The Relegation Thread

[Super_horns]

Looks like one of Udinese's former managers is going to help out at Swansea.

From BBC:

"Swansea are set to appoint ex-Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin as head coach alongside Alan Curtis until end of season"

 

[Super_horns]

Need to find some form quick or we will be in trouble..

 

[Munkiki]

4 consecutive defeats and you're still 8 points clear. you'll be fine.

Villa, Norwich and one of Bournemouth, Swansea, Sunderland or Newcastle

 

[The Iron]

Big win for the Swans tonight and i'll be surprised if they go down.

Villa, Sunderland and Norwich to go down. No chance of Watford being in a relegation battle.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Watford are level with Everton and there's no way Everton are going down, but Watford could really do with getting out of that rut otherwise they'll be looking over their shoulder all season.
Swansea winning (all be it a horrible game by accounts) puts the cat somewhat amongst the pigeons, and must have been a particularly painful result for Villa and Sunderland to see.

West Brom have a fascinating run of games now, that'll either see them safe or drag them deep into trouble: Villa (h), Swansea (h), and Newcastle (a). Crunch time for Pulisball.

Sunderland away for us next!

 

[SUTSS]

Good chance we'll be in the relegation zone this time next week. We seem to be doing the transfer business we should've done in the summer now so I think the big question is whether the new players settle in quick enough to save the season.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Watford are level with Everton and there's no way Everton are going down, but Watford could really do with getting out of that rut otherwise they'll be looking over their shoulder all season.
Swansea winning (all be it a horrible game by accounts) puts the cat somewhat amongst the pigeons, and must have been a particularly painful result for Villa and Sunderland to see.

West Brom have a fascinating run of games now, that'll either see them safe or drag them deep into trouble: Villa (h), Swansea (h), and Newcastle (a). Crunch time for Pulisball.

Sunderland away for us next!

Doesn't bother us, we're already fucked.

 

[Blitzballer]

And a draw means... ?

I never thought of that

 

[You Orns]

Pessimistically beginning to glance nervously down the table.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Pessimistically beginning to glance nervously down the table.

Hiiiiii!

 

[Super_horns]

Big win for Norwich potentially - as I say that it's just gone 3-2!

 

[Munkiki]

Big win for Norwich potentially

and to think I reassured you when you contemplated being dragged into this dogfight

 

[mistermagic]

3 games unbeaten for Garde. Just saying.

 

[Humongous Fungus]

Yeah we play some decent football, but still lacking a bit of confidence to compliment that.

 

[Super_horns]

and to think I reassured you when you contemplated being dragged into this dogfight

Sorry - when I left for our game it was 4-3 to Liverpool so surprised to see 2 more goals!

Good day for us - 10 points or so more should be safe.

 

[Abertawe]

This isn't the thread for us.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Level on points with us, you've a fair bit of work to do yet!!

Everton looking over their shoulder now? Or at least they will be unless they can start defending a bit soon.

 

[Leewilson]

I'm still pretty convinced on Norwich joining Villa in the Championship next season. The 3rd spot is hard to call. I did say Bournemouth before but I think Afobe is an excellent signing, one they've been crying out for since Wilson was injured. They've just got to turn 1-2 good performances that have ended in draws into wins and I think they may just escape it. I still forsee Allardyce scraping Sunderland to safety. Therefore, It's looking like it could be Newcastle now Swansea have picked up a bit.

West Brom have to be careful. You'd imagine Pulis will scrap them to safety but they've looked poor when I've seen them. Ideally they need to bin Berahino and use the money to buy in a decent replacement to add competition for Rondon.

I'll stick to my guns and go Villa 20th, Norwich 19th and Bournemouth narrowly falling into 18th (although I hope the latter is wrong).

 

[AFCB_Mark]

I would say we're treading a fine line, a line of good performances but not always smart or quite good enough to win. 2 defeats in 11, but several draws. Ticking over.

On one side of the line is converting performances into a few wins and flying away from trouble.

On the other side of the line is continuing to play well but struggle to put any real distance behind us, and then all it takes is a couple morale denting defeats and we're in a world of trouble.

For as long as the points total continues to tick, I'm happy. But we do love doing things the hard way.

 

[Munkiki]

I'm still pretty convinced on Norwich joining Villa in the Championship next season.

no-one thinks otherwise, you make it sound like it's not already a forgone conclusion.

 

[SamScfc]

Villa and Norwich are certs unless Norwich sign a striker, can't call the last one, I really thought Allardyce would have improved Sunderland quite a bit but they're still shit, stunned they haven't signed at least 2 good defenders yet and seem to be more interested in signing attackers.

 

[mistermagic]

Jan Kirchhoff has been signed.

 

[SUTSS]

Villa and Norwich are certs unless Norwich sign a striker, can't call the last one, I really thought Allardyce would have improved Sunderland quite a bit but they're still shit, stunned they haven't signed at least 2 good defenders yet and seem to be more interested in signing attackers.

A striker is not our main problem. Whilst we do need one the main issue is the fact that we need to score 3 to win a game if our defence has a good game.

 

[JimJams]

What happened to letting the other team have the ball?

 

[Super_horns]

Jan Kirchhoff has been signed.

Had a nightmare start last week..

 

[Hank]

Yeah it wasn't the best debut. I think we're done, I'm still hoping for another escape but don't think it's going to happen from what I'm seeing.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

What surprised me about Sunderland on Saturday, is their lack of attacking intent. They're surely at the stage where they are going to need to attack more and win to make up some ground, a point per game won't keep them up. I called it wrong before hand thinking that they needed to beat us and so would surely come out at us.

It's fair enough that they would setup deep and conservative to keep themselves in a game first and foremost, and that's what Allardyce does very well. But surely at some point in the game they need to let the shackles off and take a risk? It might cause them to lose the odd game instead of draw, but it also might gain them the odd win instead of a draw as well. Defoe has an impossible task often being the only player in the opposition half.

 

[Veggie Legs]

no-one thinks otherwise, you make it sound like it's not already a forgone conclusion.

Up until a couple of weeks ago I thought you'd be fine, it's looking a lot more precarious now.

Villa are too far behind to catch up, I'm not convinced by Sunderland still so I think it's one from Newcastle, Norwich, Swansea and Bournemouth. I'd pick Newcastle as the most likely to stay up of those despite being lowest, I don't think there's much between the others.

 

[SUTSS]

Having looked at our fixtures I think we'll finish on 38 points which means we will either just go down or just stay up.

 

[claret50]

It's fair enough that they would setup deep and conservative to keep themselves in a game first and foremost, and that's what Allardyce does very well. But surely at some point in the game they need to let the shackles off and take a risk? It might cause them to lose the odd game instead of draw, but it also might gain them the odd win instead of a draw as well. Defoe has an impossible task often being the only player in the opposition half.

That unfortunately is the Allardyce method of playing football, route one hoof ball and hope like hell that the defence can prevent the opposition from scoring, not the most attractive way to play football, when he was the gaffer at West Ham his method sometimes worked with having Carroll as the lone striker, except Carroll is 6' 4" and Defoe is only 5' 7½" which isn't tall enough for Allardyces game plan, but he won't change now as it's the only way he knows.