Don’t Panic

I missed the Ipswich match, travelling back from a visit to see my son in Amsterdam. However, I’m not surprised we lost when you consider the season the Tractor Boys are having. McKenna has built a really decent side and we’re in transition at best.
What has surprised me is some of the hysterical talk on the various sites following the defeat. It ranges from “we’re definitely going down” to “the next two games are must win”. I don’t agree with either statement. Looking at the fixtures I think we can get up to 12 points out of a busy March schedule, if we apply ourselves. I think Venus will have learned the lessons of Saturday’s substitutions and we won’t see the same errors again. If we do find 12 points in March, it’ll be enough to see us safe with time to spare.
One of the reasons I think we’ll be ok is the form of those around us. In February, QPR won three, drew one and lost one. Two of their wins came against Blackburn and Rotherham (already gone in all but maths). They lost to Stoke who are also struggling, but got a creditable draw with Norwich and a cracking away win at Bristol. In March, they’re away at Leicester (my prediction 0pts), at home to the Albion (1 pt), at home to Middlesbrough (3pts), away to Sunderland (1pt), then the big one against us which I think we’ll win. So that’s 5pts for QPR.
Stoke, I think, are in real trouble. In February they lost four and won one, ironically against QPR, and were battered 5-0 at home by a rampant Leicester. In March I don’t see things getting much better. With away games against Leeds, Preston and Hull, and home games against Middlesbrough and Norwich, they’ll do well to scratch half a dozen points at best. Sheffield Wednesday beat ourselves, Bristol City and Millwall in February but lost to Leicester and heavily to Huddersfield. In March I think they’ll get between six and nine points with winnable matches against Swansea, Plymouth and Rotherham. I can’t see them doing anything against Ipswich and Leeds though.
I think Millwall is another side in real trouble but the arrival of Neil Harris back at the club as manager could galvanise them. In their last match they beat Southampton away but lost the previous four. In March I can see them beating Watford and Blackburn. I think we have enough to beat them and so do West Brom and Leeds. So six or seven points for them, depending on how we fare at the New Den.
Huddersfield beat Watford, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday, but lost to Leeds and Southampton in February. In March I can see them gaining another six or seven points from matches against the Albion, Leeds, Coventry, Rotherham and Cardiff.
That leaves us. Abysmal away but strong at home it seems. I think we’ll get a point against Southampton and possibly Hull. I fancy us to beat Millwall, then Middlesbrough at home. We owe Watford one. So I think a near full house will give us a win. That leaves us with QPR away. I think it’s got a draw written all over it. That would be a 12 point haul. I think even losing one of those I’ve chalked as a win would still be enough. Win at home in April, against Preston, and beat Rotherham and we’re home and hosed. With Rotherham, Sheffield Weds and Stoke my picks to be relegated.
Keep the faith and KRO.
Jez Hemming
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