So who's going down with Sunderland and the Villa?

[Jarv]

Sunderland will survive. They'll finish above Newcastle Villa and Norwich at least

 

[AFCB_Mark]

How the chuffing feck are we below Sunderland and Newcastle?
This season is just barmy.

 

[The Iron]

 

[johnnytodd]

Was that on TV?

 

[Pagnell]

I remember Derby's record breaking season in 2007-2008, going through an entire top flight season winning only a single game and ending up with a impressive (for all the wrong reasons) 11 points. But, amazingly, they had one point more than Villa do now after 13 games. I'd be amazed if Villa survive, even with the early manager change. But I'd say that record by Derby isn't in danger, they'll get at least another couple of wins and a handful of draws.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

Was that on TV?

The logo in the top corner would suggest so...

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

I remember Derby's record breaking season in 2007-2008, going through an entire top flight season winning only a single game and ending up with a impressive (for all the wrong reasons) 11 points. But, amazingly, they had one point more than Villa do now after 13 games. I'd be amazed if Villa survive, even with the early manager change. But I'd say that record by Derby isn't in danger, they'll get at least another couple of wins and a handful of draws.

I'm probably more worried about them under Garde than I was Sherwood.

 

[M Dogg]

Villa are in danger of being cut well adrift, but they have a lot of games coming up against teams that aren't pushing for the top, Arsenal aside. I don't think they will turn it around though, they are just lacking up front.

Bournemouth will huff and puff but do not have the quality.

After that it's very tough. Sunderland have enough whereas I think the Newcastle squad looks seriously poor bar 2 or 3 players. Norwich, Watford, WBA could all easily get sucked in. WBA in particular are pretty crap.

 

[johnnytodd]

The logo in the top corner would suggest so...

 

[PDS]

Villa are in danger of being cut well adrift, but they have a lot of games coming up against teams that aren't pushing for the top, Arsenal aside. I don't think they will turn it around though, they are just lacking up front.

Bournemouth will huff and puff but do not have the quality.

After that it's very tough. Sunderland have enough whereas I think the Newcastle squad looks seriously poor bar 2 or 3 players. Norwich, Watford, WBA could all easily get sucked in. WBA in particular are pretty crap.

I'd argue we have the quality... It's just in the treatment room. Next year in the Championship could be interesting as I can't anyone coming in for Gradel, who would frankly piss on that league.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

We'd have to see what state Gradel and Wilson's knees are in once they do recover sufficiently to play again. Their injuries aren't a nasty or career threatening as Mings' is, so there's got to be hope that they'll return to something near their potential. At which point, they'd be a very tasty attacking duo. Nobody will buy them off us until they prove themselves fit, so we'd at least have them for a while in whichever division we find ourselves next season.

 

[rudebwoyben]

Villa are in danger of being cut well adrift, but they have a lot of games coming up against teams that aren't pushing for the top, Arsenal aside. I don't think they will turn it around though, they are just lacking up front.

Bournemouth will huff and puff but do not have the quality.

After that it's very tough. Sunderland have enough whereas I think the Newcastle squad looks seriously poor bar 2 or 3 players. Norwich, Watford, WBA could all easily get sucked in. WBA in particular are pretty crap.

There's no way that WBA will be involved in this. Pulis knows how to keep a side comfortably up.

 

[Super_horns]

We are playing Villa/Norwich and Sunderland in the next 3 games.

Probably need to get 6 points or so to maintain our advantage over the bottom 3 as after that is a very tough run of games for us.

 

[M Dogg]

There's no way that WBA will be involved in this. Pulis knows how to keep a side comfortably up.

He's the only reason they are as high as they are. Their squad is absolutely dreadful. I think if a little rut sets in they could plummet.

It will be very interesting and very tight, as there are about 6 teams who ''could'' go down and wouldn't be a surprise. Villa, Sunderland, Newcastle, Bournemouth, Watford, Norwich, WBA (IMO) at least.

I saw someone mention Stoke. That is laughable. Hughes is doing a good job there and they are a very talented side. They've come a long way.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

WBA will probably finish around fifteenth

 

[JaseTheVillain]

We are playing Villa/Norwich and Sunderland in the next 3 games.

Probably need to get 6 points or so to maintain our advantage over the bottom 3 as after that is a very tough run of games for us.

3 are guaranteed.

 

[HertsWolf]

Don't mention it to El Guapo or Trev but a little bit of me would love to see the Villa down here next season and Birmingham up in the PL.

 

[JimJams]

Which little bit? I bet it's one of your toes.

 

[Pagnell]

Don't mention it to El Guapo or Trev but a little bit of me would love to see the Villa down here next season and Birmingham up in the PL.

Dessy will be insufferable if that happened, or more so than usual. The 5 year delay in his predicted Birmingham power shift won't matter, he'll gloss over it in his usual way.

 

[Super_horns]

3 are guaranteed.

That's the trouble - we tend to do worse against teams out of form or when its expected we will win!

I do think if we can defend well then 1 or 2 ought to be enough but we are hardly free scorer ourselves.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Ah, are you a team like us? The team to play when you've not won/scored for 20 years then win/score?

 

[Super_horns]

A bit or just never play well against sides at the bottom/

 

[mistermagic]

Garde needs new players. He can't do much until January. Besides, I reckon he's the right man to rebuild Villa from deep if they do go down. He'll piss over the second tier with a few astute signings.
Not quite sure what to make of Newcastle. McLaren is experienced but he just doesn't seem to get his players motivated for the match at the weekend. Strange as the squad isn't as bad as 18th. Not sure but if they go on like this they'll be in there in May.
Sunderland won't go down. Some superb recent results there.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

I agree about the rebuilding, Magic, I just don't think he'll get the time, the moment that R is next to our name I think he'll be sacked, which is a shame as I think we have a manager with a proven record and a hell of a lot of potential. We're fucked regardless of what happens now imo, could spend £200million in January and I don't think it'd save us at this point. I don't know of a single Villa fan who thinks we have a hope in hell now, we'd need title winning form from Jan onwards to stay up, I know people say we're not dead and buried etc, but I'm pretty sure we have the worst record of any team at this point of the season ever. Don't quote me on that as it may be wrong.

Still, think we'll need to bounce straight back or financially we're going to be bollocksed.

 

[mistermagic]

Couple of astute signings upfront and you're on your way. The rest of the squad is not that bad. Richards, Sanchez etc can do their job. There's just no one upfront.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Well we're lacking a left back for the season, Clark is too prone to error and Hutton is shit, so I'd respectfully disagree regarding the defence.

Richards Okore Clark/new New

Best way we can line up at the back imo, but Richards doesn't want to play RB apparently... Midfield is passable, and we need someone up top, but as I say come January it's too late for me, we need title winning form from then as I said, not going to happen.

 

[G-Dragon]

Not long ago under Martin O'Neill Villa were tipped for top 4. Villa played some fantastic football back then too.

 

[Abertawe]

O'Neil put em in this state. Lerner/whoever else manages the show shouldn't have allowed him to though.

 

[Pagnell]

I don't remember Villa ever being tipped for top 4 under O'Neill. They were scrapping with the likes of Everton for 5th but, whilst he was there, United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal always had too much.

 

[JimJams]

I do, it was when he basically threw away their chances in the Uefa cup in order to stand a better chance of getting into the top 4, at the time they were definitely in contention.