boundaryblue80 Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 (edited) A year or so back someone once wrote on a messageboard that beating Yeovil away was a must win game.....in October of that season. I laughed and promptly replied saying March is when you get them must win games....not October.... Alas here we are.....that must win game of the season. A game in hand of those we're chasing and to win it would put us 2pts behind and right in the hunt. Looking over Hartlepools recent run, for me, it's pretty dire and they simply are there for the taking. The following is their last 10 games..... 01-03 A Bournemouth L- 2:0 - Terrible result for them on Sat at the worst home record in the league 22-02 H Northampton L- 0:1 - Home loss to these....when we did that, we were disgusted with it also 16-02 A Cheltenham D- 1:1 - A point at Cheltenham isn't to be scoffed at, but still, not a win 12-02 H Port Vale W- 3:2 - Were 2-1 down with 86 on the clock. Scraped 2 late ones to beat the bottom side. Poor. 09-02 A Southend L- 2:1 - Acceptable loss I suppose, but a loss nevertheless 02-02 H Luton W- 4:0 - Beat a team on its knees waiting for the bullet 29-01 A Doncaster L- 2:0 - Fair enough, understandable defeat 22-01 H Southend W- 4:3 - I'd say a decent win I suppose 18-01 H Cheltenham L- 0:2 - Shocking defeat 12-01 A Northampton D- 1:1 - Half decent point away from home Ok, we beat Hartlepool and then suggest Tranmere is must win, but even a draw would keep them close to us. Thus for me, our season rests on this game...draw or lose and I think we've too many teams around us (with games in hand) and the playoffs are still 4pts away. Win it and we can afford not to have to beat the Tramps (although it would be very nice to!) Come on Latics.......please make this one a win on Tuesday.......breathe life into our push for promotion by winning this Must Win game! Edited March 2, 2008 by boundaryblue80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 A year or so back someone once wrote on a messageboard that beating Yeovil away was a must win game.....in October of that season. I laughed and promptly replied saying March is when you get them must win games....not October.... I don't subscribe to this theory that must win games come at the end of the year. Mick McCarthy (of all people) pointed out that if they'd won more games already there would be no need to look for "must win games" at this stage in the season and despite it being McCarthy I'm enclined to agree. We simply have to keep winning games, it's no good this being a must win if we're then going to lose the next 4! By the same token, I'd much rather have 3 points than a game in hand. Ok, we beat Hartlepool and then suggest Tranmere is must win, but even a draw would keep them close to us. Thus for me, our season rests on this game...draw or lose and I think we've too many teams around us (with games in hand) and the playoffs are still 4pts away. Win it and we can afford not to have to beat the Tramps (although it would be very nice to!) Despite the above about rather have points than games, there are realistically two teams below us who will be above us once we're on level games (Brighton [1pt, 2games] and Bristol [3pts, 3games]) so whilst it's important we win, I personally doubt Tranmere are the team we'll have to beat to 6th place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted March 2, 2008 Author Share Posted March 2, 2008 I don't subscribe to this theory that must win games come at the end of the year. Mick McCarthy (of all people) pointed out that if they'd won more games already there would be no need to look for "must win games" at this stage in the season and despite it being McCarthy I'm enclined to agree. We simply have to keep winning games, it's no good this being a must win if we're then going to lose the next 4! By the same token, I'd much rather have 3 points than a game in hand. Despite the above about rather have points than games, there are realistically two teams below us who will be above us once we're on level games (Brighton [1pt, 2games] and Bristol [3pts, 3games]) so whilst it's important we win, I personally doubt Tranmere are the team we'll have to beat to 6th place. True possibly about Brighton, especially with that cracking piece of business over a guy named Murray. Not so much about B.Rovers though....was looking over their games in hand earlier and Doncaster and Swansea are 2 of them. Although strange things do happen at this end of the season. Regarding must wins though, some games are ok to get draws in. Ok, as you say, we could do with keeping on winning but personally if we win on Tuesday, I don't see Saturday as must win purely because a draw won't be devastating to our season. But it will be on Tuesday I feel....making it must win, compared to...would love to win but a draw will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laticsmad Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 True possibly about Brighton, especially with that cracking piece of business over a guy named Murray. Not so much about B.Rovers though....was looking over their games in hand earlier and Doncaster and Swansea are 2 of them. Although strange things do happen at this end of the season. Regarding must wins though, some games are ok to get draws in. Ok, as you say, we could do with keeping on winning but personally if we win on Tuesday, I don't see Saturday as must win purely because a draw won't be devastating to our season. But it will be on Tuesday I feel....making it must win, compared to...would love to win but a draw will do. I think we should beaiming to win any and every game at home--especially the next 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Ronnie Moore Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I'm licking my lips at the prospect of being sixth by 5pm next Saturday! But yeah, Hartlepool is a big game and to be honest if we don't beat them (based on their current form and our prospects) then we don't deserve to mount a playoff challenge. Teams who are striving to make the playoffs beat teams like Hartlepool at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIKI1234 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 The Tranmere game is a must NOT LOSE game..... I think to lose 3 points to them onm Saturday would kill our playoff hopes... Beat them and we are right in the mix. Win on Tue and on Sat and we could be sat in 6th place come this time next week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beag_teeets Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 The Tranmere game is a must NOT LOSE game..... For me this is the biggest game of the season, I can't stand Tranmere, the plastic scouse c s. I hope we absolutely stuff them and send them back to their -hole with glum faces and no points. Wouldn't matter if this was the first game of the season or a mid-table nothing game. Plus the added spice of their manager and striker and the bunch of chavs they will bring to act hard and strutt at the front of the RRE, hopefully they will all have cleared off by 4:30 as the 7th goal hits the back of their net for Allesandra's second hatrick of the game after Lomax opened the scoring. I have turned down a freee ticket to Crufts that clashes with this game and I wouldn't have minded going, if it was any other game I might have considered it but not this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edhunteruk Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 For me this is the biggest game of the season, I can't stand Tranmere, the plastic scouse c s. I hope we absolutely stuff them and send them back to their -hole with glum faces and no points. Wouldn't matter if this was the first game of the season or a mid-table nothing game. Plus the added spice of their manager and striker and the bunch of chavs they will bring to act hard and strutt at the front of the RRE, hopefully they will all have cleared off by 4:30 as the 7th goal hits the back of their net for Allesandra's second hatrick of the game after Lomax opened the scoring. I have turned down a freee ticket to Crufts that clashes with this game and I wouldn't have minded going, if it was any other game I might have considered it but not this one. we need to win on tuesday and saturday to maintain a push for the playoffs. so in my eyes all games are now must win games,the incentive of playing at a higher level is there. if we hadnt had such a disaster of a start to the season,who knows what place we may be in now,its ok saying oh dont worry nobody wins promotion in august or september,but if you have a start like we did you can easily say its cost us our season,last min games we lost like to leeds and a few others dont help. but thats what makes football so addictive,the unpredictable element to any game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostofcecere Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I think the one thing we haven't done enough off this season is to put a run of results together. This is largely because we have been dreadfull at home; we have rarely followed a good away victory up with a home win. If we are genuine playoff contenders then we need to win the next three at the very least, but looking at the the up-coming fixtures this month, Doncaster away is the only one that will be tough to get a result at. As I say IF we are genuinely good enough for the playoffs again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted March 3, 2008 Author Share Posted March 3, 2008 I have turned down a freee ticket to Crufts that clashes with this game and I wouldn't have minded going, if it was any other game I might have considered it but not this one. In life, there are often some things that sometimes we should not admit to Woof! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beag_teeets Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 In life, there are often some things that sometimes we should not admit to Woof! I've seen Latics more than enough for one lifetime and have the rest of my life to see them, plus the club have already had my money in May/June Day three of Crufts looks a cracker too - http://www.crufts.org.uk/whatson/day3/ It is the working and pastoral, they do that stupid dancing which is always good for a laugh plus you get Flyball where a load of stupid mutts chase after a ball - Now, I wonder where I could also see this??? Anyways, I am turning down the chance to see this to boo and jeer the scousers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Regarding must wins though, some games are ok to get draws in. Ok, as you say, we could do with keeping on winning but personally if we win on Tuesday, I don't see Saturday as must win purely because a draw won't be devastating to our season. But it will be on Tuesday I feel....making it must win, compared to...would love to win but a draw will do. Reading that made almost my eyes bleed! But I know what you're getting at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc_ok Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Anyways, I am turning down the chance to see this to boo and jeer the scousers! So you had a choice then....either watch Rovers or come to the match Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_mighty_bosh Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Every game is a must win game because if we don't win, I feel sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJBlue Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Every game is a must win now if we want to catch the places we are hunting for. This would be an especially tasty win though as it would be revenge for the 4 -1 drumming we received at the start of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leezyverpunk Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Cant wait for tonite - I hope the atmos is better than against Swindon - let's hope we can win and get some more interest and bods into BP for our promotion push (or at least for our game on Satdi against the much hated Trannies!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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