Bristol ROVERS v Blackburn ROVERS, Sat 14 April 2018, KO 15:00

[Thorisgodpoo]

A win would be nice.

[mrblackbat]

Epic poll. Win is almost certainly guaranteed.

[Gibbon]

Look out for those badegrs!

[Dan]

Where's -------------------------- ?
Poll fail.

[Thorisgodpoo]

I must commit sudoku now for my sins.

[WacoRover]

Hmmm...
Bristol is a hit or miss club; nearly as many wins as Pompey; the 2nd fewest ties in the league; but more losses than Rochdale (in the RZ).

I agree, fresh legs needed. I like our defending. I wouldn’t have imagined we would be lacking scoring. Mowbray needs to find the right combination again.

[Thorisgodpoo]

So doing the calculations for the final 5 matches of the season, Rovers need to finish 3-2-0 at the minimum to get promoted. Shrewsbury have to win all 5 matches in that scenario. Should be interesting last set of matches.

[mcteeth]

I think Wigan will win the league quite easily, although that could easily change, but I sort of expect them to not drop any more points or at worst maybe end up with a draw in on of their tougher games, perhaps Rotherham.

But the target was promotion and winning the league would have been an added bonus but not essential. Looking at the remains 5 fixtures:

Rovers
- Bristol Rovers (a)
- Peterborough (h)
- Doncaster (a)
- Charlton (a)
- Oxford (h)

Shrewsbury
- Charlton (h)
- Bury (h)
- Peterborough (h)
- Blackpool (a)
- MK Dons (h)

We both I'd say have 3 tougher games with Charlton and Peterborough both being good sides and fighting to be in the play-offs, we also have Charlton away. Then I'd say both our trip to Bristol and their trip to Blackpool are trickier fixtures.

They've got the luxury of 4 of their 5 being at home and with two of these being Bury and MK Dons you'd expect 6 points from those.

There's no doubt going to be some twists and turns but I do think they'll need to possibly win all 5 to finish above us and I'm not convinced they will. Particularly as they also keep getting people sent off!

They failed to make up the two points last night and I hope we take that impetus into this weekend and get a win.

[Dan]

I wouldn't rule out either us or Shrewsbury dropping points to Oxford and MK Dons, come the end of the season they could both be fighting to stay up.
I think Wigan have to be favourites, but all three of us have to keep winning regardless of what the others are doing, and every single game is a potential banana skin now that the pressures's building a bit.

[Thorisgodpoo]

The big 2 matches I see between Shrews and Rovers are Peterborough and Charlton. Both are attempting to secure a playoff position, so I expect a hard match no matter what. I feel those 2 matches will define whether or not Shrewbury or Blackburn will get promoted.

[Gibbon]

I think we just need to take one match at a time. Looking ahead just shifts the focus from where it needs to be right now.

[mcteeth]

The good thing is that is how Mowbray appears to be managing things with the team, just each game at a time. I think it's just comforting that we have the 4 point cushion, effectively 5 due to goal difference. Not sure I could cope if right now it was already neck and neck.

[stillgrowling]

I will feel sooooooo much more relaxed if we can win tomorrow. The Shrews will really struggle to catch us then. And watch out for Wigan dropping a clanger before the end.

[Darth Rover]

If Rovers can regain some form i see us being promoted before Oxford come to visit. Charlton were botheting me a bit but it would appear the Lee Bowyer honeymoon period is over with a draw and a loss after a few wins. The deciding factor between Rovers and Shrewsbury is the squad quality. Shrewsbury have had an outstanding season with some players that are too good for league one. However they are losing players to suspension whereas Rovers too have lost players like Chapman but Rovers have been able to rely on others stepping up like Dack and Armstrong. Promotion for me will happen before the Oxford game. I am more worried about how we will fair in the championship next season. I have really been surprised how Millwall have performed in the championship and this time last year they finished sixth in league one.

[WacoRover]

Samuel... c’mon, we need something from you...