League 2 relegation thread 14/15

[hellogregory]

Was that not down to Curle's tactics though? Potts should have done much better towards the end, several chances to counter but he gave it away and we remained under pressure.

Was ridiculous how much unnecessary pressure we came under. Not the first time this season either.

Both I'd say. Yeah Curle changed us to 1 up front but the players did shit themselves, failing to execute simple clearances and simple passes.

If we are to survive and that's a big if, it has to be done before the Hartlepool game, otherwise we'll buckle.

 

[shoddycollins]

Was that not down to Curle's tactics though? Potts should have done much better towards the end, several chances to counter but he gave it away and we remained under pressure.

Was ridiculous how much unnecessary pressure we came under. Not the first time this season either.

The guy next to me in the stand said 'if he takes Wyke off I'm going to riot'

 

[cufc17]

The guy next to me in the stand said 'if he takes Wyke off I'm going to riot'

So did he?

 

[shoddycollins]

So did he?

No... he just tutted.

 

[hellogregory]

Most are offering 20/1, some 18/1 and some 25/1.

I can only think that the bookies are looking solely at the 6 point gap and have ignored the remaining fixtures. The fact Mansfield have similar odds despite having a far easier run of fixtures suggests this.

I'd advise anyone to get on these odds while they are like this, because they'll be getting slashed after Tuesday and Wednesdays fixtures.

 

[AdamStag]

People seem to forget that tranmere could very easily beat us.

We've lost 5 in a row, struggle to score, can't defend and will have a ref who will give everything he possibly can against us

 

[Laker]

People seem to forget that tranmere could very easily beat us.

We've lost 5 in a row, struggle to score, can't defend and will have a ref who will give everything he possibly can against us

Tranmere have won 2 out of their last 15 and are 6 points behind you with 4 to play. At this stage, your worries pale into insignificance compared to theirs.

 

[hellogregory]

People seem to forget that tranmere could very easily beat us.

We've lost 5 in a row, struggle to score, can't defend and will have a ref who will give everything he possibly can against us

I do think Tranmere will beat you. I hope I'm wrong as I want them to remain 6 points behind us.

 

[daviejones]

If Tranmere lose against Mansfield then we're safe, simple as.

 

[Duffy]

If Tranmere lose against Mansfield then we're safe, simple as.

As much as our game midweek is important I think we're probably as good as safe anyway, the Tranny/ Stags game is the one I'm going to be keeping a watch on, if the Trannies win that it's going to look very interesting.

 

[hellogregory]

If Tranmere lose against Mansfield then we're safe, simple as.

Or if we beat Burton (unlikely I know).

Either way if there's still a 6 point gap after the next round of fixtures I'll start to be a bit optimistic.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

If you lose and IF Hartlepool and Tranmere win then you are no worse off than before Saturday, in fact you will be slightly better off cos Mansfield will have been dragged into all this.... I accept you have had a dissapointing season, and as a paying customer you have every right to complain, but, it's going to take a lot of unusual results for you to be relegated, at least you've abandoned your finishing bottom notion

 

[Luke Imp]

Mansfield could be right in the shite come 9.45pm Tuesday.

 

[hellogregory]

Mansfield could be right in the shite come 9.45pm Tuesday.

They could, and they'd be on the same points as us, with an easier run of remaining fixtures, yet people think we're safe.

Our fans are worryingly deluded and are going to get a shock during the next 3 weeks.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

CARLISLE have a better goal difference than Mansfield, yet another reason why Carlisle will be safe ....let's recap here, 4 of the bottom 5 lost the only winners were Carlisle who moved UP the league, yet Mr Gregory can only see the cloud that has been surrounded by a shiny silver lining, you couldn't make it up!

 

[Habbinalan]

Now that we're virtually clear of this thread, I could have done without the upcoming messy interlude before we drift into the summer. It has already awakened too many memories of the feelings 10 years ago - although they were as much about the prospect of not having a club to support as the trials of playing at Forest Green and Northwich Victoria.

With regret, we are quite capable of consigning Gary Johnson's Cheltenham to the Conference tomorrow but we are also equally capable of embarrassing ourselves. If they beat us, they are also capable of getting 3 points at Wimbledon but even so, 43 will not be enough.

If, as I expect, Tranmere beat Mansfield (and they are also well capable of any result) then our match with the Stags on Saturday will be even uglier than it already looks. Whether we let them off the hook or not, I think they'll go into the final day on the same points as Carlisle (probably on similar goal difference) and Tranmere (superior GD). Hartlepool will need a win but won't get it. Bury will turn over Tranmere. HG will be with us in L2 next season.

 

[hellogregory]

CARLISLE have a better goal difference than Mansfield, yet another reason why Carlisle will be safe ....let's recap here, 4 of the bottom 5 lost the only winners were Carlisle who moved UP the league, yet Mr Gregory can only see the cloud that has been surrounded by a shiny silver lining, you couldn't make it up!

Only just. With our upcoming fixtures and our only decent defender suspended for 4 games, our GD will take a bit of a hammering. So I doubt it will remain better than Mansfields (or yours for that matter).

 

[shoddycollins]

Just gonna throw this out there (mainly to annoy HG) but we could be mathematically safe come 5pm on Saturday

Mansfield Beat Tranmere
Cheltenham nick a point at Cambridge
Hartlepool beat Accrington
Carlisle nick a scrappy point at Burton, motivated by the fact they've been able to see other results going their way the day before

Mansfield 9
Carlisle 7
Hartlepool 4
------------------
Tranmere 0
Cheltenham -1

Then on Saturday

Tranmere draw with Oxford
Cheltenham lose to Northampton
Carlisle nick another point at home to Plymouth
Then it doesn't matter what Hartlepool and Mansfield do, but just to keep HG happy we'll say they both win, beating Luton and Cambridge respectively.

Mansfield 11
Carlisle 7
Hartlepool 6
---------------------
Tranmere 0
Cheltenham -2

And with only two games left to play, that's Cheltenham relegated and Carlisle safe, and Carlisle didn't even need to win either of their games and Tranmere were even allowed to draw one.

 

[hellogregory]

Just gonna throw this out there (mainly to annoy HG) but we could be mathematically safe come 5pm on Saturday

Mansfield Beat Tranmere
Cheltenham nick a point at Cambridge
Hartlepool beat Accrington
Carlisle nick a scrappy point at Burton, motivated by the fact they've been able to see other results going their way the day before

Mansfield 9
Carlisle 7
Hartlepool 4
------------------
Tranmere 0
Cheltenham -1

Then on Saturday

Tranmere draw with Oxford
Cheltenham lose to Northampton
Carlisle nick another point at home to Plymouth
Then it doesn't matter what Hartlepool and Mansfield do, but just to keep HG happy we'll say they both win, beating Luton and Cambridge respectively.

Mansfield 11
Carlisle 7
Hartlepool 7
---------------------
Tranmere 0
Cheltenham 0

And with only two games left to play, that's Tranmere and Cheltenham relegated, and Carlisle didn't even need to win either of their games and Tranmere were even allowed to draw one.

We could be as good as mathematically safe by Wednesday night if we win and others lose. Not going to happen though is it, unfortunately.

 

[shoddycollins]

We could be as good as mathematically safe by Wednesday night if we win and others lose. Not going to happen though is it, unfortunately.

that's the spirit.

Honestly I don't think we're going to be virtually safe on Wednesday, I'm not that optimistic, just trying to illustrate that there are realistic scenarios where we survive.

Maybe Curle's meltdown last week was his masterstroke, he apparently did it with the full consent of the players and there did seem to be a lot more squad unity on Saturday, perhaps that will see us steady the ship and nick the points we need.

 

[AdamStag]

It's all about tomorrow.

If we win, us, Carlisle and everyone else above are going to be virtually safe.

I think there are going to be some seriously nervy people at field mill tomorrow (or me in Manchester as I cant make it). I would be very happy with a point right now.

We've got the performance in us, but we've also got a York performance in us where they just turned us over at will. We've drawn with Hartlepool and Cheltenham at home and beat Carlisle, so the record against the sides around us is alright bar that showing.

 

[Shrimpurh]

I fancy Tranmere and Hartlepool wins tomorrow evening to bring Carlisle and Mansfield right back in to it. Looking at Carlisle fixtures it does make grim reading but I do think they will stay up. Very hard to pick who is going to go with Cheltenham atm I would go with Tranmere as their last 2 games are awful

 

[1884 Belmont]

Nothing suggests we will beat Mansfield tomorrow, absolutely nothing:
1. We have won 1 of 13 games.
2. No wins in 9 against the current bottom 6 (ie all season, we've failed to beat our relegation rivals AT ALL, including losing twice to Cheltenham!!).
3. York, Cheltenham, Carlisle and Luton were all on poor/losing runs and then they played us as ALL WON. (Mansfield lost last 5).
4. We haven't kept a clean sheet in 17 games and would therefore need to score 2 minimum to win.
5. We couldn't even beat Mansfield at Prenton Park when they played with no strikers.

If Hartlepool win tomorrow, we're down as we simply won't beat Mansfield. If we lose, we could even mathematically go on Saturday.

 

[hellogregory]

I fancy Tranmere and Hartlepool wins tomorrow evening to bring Carlisle and Mansfield right back in to it. Looking at Carlisle fixtures it does make grim reading but I do think they will stay up. Very hard to pick who is going to go with Cheltenham atm I would go with Tranmere as their last 2 games are awful

This is how I see it, although I'm not confident we'll stay up. Wins for tranmere and Hartlepool could give them the boost to go and win on Saturday as well. With our remaining fixtures this would be a disaster.

I wish I shared shoddy's optimism but unless results go for us tomorrow night, I can't be positive about our survival chances no matter what way I look at it.

We have the disadvantage of being the worst team in the league. It's only by pure luck that we've found ourselves 6 points above.

Now it's confirmed that Troy is suspended for 4 games and we won't be appealing, it makes it all the more certain to me that we'll lose all of our remaining games. That sounds negative I know but if you'd watched us all season and a particularly at accrington a week ago you'd agree.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

We're all (with the obvious exceptions) rooting for a Tranmere win aren't we? It would certainly make for a more interesting final few games.

 

[wilsontown]

Nothing suggests we will beat Mansfield tomorrow, absolutely nothing:
1. We have won 1 of 13 games.
2. No wins in 9 against the current bottom 6 (ie all season, we've failed to beat our relegation rivals AT ALL, including losing twice to Cheltenham!!).
3. York, Cheltenham, Carlisle and Luton were all on poor/losing runs and then they played us as ALL WON. (Mansfield lost last 5).
4. We haven't kept a clean sheet in 17 games and would therefore need to score 2 minimum to win.
5. We couldn't even beat Mansfield at Prenton Park when they played with no strikers.

If Hartlepool win tomorrow, we're down as we simply won't beat Mansfield. If we lose, we could even mathematically go on Saturday.

Yes, but you're forgetting that Mansfield are also beyond woeful. Let's face it, York have been absolute shite all season and we smashed them to pieces 4-1 at their place with 10 men. I can see both Tranmere and Hartlepool getting wins tomorrow which would keep it interesting.

 

[AdamStag]

It's just our confidence, it's very fragile.

If we go a goal up we normally do alright and tend to hang on, but the minute we go behind and a team gets behind the ball we are screwed

 

[shoddycollins]

Yes, but you're forgetting that Mansfield are also beyond woeful. Let's face it, York have been absolute shite all season and we smashed them to pieces 4-1 at their place with 10 men. I can see both Tranmere and Hartlepool getting wins tomorrow which would keep it interesting.

could always be a draw. Which I would gladly accept

 

[AdamStag]

could always be a draw. Which I would gladly accept

I'd take the draw now

 

[shoddycollins]

I'd take the draw now

Indeed. A draw would leave you 7 points clear of relegation with three teams needing to overtake you to send you down.

Because we don't play till Wednesday, a decent set of results in the Tuesday night games could be a big morale boost. We might be unlikely to take anything away from Burton but knowing, for example that the worst-case scenario would still see us 5 points clear of the drop could just take a bit of the pressure of us and keep us from self-destructing.