The League of 4

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Stranded
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Re: The League of 4

by Stranded » 23 Apr 2019 10:46

Sutekh And realistically then there were 2 - Millwall and Rotherham - (though for the sake of professionalism Gomes et al are rightly still talking of having a job to do at ‘boro and maybe Birmingham)

All Reading have to do is ensure they a) don’t lose both remaining games and b) don’t throw away a 13 goal “advantage” or c) don’t have points deducted over the remaining 2 games of the season.


I think we will see Gomes use the "Norwich" formation on Saturday with the plan to try and nick a win - we may well get more attacking as the game goes on esp if it becomes clear Rotherham are getting beat but plan will definitely be to look to get the point we need to be sure ourselves.

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Re: The League of 4

by muirinho » 23 Apr 2019 10:48

Stranded
Sutekh And realistically then there were 2 - Millwall and Rotherham - (though for the sake of professionalism Gomes et al are rightly still talking of having a job to do at ‘boro and maybe Birmingham)

All Reading have to do is ensure they a) don’t lose both remaining games and b) don’t throw away a 13 goal “advantage” or c) don’t have points deducted over the remaining 2 games of the season.


I think we will see Gomes use the "Norwich" formation on Saturday with the plan to try and nick a win - we may well get more attacking as the game goes on esp if it becomes clear Rotherham are getting beat but plan will definitely be to look to get the point we need to be sure ourselves.


Yes, hopefully Meite and Blackett will be recovered from their knocks. Not expecting to see Oliveira again this season.

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Re: The League of 4

by Needle » 23 Apr 2019 17:56

Stranded
Sutekh And realistically then there were 2 - Millwall and Rotherham - (though for the sake of professionalism Gomes et al are rightly still talking of having a job to do at ‘boro and maybe Birmingham)

All Reading have to do is ensure they a) don’t lose both remaining games and b) don’t throw away a 13 goal “advantage” or c) don’t have points deducted over the remaining 2 games of the season.


I think we will see Gomes use the "Norwich" formation on Saturday with the plan to try and nick a win - we may well get more attacking as the game goes on esp if it becomes clear Rotherham are getting beat but plan will definitely be to look to get the point we need to be sure ourselves.


:shock:

No-one will be looking at the Rotherham score. It's over*.



*We need to lose by 6 or 7 aggregate over the two matches, and Rotherham win both by the same margin.

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Re: The League of 4

by Snowball » 23 Apr 2019 19:22

Not quite as much

If we lost 4-0 and they won 0-2 the gap would be down to 7 goals going into the last game

All this is HIGHLY unlikely but Rotherham have scored more goals so need to MATCH our GD

Say an early sending off at BORO and we lose 5-0 while Rotherham win...



Just to say I think we will get 4 or 6 points from our last two games

But the above, as long as it remains theoretically possible...

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Re: The League of 4

by Mid Sussex Royal » 23 Apr 2019 19:54

Snowball Not quite as much

If we lost 4-0 and they won 0-2 the gap would be down to 7 goals going into the last game

All this is HIGHLY unlikely but Rotherham have scored more goals so need to MATCH our GD

Say an early sending off at BORO and we lose 5-0 while Rotherham win...



Just to say I think we will get 4 or 6 points from our last two games

But the above, as long as it remains theoretically possible...


I'd go with that if we were playing someone like Swansea mid table (and dangerous on their day) who may have a good go with no pressure on, but we are playing a Tony Pulis side who need to win at all costs, if they score first they will win 1-0.


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Re: The League of 4

by Nameless » 23 Apr 2019 20:03

Mid Sussex Royal
Snowball Not quite as much

If we lost 4-0 and they won 0-2 the gap would be down to 7 goals going into the last game

All this is HIGHLY unlikely but Rotherham have scored more goals so need to MATCH our GD

Say an early sending off at BORO and we lose 5-0 while Rotherham win...



Just to say I think we will get 4 or 6 points from our last two games

But the above, as long as it remains theoretically possible...


I'd go with that if we were playing someone like Swansea mid table (and dangerous on their day) who may have a good go with no pressure on, but we are playing a Tony Pulis side who need to win at all costs, if they score first they will win 1-0.


But what if Rotherham stuff the Baggies 5-0 ? That’s a six goal swing !

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Re: The League of 4

by windermereROYAL » 23 Apr 2019 20:17

What a load of bed wetters. a team that have not won a game by more than a single goal all season are going to WBA a confirmed play-off team and going to win by 4 or 5 goals.
BTW Albion need to keep winning to get a home semi-final 2nd leg against Villa.
Last edited by windermereROYAL on 23 Apr 2019 20:41, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: The League of 4

by Nameless » 23 Apr 2019 20:19

windermereROYAL What a load of bed wetters.


West Brom might rest all their first choice players now their playoff place is secure. We could be in serious trouble......

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Re: The League of 4

by windermereROYAL » 23 Apr 2019 20:21

Nameless
windermereROYAL What a load of bed wetters.


West Brom might rest all their first choice players now their playoff place is secure. We could be in serious trouble......


Read my edited post.


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Re: The League of 4

by CountryRoyal » 23 Apr 2019 20:38

Snowball
Just to say I think we will get 4 or 6 points from our last two games

But the above, as long as it remains theoretically possible...


I actually think this team has a big win in them, obviously less so now without Oli and Meite but still, there are signs. It's actually miraculous what Jose has done, we go into games and are actually competing.

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Re: The League of 4

by Nameless » 23 Apr 2019 20:53

windermereROYAL
Nameless
windermereROYAL What a load of bed wetters.


West Brom might rest all their first choice players now their playoff place is secure. We could be in serious trouble......


Read my edited post.


They needed wins to get a play off place and still rested players. I think it’s 50/50 that Rotherham might actually do it. Stranger things have happened. A amateur snooker player beat Robbie O’Sullivan today, and then there was the Calcutta Cup. The more you think about it the more worrying it gets.

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Re: The League of 4

by Snowflake Royal » 23 Apr 2019 21:08

And people call me humourless.

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Re: The League of 4

by Nameless » 23 Apr 2019 21:39

Snowflake Royal And people call me humourless.


And you demonstrate why yet again !


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Re: The League of 4

by Stranded » 24 Apr 2019 08:16

Needle
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Sutekh And realistically then there were 2 - Millwall and Rotherham - (though for the sake of professionalism Gomes et al are rightly still talking of having a job to do at ‘boro and maybe Birmingham)

All Reading have to do is ensure they a) don’t lose both remaining games and b) don’t throw away a 13 goal “advantage” or c) don’t have points deducted over the remaining 2 games of the season.


I think we will see Gomes use the "Norwich" formation on Saturday with the plan to try and nick a win - we may well get more attacking as the game goes on esp if it becomes clear Rotherham are getting beat but plan will definitely be to look to get the point we need to be sure ourselves.


:shock:

No-one will be looking at the Rotherham score. It's over*.


*We need to lose by 6 or 7 aggregate over the two matches, and Rotherham win both by the same margin.


No fans will but the club is run by professionals who will want to do a job - it is why we are safe. So that is why I expect us to follow the same format as the last 2 away games and set up to nick a win but be tough to beat.

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Re: The League of 4

by NewCorkSeth » 24 Apr 2019 08:20

Am I alone in thinking the Boro game is very winnable? And that Birmingham are likely to be on the beach now?

Also wouldn't it be funny if Birmingham finished 19th for the 3rd year in a row.

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Re: The League of 4

by Snowflake Royal » 24 Apr 2019 08:25

I hope the management also sees the benefit of finishing the season on a high to take into the next one rather than achieving safety and then ending with a damp squib.

Last season's 0-4 And the players sulking in the dressing room rather than doing the traditional lap of appreciation (until it became clear the last couple of hundred fans weren't going anywhere until they showed their faces some 20 - 30 mins later) was a truly awful end to a horrendous season, and one I'd rather never see repeated.

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Re: The League of 4

by Stranded » 24 Apr 2019 08:38

NewCorkSeth Am I alone in thinking the Boro game is very winnable? And that Birmingham are likely to be on the beach now?

Also wouldn't it be funny if Birmingham finished 19th for the 3rd year in a row.


Oh yeah 6pts is absolutely attainable over the last 2 games, my post was simply a comment on how we think we'll set up as Gomes was clear that we aren't safe yet in his mind. Whatever happens there, I'd expect a much more attacking performance v Brum on the last day.

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Re: The League of 4

by paddy20 » 24 Apr 2019 08:48

Stranded
NewCorkSeth Am I alone in thinking the Boro game is very winnable? And that Birmingham are likely to be on the beach now?

Also wouldn't it be funny if Birmingham finished 19th for the 3rd year in a row.


Oh yeah 6pts is absolutely attainable over the last 2 games, my post was simply a comment on how we think we'll set up as Gomes was clear that we aren't safe yet in his mind. Whatever happens there, I'd expect a much more attacking performance v Brum on the last day.


We could just as easily lose 4-0 on Saturday with no forwards to speak of and Mdboro fighting for play offs. WBA will field a weakened team as they are already secure. Rotheram will be battling for survival still and could nick it by one or two goals. That leaves a 7 goal difference going into last game

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Re: The League of 4

by NewCorkSeth » 24 Apr 2019 08:53

paddy20
Stranded
NewCorkSeth Am I alone in thinking the Boro game is very winnable? And that Birmingham are likely to be on the beach now?

Also wouldn't it be funny if Birmingham finished 19th for the 3rd year in a row.


Oh yeah 6pts is absolutely attainable over the last 2 games, my post was simply a comment on how we think we'll set up as Gomes was clear that we aren't safe yet in his mind. Whatever happens there, I'd expect a much more attacking performance v Brum on the last day.


We could just as easily lose 4-0 on Saturday with no forwards to speak of and Mdboro fighting for play offs. WBA will field a weakened team as they are already secure. Rotheram will be battling for survival still and could nick it by one or two goals. That leaves a 7 goal difference going into last game

Not "just as easily". 4-0 is an extreme scoreline paddy. Dont be dramatic.

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Re: The League of 4

by Stranded » 24 Apr 2019 08:58

paddy20
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NewCorkSeth Am I alone in thinking the Boro game is very winnable? And that Birmingham are likely to be on the beach now?

Also wouldn't it be funny if Birmingham finished 19th for the 3rd year in a row.


Oh yeah 6pts is absolutely attainable over the last 2 games, my post was simply a comment on how we think we'll set up as Gomes was clear that we aren't safe yet in his mind. Whatever happens there, I'd expect a much more attacking performance v Brum on the last day.


We could just as easily lose 4-0 on Saturday with no forwards to speak of and Mdboro fighting for play offs. WBA will field a weakened team as they are already secure. Rotheram will be battling for survival still and could nick it by one or two goals. That leaves a 7 goal difference going into last game


Boro have only scored more than 1 goal in a home game on 5 occasions this season, of those only once did the manage 3 and that was back in August. Conversely, they have failed to score 7 times at home this year. They've scored 21 goals in 22 games.

You would have to be very, very unconfident to think we are turning up there on Saturday and getting turned over 4-0. A win is possible but a draw is likely.

We have proven very tough to beat on the road this year, it is winning that has been elusive. Only 10 teams have lost less than us on the road. Only Stoke have drawn more than our 11.

If we can turn 4 or 5 of those draws in to wins next season and continue our improved home form, we should have a decent year next year.

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