Relegation?

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I think part of the problem we have had is that Gabby and Andi have played all season. They have been our creative options up top, with Benteke and sometimes Kozak being the out and out forward.

A couple of midfielders with quality in the final third to come in instead of them would have livened us up. It may also have livened the other two up as well.

[caster troy]

I stuck a fiver on us to go down when Benteke got injured, at 50/1. Just checked Betfair and it's now 10/1.

Hopefully Randy will push the same panic button as the bookies.

[supertom]

It's starting to get precarious and we don't look like scoring many either. Plus the defence is looking ropey at the moment.
There's little between 17th and 12th. What we don't want to be, is the team at the bottom of this pack that one of the bottom 3 looks to latch on to.

That said, Fulham will struggle to win another 2-3 games (if that). Cardiff are abysmal and Sunderland, though they have 3 games in hand on the other bottom 2, have tough games.

Mind you, barring a change in management and attitude from Lerner and Faulkner, we be a good bet to go down next season.

[SoccerHQ]

Think this to me is going to be a bit like the McLeish season. We were bumbling along sleepwalking in mid table, lost Bent at Wigan and suddenly our results nosedived and we were very close to going down. Hopefully this is our equivilant of the Bolton result as we did pick up two draws after that.

Regarding the bottom three, Cardiff are down. There's no way you can recover from losing 3 nil at home to Palace.

Another bit of good news is it's Fulham Norwich next week. The loser of that will go down. I have to say looking at Norwich, only on 32 points and if they lose at Fulham, then they'll be needing a win from Chelsea, Liverpool, Man. United and Arsenal to finish above us as their goal difference is terrible.

Sunderland? 9 points off us and have a ridiculous run of away games. They could still survive but not at our expense.

[Matt Collins]

It's starting to get precarious and we don't look like scoring many either. Plus the defence is looking ropey at the moment.
There's little between 17th and 12th. What we don't want to be, is the team at the bottom of this pack that one of the bottom 3 looks to latch on to.

That said, Fulham will struggle to win another 2-3 games (if that). Cardiff are abysmal and Sunderland, though they have 3 games in hand on the other bottom 2, have tough games.

Mind you, barring a change in management and attitude from Lerner and Faulkner, we [will] be a good bet to go down next season.

Sums up my thoughts exactly - though I'd have used the word 'will' as per above to avoid sounding like a farmer.

We still should be ok, as you'd have to think we can at least get a couple more points in our final six games, taking us to 36 or so. Surely?

Fulham - Norwich next week is a big game. We could really do with a draw. After that, Norwich play three of the top four plus Man U, and that's it for them. If we can still be ahead of them going into that run we should be able to finish above them.

But Fulham's fixtures look decent and I think they may run is pretty damn close. The only team they've got in the top ten is Spurs, and they're fucking awful at the moment. But can Fulham get 8 more points than us in the last 6 games? Tough, but doable I'd say. I don't fancy us to concede fewer than two in any game.

A bit embarrassing to say, but I'd be going back to the 532 v Palace next week and try and kill the game, plus use Gabby's pace.

[nick harper]

Fulham beat Norwich at home and we lose and it's a gap of four points this time next week. It may start getting squeaky. We are the team in free fall at the moment.

[pauliewalnuts]

Sunderland? 9 points off us and have a ridiculous run of away games. They could still survive but not at our expense.

They've got some awful away games, you're right. They've got two games in hand, mind.

I think if the season had another two games on top of what there is left to play, we'd go down. Our current form is just so abysmal and there's no Benteke.

[Archie]

How long will it take to the board and to certain fans to realise that this manager is bringing us to the hell? It is inconceivable, he should have been sacked three monts sgo, at least!

[SoccerHQ]

Sunderland? 9 points off us and have a ridiculous run of away games. They could still survive but not at our expense.

They've got some awful away games, you're right. They've got two games in hand, mind.

I think if the season had another two games on top of what there is left to play, we'd go down. Our current form is just so abysmal and there's no Benteke.

36 looks the safety figure to me.

I think Fulham will try to win their last 3 home games and hope for the best, that will get them to 36 points.

If Norwich draw with them next week and win another game that will get them to 36 points.

Only positive is our GD is better than pretty much everyone else down there although we've still got Man. City away which could seriously alter that but then so do Sunderland.

[Chico Hamilton III]

How long will it take to the board and to certain fans to realise that this manager is bringing us to the hell? It is inconceivable, he should have been sacked three monts sgo, at least!

12 months ago

[pauliewalnuts]

The fact there are two points between us in 13th and Norwich in 17th is somewhat concerning. That is way too small a gap for my liking.

[nodge]

I stuck a fiver on us to go down when Benteke got injured, at 50/1. Just checked Betfair and it's now 10/1.

Hopefully Randy will push the same panic button as the bookies.

You can still get 40-1 on us to go down. You can also get 50-1 on lambert to be the next manager to leave his job!!

[avfcpg]

Always worried when I do this but think we'll stay up just....if we didn't get another point (we'll scrape a couple somewhere) then;

Norwich need 3 points from - Fulham, Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal (that's some run in!)
Fulham need 8 points from - Norwich, Spurs, Hull, Stoke, Palace.
Cardiff need 9 points from - Southampton, Stoke, Sunderland, Newcastle, Chelsea.
Sunderland need 9 or 10 points from - Spurs, Everton, Man City, Chelsea, Cardiff, Man Utd, West Brom, Swansea.

We have Palace, Saints, Swansea, Hull, Man City, Spurs...
1 point today would have all but done it, 3 points would have sealed it....but hey this is Villa. We don't do easy..

Would take a freak set of results now to see us go down. Fulham vs Norwich is a biggie next week. A draw would be handy.

[Matt Collins]

Fulham beat Norwich at home and we lose and it's a gap of four points this time next week. It may start getting squeaky. We are the team in free fall at the moment.

As much as Norwich? If they do lose to Fulham (which I think they will) they'll be at least two points plus a much (irrecoverable) goal difference down on us with four games to go: Liverpool, Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal.

Though at 40-1 for us to go down it's still a little tempting! I think we'll lose our next two (Palace and Southampton) - in fact I feel certain of it. But I reckon we might get a 1-2 points from Swansea and Hull (heady days!) so we still should just about be ok.

[SoccerHQ]

How long will it take to the board and to certain fans to realise that this manager is bringing us to the hell? It is inconceivable, he should have been sacked three monts sgo, at least!

12 months ago

I would've fired him after Bradford but in fairness the way we responded and ended the season he deserved another go.

This season just has been infuriating. The rubbish football apart from a couple of games, the horrible home form and when we do pluck out a great result from nowhere our form is always dismal afterwards.

It's pointless beating Chelsea when you lose your next three, just as it's pointless beating Southampton and we lose our next four.