The Relegation Thread

[AnkleBiter]

We've been in the top 2 longer than we have the bottom 3. Not quite a Blackpool/Hull collapse but would certainly be a painful one.
Arsenal's away record is awful but they look to have really improved since Wenger's announcement.

 

[Liam_SWFC]

Would rather Huddersfield come down, don't fancy a trip to Swansea/Southampton next season.

 

[Leewilson]

I don’t even need to update my weekly countdown. It’s done!

Goodbye Swansea!

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Cheers for doing it Lee.

Might be entertaining if that Saints/Swans goal difference narrowed a few as Sunday goes on..but yeah its done and the final day is pretty pointless bar the final placing prize money. Sorry Sky...

 

[LondonOrn]

Assuming it does happen (and it seems 99.9% likely, yes Man City are capable of running up big scores whether playing home or away, but Swansea just don't have the goals in them to win by the required margin) I have mixed feelings about Swansea going down. They've offered something interesting to the Premier League and did amazingly well for a club their size and history during their first four seasons up there, and they're my favourite away day after Newcastle, but I don't like their hire-and-fire policy, including of managers that have more than proved their worth, which smacks of a lack of faith and patience whenever the team hits a bad run, which is inevitably going to be often, especially during their later years when they can only punch above their weight for so long. Also it suggests the players are not 100% committed, at least during the last three seasons, as it seems they only really get their fingers out when their PL survival is on the line and/or when the manager effect hasn't worn off, and when they lose respect for him they're not bothered because it's the manager who will carry the can and not them. Plus it gets a bit boring seeing the same team in the same position scraping survival season after season, a la Wigan, Aston Villa and Sunderland - much more interesting to see teams we haven't seen for a long time (Brighton, Huddersfield) and/or unexpectedly challenge the top 10 positions (Palace, Southampton, West Ham, not to mention Leicester). And at least we have another Welsh team taking their place...

 

[Super_horns]

Credit to Huddersfield- pulled 2 great and unlikely points out of the bag when under pressure .

First time all promoted sides in the Premier league and football league have stayed up the next season since 2002!

 

[David Curries Mullet]

Assuming it does happen (and it seems 99.9% likely, yes Man City are capable of running up big scores whether playing home or away, but Swansea just don't have the goals in them to win by the required margin) I have mixed feelings about Swansea going down. They've offered something interesting to the Premier League and did amazingly well for a club their size and history during their first four seasons up there, and they're my favourite away day after Newcastle, but I don't like their hire-and-fire policy, including of managers that have more than proved their worth, which smacks of a lack of faith and patience whenever the team hits a bad run, which is inevitably going to be often, especially during their later years when they can only punch above their weight for so long. Also it suggests the players are not 100% committed, at least during the last three seasons, as it seems they only really get their fingers out when their PL survival is on the line and/or when the manager effect hasn't worn off, and when they lose respect for him they're not bothered because it's the manager who will carry the can and not them. Plus it gets a bit boring seeing the same team in the same position scraping survival season after season, a la Wigan, Aston Villa and Sunderland - much more interesting to see teams we haven't seen for a long time (Brighton, Huddersfield) and/or unexpectedly challenge the top 10 positions (Palace, Southampton, West Ham, not to mention Leicester). And at least we have another Welsh team taking their place...

How do you feel about your own club's managerial policy, which seems even more brutal than Swansea's?

 

[LondonOrn]

Well I can't pretend I'm happy with our high manager turnover, and hopefully we will buck the trend by keeping on Gracia (who could be a great manager for us if he turns round our away form) for next season. But out of the eight managers prior to him during the Pozzo era, three of them left of their own accord, and only the letting go of Jokanovic was questionable (McKinlay's treatment was maybe a bit harsh but he was offered the choice to be Joka's assistant after Giampaolo Pozzo all of a sudden decided the latter was the better candidate for manager but he turned it down). Silva was the first manager we've sacked mid-season (Swansea have sacked five during the same period, may be even more) and for good reason, he was massively underachieving after the early promise shown by a talented if flawed set of players, had lost interest in the job and shown no signs of turning it round. Whereas Swansea have harshly let go at least three managers who did very well the previous season(s) - Monk, Guidolin (who the Pozzos considered for Watford manager at one point), and Clement, after respectively finishing 8th, 12th after looking in danger of going down, 15th and above us after leaking goals right, left and centre and looking cast-iron certs for relegation.

 

[mistermagic]

In the end, it was a rather underwhelming race as the final day won't bring us its share of drama. The league table has been tight till the very end (still only 11 points seperating the bottom half with 11 games to go which isn't a lot) and no gap was ever made by anyone until the penultimate day.

Hopefully, next season's battle for the drop will be more structured. Not blaming anyone of course but we've had better scenarios down the years.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Carvalhal will leave Swansea at the end of the season, as the board have decided not to renew Carvalhal's contract which expires in the summer. Meanwhile the supporters trust which owns a 20% stake in the club and has a director on the club's board, has reiterated its stance of no confidence in chairman Huw Jenkins and insists he should stand down.

Sounds like a lot of soul searching to come at the club.

Chris Coleman linked with the job, perhaps inevitably.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44064957

 

[AnkleBiter]

And yes, I am ruling out us getting any more points!

I may have run away with the prediction league all season, but don't take much notice of what I say, I talk shit!

Commiserations to Swansea, hope they stabilise quickly and don't suffer too much from this, good community club from what I've seen. Still remember our games in League Two...

 

[St. Juste]

Yep, shaping up to be a complete dead rubber of a final day.

Even top 4 and winner was effectively decided some time ago.

An underwhelming season for the neutral.

 

[Bilo]

Yep, shaping up to be a complete dead rubber of a final day.

Even top 4 and winner was effectively decided some time ago.

An underwhelming season for the neutral.

How can it be underwhelming for you plenty of English teams underperformed

Anyway, when did all promoted sides survive last? Quite remarkable.

 

[epic73]

2011ish.

 

[G.B]

only the 3rd time it's happened, 2001 and 2011 being the other 2.

 

[Super_horns]

Well Swansea going down with a whimper !

 

[Abertawe]

See you next year

 

[Bilo]

See you next year

Now go post that top four thread in the championship forum. That lot won't know what's hit them!

 

[Abertawe]

Now go post that top four thread in the championship forum. That lot won't know what's hit them!

Top four is lacking ambition - I've already queried what the record points tally is.

 

[Abertawe]

Huw Jenkins head on a stick by 10pm. 1/2 LUMP ON

 

[G.B]

Now go post that top four thread in the championship forum. That lot won't know what's hit them!

he's already left his mark down there

good luck next season abe, might see you soon

 

[Bilo]

I'd say Swansea are the least well equipped to come back up tbf.

 

[Jamie_SFC]

Huge let off for our board in what is a very weak Premier League outside the top 6. Two years ago the celebrations at St. Mary's were getting 6th place and Europa League, today it was an embarrassing pitch invasion. Glad this season is over and hopefully the resignation's now follow.

 

[Abertawe]

I'd say you need to STFU and get behind your man.

 

[G.B]

look at our goal difference compared to the other teams in the relegation scrap. i wonder if that dopey cunt gary neville has figured out why we didn't let city smash us 7-0 yet. probably not. essentially 8 points clear of the drop now, we should be ok from here.

one more time... fuck off gary neville.

 

[Abertawe]

Gary Neville is a muppet. It astonishes me how so many swallow up what he says.

 

[HarvSFC]

Three established Premier League clubs gone this time then. Damn. Could very well have been us and like Swansea and West Brom, we've been "taken over" by something that has left us without a clue as to what is actually going on.

Never mind though, best of luck next season, Albert Welsh.

 

[Leewilson]

View attachment 8364

one more time... fuck off gary neville.

Find a goalscorer and you’ll challenge for 7th next season. Rafa will always have you solid. Just need to raise that goals for column by another 10-15.

 

[Pagnell]

They need to keep him first. Reckon he should go elsewhere myself. A shame as Newcastle are a great club, but ruined by a t**t of an owner. Rafa will always be severely limited in what he can do there. He can do so much better. He could easily get the managers job at a club with genuine CL ambitions and the budget to match.

 

[G.B]

this summer is make of break as far as a change of ownership goes. we're never going to be more attractive to a potential buyer under ashley's ownership than we are now. coming off a top 10 finish, a constantly full stadium (that unfortunately can no longer be expanded as ashley used the only land the club could build on to push forward plans to build property there, to financially benefit himself and not the cub of course), a decent core of players to build on, a squad on low wages and a quality manager to potentially take us forward. all we need is investment in the team. trouble is i still don't believe we're actually up for sale and i wouldn't blame rafa one bit if he moves on to something better if we're not sold. he's been fucked about and lied to by the higher ups since he got here.