Championship Hull v Coventry tonight

[tonyw]

I’m not sure I really agree with this idea that Hull picking up points tonight was somehow to be hoped for.

They’re now just one result away from going above us. They wouldn’t have been if they had lost. That’s much more important than the idea of Coventry trying harder against Luton and Plymouth for me…

I’ve noticed for a while now that people seem desperate for those bottom two sides to lose no matter who they play, and would even rather sides just below us beat them in order to ‘keep them adrift’. I don’t agree with this at all.

Plymouth and Luton are 8 points behind us. If they manage to overtake us, let’s face it, we’re getting relegated. We’re not finishing in the bottom two. There. I said it. What we might still do, though, is finish third from bottom, and to avoid that we’ve got to keep one of Cardiff, Derby, Hull, Portsmouth or Stoke below us. And so if one of those sides play Plymouth or Luton? I want the latter to win, 6-0 for all I care.

That would all be correct if it wasn't for the fact that West Brom still have to play Derby and Cardiff. And I think (and the bookies agree) that those two are much more likely to finish in the bottom three than Hull.

If Hull had lost today, West Brom would have been five points behind Coventry, with the possibility of falling eight points behind on Friday if they lost at the Ricoh, and then seriously at risk of mailing it in against those two. Now we know that they will at least go into their game at home to Derby on Easter Monday with hope.

And I know some people don't subscribe to this notion of wanting to play midtable sides with nothing to play for at this stage of the season......but we've only taken ten points in the past two months, and seven of them have come against those teams!

 

[Steve Gilbert]

That would all be correct if it wasn't for the fact that West Brom still have to play Derby and Cardiff. And I think (and the bookies agree) that those two are much more likely to finish in the bottom three than Hull.

If Hull had lost today, West Brom would have been five points behind Coventry, with the possibility of falling eight points behind on Friday if they lost at the Ricoh, and then seriously at risk of mailing it in against those two. Now we know that they will at least go into their game at home to Derby on Easter Monday with hope.

And I know some people don't subscribe to this notion of wanting to play midtable sides with nothing to play for at this stage of the season......but we've only taken ten points in the past two months, and seven of them have come against those teams!

The only issue with playing teams with nothing to play for is that you don’t know what team is going to turn up. You may have players in the side that have a point to prove for next season as they need a contract (prime Job Ashton) or they are on the beach, know they are set for next season and just don’t want to get injured.
We have a game against Cardiff where all the pressure is on them and if things aren’t going for them then the crowd will turn. We play Sunderland who are already rotating their side due to injuries as they prepare for the play offs and then Swansea (see my first point about playing a team with nothing to play for).
I think our points for safety will be gained against Cardiff and Sunderland.