Anybody starting to get worried…… again?

[Chris Smith]

The inescapable truth is that Gerrard has placed us in our current predicament at this juncture. I think we are safe but, bloody hell, being 15th and fretting about other teams results is a terrible indictment of Gerrard’s performance so far.

Gerrard alone?

The club had decided they needed a change, the man they appointed has us still worrying about an outside chance of relegation after losing 4 in a row with 7 games remaining. So yes, the way football works it’s largely on him.

[Risso]

This has been a hugely disappointing season - we were aiming for a top half finish - and apparently budgeted for that.  To an outsider it will look like we are further away than last season.  Which is a shame after the progress we made in the previous 3

I think everyone involved with the club has to take there share of responsibility for that.  Both managers have failed to get us the results that our squad deserves.

Our transfer business last summer looks Poorly thought out in hindsight.  Failure to get more options in midfield was also a big mistake

The players, Cash and Ramsey aside have all been worse this season than last season

Our pre season was a joke.

Everyone involved needs to learn lessons from this if we are to progress significantly.

It’s a big ask, and for some involved it will be too big a ask - but it’s essential we get these things right or the next year or two otherwise we risk becoming Everton. 

We’re not going down, Gerrard is going to get backed in the summer and a lot of the ingredients are there - so let’s hope we had lift the curse of averageness that has hung over the club for too long

UTV

We're 4 points off the top half with two games in hand. If we beat 9th placed Leicester tomorrow, we'd be two points behind them. Their next match is away to Spurs, we're at home to Norwich.  People keep talking as if the season has just finished, when the truth is that we just haven't had a match for two weeks and other teams have. It has been a disappointing season so far, but let's just see how we finish it. 9th or 10th is still possible.

[N'ZMAV]

The inescapable truth is that Gerrard has placed us in our current predicament at this juncture. I think we are safe but, bloody hell, being 15th and fretting about other teams results is a terrible indictment of Gerrard’s performance so far.

Gerrard alone?

The club had decided they needed a change, the man they appointed has us still worrying about an outside chance of relegation after losing 4 in a row with 7 games remaining. So yes, the way football works it’s largely on him.

Gerrard alone and largely on him are different. Shared blame (if we have to blame) Gerrard has faults and is making errors. So are the players.

[Clark W Griswold]

I'm not getting my knickers in a twist too much with the results since Gerrard came in. It can be difficult taking over mid season and many of the players he's having to use started the season badly and have continued that. Brian Little, after coming in mid season and improving us a bit initially almost got relegated by the end and was a bit hit and miss with those initial transfers. He then bought well in the summer, got the system working how he wanted and we had 2 excellent seasons.
My issue is purely personal in that my gut feeling is that he won't turn it around in that way or even close to that. Even though i was glad to back him after we took him on i thought his lack of experience would be an issue and i still feel the same.

[Villafirst]

Another scenario tomorrow: We lose at Leicester, which is quite likely and Burnley beat Wolves, then the gap is only 5 points with Villa to play Burnley twice. It doesn't take much for a points cushion to evaporate rapidly.

[Chris Smith]

The inescapable truth is that Gerrard has placed us in our current predicament at this juncture. I think we are safe but, bloody hell, being 15th and fretting about other teams results is a terrible indictment of Gerrard’s performance so far.

Gerrard alone?

The club had decided they needed a change, the man they appointed has us still worrying about an outside chance of relegation after losing 4 in a row with 7 games remaining. So yes, the way football works it’s largely on him.

Gerrard alone and largely on him are different. Shared blame (if we have to blame) Gerrard has faults and is making errors. So are the players.

You could have made exactly the same argument in support of Dean Smith. We all know how football works, ultimate responsibility always lies with the manager. They’re the ones who get sacked, not the players. Not that I’m calling for that but he (and the players, just to be clear) needs to start translating words into action to lift the growing sense of unease.

[Beard82]

This has been a hugely disappointing season - we were aiming for a top half finish - and apparently budgeted for that.  To an outsider it will look like we are further away than last season.  Which is a shame after the progress we made in the previous 3

I think everyone involved with the club has to take there share of responsibility for that.  Both managers have failed to get us the results that our squad deserves.

Our transfer business last summer looks Poorly thought out in hindsight.  Failure to get more options in midfield was also a big mistake

The players, Cash and Ramsey aside have all been worse this season than last season

Our pre season was a joke.

Everyone involved needs to learn lessons from this if we are to progress significantly.

It’s a big ask, and for some involved it will be too big a ask - but it’s essential we get these things right or the next year or two otherwise we risk becoming Everton. 

We’re not going down, Gerrard is going to get backed in the summer and a lot of the ingredients are there - so let’s hope we had lift the curse of averageness that has hung over the club for too long

UTV

We're 4 points off the top half with two games in hand. If we beat 9th placed Leicester tomorrow, we'd be two points behind them. Their next match is away to Spurs, we're at home to Norwich.  People keep talking as if the season has just finished, when the truth is that we just haven't had a match for two weeks and other teams have. It has been a disappointing season so far, but let's just see how we finish it. 9th or 10th is still possible.

Yes thats true - and the best way to get the project moving again will be to start winning games

But - short of winning every game til the end of the season - I think this season will be deemed as underwhelming at best

[Baldy]

Fed up of looking over our shoulders. However, one win and I reckon we are safe thanks to Everton's remaining fixtures.

Amongst many other issues, Martinez and Mings needs a rocket up their arse. They are often the starting point of our attacks and set the tempo. But, far to often they 'dilly dally' on the ball for too long, let the opposition get back into shape and make us pedestrian.

I reckon if they speed it up and show more urgency the rest will follow.

[Drummond]

This has been a hugely disappointing season - we were aiming for a top half finish - and apparently budgeted for that.  To an outsider it will look like we are further away than last season.  Which is a shame after the progress we made in the previous 3

I think everyone involved with the club has to take there share of responsibility for that.  Both managers have failed to get us the results that our squad deserves.

Our transfer business last summer looks Poorly thought out in hindsight.  Failure to get more options in midfield was also a big mistake

The players, Cash and Ramsey aside have all been worse this season than last season

Our pre season was a joke.

Everyone involved needs to learn lessons from this if we are to progress significantly.

It’s a big ask, and for some involved it will be too big a ask - but it’s essential we get these things right or the next year or two otherwise we risk becoming Everton. 

We’re not going down, Gerrard is going to get backed in the summer and a lot of the ingredients are there - so let’s hope we had lift the curse of averageness that has hung over the club for too long

UTV

We're 4 points off the top half with two games in hand. If we beat 9th placed Leicester tomorrow, we'd be two points behind them. Their next match is away to Spurs, we're at home to Norwich.  People keep talking as if the season has just finished, when the truth is that we just haven't had a match for two weeks and other teams have. It has been a disappointing season so far, but let's just see how we finish it. 9th or 10th is still possible.

And we're in the worst form in the league over the past 5 games played regardless of when they were, that's the concern.

Though getting back to arguing in favour, we beat Norwich, Leicester and Palace under Gerrard so should do the same again. Then there's Burnley, and who knows what could happen in those games.

We're never going down, and just need to win a few to get some confidence back, but right now, talk of potential top half is unlikely and by your maths earlier in the season would require us to probably be on league-winning form or something.

[Risso]

No it wouldn't.

[Ads]

Another scenario tomorrow: We lose at Leicester, which is quite likely and Burnley beat Wolves, then the gap is only 5 points with Villa to play Burnley twice. It doesn't take much for a points cushion to evaporate rapidly.

Burnley doubling their wins tally over 31 games in 4 is now considered not much. What about if we beat Leicester and then smash both Norwich and get a good win at Burnley to slot us into 10th? A scenario far more likely than a rank Burnley turning on the gas because Ben fucking Mee is now coaching them.

[Meanwood Villa]

We were seven points from safety with four to play a couple of years back and stayed up. Seemingly doomed teams can survive.

Personally I think we'll win at least one of the next three and that will be that.

[Drummond]

Another scenario tomorrow: We lose at Leicester, which is quite likely and Burnley beat Wolves, then the gap is only 5 points with Villa to play Burnley twice. It doesn't take much for a points cushion to evaporate rapidly.

Burnley doubling their wins tally over 31 games in 4 is now considered not much. What about if we beat Leicester and then smash both Norwich and get a good win at Burnley to slot us into 10th? A scenario far more likely than a rank Burnley turning on the gas because Ben fucking Mee is now coaching them.

I haven't looked at the stats but my gut feeling is that teams in with a fighting chance (i.e. not Norwich) can have an upturn in form when they have a chance of survival, or when all hope has gone and they are already down. Over the last 5 games played Burnley have 7 points from 15 and might be hoping for new manager bounce.

I can't decide whether I want them down because of Ben Mee, or Everton, just because, well it's Everton. We won't go down though.

[Drummond]

No it wouldn't.

No, I know. I was being facetious. Do you think we'll get top half?

[Ads]

I see the next 3 as a great opportunity. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, there seems something proper about it all. I understand the concerns, I think they're exaggerated and far too much time is spent dwelling on fear than on opportunity. The season has been annoyingly frustrating nonetheless.