Relegation Possibility

[Merv]

given the injuries and what left's left to pick from i'm not surprised we've been dragged in

Me neither, but the injuries and the state of the squad NOW shouldn't detract from what has been the overall picture for most of the season: until the end of Feb we pretty much had a full squad to pick from, other than the injury to Jenas, a player who joined us with injury problems and played a couple of games before getting injured. Other than that, Given missed a handful of games at Christmas (covered very well by Guzan) and we were without Herd for a month or so. I suppose you can say Cuellar was missing at the beginning of the season.

But for three quarters of the season, we've had a full squad. We're properly struggling now, I agree, but we're paying for snoozing through the majority of the season and a lack of ambition in actually trying to win games.

[Merv]

PS FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, just had to let that out. So many of us saw this coming and it's so frustrating to see it all happening, just as predicted.

[Greg N'Ash]

in the mail today their "experts" don't even include us in the reckoning for relegation  but they have blackburn, QPR and wigan all finishing on 36 points so we need 4 points. Hmmmm.........

[VillaAlways]

in the mail today their "experts" don't even include us in the reckoning for relegation  but they have blackburn, QPR and wigan all finishing on 36 points so we need 4 points. Hmmmm.........

We'll need only 3 points providing we don't take some absolute hammerings

[Chico Hamilton III]

We'll need only 3 points providing we don't take some absolute hammerings

In that case we'll need 4 points...

[wookster]

What scares me about the possibility of relegation is that I dont see a team that would fight its way back up again

[andrew08]

It goes against the grain a bit but I wish Mcleish would have a bit of confidence in his own footballing ethos. He likes to play the big target man up front so just go the whole hog and pick bloody Heskey. We know he can't score but play him upfront with either Weimann or Gabby and let them pick up the flick ons.

Gabby hasn't got the kind of abilty required to read a flick on so it would have to be Weimann. Stick Gabby on a wing instead of Albrighton and at least go down fighting and being true to yourself.

[nick harper]

It goes against the grain a bit but I wish Mcleish would have a bit of confidence in his own footballing ethos. He likes to play the big target man up front so just go the whole hog and pick bloody Heskey. We know he can't score but play him upfront with either Weimann or Gabby and let them pick up the flick ons.

Gabby hasn't got the kind of abilty required to read a flick on so it would have to be Weimann. Stick Gabby on a wing instead of Albrighton and at least go down fighting and being true to yourself.

I'd play Heskey at centre half if Cuellar's not fit for the Easter games. Baker is not there yet, particularly for such important games. He is experienced enough to do that - much like Dublin a few years ago.

I'm no fan of his but at this time McLeish needs as much experience on the pitch as possible.

[SteveN]

No need to worry, as dirty as it felt for the first time in my life I have bet against the Villa - 12-1 to get relegated.  And...I never ever win on football bets.

This is what I believe in managment speak is a win win situation, if we stay up my money has been well spent, if we get relegated I can try to console myself with the funds that generates. 

I'm hoping for the former, I can't see McLeish getting the bullet whatever the outcome and have no faith in him keeping us up next year or getting us back.

[Dave Summers]

[/quote]

I'd play Heskey at centre half if Cuellar's not fit for the Easter games. Baker is not there yet, particularly for such important games. He is experienced enough to do that - much like Dublin a few years ago.

I'm no fan of his but at this time McLeish needs as much experience on the pitch as possible.
[/quote]

Not for me I'm afraid.   It's my view that one of the reasons we are in this mess, is that we have been continually let down week in week out by our "experienced players".     The thought of Heskey and Warnock being on the pitch just because they have played a few hundred games is awful.   They have got us in this mess by playing poorly so we can't do any worse than playing some of the youngsters.   

Frustrating part on Saturday was that just like O'Neill he played square pegs in round holes just to get players into the team.   Gardner on the left and Bannan on the right, what's that all about?.  If the next player in line who can play left wing is Daniel Johnson, then bloody play Daniel Johnson.   Play Albrighton on the right if there isn't anyone else to play there.  It's not rocket science is it?.

So, if the only fit centrr backs we have are Collins, Baker and Williams, then pick two of the three.  Don't, for the love of god, as someone to play there who never has.

[Villanation]

Have to say, didn't recognize Chelsea form the last time I saw them at Villa park season before last, that said there was still significant difference, you could see the huff and puff from Villa, Chelsea didn't turn it on until they had to, seemed at half pace, but that could be down to an out of form side.

As for Villa, well they are almost beyond recognition, McLiesh is not the man to front Villa, not in a million years, said last week in the unlikely scenario that Villa would only pick up a few more points and then for the teams below us to start winning, Villa would be safe.

 From what I can see I could imagine Villa could struggle from here on in and out of the blue the teams below us are starting to pick up points, McLiesh must be thinking, "you couldn't make this up" but there you have it.

[Billy Walker]

No need to worry, as dirty as it felt for the first time in my life I have bet against the Villa - 12-1 to get relegated.  And...I never ever win on football bets.

This is what I believe in managment speak is a win win situation, if we stay up my money has been well spent, if we get relegated I can try to console myself with the funds that generates. 

I'm hoping for the former, I can't see McLeish getting the bullet whatever the outcome and have no faith in him keeping us up next year or getting us back.

I call it "Pain Insurance" and it's a sound philosophy in my book.  Bending the laws of Karma and all that.

I think I will be doing the same.  The only way I'll be able to guarantee Villa staying up is by jinxing the whole thing and sticking a bet on us to go down.  The way I reason it out is by asking myself how much would I be willing to spend if it guaranteed Villa would stay up?  I then stick that amount on the bet for relegation.  I did it last year...and I'm going to have to do it this year too *sigh*. 

As soon as the bet's on just you watch the Villa boys turn on the style - money well spent!

[avfcpg]

It's sad times when I've almost written off the games vs Liverpool, Stoke, Man Yoo, Spudz as all losses. If we get anything out of those it will be a bonus for me.  4 points from Bolton, West Brom, Sunderland, Norwich is what we need, at a scrape.

Trouble is, the next 3 games being Liverpool, Stoke, and Man Yoo could leave us right in the mire and the pressure well and truly on by the time we get to the Sunderland game. No telling how far down moral will be by then.

The Liverpool and Stoke games are so so big now in terms of momentum. Just win one from them and that "should" do us, unless we lose ALL remaining games...

So so worried...

[David_Nab]

We have more chance of beating Liverpool away than Sunderland at home.

WBA on a bad run so could sneak into trouble.I think Bolton ,Stoke and WBA are the games we need to win a few draws elsewhere and we will be fine

[l_mckay]

the Stoke game is masive,if we dont win that then i really think we are heading for the trap door! If we can get 3 points off Stoke however and a win at home against Bolton or Sunderland we will be fine!