Relegation Watch

[pauliewalnuts]

To my mind, the "told you so, we didn't get relegated" nonsense now is every bit as pointless as the "every team is going to win their remaining games, we won't win any" stuff was.

"And to think, you people thought we were doomed to relegation" - said with safety just secured (and only on the basis of goal difference) seven days before the end of the season, and us nestled in 16th place. Bit hollow, no?

I'd forgive anyone for being convinced we were going down. We were certainly shit enough for long enough to be right in the mix.

[Jimbo]

Having a go at those who thought we were doomed, after we've secured safety, seems like a cheap swipe. I wasn't convinced that we'd go down myself, but there were times during the match on Sunday that I was more than a tad worried. I'd like to know how much those who knew we weren't going down won after putting their house on it at the bookies, and whether I can borrow some.

[Mazrim]

In fairness, most of those that were saying we wouldn't go down were also saying it would be close and uncomfortable.
I personally get very little pleasure out of it and there's no gloating to be done because it's been an absolute horror season best forgotten at the soonest opportunity.
But its the people who were %100 certain we were going down that deserve a bit of teasing. I dont blame anybody for fearing it as a possibility because it was.

Now all I'm concerned about is that they're actually thinking about persisting with this man, which I find very difficult to believe but after so many digs in the guts this season you half expect it.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Don't forget at times We were 50/50 to go down.

Even though the bookies were quoting 14/1 at the time, bit hey they don't know what they are doing, I think the best odds at any time were no better than 4/1

So we were evens or 4/1 but not 14/1; is that what you're saying?

You're never going to be Paddy Power are you?

[Merv]

All bets are off, as far as I'm concerned - those who said we were definitely going down had every reason to believe that. We've escaped by the skin of our teeth, really, so they weren't far wrong. My own stance was that we'd just stay up, but only because not every team below us will overtake us - not because we'd take the opportunities and power our way up a few places. That's what's happened, but so what? What I do know is that it's been an absolutely dreadful season, we've been absolutely dreadful, and I don't think many of us, when we entered the campaign, saw us being quite this bad.

I could really use some positive Villa news soon, because I'm feeling pretty flat about the state of play as things stand right now.

[Concrete John]

Maz is right - Villa staying up on goal difference (as it may turn out) is no reason to gloat either amongst ourselves or with other fans.

All through this thread though, the thing that got me was the predictions for other teams to be winning almost at will.  It was never going to happen and despite some upturn in results, we've stayed ahead of a pretty awful bunch of teams.

[David_Nab]

It was close to call I mean I throught Wigan had no chance when they had to play Chelsea ,Liverpool ,Man United and Arsenal but they came through that ,fortuantly on the other hand QPR didn't do as well as I expected.
It was far to close for comfort ultimately and needs to be addressed so we are not in this position again.

[Concrete John]

It was close to call I mean I throught Wigan had no chance when they had to play Chelsea ,Liverpool ,Man United and Arsenal but they came through that ,fortuantly on the other hand QPR didn't do as well as I expected.
It was far to close for comfort ultimately and needs to be addressed so we are not in this position again.

If there is any positive to come from this season, then learning some harsh lessons would be it.

[Risso]

In fairness, most of those that were saying we wouldn't go down were also saying it would be close and uncomfortable.
I personally get very little pleasure out of it and there's no gloating to be done because it's been an absolute horror season best forgotten at the soonest opportunity.
But its the people who were %100 certain we were going down that deserve a bit of teasing. I dont blame anybody for fearing it as a possibility because it was.

Now all I'm concerned about is that they're actually thinking about persisting with this man, which I find very difficult to believe but after so many digs in the guts this season you half expect it.

Spot on.  We didn't go down, but it wasn't for want of trying, and if the season had another two or three games rather than one I'd be very nervous.  But now we have stayed up, Lerner needs to have a very long hard look at himself, and do whatever iis necessary to put it right, because these last two seasons have been increasingly poor, and if we continue on this downwards trajectory (especially with McLeish at the helm) we'll be nailed on for relegation next season.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Thinking we would go straight into the third division would be drama queen behaviour but i didn't see anyone saying that. We were always likely to stay up but there was also a very real possibility we would have gone into the last day equal on points with QPR and Bolton, and then anything might have happened. You seem to think that Bolton might beat Stoke. Most people who were worried about going down weren't drama queens, it wasn't that far off happening.

I saw it. I saw plenty of references to 'doing a Sheffield Wednesday.' Something like 63% in a poll said we'd go down. We haven't. 

The reference to Sheffield Wednesday was obviously people saying what "could" happen if we did go down.  Which we didn't of course, not that staying up is anything to crow about.

I'm sure Faulkner will get the message out that we should be crowing about it and be grateful to boot.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Eighth next season, put yer shirt on it.

I'd say that prediction is pretty much spot on IF we replace the Manager and give the new one a reasonable transfer budget.

[maidstonevillain]

In fairness, most of those that were saying we wouldn't go down were also saying it would be close and uncomfortable.
I personally get very little pleasure out of it and there's no gloating to be done because it's been an absolute horror season best forgotten at the soonest opportunity.
But its the people who were %100 certain we were going down that deserve a bit of teasing. I dont blame anybody for fearing it as a possibility because it was.

That is correct. I am not sure which ones of us are being labelled the doom-mongers. I was one of a quite large group who said we would probably stay up, even after the Bolton game, but that our chances of being relegated were far higher than was suggested by the 14-1 odds that were being bandied about at the time. I still maintain that was a correct view. Despite drawing two games that it was reasonable to predict we could lose, and a few results going our way, we still  may only stay up by virtue of goal difference, or one point.

[Concrete John]

I thought we were in real danger after the Bolton game, which last to that weekend when we got a point and other results went in our favour, which brought me back to "Nah, we're shit but safe!"

[David_Nab]

I'd agree with Risso , A few more games and we would have gone.We just didn't have a win in us.

[CJ]

Skin of our teeth is about right. Any other season and we'd be down - Bloose and Blackpool both went down on 39 points last season, and we may or may not equal or exceed that total. We've been incredibly lucky that 2 or 3 other teams have been incredibly shit. I really fear for us next season if he's still here.