Relegation Possibility

[Greg N'Ash]

agree about blackburn's fixtures Maz, not so sure about Boltons.  I think its possible they could get 8 points from 2 wins and 2 draws given their fixtures or maybe even beat Stoke away. Unlikely though i agree. Bottom line is if we beat Bolton it won't matter

That's the thing - it's pretty much in our own hands as a win at home to Bolton will mean only a minor miracle would see them finishing above us.  And as someone else said QPR's run in is pretty tough, so don't expect last night to be a turning point for them either.
 

aye. We just need to win a game basically or worse case scenario 3 draws. 38 points is safe IMO given our goal difference. Even 37 should do it.

[James]

I love your optimism Maz - I wish I had it - but I can easily see Bolton getting 7 points from those games. I would never bet on us going down either, I would hate to win money in that way. Or to lose it come to think of it hopefully!

I also see the Bolton home game as being a long, long way from a formality. They aren't some mid table, nothing to play for team (aka Stoke and we can't even beat them) but a club who are going to be as deep in it as we are come that fixture. I hate players like Davies but I would be extremely concerned if it came down to our youngsters up against the likes of him in what might almost be a one off, cup tie game

The last time we played Bolton in a one-off cup tie at VP, McLeech had a fully fit squad to pick from and we, ummm, lost!

I'm not sure how the man still has a job, if you were so incompetent in your job it wouldn't be your job anymore would it?

McLeech, just get lost, and take your bell-end of a sidekick with you!

[Oscar Arce]

Do you really?

Yep

He'd have sent McLeish down the road months ago and at least he wouldn't have hidden himself away at the first whiff of criticism. Where the fuck's Lerner when there's tough questions to answer?

I agree Chico.
Deadly would have fired McLeish long ago but it's how far we have fallen in such a short time that has worried me.
We have the distinct whiff, no stench of a relegation outfit to me, we have seen it all before and strong leadership is needed from our senior players (all injured/absent/couldn't give a fuck/no backbone), our manager () and our chief, who doesn't speak to anyone, to get us through this.
Lerner is not well thought of in the States and the pattern of the Browns (great start and a muddling present) is being replicated here.
He's lost interest in this 'project' and we are the fall guys.
For what it's worth I do think we will just about survive, but by the skin of our teeth.

[Percy McCarthy]

What may yet save us is that with it being so tight between the other four clubs, they may be happy with draws in some games. Enough to overtake each other, but not enough to catch us.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I would hope we would go for it against Sunderland to get 3 points, I wouldn't want to rely on a desperate tussle with the equally desperate Bolton.

[john e]

6 points is massive at this stage with few games left, we are in a better position than last week,
I can't see the reason for the meltdown here

Wigan beating Man United might have something to do with it. Did anybody have them down for that particular three points? Or that QPR would give sexy Swansea a hammering? Oh, and our next game being at Old Trafford.

did anyone have us down for a point at Liverpool, no,
 i remember posters saying that they couldnt see us gaining another point this season, and we have just picked up 2,
we are rubbish, but the way people look at the fixtures and see us losing all ours and shittier teams below us winning most of theres is rediculous.

dont get me wrong, i want to see the back of AM, i think he's doing a bad job managing Villa, but we wont go down, every game that passes puts us in a better position,
and we have a game in hand over most below us, so we can write of the man utd game if you like

[SamTheMouse]

6 points is massive at this stage with few games left, we are in a better position than last week,
I can't see the reason for the meltdown here

Wigan beating Man United might have something to do with it. Did anybody have them down for that particular three points? Or that QPR would give sexy Swansea a hammering? Oh, and our next game being at Old Trafford.

did anyone have us down for a point at Liverpool, no,
 i remember posters saying that they couldnt see us gaining another point this season, and we have just picked up 2,
we are rubbish, but the way people look at the fixtures and see us losing all ours and shittier teams below us winning most of theres is rediculous.

dont get me wrong, i want to see the back of AM, i think he's doing a bad job managing Villa, but we wont go down, every game that passes puts us in a better position,
and we have a game in hand over most below us, so we can write of the man utd game if you like

Totally agree with this. I just can't see us losing all of our remaining games while Blackburn and QPR win all theirs. A couple of draws should see us safe, and since our manager is the ultimate champion of tedious stalemates, we should scrape safety by a handful of points.

The only thing is, the reward will be another season for McLeish, which is kind of like winning a great big pie in a raffle, only to discover upon tasting that it's made from SHIT.

[Irish villain]

I realise that John e. Things always look different the next day. Last night when I turned on the tv  at 11.15pm to see that Wigan had beaten united and QPR had stuffed Swansea I didn't have time to process all the data. It just seemed ominous and like we'd be in the mire.

[Risso]

By the way, I only highlighted Bolton and Blackburn for convenience and the fact they currently sit in the bottom 3, I havent ruled out QPR or Wigan still being relegated at all. QPR have horrendous fixtures and Wigan, whilst showing some guts, are very inconsistent.

QPR have to play WBA, Stoke, Spurs, Man City and Chelsea still.
Maybe 4 or 5 points at most. In my opinion not even that.

They've won three of their last five, including beating Arsenal and Liverpool.  I think QPR will stay up.

[ktvillan]

 I also like to say that both QPR and Wigan imho are unlikely to carry good run of form for next 6 games as it is actually completley out of form of season as a whole. They both prove they don't have consistency. QPR have home form but not away. Wigan play well and win but they have played well and lost alot and of course just been poor.

QPR are not the team they were under Colin, so you can't take the whole season as a guide to how they might do.   Hughes has had an effect and they are a different animal now.  And if they can beat Arsenal and Liverpool I wouldn't bet against them being capable of beating WBA, Stoke and even Spurs, who are shite on current form.  And Wigan last season continued their good run from game 29 onwards.   They took 8 points in the last five games, 15 in the last 10.   If they do the same this season they'll finish on 39, which may be beyond us.

[Concrete John]

It seems to me that the theory is the teams below will go on top 6 level runs of form and we won't get another point this season.

So yes - I agree we'll go down if that happens.

[JUAN PABLO]

I can't believe it's come down to this .

Oh wait a minute , yes I can .    ffs . McLeish OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mazrim]

By the way, I only highlighted Bolton and Blackburn for convenience and the fact they currently sit in the bottom 3, I havent ruled out QPR or Wigan still being relegated at all. QPR have horrendous fixtures and Wigan, whilst showing some guts, are very inconsistent.

QPR have to play WBA, Stoke, Spurs, Man City and Chelsea still.
Maybe 4 or 5 points at most. In my opinion not even that.

They've won three of their last five, including beating Arsenal and Liverpool.  I think QPR will stay up.

Can they keep it going though. They might stay up but it will be most likely at Blackburns, Wigan or Boltons expense.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

4 points from the Sunderland and Bolton games shouldn't be beyond us.
But it depends if McLeish sends us out with the usual instruction of
'Score a goal and then try and shut up shop'

We're nowhere near good enough to do that.

That shit attitude cost us a win against Stoke.

[JUAN PABLO]

Bolton at home has become * our cup final * 

how f**king depressing .   Im off to work .  McLeish OUT!!!!!!