Relegation?

[dave.woodhall]

talking of Fulham Collymore predicted on Talkshite the other night they will turn us over. He also thought we would finish with 39 points and implied he'd then like to see managerial change.

Oh I like him

If we got beat by Fulham that would surely be time up for lambert?

You'd like to think so but no, Lambert is here for the duration whatever, including relegation, happens.

Never has our wonderful club's future looked so bleak.

Just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that...

[Eigentor]

Last season (after the losses against Chelsea, Spurs and Wigan) I thought we would go down. I have never thought that during this season, allthough I'm not sure that we have been much better to watch. But we have been a bit more cautious, mature and disciplined.

Will next season be better? I'm not sure. Depends as always if we can keep our best players. Our recent history shows that losing a good player usually hurts us, even if we get a reasonable price, because we're not that good at spending the money. In today's team, only Benteke, Delph, Vlaar and Guzan are obviously top half PL quality players. One or two of the rest may develop into that, but not many enough to make us any better than mid-table is my guess. That is, if Lambert stays, which I guess he does. If he leaves, that will lead to instability that could go either way, but most likely lead to regression.

All in all, I think we are leaving a period of being relegation candidates and entering a few seasons of mid-table mediocricy. Even if that doesn't sound terribly exciting, it's hard to say that the future has never looked bleaker.

[richard moore]

talking of Fulham Collymore predicted on Talkshite the other night they will turn us over. He also thought we would finish with 39 points and implied he'd then like to see managerial change.

Oh I like him

If we got beat by Fulham that would surely be time up for lambert?

You'd like to think so but no, Lambert is here for the duration whatever, including relegation, happens.

Never has our wonderful club's future looked so bleak.

Just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that...

Gosh Dave, is it really that long now? I thought we'd been shit for just a couple of seasons but you're right. Time flies when you play the sort of unmitigated durge we churn out each week and you do your best to forget almost every game

[Chris Smith]

Under the current structure of the league it seems to me that there are two ways to progress. One is to spend a lot of money very quickly the other is to build incramentally over a few years. The first makes the second look dull and plodding but for obvious reasons most clubs cannot do it.

I think we have to give Lambert another season to try to put his plan into action, there is the basis of a decent squad and a couple of decent decent signing plus the availability of Okore could transform us to where we start looking up not down.

[David_Nab]

Should be ok this season we need 6 points from Fulham / Hull/ Swansea/ Palace if we dont get at least one win from that we deserve to drop to be totally honest.

If we don't pick up points from them the final 2 of City and Spurs away is going to look very daunting

[Ads]

It's hard to say what will happen at Spurs. It will in all likelihood be a dead rubber for both sides.

[dave.woodhall]

talking of Fulham Collymore predicted on Talkshite the other night they will turn us over. He also thought we would finish with 39 points and implied he'd then like to see managerial change.

Oh I like him

If we got beat by Fulham that would surely be time up for lambert?

You'd like to think so but no, Lambert is here for the duration whatever, including relegation, happens.

Never has our wonderful club's future looked so bleak.

Just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that...

Gosh Dave, is it really that long now? I thought we'd been shit for just a couple of seasons but you're right. Time flies when you play the sort of unmitigated durge we churn out each week and you do your best to forget almost every game

It isn't that long and it isn't now, but you keep on predicting gloom, doom and despondency if it makes you happy. Who knows, one day you might be right.

[olaftab]

Under the current structure of the league it seems to me that there are two ways to progress. One is to spend a lot of money very quickly the other is to build incramentally over a few years. The first makes the second look dull and plodding but for obvious reasons most clubs cannot do it.

I think we have to give Lambert another season to try to put his plan into action, there is the basis of a decent squad and a couple of decent decent signing plus the availability of Okore could transform us to where we start looking up not down.

Agreed however as I said we may need a check point mid season. I hope next season with Okore, Kozak and N'Zogbia available and one or two quality additions we move on and operate in mid to 6/7 position rather than 11 to 13/14th as we have been doing this season.

[Meanwood Villa]

Am I alone in hoping for a Sunderland win tomorrow to drop the Baggies right in it? Or will that make things too nerve-wracking for us?

[old man villa fan]

Under the current structure of the league it seems to me that there are two ways to progress. One is to spend a lot of money very quickly the other is to build incramentally over a few years. The first makes the second look dull and plodding but for obvious reasons most clubs cannot do it.

I think we have to give Lambert another season to try to put his plan into action, there is the basis of a decent squad and a couple of decent decent signing plus the availability of Okore could transform us to where we start looking up not down.

Agreed however as I said we may need a check point mid season. I hope next season with Okore, Kozak and N'Zogbia available and one or two quality additions we move on and operate in mid to 6/7 position rather than 11 to 13/14th as we have been doing this season.

For a thin squad (no Holt jokes, please), losing Okore and N'Zogbia for a season and Kozak for half a season, together with shorter periods for key players Vlaar and Benteke, has meant playing players that have had spells out of form, constant tactics changing to suit what players are available.  What I would give for a season when we go through it without losing one player long term.

[olaftab]

Am I alone in hoping for a Sunderland win tomorrow to drop the Baggies right in it? Or will that make things too nerve-wracking for us?

I think a Sunderland win will suit us very well.

[Chris Smith]

Am I alone in hoping for a Sunderland win tomorrow to drop the Baggies right in it? Or will that make things too nerve-wracking for us?

I think a Sunderland win will suit us very well.

I think a draw would keep both clubs sweating.

[old man villa fan]

Am I alone in hoping for a Sunderland win tomorrow to drop the Baggies right in it? Or will that make things too nerve-wracking for us?

I think a Sunderland win will suit us very well.

I think a draw would keep both clubs sweating.

A draw in all the matches when the bottom teams play each other would suit us.  Haven't checked but wouldn't be surprised if that happened, we would be safe now.

[Des Little]

A draw is certainly the best outcome tomorrow.

[Irish villain]

talking of Fulham Collymore predicted on Talkshite the other night they will turn us over. He also thought we would finish with 39 points and implied he'd then like to see managerial change.

Oh I like him

If we got beat by Fulham that would surely be time up for lambert?

You'd like to think so but no, Lambert is here for the duration whatever, including relegation, happens.

Never has our wonderful club's future looked so bleak.

Just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that...

Gosh Dave, is it really that long now? I thought we'd been shit for just a couple of seasons but you're right. Time flies when you play the sort of unmitigated durge we churn out each week and you do your best to forget almost every game

It isn't that long and it isn't now, but you keep on predicting gloom, doom and despondency if it makes you happy. Who knows, one day you might be right.

We finished a season with 38 points and followed it up the following year with a haul of 41 points. This year will likely be around the 41 mark again if we pull our socks up. That's quite poor

Our worst points haul in the 2000s was 42 points twice. By any reasonable measure you have to concede we have come damn close to relegation, are somewhat fortunate to have escaped and have let it happen twice in a row.

Why was it unacceptable int he 2000s and not now?