If we win on Tuesday I'll definitely be hoping for a Leeds win on Friday. Should that happen then I'd fancy us to beat Millwall which would reduce the gap to 5 points with us still to go there. Still incredibly unlikely of course but I wouldn't be writing us off at that point. We'd need to beat Brum next time out whilst they have QPR at home but the next round of fixtures sees them at Sunderland with us home to Preston. Might just be enough to put them under a bit of pressure that they've not really felt all season.
Just seen that if Leicester can beat Bournemouth (not that unlikely) or we can get past Liverpool (not at all likely) then our match against Leicester will have to be rearranged as that's QF weekend. That may well end up suiting us more than them.
If that scenario was to occur, the easiest solution would probably be to just play it a few days earlier. Probably the Tuesday. If you exclude the midweeks either side of the Easter weekend (which you sort of have to, given that we all play on both the Friday and the Monday), then there are currently only four available midweek slots. Those being the final three midweeks of the season and...the one immediately before we play Leicester.
Imagine ending the season with back to back away games against your fellow relegated clubs! There's no midweek the weekend after either so could even do Leicester's cup match on the Monday night and then move the league game to the Wednesday/Thursday
International break follows that weekend though. So I suspect the FA will be reluctant to put an FA Cup QF on that Monday.
Fair point but I suppose it depends on who it is. If it was say Leicester v Coventry then I suspect they'd be more inclined. A lot of ifs there though admittedly.
... and I thought we were mates ... ... you'll be thanking us for beating them come the end of the season
... still rather have the points in the bag at this stage, being honest ... Strange thing yesterday was that Maresca subbed the 3 players (Mavididi, Fatawu and Dewsbury-Hall) that have been our most creative this season quite early - might be to save them for Leeds - although they weren't having their best games ... and it did galvanise us - had more than enough chances to have got a point at least ... but wasn't to be ... The Leeds game should be a barnstormer - both teams have got rapid forwards - may come down to who defends the best on the day ...
To be fair, IF we can win on Tuesday and Saturday, I would love a barnstorming 4-4 draw with 2 sendings off from each side and 3-4 injury knocks that take 4-5 weeks to recover. If Carlsberg did football games…:
Just watched the highlights of our game again ... 2 goals given away were very avoidable... but what really undid us were the missed goalscoring chances, particularly the three from less than a yard out by Daka, Vardy and Vestergaard At least shows that we are still dominating games and creating chances ... would be very worried if we weren't right now ...
I am in 2 minds over what I want you guys to do. On the one hand I want you to falter, to give us a chance to catch you, on the other hand if you just blow away every team we should only have to think about Ipswich and Leeds. Not fussed about 1st or 2nd, or who is there with us, but more on getting there!
After we played you at St Mary’s, Russell Martin got pelters (considering the 1-4 score) for saying we matched you pretty well in all departments. I actually thought he was right - but your forward line was the difference that day. Our attacking play has improved a lot since then; I’m quite looking forward to seeing how we fare against you at your place Our defence, most especially our habit of playing out from the back, still gives me the horrors
As I say mate I think it's incredibly unlikely but you never know when the pressure can make a difference and set the panic in. Were you to lose on Friday that'd be your first consecutive defeats all season and would be the first time you've really been under any sort of pressure from the teams below and who knows how you'd deal with that. That said, as I said last week if you beat Leeds it's as good as done bar the singing imo. Gonna be a fascinating end to the season regardless.
Leicester still have to play; Leeds, Saints, West Brom, Hull, Bristol City, Norwich, Sunderland, and Preston. They had consecutive defeats once already, to Boro and Leeds, coincidentally.
Ah my mistake. Didn't realise that. Rest of the point stands though that they'll be under huge pressure if they lose Friday and us and Ipswich win both games this week
