What's wrong with Hartlepool?

Hopefully we can do more damage to their goal difference

If my team was in Boro's position, I'd actually want Preston to win. But that's just me...

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Hmm. I'm not sure I want either team to start a winning streak. I'd ideally like both teams to lose.

Sounds like Ferdinand may lose the England captaincy with Terry being re-instated. What do people think to that?

6 of one, half a dozen of the other. I doubt it'll make much difference...

The way I see it is that Preston are 16 points behind you. You're 15 points behind Burnley. Now you aren't going to finish above Burnley, are you? Preston would have to win at least 6 out of their last 11 games to go above you, and I can't see that happening. Scunthorpe are 7 points behind you. Draw, and they go 6 points behind, which is 2 wins. Although their goal difference is rubbish, you never know if it may become a factor come the end of the season...

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So, at half-time, Leyton Orient are a goal up at Hartlepool (), Watford are winning at Ipswich (), Burnley are winning (), and just the 3 goals for Preston at Scunthorpe...

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Coventry have just equalised.

That's obviously good news for Reading...

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I missed two goals whilst replying to a different thread.

Yes, Coventry took the lead, but Burnley immediately equalised.

And Watford have scored a second goal

Meanwhile, Orient are still hanging on to their 1 goal lead...

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I thought Watford scored their 2nd a while ago...

That was after the Coventry equaliser

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Leyton Orient have won again! We're getting closer to the play-off pack

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That's good. Hartlepool need someone to keep them in check.

It means that Orient are the only team that can realistically catch the MK Dons, Bournemouth and co now.

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5 points to the cluster above you. A good run and you can sneak in there. Having 2 championship teams would be gready though.

It would be the first time since the 1993/94 season that both my teams would be in the same league (in the old Division 2).

If Orient keep this form up they'll make the play-offs easily...

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Because as sure as the sun rises in the east, Charlton won't get anywhere near

According to the match report, Orient's unbeaten run of 14 league games is a new club record.

By my calculations we've only lost twice in the last 27 games in all competitions. And the two defeats were 5-0...

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Scunthorpe have now joined Coventry in the manager search.

They could have just swapped managers

Looking at their fixture list, they probably felt that's the best way forward to have any chance of staying up, especially after last night's heavy defeat.

They've only got 3 'winnable' fixtures against teams from 14th downwards (Coventry, Palace, Ipswich). The problem is, though, they're all away from home. Plus they've still got to play Norwich, Nott'm Forest, Reading and QPR. Tricky...

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Chelsea v Copenhagen tonight.

For those who are interested in hideous looking away kits, Copenhagen are doing an Everton and are wearing pink tonight...

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Herein lies one reason why I think Boro will still be in the Championship next season...

Our remaining fixtures:
Watford (H) - 0
Leicester (H) - 0
Blades (A) - 1 or 3 we need 3 points off them or we're doomed...
Ipswich (A) - 0
Barnsley (H) - 0 (we seem to have a jinx against them...)
Burnley (A) - 0
Hull (A) - 0
Coventry (H) - 0-3 an absolutely 'must win' game...
Cardiff (A) - 0
Donny (H) - 1 or 3 (unless we've given up by then...)

That is an absolute maximum of 9 points

Watford (H) - 1
Leicester (H) - 1
Blades (A) - 3
Ipswich (A) - 3
Barnsley (H) - 3
Burnley (A) - 0
Hull (A) - 0
Coventry (H) - 3
Cardiff (A) - 0
Donny (H) - 1

Well, that's my thoughts...I make that 15...

You're far more optimistic than me. Really don't see us getting points off Ipswich or Barnsley. I know that on paper we should have a chance against Barnsley, but they are one of our bogey teams. They thumped us last year. Honestly think we have a chance of 3 points against Donny unless the team have given up by then. Watford and Leicester are too good for us, even at the Riverside.

We'll see who was closest come the end of the season. I hope you are...

And for the record, Charlton's run in...

Dag & Red (A) : 0
Southampton (H) : 0
Bournemouth (A) : 0
Rochdale (A) : 0
Orient (H) : 0
Southampton (A) : 0
Oldham (A) : 1
Huddersfield (H) : 0
Bristol Rovers (A) : 3
Rochdale (H) : 3
Walsall (A) : 1
Hartlepool (H) : 3

Would leave us with 59 points. Disappointing. Roll on next season...

My predictions for what it's worth:

Middlesbrough
Watford (H) - 1
Leicester (H) - 1
Blades (A) - 3
Ipswich (A) - 1
Barnsley (H) - 3
Burnley (A) - 0
Hull (A) - 0
Coventry (H) - 3
Cardiff (A) - 1
Donny (H) - 3

I make that 16 points. Before you ask, I do think you'll get something at Cardiff as they'll have one eye on at least the play-offs and may slip up, especially now that Chopra is out for the rest of the season.

If anything, Sheff Utd are the biggest threat, but they've got a lot of ground to make up. The Yorkshire derby against Leeds on Saturday is going to be an interesting one. Win that, and they've got a chance. If not, then it's likely they'll go down.

Crystal Palace are heavily reliant on their home record as they're away record is poor - they've only won once in the league, and that was, believe it or not, against Norwich.


Reading
Barnsley (A) - 3
Portsmouth (H) - 1
Preston (H) - 3
Forest (A) - 0
Scunthorpe (A) - 3
Leicester (H) - 1
Leeds (A) - 0
Blades (H) - 3
Coventry (A) - 3
Derby (H) - 3

I make that 20 points, which would take us up to 74 points. Might be enough, might not...

I won't bother doing Leyton Orient because they'll probably win all their remaining games

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This has just been posted on the BBC live text... you have to laugh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAtYlc1BsK8

Man City are out of the Europa League (partly due to Balotelli's red card)... Liverpool and Rangers appear to be following suit as it stands...

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As it stands, Rangers need 2 goals to win. Liverpool need 1 to take it into extra time.

Rangers have moments ago been denied by a blatant handball on the line...

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All three British teams are out of the Europa League...

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Not the best night.

Perhaps one of the three UK survivors in the CL will do something...

Champions League Draw
Real Madrid/TOTTENHAM v Barcelona/Shakhtar Donetsk
Inter Milan/Schalke 04 v CHELSEA/MAN UTD

So two English teams have been paired with each other in the quarter-finals. There could be an all English final at Wembley if Spurs somehow overcome Real Madrid and probably Barcelona

Then again it could be another El Clasico derby in the semi-finals, but at least we can't have an all Spanish final...

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Can't really see beyond Barcelona, to be honest...

Sheff Utd have beaten Leeds 2-0...

Derby 1-0 up on Palace. Arsenal 1-0 down at West Brom...

Leyton Orient are a goal down already...

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Harumph.

2-0 to Brentford

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Not sure I like the result of the Yorkshire derby.

Good result for Reading, not good for you...

Scunthorpe are losing though

Dagenham are (predictably) leading Charlton...

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What is it about players scoring against former teams?

Leyton Orient still 2-0 down. Reading can't make any progress on Barnsley at the moment...

I tell you, if the results stay the same in the Premier League, it's going to be very tight down at the bottom. Wigan would be cut adrift, 4 points behind everyone else despite drawing, but Aston Villa will only be a point clear of the drop zone, Newcastle 4 clear and Sunderland 6 clear...

If Blackpool hold on to their 2-0 lead, Blackburn will move into the relegation zone...

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Yes. There are some rather interesting scorelines in the prem at the moment.

I still say that I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an unexpected relegation for a big name and/or big money team...

The Leyton Orient comeback has begun...

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Barnsley 0-1 Reading

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Well done.

Red card for Watford.

And manager Malky Mackay's been sent off too...

Big goals for Wigan and Blackburn...

Car Expert