Relegation?

[pauliewalnuts]

Yes Chris i think you're right, he does have to take some blame, but not total blame. I don't dislike him like I did Ellis towards the end of his reign. The cutbacks, particularly in wages, have been brutal I agree, but cutbacks were necessary. But Lambert has still spent a fair few quid and he has bought, with the odd exception, dross. And the coaching seems to be non existent from what I've seen on the pitch. For me, Lambert is to blame

For me, they're both to blame.

Lerner himself said last week - when castigating us for not being dizzy with excitement with a point at home to Southampton - that Lambert was working entirely within the parameters he set.

Ages ago this season, I read a journo say that our problem was that we went from 50k a week players to 10k a week players without stopping off at 30k a week players, and that now strikes me as absolutely correct. That's Lerner's fault.

Lambert's problem is that, although we do have a piss poor squad - put together by him - almost the whole way through this season he has sent out teams who look worth *less* than the collective sum of the parts.

Ultimately, the buck stops with Lerner.

We have had four years of this utter shit now. Even if you are naturally pro-Lerner, you have to say that one of those seasons was entirely his fault - that was the one when him, Paul Faulkner and Alex McLeish thought it'd be a good appointment to give McLeish the job.

I don't really care overly if Lambert compares poorly to him but after the Houllier season, you could see we had made slow steps forward in our playing style.

By appointing McLeish - especially at that point - Lerner as good as guaranteed that the small gains made in the Houllier season were for absolutely nothing.

That was the point at which we needed to be really clever with our appointment. Unfortunately, that was the point at which our chairman was at his most brainless.

[silhillvilla]

This X club won't do this and Y club won't do that is truly pathetic. That it's come to this again is just a disgrace . Shame on you Lerner, Lambert and Faulkner. And the players too, players like Weimann and Gabby who have been fat and atrocious all season.

[myf]

If its a draw tomorrow then we should be ok but still in trouble otherwise. I can still see one of the club's pulling off some wins and GDmay be an issue with Sunderland and us if we get tonked at city and WHL

[curiousorange]

One of the frustrating things about this policy of cutbacks is that it was never explained or explicitly stated why it happened. It was like something out of '1984' - one day we woke up and all of a sudden Villa couldn't afford to pay decent wages to players, for no reason. So we had to shrug our shoulders and say, 'ah, okay then'.

What Lerner does with his money is his concern, but he went from being a sugar daddy to being an absent father with no clear reason as to why.

[PeterWithesShin]

Updated.

For us to drop 2 of these clubs need to do the following (i'm pretty sure i've worked this out right) based on us getting 0 points from the last 3:

Fulham: Must beat Stoke (a) and Palace (h) anything less than 6 points and they can't catch us.

Norwich: 4 points (barring a 15 GD swing, if that should happen they would need 3 points) from Chavski (a) Arsenal (h)

Cardiff: 6 points from Sunderland & Newcastle (a) Chavski (h)

Sunderland: 6 points (maybe 7 depending on GD) from Cardiff (h) Manure (a) Bitters (h) Swansea (h)

[silhillvilla]

One of the frustrating things about this policy of cutbacks is that it was never explained or explicitly stated why it happened. It was like something out of '1984' - one day we woke up and all of a sudden Villa couldn't afford to pay decent wages to players, for no reason. So we had to shrug our shoulders and say, 'ah, okay then'.

What Lerner does with his money is his concern, but he went from being a sugar daddy to being an absent father with no clear reason as to why.

I'm guessing divorce and credit crunch hit him hard

[andyh]

The worst thing about being in this awful position (again) is the fucking pain between games.

I can't wait for the Hull game to come round because (hope of hopes) we might get the result to save our miserable season, and put this misery to bed.

But, I'm also absolutely dreading it because I know it's gonna be absolutely fucking horrible.

[Ad@m]

Updated.

For us to drop 2 of these clubs need to do the following (i'm pretty sure i've worked this out right) based on us getting 0 points from the last 3:

Fulham: Must beat Stoke (a) and Palace (h) anything less than 6 points and they can't catch us.

Norwich: 4 points (barring a 15 GD swing, if that should happen they would need 3 points) from Chavski (a) Arsenal (h)

Cardiff: 6 points from Sunderland & Newcastle (a) Chavski (h)

Sunderland: 6 points (maybe 7 depending on GD) from Cardiff (h) Manure (a) Bitters (h) Swansea (h)

And to summarise that Norwich and Fulham will not finish above us so it comes down to whether both Cardiff and Sunderland will.

If it's a draw tomorrow or Sunderland win, Cardiff need to win their last two games which they won't do.

If Cardiff win tomorrow Sunderland need at least six points, maybe seven from their last three, which again, they won't do.

As others have said, the season end is going to save us.

[pauliewalnuts]

Updated.

For us to drop 2 of these clubs need to do the following (i'm pretty sure i've worked this out right) based on us getting 0 points from the last 3:

Fulham: Must beat Stoke (a) and Palace (h) anything less than 6 points and they can't catch us.

Norwich: 4 points (barring a 15 GD swing, if that should happen they would need 3 points) from Chavski (a) Arsenal (h)

Cardiff: 6 points from Sunderland & Newcastle (a) Chavski (h)

Sunderland: 6 points (maybe 7 depending on GD) from Cardiff (h) Manure (a) Bitters (h) Swansea (h)

And to summarise that Norwich and Fulham will not finish above us so it comes down to whether both Cardiff and Sunderland will.

If it's a draw tomorrow or Sunderland win, Cardiff need to win their last two games which they won't do.

If Cardiff win tomorrow Sunderland need at least six points, maybe seven from their last three, which again, they won't do.

As others have said, the season end is going to save us.

Hmm, how are you taking for granted that Fulham won't win both those matches?

Or dismiss Sunderland so easily, given that they have just taken 4 points from Chelsea and Man City away?

[Meanwood Villa]

One of the frustrating things about this policy of cutbacks is that it was never explained or explicitly stated why it happened. It was like something out of '1984' - one day we woke up and all of a sudden Villa couldn't afford to pay decent wages to players, for no reason. So we had to shrug our shoulders and say, 'ah, okay then'.

What Lerner does with his money is his concern, but he went from being a sugar daddy to being an absent father with no clear reason as to why.

This is a very good point.

[curiousorange]

Updated.

For us to drop 2 of these clubs need to do the following (i'm pretty sure i've worked this out right) based on us getting 0 points from the last 3:

Fulham: Must beat Stoke (a) and Palace (h) anything less than 6 points and they can't catch us.

Norwich: 4 points (barring a 15 GD swing, if that should happen they would need 3 points) from Chavski (a) Arsenal (h)

Cardiff: 6 points from Sunderland & Newcastle (a) Chavski (h)

Sunderland: 6 points (maybe 7 depending on GD) from Cardiff (h) Manure (a) Bitters (h) Swansea (h)

And to summarise that Norwich and Fulham will not finish above us so it comes down to whether both Cardiff and Sunderland will.

If it's a draw tomorrow or Sunderland win, Cardiff need to win their last two games which they won't do.

If Cardiff win tomorrow Sunderland need at least six points, maybe seven from their last three, which again, they won't do.

As others have said, the season end is going to save us.

Hmm, how are you taking for granted that Fulham won't win both those matches?

Or dismiss Sunderland so easily, given that they have just taken 4 points from Chelsea and Man City away?

Indeed. The only way to be sure is for Villa to man up and put in a decent performance next week. Then we won't have to sweat on freak results, which we won't see coming.

[PeterWithesShin]

Hmm, how are you taking for granted that Fulham won't win both those matches?

Or dismiss Sunderland so easily, given that they have just taken 4 points from Chelsea and Man City away?

Anything is possible, but I wouldn't like any money on Fulham winning both, today could really affect them. As for Sunderland, it's still only 1 win in their last 10 league games. Anything is doable of course, but i'd much rather be where we are than any of the 4 below us.

[Ad@m]

Updated.

For us to drop 2 of these clubs need to do the following (i'm pretty sure i've worked this out right) based on us getting 0 points from the last 3:

Fulham: Must beat Stoke (a) and Palace (h) anything less than 6 points and they can't catch us.

Norwich: 4 points (barring a 15 GD swing, if that should happen they would need 3 points) from Chavski (a) Arsenal (h)

Cardiff: 6 points from Sunderland & Newcastle (a) Chavski (h)

Sunderland: 6 points (maybe 7 depending on GD) from Cardiff (h) Manure (a) Bitters (h) Swansea (h)

And to summarise that Norwich and Fulham will not finish above us so it comes down to whether both Cardiff and Sunderland will.

If it's a draw tomorrow or Sunderland win, Cardiff need to win their last two games which they won't do.

If Cardiff win tomorrow Sunderland need at least six points, maybe seven from their last three, which again, they won't do.

As others have said, the season end is going to save us.

Hmm, how are you taking for granted that Fulham won't win both those matches?

Or dismiss Sunderland so easily, given that they have just taken 4 points from Chelsea and Man City away?

Because Fulham have only won two on the bounce twice this season - once back in October and once earlier this month when they had us and a horribly out of form Norwich in consecutive games.  It's not impossible clearly but I'd be astounded, especially after chucking 3 points today, if they did it.

And I'm dismissing Sunderland a lot less than Cardiff.  I think Cardiff are fucked, but if they somehow manage to beat Sunderland tomorrow, Sunderland need 7 points from 3 games, one of which is a suddenly resurgent Man Utd at Old Trafford.

We're obviously not safe yet but I don't think we'll get relegated.

[TopDeck113]

Lerner is to blame.  Closely followed by us lot for not kicking up a stink far earlier. 

I'd love to know what was said in MON's constructive dismissal tribunal. Whilst I'll not forgive the timing of his walk out, I would suggest he saw Lerner's true colours before anyone else.

My concern is that we'll escape by the skin of our teeth, the majority of our support will rejoice in Blues' relegation, we'll cast an envious eye over players we can only dream about during the World Cup, then before we know it we'll reconvene in August and nothing will have changed.  Mark my words: we won't survive another season as bad as this one.

[sidcowans10]

That's what worries me Paulie! Logic says they shouldn't get the points, but our luck is quickly running out! And the end week of teh season always throws up strange results!!