Relegation Watch

[villa for life]

The break has been good for us, though. Pre lockdown we were abysmal and getting worse and losing more confidence with each game. Having the time off has been a huge plus for us, and I believe it’s the reason why we are still “fighting” to stay up and not already down.

We’ll know in 12 hours time whether we can take the fight to the next game or whether our fate will have been sealed tonight.

It’s high time for us to pull off a “shock” result. Let that be tonight.

[Clampy]

I'm surprised he hasn't used the likes of Vassilev more time or given Louie Barry a place on the bench. His subs are a tad predictable at times.

[The Edge]

I'm surprised he hasn't used the likes of Vassilev more or given Louie Barry a place on the bench. His subs are a tad predictable at times.

Those players can't be ready for the first team or they would of tried them. Our bench just isn't that strong compared to some so the 5 subs rule has definitely impacted us. Changing the rules half way through the season smacks of the PL being bullied by the money bags clubs. It was unnecessary in my view and only benefitted those with squad players that would make the first team of any club outside the top 6. Wolves being the exception to this but what's gone on there for the last 3 seasons is pretty remarkable. Another reason for me to hate the modern game.

[dave.woodhall]

I would normally use the expression that the table does not lie.  In normal circumstances it is indisputable reality.  These however are not normal circumstances.  The cumulative outcome of games played this season has been skewed partly by Covid 19 but that could have had compliance by the termination of the season by lockdown.  Far more damage to the fair and even handed running of the leagues has been due to the manipulation of money driven television contracts.

I used the word excruciating about this season and was taken to task for describing it as such.  In my personal opinion the slow motion, money driven car crash that the 19/20 season has become is the most painful, not least because of exclusion from it, I have ever endured.

I suppose it's all a matter of opinion. I think not being able to be there has added an element of unreality so it doesn't feel anywhere as bad.

[AsTallAsLions]

It's the transparency of it all that leaves a bitter taste for me. The insistence on finishing out the PL and Championship without fans while every other league was curtailed. The powers that be weren't at all concerned about the impact on all the lower league clubs that we will see folding over the next several months, but any time a justification for carrying on with the Championship and PL was required, they would happily cite the "need to uphold the integrity of the league(s)".

Couple that with the nonsense of VAR, the ridiculous decision to carry on with 5 substitutes next season, and the inevitable ruling to throw out City's ban from the Champion's League, and it is clear that those in power have no interest in seeing "lesser" English clubs compete with the sinister six ever again.

[mr underhill]

Totally and without fans in attendance soon, there will be quite a few Championship clubs going to the wall too.

[paul_e]

The 5 sub rule seems to have impacted us more than anyone, I’m thinking of the Chelsea and Liverpool games where they changed the game. Klopp wouldn’t have made a triple substitution (bringing on 3 big hitters) without the 5 sub rule.

Part of the problem here is that Smith hasn't adapted to it. He's making the changes in the same way and at the same times as he was when it was 3 subs. Against Everton, for example, we were on top and on course for 3 points but they made 2 double subs in the space of 10 that changed the game and we finished the game with 3 subs unused whilst we watched them overrun us in midfield. Having better players on the bench is great but sometimes you just need to break up the play and we don't use our subs well enough to do that. the change just further highlights how poor we've been at that.

Get what you're saying and in no way a robust defence of Smith but:
- breaking up the play cuts both ways sometimes
- the paucity of our on-the-bench options leaves me with little doubt that we'd be weakening the team to bring some of them on, even if the team is knackered.

I've said before, Smith has the option of having some young tyros on the bench: bringing them on to run around and disrupt the opposition would be preferable to watching Ange stroll around ...

The last line is my biggest problem with Smith over the last month or so. Against Everton Hourihane and McGinn looked like they were running through treacle in the last 10 minutes and were up against a a midfield that ahd been 3/4s replaced with fresh legs. Vassilev/Ramsey/Clarke and Barry/Archer on (with Jack moving into the middle so the latter could go into the front 3) might not have changed the match but it certainly wouldn't have made us weaker, in my opinion. Having a bench with people like Lansbury and Jota on seems a waste of time right now.

[Clampy]

I don't mind Jota being on the bench. He's someone who could come on and lay a good ball off and he nearly equalised against Chelsea. Lansbury's space could go to someone else though. (He'll come on and score now I've said that).

[The Fish]

The table does lie.

It doesn't account for luck, or officiating errors. By almost every metric Newcastle United should be in the relegation zone, but we're not.

[dave.woodhall]

The table does lie.

It doesn't account for luck, or officiating errors. By almost every metric Newcastle United should be in the relegation zone, but we're not.

Please don't wish us luck. I couldn't bear anyone liking us.

[paul_e]

I don't mind Jota being on the bench. He's someone who could come on and lay a good ball off and he nearly equalised against Chelsea. Lansbury's space could go to someone else though. (He'll come on and score now I've said that).

I do have less issue with Jota than Lansbury but his lack of pace bothers me.

[The Fish]

Please don't wish us luck. I couldn't bear anyone liking us.

No worries on that front. 
 

[Risso]

By the time you get to Jota and Lansbury, you know you've stopped scraping the barrel and have actually got through to the other side.  Neither are even Championship standard, so shouldn't be within a million miles of a Premier League squad.

[chrisw1]

It's the transparency of it all that leaves a bitter taste for me. The insistence on finishing out the PL and Championship without fans while every other league was curtailed. The powers that be weren't at all concerned about the impact on all the lower league clubs that we will see folding over the next several months, but any time a justification for carrying on with the Championship and PL was required, they would happily cite the "need to uphold the integrity of the league(s)".

Couple that with the nonsense of VAR, the ridiculous decision to carry on with 5 substitutes next season, and the inevitable ruling to throw out City's ban from the Champion's League, and it is clear that those in power have no interest in seeing "lesser" English clubs compete with the sinister six ever again.

In terms of the lower leagues playing on, my guess would this was more about the cost and feasibility of testing and other arrangements required rather than any lack of care about their futures - also, there's little TV revenue down there, so carrying on would probably have brought more hardship than cancelling for most of them.

In terms of integrity, whilst I'll feel a bit had done by if we're relegated I still think it's a fairer outcome tham PPG or voiding.  If we go down it will be primarily because we weren't good enough, not because we didn't have home fans against Sheffield.

I agree with your points re refereeing, subs etc.

[PaulWinch again]

By the time you get to Jota and Lansbury, you know you've stopped scraping the barrel and have actually got through to the other side.  Neither are even Championship standard, so shouldn't be within a million miles of a Premier League squad.

I think they’re both Championship standard, but lower/mid-table. Doesn’t change your point though!