Cardiff's Joe Ledley is booked for a foul on Nygaard. Nygaard is getting treatment. Colchester has regained the lead against Sunderland.
Did exactly what needed to be done - rest of the relegation threatened teams are playing well and it doesn't matter. Just win baby!
Not only are we staying up, but we're doing it in fine form. Didn't rely on anyone's help, just won games down the stretch. I think this might even be a good omen for next season. Have to see what happens in the summer though. Who knows, we could even manage to keep Lee Cook. I think the pressure has now shifted from Gregory straight up to the boardroom - it's time for Paladini and co. to do something for this club.
18 QPR 43 -13 49 - home vs. Cardiff, W, 1-0 19 Leicester 43 -14 47 - away vs. Preston, W, 1-0 20 Barnsley 43 -26 47 - home vs. Crystal Palace, W, 2-0 21 Hull 43 -16 45 - away vs. Stoke, D, 1-1 ------ 22 Leeds 43 -23 45 - away vs. Southampton, L, 0-1 23 Southend 43 -27 42 - away vs. Plymouth, L, 1-2 24 Luton 44 -25 37 - lost yesterday at Derby, 0-1 So, the table now stands as follows: 18 QPR 44 -12 52 19 Leicester 44 -13 50 20 Barnsley 44 -24 50 21 Hull 44 -16 46 ------ 22 Leeds 44 -24 45 23 Southend 44 -28 42 24 Luton 44 -25 37 Only Hull is in any real danger of dropping down now as Barnsley and Leicester are five points ahead of Leeds with two to go. Southend is almost down since they're four points behind Hull (and have worse GD) and have to pass two teams. Luton is down. Will it be Hull or Leeds for the final relegation spot?
As I've wished all season... would be great if Luton, Hull and Leeds went down, but that looks unlikely. Leeds have the slightly more challengind run in, but I think they might just sneak by Hull. Nice to be a (kind of) impartial observer now!
Leeds really needs to win next week at home against Ipswich. They close the season at Derby, who right now holds onto the last auto-promotion spot by one point. Derby will very likely need to win that game -- Preston v. Birmingham is at the same time, so they won't know exactly what they need in their race against Birmingham for the spot. Hull is at Cardiff, then at home against Plymouth. If Hull still holds a lead on Leeds or is even on points (they have a better GD) going into the final week, safety will be Hull's to lose.
Cheers Some nice quotes from John Gregory after the match... http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/ManagersComments/0,,10373~1014585,00.html
Don't we usually talk about the magic points total at the begining of every season? The points that if you make to that number the team almost always stays up? I thought I remember in the past its right at about 52.
The commentators on World mentioned some kind of handbags going on with some of the Cardiff players and Lee Camp after the final whistle. Apparently it continued to a degree that Cardiff's Michael Chopra was given his second yellow after the match. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6555265.stm The BBC report doesn't mention it, but according to the QPR site, Camp was booked, too: http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/MatchReport/0,,10373~33588,00.html
I think you're right. I'm sure I've checked the numbers before, but couldn't find the thread. Points for survival -- 21st place: 05/06 -- 50 (QPR), but 22nd had only 42 points, so 43 would have been enough 04/05 -- 50 (Crewe), but Gillingham also went down with 50 on inferior goal difference (-1!) 03/04 -- 51 (Gillingham), but Walsall also went down with 51 on inferior goal difference (-1!) 02/03 -- 50 (Stoke), but 22nd had only 46, so 47 would have been enough 01/02 -- 49 (Rotherham), but Crewe also went down with 49 on inferior goal difference (-15) 00/01 -- 49 (Crystal Palace), 22nd had 48 99/00 -- 49 (West Brom), 22nd had 46 The tiebrakers were somewhat different prior to 99/00. Points for safety and top relegation team for prior years: 98/99 (47/47), 97/98 (49/48), 96/97 (48/46), 95/96 (52/52). So, no team has gone down with 52 points since Millwall in 1996. However, the last relegation spot was decided by goal difference in 3 of the last 7 seasons (twice by one goal!) and the team that went down in all three of those seasons had 50 or 51. 47 would have been enough in 3 of the last 7.
Burnley ended up beating West Brom, 3-2, and moving up to 15th in the table. Elsewhere in the league, I can't believe the late-season form of Preston. After seemingly righting their ship with a 4-0 win at Coventry, Preston lost at home again on Saturday, 0-1 to Leicester! They've now lost five of their last six, including losses to QPR (18th), Leicester (19th), Leeds (22nd), and Southend (23rd)! Throw in a 0-3 setback at Palace and that's just dreadful form. They're still in 4th, but at 71 points they're just one point ahead of 5th & 6th, two points ahead of 7th, 8th, and 9th, and three points ahead of 10th. They'd better beat Plymouth away next, because they close with Birmingham at home.