Sheff Utd/Middlesbrough

[Commy]

Can Middlesbrough catch Sheff Utd? They play each other on Wed night and if Middlesbrough win they will only be 7 points behind. They look to have a more favourable run in as well. Instead of chasing us Sheff Utd could be looking over their shoulder.

[MACCA]

Draw please...

[DCWat]

Draw please...

Boro win for me - far better than a draw

[andyh]

My accumulator hope for a home win… I’ve been doing £15 doubles on Burnley and Sheff Utd since Christmas and I’m £500 up.

[RVclaret]

Draw ideal. We play Watford first, let’s make it 11 in a row.

Answer to the question, Sheff Utd have a trickier patch of games coming up, so a defeat to Boro and they might just start to feel some nerves.

[HiThere]

0-0 best result.

[Quicknick]

I favour a draw which will hopefully put us nine points clear of Sheff U, assuming we win our match first.

[evensteadiereddie]

A win for us v Watford and a draw for those two would be perfect.
5 off each of their Magic Numbers within 24 hours.

[Swizzlestick]

Not too fussed on the result. Even with a Boro win, it would take some collapse from the Blades - still have a game in hand over them and a much better GD.

[Shaggy]

I’d like to see Boro beat sheff utd too second auto spot so Boro win would be lovely, plus it strengthens our grip on the Trophy which I believe is only a matter of time until it’s ours anyway.

[Nori1958]

Surprised so many wanting Boro to win, surely a Sheff Utd win is better in terms of the promotion places?

[HiThere]

Surprised so many wanting Boro to win, surely a Sheff Utd win is better in terms of the promotion places?

A 0-0 seems obvious to me.

We win and go 2 points further away from both of them.
The next best result is a Boro win as it allows us to climb further away from SU for the title while keeping the points gap on 3rd.

1. Best result: 0-0
2. Boro win
3. Sheffield United win

[daveisaclaret]

This result is going to have absolutely no bearing on where we finish at the end of the season. A Boro win is desirable cos it means we'll win the league sooner.

[TheFamilyCat]

Why on earth is anyone concerned about increasing the gap to third?

[Hibsclaret]

We are the best, forget about the rest. Most of them are playing a different sport to us this season.

[MACCA]

Boro win for me - far better than a draw

Incorrect

[Rileybobs]

Middlesbrough win for me. We are already up, there was a thread on here a month or so ago where this was proven. What we certainly aren’t just yet is Champions, with Sheff Utd still to play and bearing in mind what they did to us at Bramall Lane. I’d prefer to increase the gap to second than third.

[DCWat]

Incorrect

Not sure how you can say it’s incorrect - either way it’s an opinion.

My view is that creating a bigger gap between us and Sheffield United is far better for us. The gap to third is pretty irrelevant, it being so large.

[tiger76]

Well one or both will drop points so win/win for me as long as we collect 3 points against Watford, we'll either increase the gap to 2nd, or go even further ahead of 3rd.

Although I have to say if anybody seriously believes Boro will catch us then I'll have some of what you've been smoking.

[MACCA]

Not sure how you can say it’s incorrect - either way it’s an opinion.

My view is that creating a bigger gap between us and Sheffield United is far better for us. The gap to third is pretty irrelevant, it being so large.

You said "Boro win far better than a draw"

To which I replied "incorrect"

My reply of "incorrect" was correct regards your statement.

If the sides in 2nd and 3rd can both drop points that is the best result for Burnley regardless if any gaps currently in place until we are mathematically promoted and then champions

[Rileybobs]

You said "Boro win far better than a draw"

To which I replied "incorrect"

My reply of "incorrect" was correct regards your statement.

If the sides in 2nd and 3rd can both drop points that is the best result for Burnley regardless if any gaps currently in place until we are mathematically promoted and then champions

Don’t understand that logic. What if we’re mathematically 1 point from securing promotion with 10 games left? There comes a point (and to be honest we’re already past it) where it’s impossible for us to be caught, so winning the league has to be the next objective. It would be a mild disappointment now if we failed to clinch the Championship.

Nothing to detract from the work you’ve been doing since taking over the CFS, you understand.

[Goody1975]

Can Middlesbrough catch Sheff Utd?

They can but imo they won't.

Even a win will still leave them with a mountain to climb, yes it's seven points but they have played an extra game.

They may push them close which will keep Sheffield United under real pressure.

[Nori1958]

Why on earth is anyone concerned about increasing the gap to third?

Because that's what gets you promoted

[NRC]

Why on earth is anyone concerned about increasing the gap to third?

You are from a northern mill-town, right? We’d grumble that there was nothing to grumble about!

[Bosscat]

Boro win for me - far better than a draw

Same here ... also means I will have happy Grandaughters too

[FCBurnley]

Let’s get promoted then we can just focus on winning the cup. Easy

[Claretitus]

If we win, it’s obvious we want Boro to win. Puts us further ahead of the team in 2nd. No brainier.

[Claretforever]

A draw is probably the best result, but a Boro win wouldn’t be bad, if we can beat Watford we’ll increase the gap to 9-10 points, which is where I’d like to stay until we play Sheffield Utd at home.

[Vegas Claret]

A draw, 3 red cards a piece would do

[taio]

Boro win obviously

[evensteadiereddie]

And an injury or two, just niggles obviously, but just enough to weaken either or both.
Having said that, I think this Clarets' side has the Jack Reacher mentality as in, eff you, yeah, let's just get on with it, your funeral.

[Bosscat]

Let’s get promoted then we can just focus on winning the cup. Easy

id-buy-that-for-a-dollar-robocop.gif (460.16 KiB) Viewed 2826 times

[summitclaret]

If we win, it’s obvious we want Boro to win. Puts us further ahead of the team in 2nd. No brainier.

There's only one thing that is obvious - we don't want a Boro win. Promotion is the ultimate aim. Of course going up as Champions would be great. However, the sooner we are confirmed as up the better. As has been said, we can then focus on the Cup, assuming we beat Fleetwood.

I think a SU Boro draw would be ideal and a SU win would be OK.

[Milltown1882]

Draw is the perfect scenario. Minimal damage to the gap to 3rd then.

[jedi_master]

Boro win - they ain’t getting near us, but they might make Sheff wobble with a win, who knows. I want to win the league.

[DCWat]

I could understand calls for a draw if it were tight between 1st to 3rd. It’s not, we are miles ahead and so, increasing the gap from 1st to 2nd, whilst maintaining the gap to 3rd looks a no brainer to me.

If a 17 point gap isn’t seen to be big enough at this stage, I’m baffled. It also piles more pressure on Sheff United, if Boro win.

[taio]

I could understand calls for a draw if it were tight between 1st to 3rd. It’s not, we are miles ahead and so, increasing the gap from 1st to 2nd, whilst maintaining the gap to 3rd looks a no brainer to me.

If a 17 point gap isn’t seen to be big enough at this stage, I’m baffled. It also piles more pressure on Sheff United, if Boro win.

Correct

[Goody1975]

The gap behind only becomes relevant if we start dropping points.

We play first in midweek, we win our game and then we can see their result on Wednesday and casually shrug our shoulders at the outcome.

[claretspice]

With every game we win, this becomes more moot, but for now I'd be happy for Sheff Utd to win and cut Boro away.

17 points is one hell of a cushion and if we win on Tuesday its 20 points before those two clash. But if we were to lose, and Boro to win - then the gap is 14 points and we do have to go to the Riverside. Even then we'd be overwhelming favourites, but I'm enjoying the lack of stress currently and have no wish to add even a semblance of it during the run in. And there are other advantages in terms of planning with confirming promotion as fast as possible.

Once we're mathematically up, we can worry about the championship. I think we're comfortably better than Sheffield United and so will beat them down the stretch regardless of how they fare v Boro, so it's almost a sign of confidence to be happy for them to beat Boro.

[quoonbeatz]

Not bothered either way. I'm very confident neither of them will be threatening top spot.

[Shaggy]

If Boro win sheff utd do have some tough fixtures with not much rest and they don’t have the deepest squad either.

It would be interesting to see the blunts go on a massive wobble and have Boro nipping at their heels. We can all watch on from afar on the pinnacle.

[Rick_Muller]

Don’t understand that logic. What if we’re mathematically 1 point from securing promotion with 10 games left? There comes a point (and to be honest we’re already past it) where it’s impossible for us to be caught, so winning the league has to be the next objective. It would be a mild disappointment now if we failed to clinch the Championship.

Nothing to detract from the work you’ve been doing since taking over the CFS, you understand.

Look at it this way - if one team wins one will gain 3 points; if they draw between them they only gain 2 points. Or alternate view on same concept - one team loses they lose 3 points; draw and they drop 4 points between them. The draw is definitely the best result as 4 points total is dropped

[TheFamilyCat]

Because that's what gets you promoted

I think that bit of business has already been dealt with.

[dougcollins]

Blades win for me. Two teams clear is good.

[Rileybobs]

Look at it this way - if one team wins one will gain 3 points; if they draw between them they only gain 2 points. Or alternate view on same concept - one team loses they lose 3 points; draw and they drop 4 points between them. The draw is definitely the best result as 4 points total is dropped

You could level that at any fixture though. Sheffield United’s following fixture is against Milwall, would you prefer a draw to a Milwall win?

[elwaclaret]

TBH I’m passed looking below a slight interest in who might end up in the play offs. A passing interest in the rest of the table with the level of attention I pay the lower leagues… It used to drive me mad how people could not know how Burnley were doing in Division 4… I realise now I’m capable of being a hypocrite.

[Nori1958]

With every game we win, this becomes more moot, but for now I'd be happy for Sheff Utd to win and cut Boro away.

17 points is one hell of a cushion and if we win on Tuesday its 20 points before those two clash. But if we were to lose, and Boro to win - then the gap is 14 points and we do have to go to the Riverside. Even then we'd be overwhelming favourites, but I'm enjoying the lack of stress currently and have no wish to add even a semblance of it during the run in. And there are other advantages in terms of planning with confirming promotion as fast as possible.

Once we're mathematically up, we can worry about the championship. I think we're comfortably better than Sheffield United and so will beat them down the stretch regardless of how they fare v Boro, so it's almost a sign of confidence to be happy for them to beat Boro.

Exactly

[summitclaret]

You could level that at any fixture though. Sheffield United’s following fixture is against Milwall, would you prefer a draw to a Milwall win?

Of course a draw would again be best for us, for the same reason as Boro against SU. IMO there are only currently 3 teams that could stop us going up. Boro, Luton and Millwall. All 3 are longshoots, but Boro are playing really well. Every point dropped by those 3 counts.

[houseboy]

Absolutely a Boro win. They ain’t gonna catch us. 17 points behind us and we have a game in hand I think. Sheff loss means we can pretty much start celebrating winning the league unless we have a collapse in form of biblical proportions. I still believe that the auto places are sewn up and it’s the scraps for the others. A Sheff win would absolutely confirm that. And I quite like Sheff Utd so I would be happy for it to stay exactly as it is.

[Rileybobs]

Of course a draw would again be best for us, for the same reason as Boro against SU. IMO there are only currently 3 teams that could stop us going up. Boro, Luton and Millwall. All 3 are longshoots, but Boro are playing really well. Every point dropped by those 3 counts.

Milwall are 22 points behind us. There is absolutely no chance on this earth that they will catch us. Zilch. Why stop at Milwall? Maybe when Sheff Utd play Bristol City we should also root for the draw.