Battle Of 4th, 5th, 6th Position

[Rover4ever]

Its extremely frustrating to see the boys play so well, and yet fail to move up the table

Notlob, Arsenal, and Spurs just cant seem to stop winning

[DanLad]

Shame that whilst we are on fire, it seems that all of our rivals are on form too.

391650[/snapback]

It's the nature of the beast. The teams near the top of the table win more than other teams that's why they're up there! You've got to keep winning to stay up there and that's why there's the pressure at the top of the table. It's fabulous that we keep picking up 3 points every week :-)

[Bobby G]

If we win our next two games, it would be fantastic and would mean possibly another 2 wins from the last 6 games should take us to Europe.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

If we 'only' make the Uefa cup via league placings its a massive achievement for our club...I'll be more than chuffed!!

Edited March 18, 2006 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[ihtd]

I'll be very chuffed if we only make the Uefa Cup, but deep in the back of my mind i will be saying, "Damm, we could have been in the CL". The amount of games we have lost to lesser sides this season, WBA away, the Everton game away, with 10men and a spotty teenage keeper. There was 6 points we could have had there and we didn't take them.

Don't get me wrong i would be so proud of the lads if we make the Uefa Cup but i will still think of the 'what ifs'

[philipl]

Apart from slipping a bit on goal difference, the Champs League race is as you were.

But, this afternoon has done our UEFA chances a power of good with the likes of City and West Ham losing. The Wigan home fixture in two weeks' time is also a case of having UEFA qualification in our own hands.

Intertoto (if we need to fall back on that) is getting closer to being secured having beaten Boro today- 15 points ahead- whilst Everton are six points and 15 goals behind with just 8 games left.

[Eddie]

What happens if Boro win the UEFA cup?

[trueblue]

What happens if Boro win the UEFA cup?

391673[/snapback]

We dangle Steve McLaren from the Riverside??

[Martyn]

Does anyone know the dates the Inter-Toto rounds would be played? Has it been announced yet?

[dillo_dillo]

My Webpage

Edited March 19, 2006 by dillo_dillo

[Lee]

Does anyone know the dates the Inter-Toto rounds would be played? Has it been announced yet?

391716[/snapback]

I believe they are the weekend of the 15th and 22nd of July.

[Rovers Air Force]

My Webpage

391724[/snapback]

You just have way too much time on your hands my friend!

Very interesting though

[waggy]

spuds-0

villa-3

boro-3

sunderland-1

wigan-3

pompey-0

liverpoo-3

brum-0

chelski-1 [they win the championship]causing uproar as chelsea fans are in rovers areas!!!!!!!!

charlton-1

citeh-1

388258[/snapback]

well 3 out off 3 so far

[dillo_dillo]

You just have way too much time on your hands my friend!

Very interesting though

391771[/snapback]

I guess basic data's charts,tables,graphs are handy to discuss on this topic.

It's very simple chart. not spend many time.

[Rovers Air Force]

I guess basic data's charts,tables,graphs are handy to discuss on this topic.

It's very simple chart. not spend many time.

391779[/snapback]

Fair one, It's just that it takes me 20 minutes to make a single post like this one!!!

[asianRover]

Fair one, It's just that it takes me 20 minutes to make a single post like this one!!!

391789[/snapback]

i know what you mean man. i aint com savy to say the least.

nice work on the excel graphs dillo dillo.

race for 4th place and a place in europe is heating up. i can see both wigan and bolton winning their nxt games. i find it highly unlikely that spurs will lose to west brom but the arsenal/pompey match seems to be quite an interesting fixture. as for rovers it is crucial that we win at sunderland. we cannot afford any slip ups, like we did against west brom and everton.

[bellamy11]

I guess basic data's charts,tables,graphs are handy to discuss on this topic.

It's very simple chart. not spend many time.

391779[/snapback]

They're very interesting and helpful thankyou.

I can't help but look at Bolton's fixtures and wonder where the wins are coming. I think they're well capable of losing several games soon. That would really really help us out.

[yawnsie]

This is a little bit off-topic, but did anyone see the betting for the final Champions League place on Sky this morning? Bolton are 5/1, Rovers are 12/1... and West Ham are 14/1. Do they really think the Hammers are even remotely likely to make ten points up on Spuds in eight games, or are they just trying to fleece optimistic cockneys?

Also it's annoying to hear them talking about how Notlob will "leapfrog both Tottenham and Arsenal into 4th place if they win their games in hand."

Edited March 19, 2006 by yawnsie

[S15]

Quite how Bolton are 5/1 and Rovers are 12/1 is well beyond me.

Of our remaining fixtures, the neutral would expect Rovers definately lose 2 games (Liverpool and Chelsea).

Of Boltons you would expect them to definately lose 4 games (Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham)

So basically, though Bolton have two games in hand, they are kinda cancelled out by their remaining fixtures, giving both teams pretty identical run ins.

[American]

Bolton has shown that those matches aren't "definite losses" the past couple of seasons. I think they will be our biggest rival for 6th.

Never thought I'd say this, but I'm hoping for a Chelsea/Liverpool cup final.

[Exiled_Rover]

I honestly see Bolton challenging for the Champs League - whilst their football is @#/? and 'plays the percentages' (i.e you're going to eventually put one knockdown/goalmouth scramble away) few teams can handle them. We're one of them I feel, but I can see Spurs, Utd, Chelski and Liverpool struggling with them. Not to say they'll beat them all, but I'm not marking it down as an automatic loss.

If anybody's going to lose out it's us - we're one injury away from falling out of contention, especially considering how shakey our defence/keeping has been this season.

[tcj_jones]

My predictions had Bolton as 5th and Spurs as 6th. I don't think Bolton's games against the big teams are a certainty at all.

[Rover4ever]

Fulham's win over Chelsea maks me feel we can do the same. They showed what exactly is needed to win against Chelsea:

1) Taking your chances, however few they are

2) A referee who isnt scared of Mourinho or Terry and has the guts to be impartial

3) Chelsea not being able to convert their chances

[Eddie]

Fulham's win over Chelsea maks me feel we can do the same. They showed what exactly is needed to win against Chelsea:

1) Taking your chances, however few they are

2) A referee who isnt scared of Mourinho or Terry and has the guts to be impartial

3) Chelsea not being able to convert their chances

391857[/snapback]

Well if it's that easy...

I doubt few will agree, but is the race for the title back open? If Manchester United win their game in hand the gap is down to 9. Chelsea's remaining fixtures are far from easy, they only play three teams outside of the top ten, Birmingham, Man City and Newcastle (with those other two only just outside and in decent form). As they still have to play each other I think there is actually still something to play for at the top of the table. Chelsea are still firmly in the driving seat, but stranger things have happened.

Edited March 19, 2006 by Eddie

[S15]

I think one or two of you have missed my point.

Technically, an outsider would expect Bolton to lose their games between the top 4 just as they would expect us to lose against Chelsea and Liverpool. As both ourselves and Bolton have shown, these games aren't formalities, but to be offering Bolton at fives and us at twelves is either a monumental compliment to them, or a huge insult to us.