ChrisJbarnes

Didnt remember seeing their keeper get abducted by aliens...

Talking up his England chances on MOTD!

Both of them look to see who's top of the pile and say that's who it will be, it happens too often in relegation battles where people just say 'It will end as it is'. And then whoever stays up, they will obviously say they backed them all along.

Unfortunately they just see whichever way the wind is blowing and talk some shit. Its the same squad that has played under the rest and still has significant limitations, which is why I think beating Spurs will be difficult, but with a bit of heart and bit of luck it could well come off.

Great results today. This will be very close, and I think we will need 2 wins from our last 2 games to reach 39 points and probably GD -23 or so. If we get this, I cant see us going down. Norwich can now reach 40 points maximum, with a home game against Man Utd to play. If they get 2 wins and a draw that would take them to 38. We would have the edge on GD over them if we finished level on points. Sunderland can reach 41 points maximum, with a home game against Chelsea still to play. Realistically, they probably wont get 3 wins but 2 wins and a draw isn't beyond the realms of possibility. That would keep them up on GD- meaning the goal for them today was massive. A bit of the pressure is off after today, and now 2 more massive games against a woeful Villa side (with a player sent off today) and a Tottenham side with probably nothing to play for and minus a key player. I fancy us to scrape a win at Villa and then throw the kitchen sink at Spurs at SJP- it could happen. For me, if we get those 6 points, I'd see Norwich as all but down and it would be us or Sunderland. Both us and Sunderland are down the bottom for a reason, and so the "occasion" and "passion" and "support" wont really make earning the points a given. I could see Sunderland getting 5 but not 7 points from their 3 fixtures meaning we would need the 6 points from our 2 fixtures. Get them and I think we'll stay up. Fail to do so, and I think we go down. I'd fancy us to get 6 points more than Sunderland to get 7 or 9.

If Leicester win the league now, they would deserve a square in Central London named after them.

Jermaine Jenas reckons sunderland are "nailed on to stay up" if they keep playing like that.

Generally good results today for us I think elsewhere. A loss for Sunderland would have been better, but as long as they dont win 2 games, we can hope. Palace and Man United winning means that Everton and Watford dont have a reason to rest players for Sunderland and Norwich games. Leicester winning means that it looks likely that the league will be won before the final game and Tottenham come to SJP with nothing to play for. Palace (H), Villa (A), Tottenham (H)- all of them have nothing to play for, in principle. Its a tall order but 9 points is what we need and it doesnt look impossible now.

And Danny Simpson winning the league...

Our maximum total is 39 points assuming 3 wins. Doesn't look like we will overhaul Sunderland's GD and definitely not Norwich so realistically, if one of them gets to 39 points its curtains for us. Thats 2 wins and a draw from their 4 fixtures. I see Sunderland getting at least 1 win- possibly Everton (H) or Watford (A). Norwich- probably not 7 points. It's a big ask for us now and we are dependent on Everton and Watford!

Things to be optimistic about: 1 less "rest day" during a hectic schedule for them (or is that only our excuse?) A "battling" Merseyside Derby before and an away game at Villareal after might convince Klopp to rest players Put out a weakened team against Bournemouth Good performance against Citeh could give us a platform to perform Sunderland play Arsenal (H) and Stoke (A)- not easy games for a win Norwich play Arsenal (A) Need something here if we're going to stay up but another point would be 2 great points from 2 tough fixtures.

The results today have been absolutely huge- wiping out Norwich's goal difference against us. A 1-0 win over City on Tuesday would now take us above them on GD! This isnt quite in our own hands, but its closer to being that way. We need Sunderland and Norwich to lose games and for us to win, but the fixtures we've got relative to the others, with a bit of confidence, it could happen.

3-0!!! Now I'm a -1

Went from a 10 to a 1 after the first goal. Back to a 10 when we looked like conceding at the start of the 2nd half. Now a 1 after Sissokos goal.

It is incredible how absolutely dogshite both us and Sunderland have been this season, that we arent dead and buried already. For me it puts paid to this "need relegation experience to be a good manager" garbage. To stay up just above Newcastle and Sunderland who have been beyond dreadful does not mean that any player or manager can call themselves quality.

Norwich v Sunderland next week should be interesting! Has the potential to more or less relegate the 2 NE teams.

A lot of ifs and buts admittedly, but Fat Sam got Bolton and established them as a mid-table side and then got West Ham promoted (albeit through the playoffs).

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...