Will this game decide the champions?

[toddy]

I have watched a coup!e of their games on sky recently and Boro do look a very good side, especially the way they completely outplayed Brighton. I think we can get a draw at Boro on Saturday, yes a win would be nice, but realistically a draw.

If we do lose and Boro win their game in hand, we would find ourselves 7 pts behind them, not impossible to catch them, but realistically I think they might go on like Leicester did a couple of seasons ago.

Will it be doom and gloom if we don't at the very least get a draw at Boro?

[ZULU7373]

In answer to the thread title, I'd say not. Even the potential seven-point gap isn't irretrievable with 22 more games to go. I see it as a four-way battle for two automatic spots (Derby, Boro, Hull and Burnley) and the other four sides in the top eight to battle for places fifth to eighth. 

We haven't done well in the real crunch matches in the past two seasons so it would do wonders for belief if we could secure a victory.

[Rampage]

If we get a draw against Boro and beat Burnley away then beat Hull at home then our rivals can do nothing more about our progress.

[WorksopRam]

Might sound a bit daft but I think if we do lose on Saturday, they'll not drop from top spot all season. In near perfect form as it is, huge boost if they win on Saturday, game in hand. It would all point to them IMO, even with the nature of the Championship. 

I'm not disheartened with that though. Personally, I'm not bothered about winning the Championship. Automatics will do for me just fine. I'm looking at how they're doing below us more than Boro at the minute. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

No, of course it doesn't.

However, if we're outplayed and lose convincingly, I'll be inclined to believe we're fighting for second behind Boro. If we win or draw, or even lose but it's by fine margins, then I'd say it's still on. But, as said above, with 21 games after this one, it's more realistic that it's 2 from 4/5 fighting for the top 2 in any order. Brighton are slumping but may recover, skint as Burnley might sign another £9m player, Hull, us and Boro are all competitive.

[SaintRam]

I think the answer is yes if they win, and no if anything else happens. It's not impossible for them to be caught by us but I don't think it would happen.

Winning against them will put us 2 points ahead of them, they win their game in hand and they're back to being top.

Right now it's best to think of it as being 4 points behind them and be pleasantly surprised if they drop points elsewhere.

[Pearl Ram]

Got to say I was impressed with Boro down at Brighton, respect to the 2,000 that travelled an'all.

Watched the game against Wednesday and while I was cheesed off they didn't put the effort in they did against us, I felt Boro were cruising and would have knocked it up a gear if Wednesday got ideas above their station.

While I don't think (maybe hope) Saturday will be an indicator of who will win the title, a win for them might give them extra belief they can go on and do it.

That said,  if we can come away undefeated I think that'll give us a shot in the arm and we might up the ante ourselves.

So to conclude, I haven't got a bloody clue mainly because I'm pished  Happy New Year.

 

 

[Abu Derby]

No. 

[Boycie]

42 minutes ago, Abu Derby said:

No. 

This!

kapow!

[DesertRam]

I would like to say I don't think it matters at the halfway point, but theoretically they

will be 7 points ahead of us, the Brighton game was a real eyeopener, although Dunk

and Marche were missing. We only have 2 defeats though, and am sure if everyone's

on form we can get something. If we can get the early goal, anything can happen.

But I can't see us coming from behind to get a point !

They lost to Bristol City, so perhaps complacency will help us out.

However, someone has to finish in the 2nd auto spot - and we have that tied down.

[TimRam]

Not too bothered if we lose this one as long as boro beat our rivals!

[Pearl Ram]

3 hours ago, DesertRam said:

I would like to say I don't think it matters at the halfway point, but theoretically they

will be 7 points ahead of us, the Brighton game was a real eyeopener, although Dunk

and Marche were missing. We only have 2 defeats though, and am sure if everyone's

on form we can get something. If we can get the early goal, anything can happen.

But I can't see us coming from behind to get a point !

They lost to Bristol City, so perhaps complacency will help us out.

However, someone has to finish in the 2nd auto spot - and we have that tied down.

[trevor1946]

The pressure is on Middlesbrough to win,,Derby away from home can play tight and wait for a break,

,Middlesbrough are expected to win,by the media,If Derby lose  it means the home team has won.

Teams are expected to win their home games,No big deal.

A draw for us would be a good result

[Dordogne_Ram]

Last 10 games :                           Defeats in last 6 games :

Boro 25 points                                            Nil

Rams 21                                                     Nil

Hull 16                                                          3

Brighton 14                                                   2

Burnley 13                                                    3

Ipswich 22                                                    2

 

So whilst Rams have risen to 2nd place, their points haul relative to Boro has declined : a defeat at the Riverside would suggest that 2nd place is more realistic for us, particularly as 3 of Boro's defeats came in the first 2 months of the season.

Surprised that Ipswich have better points haul than us over the last 10 games.

 

[Rampage]

2 minutes ago, Dordogne_Ram said:

Last 10 games :                           Defeats in last 6 games :

Boro 25 points                                            Nil

Rams 21                                                     Nil

Hull 16                                                          3

Brighton 14                                                   2

Burnley 13                                                    3

Ipswich 22                                                    2

 

So whilst Rams have risen to 2nd place, their points haul relative to Boro has declined : a defeat at the Riverside would suggest that 2nd place is more realistic for us, particularly as 3 of Boro's defeats came in the first 2 months of the season.

Surprised that Ipswich have better points haul than us over the last 10 games.

 

Good info Dordogne_Ram. I agree with your conclusions. We pretty much have to win nearly every game just to keep up with Boro. Also it takes three draws to match  a win in points.

[Alph]

I think it will take more incredible form from us to top them whatever the score. 

Form we're capable of. But the safe money is on them. 

They've got most the hardest fixtures out the way. They're toughest opponents are all at the Riverside now. 

A win would allow a bit more room for error later in the season. 

[PistoldPete2]

Boro must be favourites tomorrow and of course to win the Championship. Boro away is never a great place to go for the Rams at the best of times and boro are on a fantastic run. Maybe we can get a cheeky away performance like we did against hull. I hope so but I'd don't really expect anything tomorrow,

[robglosta]

They just don't concede (many).  It's hard to see their defence collapse enough to see them fall away if they do beat us.  That said, we should aim to keep on their coat tails as much as possible in order to secure the second auto spot by default if we miss out. 

[DEL]

No. 

[Sexydadbod]

Yes it will. I know there are a lot of games left but Boro look too good. They have played all of their promotion rivals away (barring Burnley) so will steamroll the second half of the season. If Boro win this game I can't see us catching them.