so long,farewell,auf Wiedersehen,good night...in other words...the relegation thread

[That Fat Centre Half]

Some really big games for us all in the basement of the league tonight. If we win tonight it’s really well and truely on, if not and other results don’t go in
favour us it looks very unlikely again.

For our part QPR look like a team with nothing to play for, and we are on a good run of form with confidence hopefully high after a great 2-0 win in the week and an extra days rest for whatever that is worth. Classic 2-0 defeat on the cards, I’d almost find that a comforting return to normality in these times to be honest!

Hope Rea is back fit, could really do with him doing on a job on Eze and his protection of the back 4 would be much welcomed.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We could outside of the bottom 3 tonight for the first time in how long...?

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We could outside of the bottom 3 tonight for the first time in how long...?

I think Boxing Day? Remember we actually weren’t bottom 3 for a while and being amazed by it considering we couldn’t buy a win for much of the winter. Think we dropped into after the last minute equaliser by a Mitrovic that day.

 

[Kenneth E End]

My prediction for the end of the season. This is how close I think it will be... extremely close:

1​	Leeds United (X)	46​	28​	9​	9​	78​	34​	44​	93​
2​	West Bromwich Albion (X)	46​	24​	16​	6​	81​	43​	38​	88​
3​	Brentford (X)	46​	26​	9​	11​	86​	36​	50​	87​
4​	Fulham (X)	46​	24​	11​	11​	64​	46​	18​	83​
5​	Nottingham Forest	46​	20​	16​	10​	60​	44​	16​	76​
6​	Cardiff City	46​	19​	16​	11​	67​	58​	9​	73​
7​	Swansea City	46​	17​	17​	12​	59​	52​	7​	68​
8​	Preston North End	46​	18​	12​	16​	60​	55​	5​	66​
9​	Bristol City	46​	18​	12​	16​	62​	64​	-2​	66​
10​	Millwall	46​	15​	19​	12​	50​	48​	2​	64​
11​	Derby County	46​	17​	13​	16​	60​	64​	-4​	64​
12​	Blackburn Rovers	46​	16​	15​	15​	63​	59​	4​	63​
13​	Sheffield Wednesday	46​	16​	11​	19​	58​	62​	-4​	59​
14​	Reading	46​	15​	13​	18​	55​	51​	4​	58​
15​	Queens Park Rangers	46​	15​	9​	21​	60​	75​	-15​	54​
16​	Charlton Athletic	46​	13​	11​	22​	50​	63​	-13​	50​
17​	Huddersfield Town	46​	13​	11​	22​	50​	70​	-20​	50​
18​	Middlesbrough	46​	11​	16​	19​	44​	59​	-15​	49​
19​	Stoke City	46​	14​	7​	25​	56​	72​	-16​	49​
20​	Birmingham City	46​	12​	13​	21​	54​	75​	-21​	49​
21​	Luton Town	46​	13​	10​	23​	53​	81​	-28​	49​
22​	Wigan Athletic	46​	15​	13​	18​	49​	57​	-8​	46​
23​	Hull City	46​	12​	10​	24​	60​	80​	-20​	46​
24​	Barnsley	46​	10​	13​	23​	46​	76​	-30​	43​

 

[Super_horns]

Wigan doing their best to avoid the drop.

3-0 v Hull.

Middlesbrough 1-0 down.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Wigan doing their best to avoid the drop.

3-0 v Hull.

Middlesbrough 1-0 down.

Per the above, I had Wigan to win 1, lose 1 and draw 1 from their last 3. They still have to play Charlton at the weekend which is humungous (but it would also mean their 12 point deduction will be next season) and then Fulham who may be on the beach by that point in readiness for the play offs.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Hang on a second... it's only half time there! I assumed that it was a late 2nd half capitulation!

Getting mauled by the Latics...

GD is suddenly back in the game for us.

 

[oakroader]

7-0 down at half time....

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Crazy score, got to think the Hull players have just given up toward the end of that first half, the goals went in so quickly that google was showing it as 4-0 at half time. At least it was only 5-0 for us at Brentford!

 

[oakroader]

8-0.

 

[Super_horns]

They are gone.

Luton will beat Hull too.

So last place either Charlton or Wigan who meet on Saturday?

 

[Laker]

That’s an incredible result. They’ve got a positive goal difference now which is amazing.

Charlton away on Saturday now, a win would probably put Wigan ahead pending their result at Birmingham tomorrow night.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

They are gone.

Luton will beat Hull too.

So last place either Charlton or Wigan who meet on Saturday?

I admire your confidence in us!!

I’m exhausted watching us tonight against QPR. We are struggling in midfield with Shinnje and Pelly looking knackered to me. Missing Rea as well. Got a feeling Eze is going to get them back in it.

 

[Kenneth E End]

QPHa don't look like a team on Southend beach.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Yep typically a team out of form finding it against us! Carter Vickers should have really put the winger into the stand and taken the yellow, for the goal. Bree got caught upfield and we got punished I’m afraid. Difficult to see where we are going to get a goal from as we cannot get a hold of the ball.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Why have we suddenly forgotten how to play at Kenilworth Road? Just proves how hostile the ground is for away teams.

Thought it was a really harsh disallowed goal for us. Minimal contact.

Not all over, but we need to win our last two games against Hull and Blackburn, period.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Why have we suddenly forgotten how to play at Kenilworth Road? Just proves how hostile the ground is for away teams.

Thought it was a really harsh disallowed goal for us. Minimal contact.

Not all over, but we need to win our last two games against Hull and Blackburn, period.

Had 2 hands on him unfortunately - wasn't forceful but it was an easy spot for the referee.

We had our chances given we barely had any of the ball, Lee first half and Potts at the end but just didnt have a foothold in midfield to be able to do much in the game. Pelly and Shinnie in particular were not good and left only Berry in there who was winning any kind of second balls. Felt we should have changed that sooner than we did.

Becomes difficult if results don't go our way tomorrow but in reality it hasn't changed much in terms of mindset, still need to win those 2 games like we did before.

 

[Super_horns]

I admire your confidence in us!!

I’m exhausted watching us tonight against QPR. We are struggling in midfield with Shinnje and Pelly looking knackered to me. Missing Rea as well. Got a feeling Eze is going to get them back in it.

Thought you would win .

Surely will beat Hull ?

 

[Luke Imp]

I'm not sure whether it's correct, but it's seemed like the last four or five games that Luton have had a chance to close the gap and not really taken it and are just ticking over a bit too much i.e. wins and losses are better at this stage of the season than draws.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I'm not sure whether it's correct, but it's seemed like the last four or five games that Luton have had a chance to close the gap and not really taken it and are just ticking over a bit too much i.e. wins and losses are better at this stage of the season than draws.

We did beat Huddersfield in that run, that closed the gap and gave us the opportunity last night to actually get out of the relegation zone for the first time since Christmas. We’ve consistently chipped away at the gap since the restart but unfortunately at home we have missed opportunities.

The 2 home games, last night and Barnsley the previous week were big let downs. Barnsley if we had just been able to hold on for 5 more minutes we’d be well set.

Saturday is a massive game - Hull will be looking for a reaction.

 

[Vanni]

I've gone from wanting Luton to stay up to asking myself if the players really want to do just that? Last night's match was a massive wasted opportunity. I know it's often wrongly assumed that a game against a side with nothing to play for shouldn't be that tough*, but surely the Luton players should have been fired up from the first minute and then look to add another goal or two to then see out the game in relative comfort.

*we'd all be making thousands off the bookies if only that was true.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

I've gone from wanting Luton to stay up to asking myself if the players really want to do just that? Last night's match was a massive wasted opportunity. I know it's often wrongly assumed that a game against a side with nothing to play for shouldn't be that tough*, but surely the Luton players should have been fired up from the first minute and then look to add another goal or two to then see out the game in relative comfort.

*we'd all be making thousands off the bookies if only that was true.

The players definitely want it, they just don't have the quality to play in a front foot attacking manner at this level - thats just the top and the bottom of it. In fact the one time we ended up with bodies forward actually led to the goal last night so there you go. We had our chances to score as well so we do still create them.

There were a few "hot takes" like this about on twitter last night, things like "no fight", "no pashun" and I just fundamentally disagree with them. You cannot watch any of our games and think the players aren't giving it there absolute best, the effort being put forth to just stay in these games, to be a bit more defensivley resolute and give ourselves a chance at nicking something on the counter is absolutely top draw IMO.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

1-1 between Birmingham and Charlton. Massive important equaliser for Birmingham in the 93rd minute. They are probably safe now on 50 points I would have thought but it’s a mental league so you never know.

Charlton Wigan is now a very important game. Hull/Luton is the quintessential relegation 6 pointer. Whoever loses I think is down.

Probably on for a mutually destructive draw!

 

[oakroader]

Hypothetically...I wonder what difference 3000 or so Lutoners would have made to the outcome???

 

[Super_horns]

The players definitely want it, they just don't have the quality to play in a front foot attacking manner at this level - thats just the top and the bottom of it. In fact the one time we ended up with bodies forward actually led to the goal last night so there you go. We had our chances to score as well so we do still create them.

There were a few "hot takes" like this about on twitter last night, things like "no fight", "no pashun" and I just fundamentally disagree with them. You cannot watch any of our games and think the players aren't giving it there absolute best, the effort being put forth to just stay in these games, to be a bit more defensivley resolute and give ourselves a chance at nicking something on the counter is absolutely top draw IMO.

It's always the first thing fans say when they don't win when expected.

Fans don't care so much about the skill if the team is running around going full blooded into tackles etc.

Sometimes the players are caring and putting in the effort but it's not always enough.

Ofcouse there might be occasions when the commitment can be questioned but I don't think your players can be accused of that otherwise you'd be down a long time ago.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I'm not sure whether it's correct, but it's seemed like the last four or five games that Luton have had a chance to close the gap and not really taken it and are just ticking over a bit too much i.e. wins and losses are better at this stage of the season than draws.

Think that is harsh on Reading and QPR. Both were very good on the day; especially QPR who I'd argue are probably underachieving with the quality in their squad.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

Eze and Osayi Samuel were extremely impressive it has to be said leaving any space for them would, and did indeed prove to be, very dangerous. Defensively I thought they could be got at. Would have thought Eze will be off in the summer alongside Osayi-Samuel.

 

[oakroader]

teams with "nothing to play for" can be the most dangerous of foes...
players can play with no pressure and express themselves...
players on the fringes of the first team take the opportunity to shine....
players who want to impress the manager,due to contract re-negotiations looming,often play better...
no game is a given...we've found that out....

 

[oakroader]

Cmon Leeds....

 

[Kenneth E End]

That’s that for Barnsley me thinks.