*RELEGATION WATCH*

[Snowball136]

Jess how can it be a reading v Bradford final?

Oops, I meant Blackburn, obviously

[Snowball136]

Think we may still be in trouble. Should have sent the full side out today as we are only 3pts ahead of Rotherham and 9 ahead of an ever improving Wigan taking the goal difference into consideration. We aren't going to beat Arsenal so its all for a day out at Wembley where we get thoroughly turned over. Done that too often before

66-1

[paddy20]

Think we may still be in trouble. Should have sent the full side out today as we are only 3pts ahead of Rotherham and 9 ahead of an ever improving Wigan taking the goal difference into consideration. We aren't going to beat Arsenal so its all for a day out at Wembley where we get thoroughly turned over. Done that too often before

66-1

We have a pretty hard run in and if we get through on Monday a lot of distraction

[windermere_royal]

Wigan may well of won 4 away on the bounce, but they have no home wins since late August, in the next 4 games they have Watford, Bolton, Boro and Derby, if they get 8 points out of that little lot then we have cause for concern , having said that Rotherham appear to be in free fall at the moment.

[Snowball136]

GD is effectively irrelevant for RFC (except, possibly, versus Rotherham or Fulham)

Our GD is already poor and if Wigan catch us their GD will be approaching zero and ours will be -20 or worse



And it's seven points, not six. We have to lose our game in hand and then Wigan have to make up 7 points in 9 games before GD matters

They can have a GD of + 999, but if they are one point below us it's irrelevant


If Wigan pull off the great escape, and we stumble, we might be fighting it out with Rotherham, especially if they beat us up there. That could really involve GD by the 46th game... And of course, Fulham aren't safe.

[RoyalBlue]

Come Tuesday, we could be just 7 points off relegation, out of the FA cup and facing a big fine from the FA for deliberately fielding a weakened team v Watford (there is no way the FA will swallow the 5 players injured but recovered by Monday crap). The annoying thing is that with a slightly stronger team we might well have taken a point from Watford today. They are good up front but looked very average in defence.

I cannot believe the hypocrisy of those who defend our actions today when they were probably screaming blue murder when Pompey did the same and allowed Fulham to escape relegation at our expense.

[Huntley & Palmer]

We fielded a decent enough team in a game that doesn't settle anything for any club. Watford are in form and at home, even the full strength 11 would have struggled today.

There will be no fine and bigger fish to fry on Monday. I think you are the only one that sees some form of injustice today.

[SCIAG]

Come Tuesday, we could be just 7 points off relegation, out of the FA cup and facing a big fine from the FA for deliberately fielding a weakened team v Watford (there is no way the FA will swallow the 5 players injured but recovered by Monday crap).

The FA won't fine us. I guarantee it.

If anyone would fine us, it would be the Football League, and they won't. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there is a single example of them having done so. The Premier League fined Blackpool a few years ago and gave Wolves a suspended fine, but have since relaxed their rules.

If you would like to point to examples of teams fined for playing a weakened side in the Football League, then by all means. Or if you'd like to point to the rule we've broken and the ruled punishment, then do so. I don't think there's any reason to panic. Even if we are fined, we will make considerably more money from the semi-final tomorrow than we will be fined.

I cannot believe the hypocrisy of those who defend our actions today when they were probably screaming blue murder when Pompey did the same and allowed Fulham to escape relegation at our expense.

Portsmouth only made four changes, and two of the players they brought in remained in the side for the FA Cup final.

[The Cube]

Or if you'd like to point to the rule we've broken and the ruled punishment, then do so.

Something like this, you mean?
http://www.football-league.co.uk/global/section5.aspx

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to the Football Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.

I agree with SCIAG, though, that that rule has never been applied to anyone else in the Football League. It also looks impossible to argue against the team we fielded today containing new signings, players returning from injury, and so on. The strongest evidence I can see that could be used against us is that Guthrie started.

[SCIAG]

Or if you'd like to point to the rule we've broken and the ruled punishment, then do so.

Something like this, you mean?
http://www.football-league.co.uk/global/section5.aspx

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to the Football Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.

Fair play, so it's not an impossibility.

I do think "we were resting our players for the FA Cup match in two days" would be considered a satisfactory reason.

Keown and Stacey are the two we could get done for. Oh, and Andersen I guess. Knight is a new signing and everyone else could realistically start a match without surprising anyone.

[Lower West]

Wigan may well of won 4 away on the bounce, but they have no home wins since late August, in the next 4 games they have Watford, Bolton, Boro and Derby, if they get 8 points out of that little lot then we have cause for concern , having said that Rotherham appear to be in free fall at the moment.

With RFC to play Rotherham to play away. A six pointer game.

[JC]

Or if you'd like to point to the rule we've broken and the ruled punishment, then do so.

Something like this, you mean?
http://www.football-league.co.uk/global/section5.aspx

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to the Football Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.

I agree with SCIAG, though, that that rule has never been applied to anyone else in the Football League. It also looks impossible to argue against the team we fielded today containing new signings, players returning from injury, and so on. The strongest evidence I can see that could be used against us is that Guthrie started.

Interestingly enough there are 2 more rules on that page which indicate where league matches can be postponed if there is another game witin 2 days!

[tidus_mi2]

Or if you'd like to point to the rule we've broken and the ruled punishment, then do so.

Something like this, you mean?
http://www.football-league.co.uk/global/section5.aspx

24 Requirement to Play Full Strength Sides in League Matches

24.1 Each Club shall play its full strength in all Matches played under the auspices of The League unless some satisfactory reason is given. In the event of the explanation not being deemed satisfactory the Board shall refer the matter to the Football Disciplinary Commission which has the power to impose such penalties as it shall think fit.

I agree with SCIAG, though, that that rule has never been applied to anyone else in the Football League. It also looks impossible to argue against the team we fielded today containing new signings, players returning from injury, and so on. The strongest evidence I can see that could be used against us is that Guthrie started.

Interestingly enough there are 2 more rules on that page which indicate where league matches can be postponed if there is another game witin 2 days!

Curiously I wonder if that is restricted to 48hrs because our game on Monday is 52hrs 45mins after our game against Watford.

[Snowball]

Back in the day when I played Sunday football, after a bad-weather fixture pile-up, one weekend we had to play

Saturday Morning
Saturday Afternoon
Sunday Morning
Sunday Afternoon


Don't remember the results, only the pain.






Just saying...

[Pepe the Horseman]

We had to play two games back to to back on a couple of occasions.

[Kitsondinho]

Am I reading the table incorrectly? To me it looks like we are 10 points clear with 9 to go. There are also 4 teams below us BEFORE the 3 currently in the relegation zone. 2 of those in the drop zone are in very deep trouble and quite possibly already gone. So are we really suggesting that ALL 4 of the teams below us AND Wigan will collect at least 1 more point than us by the end of the season? Really?? Our reserves got thumped by a team chasing promotion....2 days before a big Cup Q/F... No need to press the panic button!!

[Nameless]

Did we get fined for making 6 changes at Huddersfield ?

Kind of puts to bed the idea that we'll get any reaction to the Watford selection.

Never been convinced that anyone but the manager should select the team

[Snowball]

Am I reading the table incorrectly? To me it looks like we are 10 points clear with 9 to go. There are also 4 teams below us BEFORE the 3 currently in the relegation zone. 2 of those in the drop zone are in very deep trouble and quite possibly already gone. So are we really suggesting that ALL 4 of the teams below us AND Wigan will collect at least 1 more point than us by the end of the season? Really?? Our reserves got thumped by a team chasing promotion....2 days before a big Cup Q/F... No need to press the panic button!!

Essentially you're right. That's why you can get 66-1 against RFC being relegated

But just, for a second, presume Wigan manage the great escape
and presume we lose to Rotherham 2-0 when we travel up there

16 37 -10 44 Bolton
17 38 -20 44 Reading (If we lose 2-0 at Rotherham)
18 38 -15 43 Rotherham
19 37 -17 43 Huddersfield
20 37 -04 41 Brighton
21 37 -17 40 Fulham
========================
23 37 -31 31 Millwall
24 37 -45 22 Blackpool

If we were just 4 points clear of Fulham, 3 ahead of Brighton,
1 in front of Huddersfield and Rotherham, then we might freeze

To finish above Bolton we have to gain a point because of bad GD



Currently Wigan are still favourites for 3rd-bottom, but four consecutive away wins
is not to be sneezed at. They "ought to", on home form, lose four more games
at home, but sometimes, one result changes everything


Just saying that IF they escape we could easily drop into real trouble

We are good enough to win at Rotherham, but they will be fighting for their lives




22 37 -15 34 Wigan



=============================

All the relegation-threatened sides have tough games this week,
but imagine if they all won (and we eventually lose at Rotherham)

They won't all win, of course. They may all fail to win, but 1 or 2
might manage a win, and we will start to look vulnerable.

TUE/WED CHAMPIONSHIP

Huddersfield v Norwich
Ipswich v Bolton
Millwall v Brighton
Wigan v Watford
Nottm Forest v Rotherham
Fulham v Leeds

16 38 -09 47 Bolton
17 39 -14 46 Rotherham
18 38 -16 46 Huddersfield
19 38 -03 44 Brighton
20 38 -20 44 Reading (losing future game v Rotherham)
21 38 -16 43 Fulham
========================

23 38 -32 31 Millwall
24 37 -45 22 Blackpool

22 38 -14 37 Wigan (en route to the Great Escape)

[Snowball]

Wigan are 9/4 to stay up

Rotherham will be about 5/4 or 6/4 to beat us up there

That's a 6-1 Double

if Wigan DO stay up and we lose at Rotherham, we will be sweating.

If both those things happen, I think we'd be in real danger, so 66-1 would have
dropped to something nearer 4-1

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

All nonsense as Rotherham is not our next game.