Relegation Possibility

[Ad@m]

What's far more important is that if there is one side that looks even weaker than we do at the moment, particularly playing at home it's Liverpool.

Yes, but don't teams just love playing the Villa when they're on a bad run of form!!!

[Dave]

Very true.

Which is why I still expect us to lose.

[ez]

If we could choose who we play away it would be Liverpool... although they are probably glad they are playing us. I don't think we can go for a draw. Its failed so many times and we need a couple of wins. Problem is its against all McLeish's instincts. We've been playing for draws so much i think we have forgotten how to win.

[pauliewalnuts]

McLeish probably still sees Liverpool as a MegaSuperClub, so that will mean a midfield containing Heskey, some burning tyres and a trench (the trench will have the best game), and we'll spend 90 minutes kicking the ball out of the ground.

He'll then probably write a thank you letter to Dalglish on Monday "Thanks for having us, Sir Kenny, it was an honour".

[Ad@m]

At least he won't be wearing his lucky Liverpool pants underneath his suit like our manager the last time we went to Anfield...

[Dave]

Urgh.

I'd forgotten all about that.

[pauliewalnuts]

Also, just as I *knew* Torres would score last Saturday, that rat faced cocksucker Downing is bound to score this Saturday.

[john e]

Also, just as I *knew* Torres would score last Saturday, that rat faced cocksucker Downing is bound to score this Saturday.

My money's on Carrol,  or maybe go for the double

[villajk]

McLeish probably still sees Liverpool as a MegaSuperClub, so that will mean a midfield containing Heskey, some burning tyres and a trench (the trench will have the best game), and we'll spend 90 minutes kicking the ball out of the ground.

He'll then probably write a thank you letter to Dalglish on Monday "Thanks for having us, Sir Kenny, it was an honour".

Very good.

[SoccerHQ]

I see nothing but a defeat at Anfield. And obviously nothing at Old Trafford.

We need something against Stoke, even if it's just a draw.

The crucial week will be Sunderland on the Saturday, Bolton on the Tuesday and West Brom on the Saturday. We need 4 or 5 points from those games. We'll be o.k if we get them.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

COPIED AND PASTED FROM MY POST IN ONE OF THE McLEISH THREADS AS IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE HERE:

You can drop down that statto.com table to get the position exactly 1 year ago.  At that point, Small Heath were above us, and things were a lot tighter:

http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/2010-2011/table/2011-04-03

Rationally, we shouldn't go down - for that to happen it would need three of the five teams currently below us to overtake us (and assuming we don't also overtake West Brom).

Wolves would have to make up 11 points AND a 26 goal difference - the equivalent of 4 more wins than us.
QPR, Blackburn and Wigan have to make up 5 points + significantly worse goal differences  - the equivalent of 2 more wins than us.

All of the above have only 7 games left.

Bolton have to make up 4 points AND a goal difference of 15.  We also play them at Villa Park later this month.

So I'd assume Wolves can't catch us - if we win just once, they have to win 5/7.  If we win twice, they have to win 6/7.

QPR's run-in is tough, but no tougher than ours.  They have winnable home games against Swansea and Stoke, and have shown they can raise their game.  But I'd say it would be hard for them to win 4/7 games.  So we'd need to win 2 to stay ahead of them.

Blackburn have an easier run-in - so there's an outside chance that they could win 4/7 - though one match is against Wigan.

Wigan's next 3 are horrendous - Chelsea (a), Man U (h), Arsenal (a) - and I hope that kills them off - but their end of season is a lot easier, but I think it's just about possible with a foul wind behind them they could get 4 wins from Fulham (a), Newcastle (h), Blackburn (a), Wolves (h).  Even then, we'd only need 2 wins and a draw.

That leaves Bolton - they have the easiest run-in of the lot - and I suspect they'll overhaul us.

So in summary - I think we need 2 wins and not take a 6 or 7 goal hammering to stay up.

So a 94th minute Heskey winner at Norwich to keep us up on goal difference is my prediction.

[hawkeye]

So where are these wins going to come from? we have 6 points from the last 24 and we have another 24 points to play for. All of the teams we face can put 11 better or more commited players on the pitch than us. We need 6 points to be sure 4 or 5 points to be in the mix.  Anything less than 4 points and we are down. 1 win or 3 draws isnt enough. I have us down for 3 draws before we face Norwich. It will go down to the wire. I really hope it dosent but I cant see us winning a game.

[SoccerHQ]

The win has to come against Bolton surely? We did comfortably win up there in December when we were at a low point in the season.

[Monty]

The win has to come against Bolton surely? We did comfortably win up there in December when we were at a low point in the season.

So were they, though. Their form is much improved, whereas ours isn't particularly.

[hawkeye]

The win has to come against Bolton surely? We did comfortably win up there in December when we were at a low point in the season.

yep it looks like it will come to that, lose or even draw that game and we are looking at snookers.