[Archived] The Relegation Scrap Hots Up

[Wolverine]

Yes, he was. I thought he needed resting then, but I am quite concerned he is playing on despite injury and poor form. It is just a shame that Sergio is not giving Hughes any reason to pick him.

[Fife Rover]

Absolute nonsense. Lose next week and we won't go down.

The pessimism here is stunning. We've had six or seven poor games (contributed to by a side constantly disrupted by injuries and suspensions), prior to that we had gone eight unbeaten. At that point people were talking about another top six finish. The truth probably lies somewhere in between those two, relegation talk at this point is absurd though, there are no 'must win/not lose' games at this stage of the season.

Whilst agreeing totally with your sentiments LeChuck, I have to disagree with a part of your last sentence.

In my book EVERY match that you take the field to play in is a "must NOT lose" match, and if every player always had this mindset burnt into their brains we would not have any problems.

I remember many years ago as a young player being told by my coach to get it into my head "that as soon as you go onto the pitch, YOU are the BEST player on it" I did this, and immediately my game improved about 300%. After that I never looked back.

[Billy Castell]

HUGHES OUT !!!

(I don't mean it, but I wanted to be the first to say it) :ph34r:

[Daremz]

11 points off 3rd with a game in hand.

Champs League is a shoe in.

Philipl sounds like a very wise man.

I guess it will be a pale season, with a finish at 12th place. Ofcourse we need to get back on track, but we will. Amen.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Think those people who are casting it off as a 'no worry' situation are burying their heads a bit.

Firstly, most if not all are expecting those injured to come back and just automatically slip back into the team no problem ... and we all know it doesn't work like that.

Secondly ... if we are playing well now ( and not getting the results) .. what happens when we hit bad form?

Think the EURO form is glossing over the problem somehwat .. there is no doubt the injury problems have not helped but we have a major problem up front at the moment.

Worry might be too strong a word at this stage of the season and at this moment I don't feel that we will end up in the relegation dogfight , however certain aspects of our game are of a concern that need sorting before it becomes inevitable that we do - especially up front which a few people have commented upon.

Edited November 27, 2006 by CAPT KAYOS

[roversmum]

if we are playing well now ( and not getting the results) .. what happens when we hit bad form?

That is when we start winning..................

[gumboots]

The lack of goals is a big concern but hardly makes us relegation fodder just yet. The atmosphere around the club does not seem to be one of pessimism but of the very realism people here are calling for. The feeling is that all in the garden is not rosy at the moment but that there is equally no reason to panic. When you look at the players at the moment their heads are not down and there does seem still to be a genuine team spirit for want of a better word. i'll start to panic if our players start to look like they are not sure what's going on but at the moment no sense of that comes across to me.

[West Sussex Rover]

I'm not worried - no need imo - but it would be nice to see a few goals from our strikers...........

Agreed, i think its time that we maybe let Nonda go or at least have a spell on the bench and then let either Gally partner Benni, slightly behind him filling that feeder gap inbetween midfield and the forwards or even played Benni slightly behind Jeffers with Benni playing in the slightly off striker/strikers role he fed off so easily at Porto with Jeffers putting away the close rangers in the position he prefers.

I still think we should let Nonda go and give Jeffers, Gally or Derbyshire a go though.

Maybe even sign a younger pacey striker from Ireland. England, Wales (our area of the world). I said it on the other thread, either of Doyle or Long from Reading would be perfect signings in my opinion...

[promoted2001]

If it was march and we were 16th, then i'd be a wee bit worried.. But it's November and we are only about 6 points off the top half, and as said earlier 11 points off 3rd. This thread is retarded.

[Jan]

The difference between a couple of years ago and now is that, I think, most of us feel we have a manager who knows what is going wrong and how to fix it.

Keep the faith

[Ozz]

It's December on Friday and we have won 3 league games so far. Need to have a very good second half to the season.

[pleasure]

nonsense thread.

i'd like to ask the people who think we are in danger of going down - do you also believe bolton, portsmouth and villa will qualify for the champions league? thought not.

the same logic applies to the bottom 6 or 7.

have some faith.

good job hughes doesnt join in the pessimism. imagine him saying:

"we're fighting for our lives. these next 25 games are all cup finals for us !"

[G Somerset Rover]

Similarly, which i doubt that a man as wise as Hughes would, if he were to say "we're too good to go down" or taking some fans' opinions that we literally have to turn up to beat teams such as Watford and Fulham then we're in trouble. No team is too good to go down and whilst I don't expect us to be involved in a dog fight we need to roll up our sleaves and fight for every point now rather than later.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Somerset Rover!

[OscarRaven]

Confident we will be OK. Wouldn't bet my house on it but a couple of months pay maybe.

Slight worry is Hughes' ref focus, what happened to "hopefully those things will even themselves out over the season"

His positive attitude I belive has been our greatest strength bemoaning refs and the 'big' decsions worries me slightly.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I have to agree with some and say all this 'European glory' is giving a slighty false tint to the season.We are where we are in the league because we have not collected enough points and quite simply not performed to potential in certain games,the table does not lie.

We look a tired and jaded side at the moment lacking in ideas and as for the 'nothing to worry about' brigade....... leave that Amsterdam space cake alone will you!

I hope like many the purse strings will be loosened come January and the team significantly strengthend in the right areas

[USABlue]

Normally one of the eternal pessimist when it comes to rovers, just like Jim mentioned. However, for some reason, I am not in the least concerned. Could be stupid of me I know but I just feel this team has the ability to finish comfortably mid table, and before anyone asks, yes that will do for me.

[Alan75]

Im not being pesimistic or optimistic, as I said in my previous post, Im being realistic. We are playing some entertaining football, but at the moment I cant see where the goals are coming from. Or apart from Tugay who is going to manufacture the chances. Unlike last season, when we had Bellamy, we now dont have any pace up front.

Fortunately, as Jan says, in Hughes we do have a manager who is tactically aware of what needs to be done. I just hope that the board backs him during the transfer window.

[Fife Rover]

Im not being pesimistic or optimistic, as I said in my previous post, Im being realistic. We are playing some entertaining football, but at the moment I cant see where the goals are coming from. Or apart from Tugay who is going to manufacture the chances. Unlike last season, when we had Bellamy, we now dont have any pace up front.

Fortunately, as Jan says, in Hughes we do have a manager who is tactically aware of what needs to be done. I just hope that the board backs him during the transfer window.

I think that almost sums up my position as well Alan. The only thing I would add is that I think Nonda needs a rest and Jeffers or Gally given a more sustained run in the team with Benni. But also Benni himself needs to look to his laurels; he is obviously a talented player but he needs to show much more fighting spirit for me. He is very clever with flicks and backheels but he needs to track back and do his share of ball winning and pressing of defenders, and he badly needs to watch out for getting caught offside.

Edited November 27, 2006 by Fife Rover

[John]

The reason why we have been perfoming better in Europe is because the team we have been putting out consists of flair players.

Prior to this season our first choice eleven has always had a bit of pace, power, energy, grit and tougness in it - players such as Dickov, Bellamy, Reid, Nelsen, Todd and Nelsen. These players are all tough, powerful and all have energy. These ingredients have been missing from our team for many games this season.

We have many flair players whose style of game are best suited for the European stage - Bentley, Tugay, Pedersen, Nonda, McCarthy, Oiijer and Zurab. All these players are technically good but when the going gets tough we maybe are lacking (as a team) on being powerful and energetic as we need to be in the Premiership.

[MCMC1875]

Only fools would be unconcerned about our recent results in the Prem and our current position. I'm sure Hughes and Co are not in with the 'anyone else stand up and be counted' school of thought.

Aged pessimist??

[Wolverine]

The reason why we have been perfoming better in players such as Dickov, Bellamy, Reid, Nelsen, Todd and Nelsen. These players are all tough, powerful and all have energy.

So good we played him twice!

[wisweller]

Betfair punters have confidence in us, odds on teams being relegated.

Sheff Utd 1.3

Watford 1.3

Charlton 1.7

Fulham 6.8

Man city 7.6

West ham 8.0

Middlesbrough 9.2

Newcastle 10.2

Wigan 11.2

Reading 15.5

Rovers 17.5

[bluebruce]

Wow! I really wouldn't have expected those odds!

I personally don't see us being relegated, I'm just worried we will fall far short of our potential. We're going to have to strengthen in CM in January- we may as well have done it at the start and we would be in a better position now. Meaning we'd probably end up with a higher overall position and the cash to fund the transfer we're still going to have to make.

[RevidgeBlue]

Interesting to see the near unanimous consensus is "too good to go down". That might prove to be the case eventually but I'm surprised that many people don't even consider us to be part of the relegation mix up. That goes without saying, after one third of the season we're fourth from bottom , three points above the drop zone, having gained one point per game. If that form is replicated in the remaining two thirds of the season it will be touch and go if we survive.

The importance of winning against Fulham can't be understated, Watford play Sheff Utd tonight and the Blades play Charlton at the weekend so the teams below us are bound to pick up some points over the next few days.

Edited November 28, 2006 by RevidgeBlue

[Presty On Tour]

Betfair punters have confidence in us, odds on teams being relegated.

Sheff Utd 1.3

Watford 1.3

Charlton 1.7

Fulham 6.8

Man city 7.6

West ham 8.0

Middlesbrough 9.2

Newcastle 10.2

Wigan 11.2

Reading 15.5

Rovers 17.5

the watford v sheff utd game tonight you could say is a 6 pointer so early in the season.