Rival Watch

[Stranded]

Peterborough aren't our concern. Their win today applies pressure on Derby, and also gives Barnsley something else to think about.

Almost too much for Derby now as they have to do better on the run in than 3 clubs, with one less game.

Agreed Peterborough aren't a concern. They have 3 home games in next 4, so they will hope for a bit of a run.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I wouldn't like to say it's done and dusted if we were to beat Barnsley in a couple of weeks, but I'd feel that would be a pretty significant nail in the coffin for themselves and the others' chances of getting out of trouble.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Us and Barnsley both have a similar difficulty of games remaining but after us they have Millwall away and we have Stoke at home. Got a massive chance of reinstalling that points gap we had with them and dragging Hull kicking and screaming into it if derby or Peterborough win some games.

The same Hull that are 13 points clear of the drop zone with a better goal difference?

It only takes a few bad results to make them nervous. That’s what we want.

I’d like that but dream on

[SouthDownsRoyal]

The same Hull that are 13 points clear of the drop zone with a better goal difference?

It only takes a few bad results to make them nervous. That’s what we want.

I too was thinking how easily Hull could drop into trouble

We have a game in hand on them and we play at their place. Win both those and there are six other games to make up a two point deficit

We seem to be tightening the defence and have a decent fit squad

I wouldn’t be surprised if RFC finished above Hull. True that if we also won at Barnsley, that team would find it hard to catch Hull but we may well finish 20th and Hull MIGHT be caught on the last weekend

You must be smoking something

[tidus_mi2]

Have to agree with SDR, I can totally believe we can catch Hull, but they won't be dragged into the relegation scrap if we do, it will just mean we've moved clear of it ourselves.

[Franchise FC]

The same Hull that are 13 points clear of the drop zone with a better goal difference?

It only takes a few bad results to make them nervous. That’s what we want.

I’d like that but dream on

Even if Hull lost the rest, Barnsley would have to win 5 of their remaining 8, having won 6 out of 38 so far.
It ain’t happening

[YorkshireRoyal99]

Hull won't go down and won't even get dragged into it. If we get close to Hull, it will mean we've pulled ourselves clear as opposed to Hull getting dragged in. As mentioned, it relies on ourselves and then one of the bottom 3 going on an incredible run between now and game 46, with Hull potentially losing every game as well, maybe 7 out of 8. They've also got 41 points as it is, I don't think they will go down with that points tally.

[Hound]

Wouldn’t be totally surprised to see us or Barnsley above Hull end of season but certainly not both. And very unlikely Barnsley you’d think

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I can't see it personally. It would take one heck of a run from ourselves or a simply unbelievable run from Barnsley whilst Hull pick up only 1/2 points from their remaining fixtures.

Either us or Barnsley finishing above Hull falls into the "mathematically possible" category for me in terms of chances of it happening.

[Snowflake Royal]

I can't see it personally. It would take one heck of a run from ourselves or a simply unbelievable run from Barnsley whilst Hull pick up only 1/2 points from their remaining fixtures.

Either us or Barnsley finishing above Hull falls into the "mathematically possible" category for me in terms of chances of it happening.

Yeah, for a start Barnsley play us so we can't both maximise our points to catch them.

No way Hull go down imo.

[Snowball]

I admit I am pencilling in Hull losing at home to Reading
based on an optimistic "We've turned the corner now" and
will pick up a lot of points, finishing 20th.

I totally recognise we might lose at Barnsley and then fall apart
but see the above.

Based on that, Hull have six other games, 4 they will be favourites to lose

Huddersfield
Middlesboro Away
Millwall Away
Forest on the last day

all chasing top six

This leaves

Hull v Cardiff
Bristol City v Hull

Both could go either way, but they could easily lose both or just get two draws.

Why I think they might get into trouble is that they are "likely" to lose their next two.

IF that happens, the gap is starting to look very small

20 P41 -15 41 Hull
21 P38 -29 33 Reading
22 P38 -26 28 Barnsley

As I said, if we win there...

20 P42 -16 41 Hull
21 P39 -28 36 Reading
22 P38 -26 28 Barnsley

If we have won at Barnsley then Barnsley would need a monumental 13/14/15 points from 7 games
If it's a draw then they might well stay up with 12 from 7

If Barnsley WIN?

20 P42 -16 41 Hull
21 P40 -29 36 Reading
22 P39 -25 28 Barnsley

Then they need maybe only 10 from the 7 games plus whatever points Hull get. (I can see Hull getting just two points.. that's a tough run in)

Reading would need 6 points plus Hull's tally (I think that might mean just 8 from 6 (a win at Hull factored in)

Of course Barnsley beating Reading might be a game too far etc...

Did Hull not totally collapse a few seasons ago and go from safe to bottom in half a dozen games?

[YorkshireRoyal99]

It was from January onwards where Hull completely collapsed. I imagined that would have happened when they first changed hands with their manager and they lost a few games on the trot, but I can't see any one of the 4 below Hull finishing above them.

They'll end up on 45 points, ish. That requires us to get 4 more wins and a draw from our remaining 8 which we simply won't do I don't think. As I say, it's under the category of mathematically possible but pretty unrealistic.

[Hound]

Definitely unlikely - but in very simple terms - if we beat Barnsley and Hull lose their next one, we’re 5 points behind them with a game in hand and Hull still to play.

Or beat Hull and win our game in hand, we’re 2 points behind them

I dont think we’ll beat both Barnsley and hull fwiw but it wouldn’t need a massive turnaround in results

Looking again - no chance of Barnsley getting above them unless they do something very dramatic

[paultheroyal]

Said it before and I will say it again - we need 3 wins - 2 potentially if we beat Barnsley.

[blythspartan]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this ends up rolling on until the last game of the season. Having seen us in relegation and promotion battles over the years experience has taught me to expect the unexpected.

We may only need 2 more wins but Barnsley, Posh or Derby could each win another 5 games. I appreciate that’s highly unlikely but relegation and promotion battles can produce some bizarre results and nothing would surprise me.

I just want to support Ince and the team over the last 8 games and I might witness Barnsley spanking us 4-0 and us going to Luton on the last game of the season and winning 3-0 to stay up.

[3points]

I also think it isn't just which teams ytou play now, but when you play them. You may play a top 8 team with 2 games of the season to go and think that's a tricvky fixture; but if that team is already out of the play-off race then they may well be playing flip-flop football, with the players looking forward to their two weeks in Dubai (other holiday destinations are available).

I'd want to be playing solid mid table teams (like Stoke, Preston, Swansea, Blackpool) rather than Barnsley or Forest, Boro, etc

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this ends up rolling on until the last game of the season. Having seen us in relegation and promotion battles over the years experience has taught me to expect the unexpected.

We may only need 2 more wins but Barnsley, Posh or Derby could each win another 5 games. I appreciate that’s highly unlikely but relegation and promotion battles can produce some bizarre results and nothing would surprise me.

I just want to support Ince and the team over the last 8 games and I might witness Barnsley spanking us 4-0 and us going to Luton on the last game of the season and winning 3-0 to stay up.

I still think it will come down to the last game of the season, which I don't really want to happen but it very well might do. The only reason as to why it might be settled by game 45 is because of something like this weekends results i.e. Barnsley lose and we win opening up a gap which is more than 3 points.

Any of those bottom 3 could feasibly put together a run of 4 wins in 8 (7 in Derby's case), however as the games tick by that looks more and more unlikely. For example, 4 wins in 8 for Barnsley sounds doable but if they fail to beat us in a couple of weeks, even if it's just a draw so they pick up a point, 4 wins from 7 sounds a lot more unrealistic.

Said it earlier, we probably need 2 wins and a 1 draw from our remaining fixtures, we could actually amass that in our next 3 games.

[paultheroyal]

Hull City had those 9 points in space of 10 days in January against the likes of Bournemouth etc - they can be thankful they got that mini run going.

[Mr Angry]

The Derby saga shows no sign of ending.

All bids for the club had to be submitted by 23rd Feb; on 4th March, the joint administrators put out the following statement:

"The joint administrators of Derby County Football Club are currently considering bids for the club, following deadlines set for offers at the end of last week.

"Further requests for clarity from prospective purchasers have been sought and we hope to be able to name the preferred bidder shortly."

Thats the last anyone has heard.

Whilst they have said they have the money to complete the season, it can be assumed that they are struggling to attract bidders who value the club more than what they owe (which is some £60M - and thats before any settlement with Wycombe).

I really wouldn't be surprised to see Derby get liquidated either just before or immediately after the end of the season, especially if they get relegated.

[windermereROYAL]

When Derby first got into trouble I had every sympathy for them, but in the months since then that as completely gone with the entire media circus creaming themselves at the prospect of fatty and his club getting out of it, it`s fcuking obscene to be supporting a club that blatantly cheated, they should be ashamed of themselves,
I hope they go to the wall.