Anyone starting to get worried?

[PaulWinch again]

I think my main concern is the shear lack off tactical ability. This is a genuine question. How many games have we won after going behind? I worry that Dean can’t positively change a game.

[Luke8]

I think my main concern is the shear lack off tactical ability. This is a genuine question. How many games have we won after going behind? I worry that Dean can’t positively change a game.

One. Brighton. After they went down to ten men.

While I agree with the broad point and it’s quite clearly not a good thing, I don’t think it’s untypical of teams in this part of the table. I’ve only had a very quick glance, so apologies if this is wrong, but I believe that none of Norwich, Bournemouth, Watford, West Ham or Burnley have won a single game after going behind.

[PaulWinch again]

Fair enough. I think my primary concern, and clearly less of an issue today as we were dead within 30 mins, but it’s how we just tail off in games so much.

[SoccerHQ]

I really don't think we can cope with teams who press us.

We really struggled v Brighton before they went down to 10 men. Southampton and Watford were two disasters and then add Man. City who can hyper press and have world class players in final third.

Playing physical teams who don't have much technical quality and just hit long diagonals is really the best we can cope with the squad currently, our two best wins this season have been v Newcastle and Burnley arguably and those two are arguably the least technical in the league.

It was the same in the championship when you look at it. We struggled v likes of Leeds and Fulham but could beat the more functional teams quite convincingly.

[D.boy]

I can't see where the next win is going to come from. We have bugger all threat up front and leak goals at the back. It doesn't look good right now and it will also be very difficult attracting a quality striker in our position.

[Luke8]

It’ll obviously be on what we do ourselves whether we stay up or not but, bearing in mind we will need to overhaul a team or two, we are not exactly the only team with issues:

Bournemouth look woeful at the moment
Burnley have scored four goals in their last nine games.
Newcastle have won one of their last six and have loads of injuries
Even Brighton, who I don’t think will go down, have only won two in eleven

[john e]

I think it’s 3 out of this 4 for the drop

Bournemouth
Burnley
Norwich
Villa

Watford, Brighton, Spam Southampton will all have to much
Newcastle I thought we’re nailed on to go down but are picking up points and look ok for now but could make it a 3 out of 5

[Des Little]

Right now, Watford look everything that we aren’t. They’ll stay up no problem.

[ChicagoLion]

The problem I have is that Burnley and Bournemouth have a style of play, method , identity and are used to the Premier League.
In comparison we are all over the place and appear to be making it up game to game.

[Smithy]

I've always looked at staying up this season as 'being better than three other teams'. And at various points I've been quite confident of that.  The issue at the moment is there are teams I was certain we were better than five weeks ago, who are now chasing mid-table positions, and the teams I think we ARE better than are a few points ahead of us.

The way the teams at the bottom (barring Norwich) seem capable of stringing a few results together suggests we could be looking at the highest total for a relegated side in a few years.  Right now I'm not certain 40 points would definitely save us.

The next three games are absolutely huge, 6 points and things will look a LOT healthier, but lose two of them and we'll have lost a lot of ground on the teams above us.

[john e]

having no strikers is a massive problem but for me its not the biggest

biggest problem is the fact that the whole team but the midfield in particular treat the ball like a hot coal,
 cant control it, cant pass it, rabbits in headlights when they have it, hide away from it, pass it backwards for safety to often, have no confidence on the ball at all, its like we are a bunch of amatures, embarrassing to watch

we can bring in a great striker but it still doesn't get us over that problem

[VinnieChase84]

realistically we need 19 points from 16 games left.Thats 5 wins and 4 draws.
are we really only going to not take anything from 7 games left..............

THATS whats worrying me

[darren woolley]

I'm not worried concerned maybe let's see what who we can bring in during this transfer window to help us who we get could be the difference of staying up or going down.

[ChicagoLion]

having no strikers is a massive problem but for me its not the biggest

biggest problem is the fact that the whole team but the midfield in particular treat the ball like a hot coal,
 cant control it, cant pass it, rabbits in headlights when they have it, hide away from it, pass it backwards for safety to often, have no confidence on the ball at all, its like we are a bunch of amatures, embarrassing to watch

we can bring in a great striker but it still doesn't get us over that problem

Completely agree, and no closing down either.

[JJ-AV]

We lack leaders and personality. Heaton, Mings, Jack and McGinn have some of it but we've barely had all 4 of those on the pitch this season. Without it, we're found wanting.

Shouldn't have let Jedinak and Whelan go and kept them and let Lansbury go instead. Even if they wouldn't have played much - one of those two coming on in the games we've been unable to see out or being around the squad would surely have had a positive impact when the heads drop.