Relegation Race

[Fryer Tuck]

You know, just by looking at the first five games, it looked certain that we would be the bottom club. To come out of that in 7th, after that win over Man United, who could blame us for thinking we're destined for a mid-table finish? After all, Newcastle and Reading before us did something similar after their Championship seasons.

Trust Leicester to be the trend breaker.

I always did say that while it's nice to win against the bigger teams, it's the performance against those around that will determine if you're fit to be a Premier League club. As Jatz has said, this is just why we're very disappointed with how this season has gone. We have the right talent to get us to safety, we've just been poorly managed to get the results we need. There is no way that we're the worst team in the Premier League, despite what the table says.

We got ourselves into this mess, we need to dig ourselves out of it.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

Huge wins for Leicester and Villa! Villa are a rejuvenated side under Sherwood and Leicester now have back to back wins with a pretty easy run home. Hull look to be in real strife.

 

[Jatz]

5 of our 7 remaining games are at home. Our two away games are at Burnley and Sunderland. Huge games those. Our survival is still very much on and very much possible.

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Can I nominate West Brom for possible relegation discussion?

Palace (a)
Liverpool (h)
Man Utd (a)
Newcastle (a)
Chelsea (h)
Arsenal (a)

And you thought Hull had it tough. Amazing to think what losing to QPR and us can do, conceding seven goals in those two games. They had four centre halves against us, and they looked wonky for the best part (Olssen and Lescott look dodgy as all heck).

Of course, still a lot to play for, but I would really like to see Pulis lose his record.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

I always had West Brom in the relegation race but ouch! They're in more trouble than I thought, given their horror form, the only potential points there are against Newcastle. Certainly makes things interesting in and further evidence that the relegation race is more exciting than the title race atm.

 

[SM]

We have 4 of our last 5 at home, we really need 6-8 points.

 

[Cruyff14]

Hope your boys stay up SM.

 

[Jatz]

We have 4 of our last 5 at home, we really need 6-8 points.

Burnley is the obvious one but i think you need points from someone else as well. Maybe Tottenham if they can't make Europe by that stage?

 

[Cruyff14]

Why do people think teams will roll over if they have nothing to play for?

 

[Jatz]

Why do people think teams will roll over if they have nothing to play for?

Well they're out of form and just got beaten by Villa at the lane. Hull winning against them at home would seem more likely than doing it over United or to a lesser extent, Liverpool.

 

[Cruyff14]

So what does that have to do about them not making Europe?

 

[Jatz]

Because they may not have anything to play for. Dont care what you say, there's less motivation for teams with nothing to play for.

Whether that means they get a result is a different matter of course. Just that it's more likely than getting a result if they're still fighting for something.

 

[Cruyff14]

Doesn't mean they're just gonna roll over.

 

[Jatz]

Where did i say they would?

Jeez mate.

 

[Shoei]

We have 4 of our last 5 at home, we really need 6-8 points.

Let us have three and you can have all the rest ok?

 

[moomba]

Think West Brom might have enough already.

 

[SM]

Burnley is the obvious one but i think you need points from someone else as well. Maybe Tottenham if they can't make Europe by that stage?

We actually have a very good record against Spurs. Lost in the last five minutes in the game last year at WHL from an iffy penalty, and drew at home, have never conceded a goal at WHL from open play in the PL, and were on top this year before a red card. So I'm still holding out hope we can get points from that. Maybe Liverpool at home as well.

Why do people think teams will roll over if they have nothing to play for?

Not so much that as a side like Hull having a lot more to play for and players who have nothing on the line less likely to go in for a 50/50 challenge etc.

 

[BluesMan]

Hopefully we smash QPR tonight to help you guys out a bit

 

[SM]

Looking at Sunderland's run in they have an almost identical run as us so hopefully we can edge past them.

 

[Jatz]

Everyone around us seems to have a hard run home. I'm actually thinking we might possibly be able to escape. It would be completely un Leicester but still!

 

[SM]

Everyone around us seems to have a hard run home. I'm actually thinking we might possibly be able to escape. It would be completely un Leicester but still!

I think there's a good chance we could come 20th which would be crazy haha.

 

[Jatz]

I think there's a good chance we could come 20th which would be crazy haha.

Surely not. QPR have a tough run i think. And im still expecting to be relegated. It's so hard to pick ha!

 

[SM]

Surely not. QPR have a tough run i think. And im still expecting to be relegated. It's so hard to pick ha!

We played a lot better against Soton, and I think if we'd played natural full backs instead of four centre backs we could have taken something, so I think the team is starting to take shape, so we might yet turn our form around, but I think we're leaving it quite late. Maybe dropping into the relegation zone will be the jolt we need to make it hit home we're really battling. QPR have a tough run but they only need three points to go ahead of us, and we may yet not pick up another point.

 

[Cruyff14]

I just disagree with the notion that somebody won't show up to the races because they have nothing to achieve.

 

[moomba]

The ones that manage to get out of relegation trouble generally do so by lifting their own standards, not hope others drop.

You always get a side well and truly in the relegation crapper, that fight their way out of it. They're generally the toughest to play at this time of year.