The League of 4

[Sutekh]

None of it would have really mattered if we'd not conceded a really soft goal against Bolton and then another one against Rotherham.

Looking at late goals, it seems to be a common theme doesn`t it? Derby, Brentford, Rotherham twice and Bolton, if only..........

Mental strength and leadership. Don't see a lot of that in this team.

Really need Rinomhota back as his work rate and commitment is lacking. Needing a 21 year old back who's only made 18 league appearances shows how poor the rest of the shower are.

He's also got the PotS award as from as I'm concerned.

Have to say after him you're possibly looking at loan players

[Sutekh]

Now to March. Have also extended the fixtures to show where Wigan and Millwall are playing in case one drops in to join the fun.

Saturday 2nd March

Ipswich Town v Reading
Millwall v Norwich City
Rotherham United v Blackburn Rovers
Swansea City v Bolton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic v Middlesbrough

Tuesday 5th March

Derby County v Wigan Athletic

Saturday 9th March

Sheffield United v Rotherham United
Bolton Wanderers v Millwall
Reading v Wigan Athletic
West Bromwich Albion v Ipswich Town

Hadn't clocked Wigan's next 2 fixtures. Is possible, though unlikely knowing us - that come next Saturday we could know a win over Wigan will take us above them.

A win for us at Ipswich and Wigan taking no more than 1 point from Middlesboro and Derby would mean a win would see us go above them on GD at worst.

Wigan's games in March will define their season. They could feasibly have real problems with all those games and so may be the most likely weak point in the clubs immediately above Reading. But let's face it Reading have to do their part as well and as we've seen that's not anything to bank on.

And just for the record Millwall are at Hull tomorrow....

[Hound]

Considering Derby's efforts against the bottom 5 or 6 this season, I'm putting that down as a Wigan win

But yes, they could certainly be dragged in. As could Millwall. But we need to win a few games for that to happen

[Stranded]

Now to March. Have also extended the fixtures to show where Wigan and Millwall are playing in case one drops in to join the fun.

Saturday 2nd March

Ipswich Town v Reading
Millwall v Norwich City
Rotherham United v Blackburn Rovers
Swansea City v Bolton Wanderers
Wigan Athletic v Middlesbrough

Tuesday 5th March

Derby County v Wigan Athletic

Saturday 9th March

Sheffield United v Rotherham United
Bolton Wanderers v Millwall
Reading v Wigan Athletic
West Bromwich Albion v Ipswich Town

Hadn't clocked Wigan's next 2 fixtures. Is possible, though unlikely knowing us - that come next Saturday we could know a win over Wigan will take us above them.

A win for us at Ipswich and Wigan taking no more than 1 point from Middlesboro and Derby would mean a win would see us go above them on GD at worst.

Wigan's games in March will define their season. They could feasibly have real problems with all those games and so may be the most likely weak point in the clubs immediately above Reading. But let's face it Reading have to do their part as well and as we've seen that's not anything to bank on.

And just for the record Millwall are at Hull tomorrow....

Oh yes, us winning 2 games back to back would be an unheralded turn of form for the past 2 years so I am fully expecting us to be behind them come 5pm on the 9th March.

[Snowflake Royal]

Confirmed that Bolton have new owners and theres a lot of positivity about the new owners up there.......Im not liking this....
This could give them a big boost.

Didn`t Barnsley get new owners in about this time last year? I`m really not sure how new owners can make poor players perform better if I`m honest.

Paying them on time may help.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

This thread needs to be renamed league of 6 I reckon

[AthleticoSpizz]

^ this

[Lower West]

Still 4. As the other 2 are goners now.

[windermereROYAL]

Still 4. As the other 2 are goners now.

Bolton are far from gone.

[Hound]

Be a huge turn round needed though

8 points off safety basically, not been paid this month amongst other issues, 2 sent off today, terrible form

I’d be amazed if they got out of it from here, regardless of a relatively easy fixture list

[leon]

Millwall and Wigan were safe a month ago. Not any more.

[Stranded]

Millwall and Wigan were safe a month ago. Not any more.

Yep, easier to be pulled into something than fight your way out.

Next week could be pivotal, if Derby stop derbying their season up and beat Wigan then us v them and Bolton v Millwall could really shift things around.

[Hendo]

QPR too far away? 9 points ahead of us. Their win against Leeds was massive, would’ve only been 6 now.

[Snowflake Royal]

QPR were as good as safe before their win. Theyd have to lose virtually every game left to go down.

Thats not to say we cant catch them. But if we do itsin pulling clear not in relegating them in our place. Theres simply no way Wigan, Millwall, Reading and Rotherham all pass them.

[Stranded]

Still 4. As the other 2 are goners now.

Bolton are far from gone.

Bolton's next 5 games are massive - they play the teams in 20th, 14th and 24th at Home with trips to those currently in 18th and 19th. If they have any chance of getting out of it they will be looking at these games to do the bulk of the work.

[Stranded]

So expanding the view to the whole bottom 6 now and looked at the relative strength of run-ins using position and current 6 game form*.

Spoiler alert: We have the toughest run in.

*Form will of course change but is a good guide as to where we are today

Run-ins (toughest to easiest) by league position to 2dp

Rotherham 8.64
Reading 8.90
Ipswich 9.55
Millwall 11.36
Wigan 11.83
Bolton 14.45

Run-ins by form

Reading 8.36
Ipswich 9.72
Wigan 11.66
Millwall 12.27
Rotherham 12.27
Bolton 15.09

So as you can see, we have a tough run in with the teams we are facing also slightly out-performing their league position at the moment (mainly due to Brentford & Preston being 3rd and 4th on current form)

For everybody else, their opponents are currently performing worse than their league position, with Rotherham's opponents performing nearly 4 positions below their league position.

It should be noted that for Bolton and Rotherham particularly this difference is mainly due to playing Derby who whilst 7th are currently 19th on form.

[Snowball]

Still 4. As the other 2 are goners now.

Bolton are far from gone.

Bolton's next 5 games are massive - they play the teams in 20th, 14th and 24th at Home with trips to those currently in 18th and 19th. If they have any chance of getting out of it they will be looking at these games to do the bulk of the work.

Well, if they do well against 18/19/20 that helps Reading!

[Stranded]

Bolton are far from gone.

Bolton's next 5 games are massive - they play the teams in 20th, 14th and 24th at Home with trips to those currently in 18th and 19th. If they have any chance of getting out of it they will be looking at these games to do the bulk of the work.

Well, if they do well against 18/19/20 that helps Reading!

Assuming we pick up points ourselves of course.

One thing to note - Rotherham kick off at 12.15 on Saturday so we will know what they have done an hour before we kick off.

[Victor Meldrew]

We are reading posts in various topics every day of the battle between Reading and Rotherham because where we are at this season is about the same.

I have just checked on two seasons ago when both in this division and we finished 62 (yes 62) points ahead of them and yet here we are going head-to-head.
My, how we have fallen and how depressing it all is.

[Hound]

We are reading posts in various topics every day of the battle between Reading and Rotherham because where we are at this season is about the same.

I have just checked on two seasons ago when both in this division and we finished 62 (yes 62) points ahead of them and yet here we are going head-to-head.
My, how we have fallen and how depressing it all is.

well yes, but it is what it is. We are about 9 points below Blackburn who also went down that year. Its just football pretty much. At least we are showing some fight this year, unlike last year's horrible slump towards the bottom