot of points on the table lately and not looked like our league position, by the time we've got the next two (Lincoln/Brum A) out of the way we'll need play off form to stay up.

Suspect we'll do alright out of the 5 matches after that and keep it respectable, but not anywhere near enough to stay up.

Yeah agreed. I think we’ll get around 35-40 points - ie we’ll have decentish form (for a relegation team) for the rest of the season but ultimately it won’t be enough to get close to staying up.

 

[Master D]

People are saying Mansfield are involved in this relegation dog-fight now, after looking good for a playoff position just a few months back.

I don't agree, they've already got a decent points tally and 5 more wins from 19 games is easily doable.

 

[thewwfc]

I don't know which "people" you're referring to specifically, but I'd be highly surprised to see Mansfield ever even flirting with the drop spots.

Whilst we've beaten them twice, they've looked pretty solid but lacking up front (Gregory was definitely injured for at least one of those games so that would explain it). They've obviously signed 2 strikers - don't know about the Brighton kid, but Jordan Rhodes is certainly proven at this level even if he's past his peak.

I haven't seen all of the relegation sides play lately, but I don't feel like any one of them is that absolutely hapless whipping-boy team like Carlisle were last season or FGR the season before that.

I wouldn't have said Cambridge were bottom of the league based on last week's showing.

I think Exeter, Posh, Northampton and the Gas could get dragged in - but let's not forget, that that would require one or more of the current bottom 4 to suddenly find promotion form, to not only make up the existing deficit, but then to stay ahead of whichever team they leapfrog.

But sadly the very problem with sides in the relegation dogfight is that they just don't have that consistency.

 

[GEORGE]

I don't know which "people" you're referring to specifically, but I'd be highly surprised to see Mansfield ever even flirting with the drop spots.

Whilst we've beaten them twice, they've looked pretty solid but lacking up front (Gregory was definitely injured for at least one of those games so that would explain it). They've obviously signed 2 strikers - don't know about the Brighton kid, but Jordan Rhodes is certainly proven at this level even if he's past his peak.

I haven't seen all of the relegation sides play lately, but I don't feel like any one of them is that absolutely hapless whipping-boy team like Carlisle were last season or FGR the season before that.

I wouldn't have said Cambridge were bottom of the league based on last week's showing.

I think Exeter, Posh, Northampton and the Gas could get dragged in - but let's not forget, that that would require one or more of the current bottom 4 to suddenly find promotion form, to not only make up the existing deficit, but then to stay ahead of whichever team they leapfrog.

But sadly the very problem with sides in the relegation dogfight is that they just don't have that consistency.

" Could get dragged in" -- I would say we are right in the thick of it. I never like to forecast any team to get relegated . But Exeter City are in complete freefall and are losing games by quite a few goals. Maybe the new blokes they've signed will get them out of it. But looking at them over the past month .I would say they are one team that could go.

 

[EnglishRed]

" Could get dragged in" -- I would say we are right in the thick of it. I never like to forecast any team to get relegated . But Exeter City are in complete freefall and are losing games by quite a few goals. Maybe the new blokes they've signed will get them out of it. But looking at them over the past month .I would say they are one team that could go.

We've played a few of the relegation threatened teams recently and I feel like teams like Burton are showing quite a lot more fight than a number above them (Peterborough and Exeter especially). Crawley also looked ok but not sure they've got enough in their squad.

Id also say Cambridge look like they could get out of it but they seem so schizophrenic with their results.

I can definitely see some teams getting dragged right into the mud before the season ends.

 

[Laker]

I think the only way we’re schizophrenic is that we either play well and lose or play poorly and lose……

 

[Pedlar]

I think our owners have handed back the keys after one season in league 1. Shocking transfer window, not back the manager. It was nice meeting you guys and wish you well. Our League 1 season comes around every 12 years!

 

[Conker]

I don't know which "people" you're referring to specifically, but I'd be highly surprised to see Mansfield ever even flirting with the drop spots.

Whilst we've beaten them twice, they've looked pretty solid but lacking up front (Gregory was definitely injured for at least one of those games so that would explain it). They've obviously signed 2 strikers - don't know about the Brighton kid, but Jordan Rhodes is certainly proven at this level even if he's past his peak.

I haven't seen all of the relegation sides play lately, but I don't feel like any one of them is that absolutely hapless whipping-boy team like Carlisle were last season or FGR the season before that.

I wouldn't have said Cambridge were bottom of the league based on last week's showing.

I think Exeter, Posh, Northampton and the Gas could get dragged in - but let's not forget, that that would require one or more of the current bottom 4 to suddenly find promotion form, to not only make up the existing deficit, but then to stay ahead of whichever team they leapfrog.

But sadly the very problem with sides in the relegation dogfight is that they just don't have that consistency.

The two defeats to Wycombe will probably be looked back as the worst, unlike the last couple where we’ve got what we deserved - fuck all, I’m still a bit confused how we’ve not took two points from our two games!