Championship 22-23 (16 Viewers)

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
What odds for a Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Millwall treble? Need to make sure that Blackburn don't beat Luton tomorrow first though. A draw would be perfect. They couldn't catch us but could still make 6th place by beating Millwall.

Our form suggests a draw at Middlesbrough. That would cover WBA turning around a deficit of 5GD.

We don’t want a Luton draw, we want Boro with no chance of 3rd when they play us. That’s far more important than any matches involving others.
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
Cardiff v Huddersfield TV game today and is the first match in a while that means absolutely nothing to us.

Most TV games have meant “if x beats y then the game against z becomes important because z can catch us / can rest players etc.”.

This one: zilch.

Hang on….

If Hudds win then Rotherham are dragged in the the relegation mix and play Middlesbrough before us and might need a result. They’ll go full tilt against them and might wear them out a bit.

Plus, Rotherham not safe and needing the win might make the chance of (if the Millers win) Middlesbrough going 3rd impossible and less to play for against us.

It’s a stretch and a sad state of affairs really but this is where we seem to be thinking of late - looking at everything

Right.

Come on Warnock!

Edit: put Hudlin on for a guaranteed win (satire)
 
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Astute

Well-Known Member
We don’t want a Luton draw, we want Boro with no chance of 3rd when they play us. That’s far more important than any matches involving others.
A Luton draw means Blackburn are still in it but can't catch us because of the GD. They have Millwall last game of the season. Millwall are 1 point and 4GD behind us. Blackburn would need to beat Millwall to have a chance which is Sunderland not beating Preston away.
 

Sky Blue Harry H

Well-Known Member
We don’t want a Luton draw, we want Boro with no chance of 3rd when they play us. That’s far more important than any matches involving others.
Why would Boro' care if they're 3rd or 4th. They'd still have 2nd leg home advantage, and finishing 3rd or 4th still wouldn't know in advance who their opponents would be, so makes zero difference to them.
 

skybluegod

Well-Known Member
No team in the world is going to want to go into the playoffs on a loss anyway. Anyone thinking Middlesbrough will in some way take it easy needs to have a wobble.
We just need to go up there playing for a win. It's quite simple.
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
No team in the world is going to want to go into the playoffs on a loss anyway. Anyone thinking Middlesbrough will in some way take it easy needs to have a wobble.
We just need to go up there playing for a win. It's quite simple.
Middlesbrough (stating to obvious) want to win the playoffs.

They’ll want to go in with no injuries to key players and no suspensions.

If that means resting a few and telling the players not to go into daft 50/50s then one would think that’d be how they approach playing us.

If that gives us a better chance of not being turned over then that’s what we want, right?

I’m sure that the right manager talk would make a loss less psychologically impactful if their weakened team lost star players fit and available for the final 2/3.
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
Thinking about it, if they did play their full team and we hammer them, wouldn’t that be more damaging than playing a weakened team and losing?

Who knows.

Anyway
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
Is there a Middlesbrough / Sunderland rivalry?

Would they want to avoid each other first leg?

Do they compete for fans (Google maps time) in Bishop Auckland / Durham? (Probably overthinking there)

Would Middlesbrough want to go easy on us if it meant Sunderland slipped out of frame?

Need to delay the kick off. Someone stick a spud up the team bus exhaust.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Why would Boro' care if they're 3rd or 4th. They'd still have 2nd leg home advantage, and finishing 3rd or 4th still wouldn't know in advance who their opponents would be, so makes zero difference to them.

Gives you an extra day rest before the final I believe.
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
So today we want Rotherham to beat Middlesbrough. We need them to tire them out, get a few Boro sent off and Rotherham to win so that Boro can’t get 3rd and have nothing to play for next week.

And Luton to draw with Blackburn to get them (BB) so they can’t realistically overhaul us but have a chance of beating and overhauling Millwall last day. Don’t want them on the beach last match - need them fighting out a draw.

Is that about it?
 

steve cooper

Well-Known Member
So today we want Rotherham to beat Middlesbrough. We need them to tire them out, get a few Boro sent off and Rotherham to win so that Boro can’t get 3rd and have nothing to play for next week.

And Luton to draw with Blackburn to get them (BB) so they can’t realistically overhaul us but have a chance of beating and overhauling Millwall last day. Don’t want them on the beach last match - need them fighting out a draw.

Is that about it?
Except I never like it when our next opponents have just lost a game to a team they should have hammered. They generally get a roasting off their manager and their supporters. Both games a draw for me.
 

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
Luton blackburn draw plz.

Could be massive for our chances of Blackburn fight tooth and nail last day of season Vs Millwall.
 

SeaSeeEffCee

Well-Known Member
We should want Middlesbrough and Luton to both win in my opinion. Ideal situation is Middlesbrough having nothing to play for but also not in bad enough form that they might want to try and beat us for a bit of momentum.
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
We should want Middlesbrough and Luton to both win in my opinion. Ideal situation is Middlesbrough having nothing to play for but also not in bad enough form that they might want to try and beat us for a bit of momentum.
But if Luton win Blackburn can't make the playoffs. Blackburn are 3 points behind Millwall but behind by 11 in GD. If Blackburn beat Luton they can go above us. So best result is a draw. Then make them attack and try to beat Millwall.
 

Hutch11

Well-Known Member
So today we want Rotherham to beat Middlesbrough. We need them to tire them out, get a few Boro sent off and Rotherham to win so that Boro can’t get 3rd and have nothing to play for next week.

And Luton to draw with Blackburn to get them (BB) so they can’t realistically overhaul us but have a chance of beating and overhauling Millwall last day. Don’t want them on the beach last match - need them fighting out a draw.

Is that about it?
Wouldn't mind Archer and Akbum getting straight reds , 3 game bans each
 

napolimp

Well-Known Member
People saying Middlesborough may want to rest players against us, and play some sort of second string, but why would you want your team to have nearly 2 weeks without any game time going into the most important matches of the season?
 

WestEndAgro

Well-Known Member
Paddy McNair is a right shit house, could do with him getting injured.
A master of the dark arts of defending.
 

The Philosopher

Well-Known Member
People saying Middlesborough may want to rest players against us, and play some sort of second string, but why would you want your team to have nearly 2 weeks without any game time going into the most important matches of the season?
If we were playing, say, Watford and it was a dead rubber, would we risk Gyok and Gus not getting a red or an injury?
 

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