ChrisJbarnes

They will be strong contenders for promotion, as will Sunderland- large PL clubs with similar budgets. All have been a shambles in the PL this season and before, however my point was just to show there is greater competition from "big clubs" with big budgets than when were there before. Villa are a shambles, but so are we.

Only 3 teams can go up. Aston Villa and Sunderland will be equally strong (or stronger) candidates to go up dependant on squad investment, and choices of Manager. As well as the likes of Brighton, Hull etc. (good consistently competitive Championship teams), you would think others like Fulham and QPR with big budgets for players. If there's one man who can fuck this up, we know who it is.

I'm a 9. It needs less than a miracle, but more than a dramatic turnaround. 4 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses would bring us to 38 points, which is highly unlikely given the shambles of this season, but not out of the question. Wins from Crystal Palace (H), Swansea (H), Aston Villa (A), and then 1 win and 1 draw from Southampton (A), Man City (H), Liverpool (A), Tottenham (H) (may have lost the league by then). Sunderland and Norwich still to play each other. Norwich still to play Palace. Mitrovic going on a high scoring run? The frustrating thing is but for that last goal, we had as good a chance as any with a point to build on.

A draw here wouldn't be the worst result, if Sunderland draw or lose and Palace lose. Sounds like a pretty grim game but whilst failing to win wouldn't be disastrous, losing would be. If we cant put in a decent performance here of all places, you would be concerned about where the points are going to come from though...

For the first time in years, I am tentatively optimistic. Imo, we have the best squad when compared to Norwich, Sunderland and Palace. These have been coached over the last few years by McClaren, Pardew and Carver. We now have indisputably the best manager out of all of them. Improvement is evident in 9 days of Benitez, and we have an international break for him to get some of his ideas across. I believe that we can at least expect to see a gameplan, good tactical changes, commitment and improvement over the next 8 games. I dont really believe that either the Sunderland game or the Norwich game were "must win", but "must-not-lose". We said the same countless times about other fixtures but football is not as simplistic as this. This was always going to be a huge game with the Derby aspect and the fact that both teams needed to win. The Norwich game will be similar- away from home and you would expect them to play like their lives depend on it. Sunderland also go away to Norwich and Palace play them as well- they cannot all win. The points do need to come quickly- but I am thinking that the same "assumptions" of an automatic loss away from home under previous managers will not now apply. Aston Villa (A) should be 3 points. Southampton and Liverpool (A) and Man City (H)- tough fixtures but we may scrape a point or two or even a win. City have fallen off in form since we last played them and got thumped. Tottenham (H)- league may be already won by Leicester on the last day. Swansea (H)- should be looking for 3 points- they may be safe by this time with less urgency. Palace (H)- should be looking for 3 points against a team falling off a cliff, having had some improvement from Benitez We need a quick upturn, but shouldnt "assume" losses as we have done. Crystal Palace also have a very tough run in, and havent won in 13 games. They will need 2 wins or so from these tough fixtures. If we beat Norwich and Palace, the landscape changes drastically. I think whilst we were down and out 2 weeks ago, the Benitez appointment changed everything and the 3 teams above will be worried. All to play for.

Makes for some grim reading.

No surely not?

https://www.facebook.com/myoldmansaid/videos/1075147735863536/ Villa fans...

Not that I expect this to be anything other than a non-performance, but thinking of going as I'm nearby and it would be good to watch 1 Premier League team. Anyone got a spare ticket? Thoughts on the line-up? A hotch-potch of first team and reserves- we dont have much choice.

Just thought I'd pop in this morning to say what a wanker this man is.

Then, the same again next season when they sack BSA 2 games before the derby game, they beat us and he goes on to say how he could manage Madrid.

Wat?

Cant have too many complaints with our form. Lets be honest, we'd all have taken being 1 point behind Chelsea at the start of the season!

2014-15 Premier League Prize Money Table NO# CLUB EQUAL SHARE MERIT BASED FACILITY FEE TOTAL 1 Chelsea £55m £24m £18.0m (24 matches) 97.0m 2 Man City £55m £22.8m £19.5m (26 matches) 97.2m 3 Arsenal £55m £21.6m £18.7m (25 matches) 95.3m 4 Manchester United £55m £20.4m £19.5m (26 matches) 94.9m 5 Liverpool £55m £19.2m £18.7m (25 matches) 92.9m 6 Tottenham £55m £18.0m £13.5m (18 matches) 86.5m 7 Southampton £55m £16.8m £9.75m (13 matches) 81.5m 8 Swansea City £55m £15.6m £9m (12 matches) 79.6m 9 Stoke City £55m £14.4m £7.5m (9 matches) 76.9m 10 Everton £55m £13.2m £12.7m (17 matches) 80.9m 11 West Ham £55m £12.0m £9m (12 matches) 76m 12 Crystal Palace £55m £10.8m £7.5m (10 matches) 73.3m 13 West Brom £55m £9.6m £7.5m (10 matches) 72.1m 14 Leicester City £55m £8.4m £7.5m (8 matches) 70.9m 15 Aston Villa £55m £7.2m £8.25m (11 matches) 70.4m 16 Sunderland £55m £6.0m £7.5m (10 matches) 66.1m 17 Newcastle United £55m £4.8m £13.5m (18 matches) 73.3m 18 Hull City £55m £3.6m £7.5m (7 matches) 66.1m 19 Burnley £55m £2.4m £7.5m (7 matches) 64.9m 20 QPR £55m £1.2m £8.2m (11 matches) 65.5m This is the TV money we will receive for this season according to http://www.totalsportek.com/football/premier-league-prize-money-table-2015/ Ridiculous and this is why Ashleys model will work unless we go down. £73m in TV money plus free exposure for SD with no outlay on players and no entertainment provided. Job done.

What's Alex Salmond doing at a Mackems game anyway? Poyet's in the basement Mixing up the medicine I'm on the pavement Thinking about the government The man in the SAFC coat Badge out, laid off Says he's got a bad cough Wants to get paid off..... Look out kid Johnson's hid She looks ten He'll be screwing it again

PSG fans on tube in London

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/11335990/Alan-Pardew-cannot-rewrite-history-he-only-has-himself-to-blame-for-Newcastle-abuse.html Sense.

No worries though, the awful curse that is the Europa League will see them fatigued and mean that we can play them off the park as no team could ever play 2 games in a week.

112:0

Shit Shit Shit

My local team. Worst ground you've ever seen. Here's the away end. Portaloos and everything. http://www.footballgroundguide.com/gillingham/priestfield-stadium-gillingham-away-stand.jpg Will hope to get some tickets though!

Im very much looking forward to the 2026 World Cup Final in Pyongyang and the 2030 World Cup Final in Chernobyl.