Relegationometer

[Guest Affy]

Who put 10?

 

[angrypirate71]

Bollocks i accidentally voted  6 

I see your 6 and raise it. oops. Distracted by gf playing SongPop and asking for help. 

[Mick]

Gone for 4, it's still possible but isn't likely now.

[Superior Acuña]

Was 2, still 2.

[BillClinton]

2. There's always a chance, but things are looking up. It looks like our terrible form is behind us, inspired by the new signings, hopefully we can keep it going. We've got a pretty decent schedule as well. I still think someone that is in the 'comfortable' area at the moment could get complacent and end up going down. West Ham and Sunderland aren't looking great at the moment.

[Cajun]

Last time we went down I was naive and thought we were too good to go down. This time I fully appreciate the importance of heart/character which is something we have throughout the squad.

 

We have proven in the last few games we finally have the fight to overcome setbacks and have players who will almost literally drag us through a game.

[Stottie]

With the other results, it's just as well we got 9 points out of 12. A loss to Chelsea and draw instead of a win vs. Villa or Soton and we'd be right down there.

[Yorkie]

Absolutely no way we'll go down now.

 

Can't believe Reading nicked four points off us. Terrible team, absolute certainties to go imo.

[Stu]

Was 1, still 1.

[mrmojorisin75]

Was 1, still 1.

 

if you thought that in december you're insane

 

1 for me too now mind you, that was an important win to get yesterday and should get the players (and hopefully pardew) over the mental hurdle

 

 

[Superior Acuña]

Was 1, still 1.

 

if you thought that in december you're insane

 

1 for me too now mind you, that was an important win to get yesterday and should get the players (and hopefully pardew) over the mental hurdle

 

 

 

Not really, 10% was a lot more reasonable than 50%.

[mrmojorisin75]

fuck it, i'm not going back to find the exact numbers but what was it lost 11 of 13 or something?  the manager had no fucking clue how to change it or even come close to getting a result

 

we were much more than a 1 before the transfers started rolling in i'm sorry like but we were, it was easy 50/50 at that point

[afar]

3 for me, you can never say never but unlikely now, looking up now instead of down, only three points of 10th.

[CaliMag]

Still a 6 which I have voted for the past few months. I expected us to lose the last three so no change there.

I am waiting to see if we suddenly gain an understanding among the midfielders we have, if we sign anyone and how well they fit in.

Sissoko is exactly what we needed and we signed 4 more players than I expected that have fit in perfectly. 3 now.

[Stu]

Was 1, still 1.

 

if you thought that in december you're insane

 

1 for me too now mind you, that was an important win to get yesterday and should get the players (and hopefully pardew) over the mental hurdle

 

 

 

Not really, I felt a lot of the 'relegation fear' was being talked about on here because people were dreaming up even more outlandish ways to be negative.

 

Yes, we'd had a very poor run, but the reasons for that were fairly clear to see: key players missing, poor decision making on/off pitch during matches (often by over-played 'squad' players) and the novelty of Europa affecting pre-match preparation for the coaching staff.

 

We also had the Ba shenanigans hanging over our head, which was affecting Cisse's form as he was shunted out wide (don't know why we didn't just play one or the other - Pards trying too hard to keep senior players happy IMO).

 

I was expecting two or three new arrivals in January (with one, maybe two departures - including Ba). More importantly, the return of Cabaye (from injury) and Tiote (from ACON/lack of form) was going to help us out.

 

Obviously, I'm an insane contrary bassa; but then again, I do get a lot of enjoyment out of our matches (win, lose or draw) so it's swings and roundabouts.

[Stu]

fuck it, i'm not going back to find the exact numbers but what was it lost 11 of 13 or something?  the manager had no fucking clue how to change it or even come close to getting a result

 

we were much more than a 1 before the transfers started rolling in i'm sorry like but we were, it was easy 50/50 at that point

 

Guess it depends on how you see things - even after that shocking run of form (in all competitions, mind) - were we ever in the bottom 3?

 

Do you need to be close, just outside or in the bottom three positions to be relegated?

[mrmojorisin75]

fuck it, i'm not going back to find the exact numbers but what was it lost 11 of 13 or something?  the manager had no fucking clue how to change it or even come close to getting a result

 

we were much more than a 1 before the transfers started rolling in i'm sorry like but we were, it was easy 50/50 at that point

 

Guess it depends on how you see things - even after that shocking run of form (in all competitions, mind) - were we ever in the bottom 3?

 

Do you need to be close, just outside or in the bottom three positions to be relegated?

 

so why have the relegationometer thread at all? you're basically saying we're unable to make predictions based on form and results until it's all over

 

because we were 16th or whatever in mid-january doesn't mean that's where we'd stay, the point being that we were on a seemingly irreversible slide until pardew was backed with new players, so i maintain the position that for someone to argue we were a 1 in dec/jan then they'd have to be ignoring what was right in front of their eyes

 

if they hadn't backed pardew in january i still think we'd have been down, or it'd have gone to the very end

[maybe_next_year]

3, far too early to think we're safe just yet, but things are definatly looking up.

[Tiresias]

4, still Cabaye injury away from it looking tough again.

[Stu]

But what was in front of our eyes was that way back in the first two months of the season, we went through a stage of only losing to the current English champions and current Europeans champions. I think it was only until we had that shocker of a game against West Ham (after Europe?) when we finally lost to another team.

 

Alright, so we hadn't been firing on the same cylinders as the end of the previous season, but there were some things happening off the pitch and we weren't doing a great deal coping with Europa (turning home wins into draws). Even so, we were still midtable and a couple of wins off the likes of Everton (who, by all accounts, had enjoyed a brilliant start to the season).

 

To take the 11 in 13 stat on it's own and apply it to the rest of the season does the players and management no justice; it just adds weight to the naysayers who want to ignore the realities of our season and carry on their tubthumping.

 

We've seen how influential Cabaye has been now that he's back from injury, both creating and covering - he was still going to come back without the new signings.

 

We've seen Cisse somewhat rejuvenated since getting his central position back and not being forced out wide due to Ba - this was still going to happen without the new signings.

 

We've seen a splash of Tiote's old form - I'm not sure how much this is affected by Sissoko or if he's just got his head down after Anita and Cabaye (after injury) have been pushing him for a place. I'd like to think he couldn't continue in his pre-Xmas slump for the last half of the season.

 

We've seen how much more robust the team is with Williamson given a much needed break - the lad was mentally shot in November and Pards hasn't had the luxury of giving him a breather. It's not that he's utterly shite (or whatever the hyperbole-spouters will preach), he's just shouldn't be starting regularly in a Premiership team (especially if they're struggling for form). Staylor had to come back from injury at some point - even if it's only for a month before he next breaks down - that gives Williamson a chance to rest up and get his head sorted. He's had no confidence.

 

Why was the 11 in 13 seemingly irreversible?

 

Can you point to another reason why we went on that run? Perhaps you think the manager is fundamentally poor at team selection, preparation and motivation at this level (evidence suggests otherwise, mind). Perhaps you feel (or felt) that we genuinely don't have a very good squad (not including the later January arrivals) and that the injured players wouldn't come back in time to have an impact on the league (Cabaye, Staylor, Cabaye, etc)? If you've been scarred by the Robson/Souness/Roeder years on unprecedented injury lists, I wouldn't blame you, but we've seemingly attracted more resilient players in recent years who don't cry off with a sore calf, tennis elbow, playstation thumb, etc.

 

I always felt that the November horror show was the nadir of our season; the performances were beginning to improve (even if the results weren't) and I took a great amount of encouragement from our 11 goals conceded at OT and The Emirates - a team that were playing out the string wouldn't have shown as much initiative as we did for 120 minutes of those games.

 

 

 

 

[Optimistic Nut]

2 out of 10. Very little chance now.

[Taylor Swift]

Agreed with Stu although I have to admit that I panicked after seeing how long Ben Arfa was out for and us getting beat quite easily in a few matches.

 

Stick a fork in this thread, it's done. It ain't happening. We'll finish 10th and win the Europa League

 

[matta]

Voted 9 before the shopping spree.

 

 

Voted 1 now. No chance. Amazing how things turnaround.

[nufc4eva]

To think Ben Arfa is to come back for last few games, there is no chance we will go now.

 

Qpr are gone imho, reckon it will be Villa and Reading with them

[Guest icemanblue]

Was 1, still 1.

 

Yes. Throughout all of the shite, too. For these reasons ():

 

But what was in front of our eyes was that way back in the first two months of the season, we went through a stage of only losing to the current English champions and current Europeans champions. I think it was only until we had that shocker of a game against West Ham (after Europe?) when we finally lost to another team.

 

Alright, so we hadn't been firing on the same cylinders as the end of the previous season, but there were some things happening off the pitch and we weren't doing a great deal coping with Europa (turning home wins into draws). Even so, we were still midtable and a couple of wins off the likes of Everton (who, by all accounts, had enjoyed a brilliant start to the season).

 

To take the 11 in 13 stat on it's own and apply it to the rest of the season does the players and management no justice; it just adds weight to the naysayers who want to ignore the realities of our season and carry on their tubthumping.

 

We've seen how influential Cabaye has been now that he's back from injury, both creating and covering - he was still going to come back without the new signings.

 

We've seen Cisse somewhat rejuvenated since getting his central position back and not being forced out wide due to Ba - this was still going to happen without the new signings.

 

We've seen a splash of Tiote's old form - I'm not sure how much this is affected by Sissoko or if he's just got his head down after Anita and Cabaye (after injury) have been pushing him for a place. I'd like to think he couldn't continue in his pre-Xmas slump for the last half of the season.

 

We've seen how much more robust the team is with Williamson given a much needed break - the lad was mentally shot in November and Pards hasn't had the luxury of giving him a breather. It's not that he's utterly shite (or whatever the hyperbole-spouters will preach), he's just shouldn't be starting regularly in a Premiership team (especially if they're struggling for form). Staylor had to come back from injury at some point - even if it's only for a month before he next breaks down - that gives Williamson a chance to rest up and get his head sorted. He's had no confidence.

 

Why was the 11 in 13 seemingly irreversible?

 

Can you point to another reason why we went on that run? Perhaps you think the manager is fundamentally poor at team selection, preparation and motivation at this level (evidence suggests otherwise, mind). Perhaps you feel (or felt) that we genuinely don't have a very good squad (not including the later January arrivals) and that the injured players wouldn't come back in time to have an impact on the league (Cabaye, Staylor, Cabaye, etc)? If you've been scarred by the Robson/Souness/Roeder years on unprecedented injury lists, I wouldn't blame you, but we've seemingly attracted more resilient players in recent years who don't cry off with a sore calf, tennis elbow, playstation thumb, etc.

 

I always felt that the November horror show was the nadir of our season; the performances were beginning to improve (even if the results weren't) and I took a great amount of encouragement from our 11 goals conceded at OT and The Emirates - a team that were playing out the string wouldn't have shown as much initiative as we did for 120 minutes of those games.