The Plot An Escape From Relegation Thread.....

[SoccerHQ]

I'm really looking forward to that game now.

Reckon we can be pretty much safe by that game, maybe them playing a weakened team, beating them and making it difficult for them to qualify for the champions league and stopping Mourinho return would be oh so sweet after what they did to us in December.

The players will be massively up for it aswell I suspect.

[dave.woodhall]

How can the same bookies have us at 3s to go down and Stoke 8s when they're the worst form team in the league, we're picking up, we're a point behind and just battered them?

[Lastfootstamper]

How can the same bookies have us at 3s to go down and Stoke 8s when they're the worst form team in the league, we're picking up, we're a point behind and just battered them?

It seems to be the general thinking. Think it was on 606 today that some caller and the presenter seemed in agreement that the third spot's now between us, sunderland and wigan. Stoke don't seem to come into anybody else's thinking. Apparently we're the only ones who've noticed how bad they are, how bad they've been, and how bad their remaining fixtures are. Get down the bookies quick before they come to their senses!!

[seanthevillan]

How can the same bookies have us at 3s to go down and Stoke 8s when they're the worst form team in the league, we're picking up, we're a point behind and just battered them?

They play QPR, Sunderland, Norwich and Southampton in the run in - on current form they don't look like winning any of them, but I suppose the bookies look at their goal difference and think they'll do enough in those games.

Of those games only Norwich is at the Britannia mind.

[peter w]

It's all about momentum at this stage of the season imo....and scoring goals.

With 3 wins in 4 we have both and Sunderland and Stoke with their 1 win in 12 or whatever it is don't.

So I don't see how it can translate that in the last 6 games we won't win again this season and Stoke and Sunderland will win 2-3 each (also when you consider Stoke and Sunderland play each other in a few weeks which rules out one if not both of winning a game).

I wish Southampton were still involved in this...

[Dave]

It's all about momentum at this stage of the season imo....and scoring goals.

With 3 wins in 4 we have both and Sunderland and Stoke with their 1 win in 12 or whatever it is don't.

So I don't see how it can translate that in the last 6 games we won't win again this season and Stoke and Sunderland will win 2-3 each (also when you consider Stoke and Sunderland play each other in a few weeks which rules out one if not both of winning a game).

I wish Southampton were still involved in this...

It's quite tedious to think that had we not ballsed up the two matches against them, we'd be tenth and they'd now have the same points as Sunderland and Wigan.

[ozzjim]

Holman scores the one against the bar against Wigan to make it 1-1 and the ref doesn't buy the Rodriguez dive and we may well be safe now having come back and won those games. There have been some pretty fine lines this season go against us often until the last few weeks. I said in January Lambert is the unluckiest manager I can remember. Thankfully some of that appears to have changed a bit.

Amazing that we would be 6th if games finished at half time. It shows we have something.

[DeKuip]

So if Man United win their next 3 games they've won the league before they play us. Hopefully they'll play a carling cup type of side against us.

Problem is united are out of the cups so they have nothing to rest their players for , unlike Chelsea who may be in 2 finals around the time they play us.

Apologies if this has already been answered but If Chelsea get to the FA cup final when is our game against them played? Hopefully 3 days before the final and not after.

It will depend also if they're still in Europe. If they get to both finals their only free midweek is May 7/8, a few days before the FA cup final and a week before Europa League final - and they'd have to fit in games against both us and Spurs!

[Matt Collins]

Stoke do look in real trouble. They're reliant on their home form, but have to play Man U and Spurs at the BRitannia.

I can see them getting about 1-3 more points:
Man U H - lose
QPR A - lose
Norwich H - win or draw
Sunderland a - draw or lose
Spurs h - lose
Southampton a - lose

That'd be 37 points or so

[Ron Manager]

It's all about momentum at this stage of the season imo....and scoring goals.

With 3 wins in 4 we have both and Sunderland and Stoke with their 1 win in 12 or whatever it is don't.

So I don't see how it can translate that in the last 6 games we won't win again this season and Stoke and Sunderland will win 2-3 each (also when you consider Stoke and Sunderland play each other in a few weeks which rules out one if not both of winning a game).

I wish Southampton were still involved in this...

What makes you think they are not still involved?  Anybody up to Southampton can mathematically go down

People are saying Newcastle are safe now. Thats ridiculous in the extreme.

Sunderland were a bit unlucky yesterday thats what happens when you are in trouble. QPR were not unlucky . Both Bobby Zamora and M'Bia
have contributed fully to QPRs probable relegation.

We cannot afford even a draw against Fulham .We must win this one. Still too many games left.

Who do I think will go down with Reading and QPR?

Sunderland or Stoke, with Newcastle as an outside bet!

But not Wigan.....unfortunately.

[eastie]

It's all about momentum at this stage of the season imo....and scoring goals.

With 3 wins in 4 we have both and Sunderland and Stoke with their 1 win in 12 or whatever it is don't.

So I don't see how it can translate that in the last 6 games we won't win again this season and Stoke and Sunderland will win 2-3 each (also when you consider Stoke and Sunderland play each other in a few weeks which rules out one if not both of winning a game).

I wish Southampton were still involved in this...

What makes you think they are not still involved?  Anybody up to Southampton can mathematically go down

People are saying Newcastle are safe now. Thats ridiculous in the extreme.

Sunderland were a bit unlucky yesterday thats what happens when you are in trouble. QPR were not unlucky . Both Bobby Zamora and M'Bia
have contributed fully to QPRs probable relegation.

We cannot afford even a draw against Fulham .We must win this one. Still too many games left.

Who do I think will go down with Reading and QPR?

Sunderland or Stoke, with Newcastle as an outside bet!

But not Wigan.....unfortunately.

I'd say newcastle and saints are ok now- Norwich may get dragged in , stoke and Sunderland are in big trouble though- i think villa and wigan will both survive.

[robbo1874]

I agree with you at this moment in time. Wigan always seem to escape by just doing enough. Qpr match was a typical example. You've got to say fair play to them for digging themselves out each year. I don't really like whelan or Martinez, but nothing against the club or the fans. Nice it was an ex- villa player to break 'arry's heart.

Stoke and Sunderland on the other hand are both in shocking veins of form. Either of them could go and it could be that whoever wins out of that game stays up, if there is a winner. I suppose a draw might suit us better really, depending on our result that week.

We're by no means safe, but definitely on form we're heading in the right direction. To win at stoke would be a huge confidence boost to all concerned.

[peter w]

Luckily they have to play Tottenham with bale back.

As it is they have 4 games to target. If we can beat Fulham next week then we are really back in the realms of traking a bit of pressure off. Although, you have to say that the team have responded to the pressure that they have put themselves under.

[Clampy]

How can the same bookies have us at 3s to go down and Stoke 8s when they're the worst form team in the league, we're picking up, we're a point behind and just battered them?

They're 6/1 with William Hill.  It is strange though. Maybe it's because we've been down there all season and Stoke have'nt. Still, it might be worth a fiver on them, they were awful on Saturday.

[eastie]

If utd and arsenal beat stoke and Norwich this weekend a win over Fulham sees us leap clear of both and open a 5 point gap on Sunderland and wigan.

That could be huge with 5 to play looking at the fixtures.
Sunderland have a tough game at newcastle followed by the visit of everton - it's possible that winning our next 2 home games could see us just about home and dry .

There is bright light at the end of the tunnel.