Relegationometer

[Karjala]

Think we'll beat Villa at home (if we don't, we deserve to go down) but will lose the rest. Can see the mackems some how getting 6 points in their next 4 games, don't know where, but they will.

[Stifler]

The most important game for us before the half way point is the Villa match, win that and we give ourselves a good chance, WBA as well. If we can win those two games then that puts us on 19 points. I think we can win both of those games, WBA have had some shocking performances this season, Villa are on a little bit of high after getting Garde but they should lose at the weekend and that would probably put heir confidence right down. I think we'll get beaten off Spurs, but if we put in a spirited performances hopefully it won't knock our confidence too much.

 

If you look at the fixtures until the half way point though they a very similar, Sunderland aside that is.

[Stottie]

To get 37 points (which doesn't guarantee safety), Villa now need to rack up points at the same rate as a team that gets 53 points over a season and typically finishes 8th or 9th.

 

They need a miracle.

[Stifler]

To get 37 points (which doesn't guarantee safety), Villa now need to rack up points at the same rate as a team that gets 53 points over a season and typically finishes 8th or 9th.

 

They need a miracle.

There is always a team that does it though, Sunderland usually do, Leicester last year got in on it as well.

[Mistle17]

When it comes down to it I can't see us making it out alive. Even in that season where we went down we got a couple of good results (1-1 away to Man Utd, 2-1 vs Spurs at home), but the bigger picture at this club is a lot more than just yesterdays result. I sound incredibly pessimistic, but we are very poor.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

When it comes down to it I can't see us making it out alive. Even in that season where we went down we got a couple of good results (1-1 away to Man Utd, 2-1 vs Spurs at home), but the bigger picture at this club is a lot more than just yesterdays result. I sound incredibly pessimistic, but we are very poor.

 

I'm undecided, we have been very poor but I still think we have the players to be a lot better if performances can be wrung out of them.

[Minhosa]

Still think we'll drop. Villa game is going to be massive.

[TRon]

We are going to be in this relegation fight to the end of the season IMO. There's no way we will scrap that hard week in week out, and when we don't we lose. We just don't have the defensive resilience to win games by strolling around for 90 mins.

[Stifler]

I think we will be in a fight all season, but we have the players there to keep us up if they perform. The big problem for us is that we don't have a period of fixtures where you can say we can win 3-6 on succession which has usually been the case in the last few seasons.

 

We do though play Aston Villa at Villa park on the 2nd last game of the season, imagine if we were safe by then and could relegate them?

[Scoreboard82]

When you think about it, a point a game will normally keep you up with 38 points. Yesterdays win leaves us almost matching points per games played. Not very ambitious I know but a win every 3 games on average keeps you up.

[sempuki]

I think we will be in a fight all season, but we have the players there to keep us up if they perform. The big problem for us is that we don't have a period of fixtures where you can say we can win 3-6 on succession which has usually been the case in the last few seasons.

 

We do though play Aston Villa at Villa park on the 2nd last game of the season, imagine if we were safe by then and could relegate them?

We need to do them on the 19th.

[Stifler]

I think we will be in a fight all season, but we have the players there to keep us up if they perform. The big problem for us is that we don't have a period of fixtures where you can say we can win 3-6 on succession which has usually been the case in the last few seasons.

 

We do though play Aston Villa at Villa park on the 2nd last game of the season, imagine if we were safe by then and could relegate them?

We need to do them on the 19th.

Yes, that game is more important than the Spurs game. Beating the teams around you is more important, we have beaten Bournemouth and Norwich, the two teams above us, Villa is very important.

[Interpolic]

Tbh I used to think of avoiding relegation in terms of having stretches of winnable games, but the last few years have seen great escapes where all calibre of opposition have been beaten. Catching sides when they're winding down towards the end of a pointless season is also key.

[Stottie]

Tbh I used to think of avoiding relegation in terms of having stretches of winnable games, but the last few years have seen great escapes where all calibre of opposition have been beaten. Catching sides when they're winding down towards the end of a pointless season is also key.

 

Wigan with their 3-4-3 beat everyone, and I seem to remember Pulis getting some big scalps at Palace.

 

Leicester last season had the best turnaround of anyone, getting seven wins and a draw from nine games, though it was practically all favourable fixtures. They went from bottom and five points off safety to walking-the-league form.

[timeEd32]

It's probably not worth thinking about, but where the f*** would we be if we hadn't won that Bournemouth game? Completely undeserved.

[Danh1]

Can't see us staying up. McClaren hasn't got it in his locker to stay up, he's pretty poor tactically and I don't think he has the personality. On top of hat our defence is absolutely shocking and our midfield doesn't create enough chances at all. Sunderland will do their usual and scrape it, no doubt beating us at SJP along the way. Villa look pretty fucked. Bournemouth and Norwich are candidates, Swansea will scrape it when they get rid of Gary Monk.

[mrmojorisin75]

not sure a lot has changed personally thought months ago if we managed to get around the 15-17 point mark then spend well in  january we'd stay up

 

i still think that, even if mcclaren stays - even one real midfielder and an upgrade at CB would do wonders for this team

[Wallsendmag]

It's probably not worth thinking about, but where the f*** would we be if we hadn't won that Bournemouth game? Completely undeserved.

 

Maybe deserved more against Sunderland and Stoke though. Swings and roundabouts and all that.

[mrmojorisin75]

i do wonder if they're stupid enough not to buy some players in january due to "value" issues like

 

imagine thinking this squad is good enough to get us through after the first 15 games

[Dan Gleebals]

On the balance of what I have seen so far I would say we are almost certainly going to be in the mix if not down. One step forwards and 10 back at the moment.  The reasons for that are many but for me, the sheer lack of quality and depth in the squad is the biggest issue.  Hard to motivate players when you have no one to replace them with when dropped.

 

The league is insane (ly shit) this year, so many strange results already.  For that reason, I really don't know what will happen to us.  We definitely need 2-3 players in Jan - get them we should be ok, fuck that up and I think we are almost certainly down.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Its between Villa, us, the mackems and

Norwich. We are going down like!

[sempuki]

Its between Villa, us, the mackems and

Norwich. We are going down like!

Possibly Swansea too.

[Interpolic]

We'd benefit so much from a couple of experienced heads signed on short-term deals in January like, would probably keep us up.

 

Carrick + a centre half whose not getting in their PL side at the minute, have lost interest to the extent that I can't even tell you who that could be.

[NEEJ]

We'd benefit so much from a couple of experienced heads signed on short-term deals in January like, would probably keep us up.

 

Carrick + a centre half whose not getting in their PL side at the minute, have lost interest to the extent that I can't even tell you who that could be.

Don't tell Sewelly.

[Interpolic]

How come, does he hate Carrick?

 

I've never been that massive on him either tbh but it's a no-brainer on an 18-month deal given our other options, him being local, and his considerable experience.  If we're determined to play 2 central midfielders as we have been then I think we'd see much better results with Anita-Carrick than Anita-Colback.