Simple Maths ...

They're a far better side now than they were a few months ago, Hasselbaink obviously done a good job, and they brought some decent players in in January. Will be a tough game, against one of our bogey teams anarl.

 

Think they might come and attack us and that makes it a better game for us, we tend to struggle when teams park the bus and hope for a breakaway. I'm a bit more optimistic about our chances of a win

 

We need to beat them twice...we may or may not get higher than sixth, there is still a lot of the season left...however you can only take one step at a time and fight what is on front of you. We are for the next few weeks in a battle with 2 or 3 teams for 6th, we have to win they have to lose simple as.

A win on Saturday is a necessity to stay in touch.

Losses for Accrington Doncaster and Oxford would be helpful.

 

That's true mate ...

... just think of those poor lads at Newcastle.

 

. . . . and one more than 99% of all other players will ever get

 

Very true, literally anything can happen, Hull have some very tough games coming up ....

Doncaster v Hull
Hull v Ipswich
Peterborough v Hull
Hull v Sunderland
Lincoln v Hull
Charlton v Hull

 

I see we play Accrington Stanley 3 days after Wembley, away.

 

We should go 4th on Tuesday:

Blackpool vs Donny - home win
Hull vs Ipswich - draw
Lincoln vs Swindon - home win
Oxford vs - Pompey - home win
Plymouth vs Posh - draw
Sunderland vs Feetwood - home win

Lincoln: 59
Posh: 56
Hull: 54
TheLads: 50
Donny: 49
Pompey: 48

Keep on trucking lads and cement fourth by this time next week, putting big pressure on the top three.

 

IF we can get on a winning streak and others lose a few games, we can obviously get a spot in the play-offs more securely.

Then want i want us to see us with our own destiny in our own hands. Other clubs have to be too obliging atm.

 

Thought I would keep this thread going by asking is anyone as obsessed as me?

I keep using the BBC Sports App to check the L1 table.... seeing who has games in hand on us and who we have games in hand on. Then checking of the teams around us we have yet to play, eg Accrington and Lincoln. Then checking who is playing who in the next few games.

Really all I can come up with, if we win all our remaining games we will definitely by in the play-offs..

God I hate football!

 

You just described my Tuesday & Saturday evenings on my telephone and every other bloomin day of the week - just in case l missed a possible scenario of results in my mind.
Keeping T. F.

 

5 points off top now and the teams above us to play ...

... anything is still possible with the momentum we have, the only top 6 team not to lose in the last 5 games.

 

At Christmas Portsmouth were top, after winning at Hull, 10 points clear of us and looking unstoppable.

Were now 5 points clear of them ...

... soon to be 8


Hull 34 19 5 10 28 62
Peterborough 32 19 5 8 24 62
Lincoln City 32 18 6 8 20 60
Sunderland 32 15 12 5 23 57
Doncaster 30 17 4 9 13 55
Portsmouth 32 15 7 10 15 52

 

We are putting together a good run...

Didn't play particularly great yesterday ( 1st half poor as usual, but 2 good goals) and took 3 points.

With 2 games a week there is not much training/practice time and basically playing is keeping them fit. With so many games and lots of injuries, we have players playing out of position, we have to have rotation as well to keep players fresh.

All this means we do not have a settled side, which I reckon is a factor in some off peak performances.

Tuesday's game is big cos of whom we are playing and who the other sides are playing. We are cementing our place in the play-offs and we hope if we can keep winning and if the teams above us slip up (and Doncaster) we can mount a challange for an automatic spot.

Arithmetically our league position is looking better now than it was a few weeks ago...let's hope for more progress in the next couple of weeks.

 

Still essentially a third of the season left. Longer we keep this momentum up the better. Frankly we still have time to go on a bad run and another good run and still get promoted. Crazy league.

 

Teams will be looking at yesterday's highlights and wondering what they have to do to beat us.

Rochdale had a free shot to attack us and put us under pressure, which they did ...

... but our class won the game without us playing well.

And that's what will demoralise teams before they step on the pitch. They know they can put in a massive effort that may count for nothing because of a step over, a cross and a header. Everyone knows what can happen if McGeady gets the ball one on one ...

... and now they have Jones on the other side

 

We have always been wary of playing the top teams in the league due to our form over the past few seasons. Now it's time that teams are wary of playing us.

 

Some interesting Northampton corners there in sure LJ will be taking notes.

 

Was there any update on Winchester yesterday? Looked like he did his groin? Was Younger injured or just hooked for tactical reasons?

These injuries are mounting up:

McLaughlin - hernia (unknown return date)
Flanagan - hip flexor (back next weekend?)
Willis - ruptured patellar (out for the season)
Wright - calf (back next weekend?)
Gooch - calf (back on Tuesday?)
Xhemajli - ACL (out for the season)
Leadbitter - dislocated shoulder (back next weekend?)
Hume - hamstring (back in training. couple of weeks away?)
Winchester - groin (unknown)
Kimpioka - hamstring (unknown)
Stewart - hamstring (back next weekend?)

Any I've missed?

 

I've not taken much notice of Portsmouth this season ,so no idea whats going on with their form.. but they are the only team who deserved to beat us after dominating the game.this season I think our players will want to put that right..