[Archived] Relegation Watch

[dillo_dillo]

>>and table ... on my site

[SoccerHQ]

The fact that the press and the media in general never mention us when talking of relegation candidates scares me witless.

They are not even saying the usual "too good to go down". Not a peep. Scarey!!

Can Nicko throw any light on this?

Probably because they see you have the bye of a home game against West Brom on the last day.

[dr_awol]

altho i think we will be clear before the last day.

i have this feeling that shearers' newcastle and us battling it out for the last spot in the league. shearer could send us down :-(

Stoke have us and newcastle in their next 3 fixtures, any one of us could be in the bottm 3 in 2 weeks time.

[thenodrog]

One way to do the predictor thing is to be mechanical about it.

Mechanics wont work though gunner. The last weeks always throw up odd results as backs to the wall teams invariably beat those in the comfort zone with nothing to play for.

Another ageing injury-prone player in a squad already full of them ?

No thank you.

Agreed.

[John]

Interesting fixtures this weekend.

Bolton v Middlesbrough

Hull v Portsmouth

Newcastle v Chelsea

West Brom v Stoke

West Ham v Sunderland

[thenodrog]

Interesting fixtures this weekend.

Bolton v Middlesbrough

Hull v Portsmouth

Newcastle v Chelsea

West Brom v Stoke

West Ham v Sunderland

There is only 1 fixture that interests me John ...... unless we lose!

A win today would ease the pressure mightily. A loss will be a massive blow with Stoke away coming up fast.

[John]

Of course, our result is all that matters and its in our own hands.

Regardless of the result today, I will be watching out for the other scores with great interest.

[Eddie]

Stoke already ahead against West Brom. I think we really want a West Brom win, if not a draw. A defeat would really put West Brom down.

[philipl]

Mechanics wont work though gunner. The last weeks always throw up odd results as backs to the wall teams invariably beat those in the comfort zone with nothing to play for.

Gosh you are off form- if you read the rules, I had all relegation haunted teams beating the top boys as soon as the title and CL places were decided...

I believe I am no longer at Motherwell by the way.

Got a hunch Newcastle will catch Sunderland and send them down- Shearer superhero etc etc... Sunderland are certainly in a bad patch at a bad time.

[Hughesy]

We should really break this down. Games we should really be targetting a win, where it will most hurt. Games we should be able to get something, and then finally games where its difficult and even a point is a great result.

Games we need to really need to target a win - Spurs, Stoke, Pompey, West Brom. (That gets us the magical 40 points)

Games we can get something: Fulham, West Ham, Wigan, City

Games where anything is a bonus: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea

Going better than planned so far. To me we seem on track to stay up - going off my previous plans, A win against Spurs would be great, but not crucial given the bonus at fulham.

Going good!

Further ahead of schedule now. Fingers crossed but I think today was a massive bonus and boost to our chances following the win at fulham.

[1864roverite]

hughsey, are you the missing peice in Big Sams backrrom staff??

[John]

Southgate: Beat Hull or we're down

Alan Shearer is confident Newcastle will avoid relegation - and he reckons Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins are the men to fire them to safety.

Thomas Sorensen has hailed the "instant impact" made by James Beattie

[RevidgeBlue]

Two fairly pivotal games this weekend, Boro against Hull and Stoke v Newcastle.

It would be a massive boost for us if neither Boro nor the barcodes were to win those games.

[brfcs5359]

The Magic 40 enough? Maybe 38 will be enough.

Hulls Fixtures - Points required 6 - Run in = difficult

3 at home 4 away. Must win v. Stoke at home. Next two away fixtures at Sunderland and Boro could be crucial. ManU and Liverpool other home fixtures. Not many points likely on the road either. 3 of top 5 to play. 37-39 In trouble

Wigan v Hull, 13:30

Hull v Portsmouth, 1

Middlesbrough v Hull, 15:00

Sunderland v Hull, 15:00

Hull v Liverpool, 15:00

Aston Villa v Hull, 15:00

Hull v Stoke, 15:00

Bolton v Hull, 15:00

Hull v Man Utd, 16:00

Stokes Fixtures - Points Required 5 - Run in = Very Easy

Apart from Arsenal away, easy run in 4 at home 3 away. At home Blackburn, Newcastle, Wigan & West Ham towards the end. West Brom, Fulham and Hull away. Plenty of points available for the battling Potters. SAFE

Stoke v Middlesbrough, 15:00

West Brom v Stoke, 15:00

Stoke v Newcastle, 17:30

Stoke v Blackburn, 15:00

Fulham v Stoke, 15:00

Stoke v West Ham, 15:00

Hull v Stoke, 15:00

Stoke v Wigan, 15:00

Arsenal v Stoke, 16:00

West Broms Fixtures - Points Required 16 - Run in = Easy

Only Liverpool to play, the rest relegation rivals. 3 at home and4 away. (Upcoming back to back home wins to Bolton and Stoke a must. Could be all over after the next 3 fixtures as the gap widens to far.) Relegated

West Ham v West Brom, 20:00

West Brom v Bolton, 15:00

West Brom v Stoke, 15:00

Portsmouth v West Brom, 15:00

Man City v West Brom, 15:00

West Brom v Sunderland, 15:00

Tottenham v West Brom, 15:00

West Brom v Wigan, 15:00

West Brom v Liverpool, 15:00

Blackburn v West Brom, 16:00

Newcastle Fixtures - Points Required 11 - Run in = Horrendous

3 at home, 4 away. Back to back home defeats to Chelsea & Arsenal to leave them adrift. Not enough easy games. Must win all easy games to stay up. Tall order. 4 of top 5 to play and derby v Boro. Cant see where enough points are coming. - Update - Must win easier games Stoke, Fulham, Boro, Pompey. Can't score. 36-39 points-in trouble

Newcastle v Arsenal, 17:30

Newcastle v Chelsea, 15:00

Stoke v Newcastle, 17:30

Tottenham v Newcastle, 15:00

Newcastle v Portsmouth, 20:00

Liverpool v Newcastle, 15:00

Newcastle v Middlesbrough, 15:00

Newcastle v Fulham, 15:00

Aston Villa v Newcastle, 16:00

Portsmouths Fixtures - Points Required 8 - Run in = ok.

Big games away at Hull, f/b home to West Brom and Bolton. Bad run here could spell relegation with Arsenal and Man U next home games. Will have to win at Blackburn and Newcastle to stay up. Update - The next two home games WBA, NOTLOBS vital MUST WIN - otherwise in real trouble. 38-42 points should scrape out of it

Portsmouth v Everton, 12:45

Hull v Portsmouth, 15:00

Portsmouth v West Brom, 15:00

Portsmouth v Bolton, 15:00

Man Utd v Portsmouth, 20:00

Newcastle v Portsmouth, 20:00

Portsmouth v Arsenal, 15:00

Blackburn v Portsmouth, 15:00

Portsmouth v Sunderland, 15:00

Wigan v Portsmouth, 16:00

Middlesbroughs Fixtures - Points Required 13 - Run in = Difficult.

Last 5 games are tough for one reason or another. Must get out of trouble in the next 4 games or face going down. Update - Even if they win the next two games they will have to do a Fulham or West Ham to get enough points to get out of it. Two draws and it is all over. Relegated

Stoke v Middlesbrough, 15:00

Bolton v Middlesbrough, 15:00

Middlesbrough v Hull, 15:00

Middlesbrough v Fulham, 15:00

Arsenal v Middlesbrough, 13:30

Middlesbrough v Man Utd, 15:00

Newcastle v Middlesbrough, 15:00

Middlesbrough v Aston Villa, 15:00

West Ham v Middlesbrough, 16:00

Blackburns Fixtures - Points Required 6 - Run in = good

3 at home, 4 away. 2 of the top 5 to play but only away. Home form against relegation rivals key. Update - Still in trouble but 5 points clear of NUFC should be enough. 40-46 points Safe

Blackburn v West Ham, 15:00

Blackburn v Tottenham, 12:45

Liverpool v Blackburn, 12:45

Stoke v Blackburn, 15:00

Blackburn v Wigan, 16:00

Man City v Blackburn, 15:00

Blackburn v Portsmouth, 15:00

Chelsea v Blackburn, 15:00

Blackburn v West Brom, 16:00

Tottenham Fixtures- Points Required 3 - Run in = Difficult

4 at home, 3 away. Enough points already plus NUFC and WBA at home. SAFE

Aston Villa v Tottenham, 16:00

Tottenham v Chelsea, 15:00

Blackburn v Tottenham, 12:45

Tottenham v West Ham, 15:00

Tottenham v Newcastle, 15:00

Man Utd v Tottenham, 17:30

Tottenham v West Brom, 15:00

Everton v Tottenham, 15:00

Tottenham v Man City, 15:00

Liverpool v Tottenham, 16:00

Sunderland Fixtures - Points Required 8 - Run in = Tough

4 at home, 3 away - 3 of the home fixtures v. Chelski, Everton & ManU. Massive game v Hull. Will need to win away from home to stay up. 37-42 In Trouble

Man City v Sunderland, 15:00

West Ham v Sunderland, 15:00

Sunderland v Man Utd, 15:00

Sunderland v Hull, 15:00

West Brom v Sunderland, 15:00

Sunderland v Everton, 15:00

Bolton v Sunderland, 15:00

Portsmouth v Sunderland, 15:00

Sunderland v Chelsea, 16:00

Bolton Fixtures - Points Required 2 - Run in = ok

SAFE

West Brom v Bolton, 15:00

Bolton v Middlesbrough, 15:00

Chelsea v Bolton, 15:00

Portsmouth v Bolton, 15:00

Bolton v Aston Villa, 15:00

Wigan v Bolton, 15:00

Bolton v Sunderland, 15:00

Bolton v Hull, 15:00

Man City v Bolton, 16:00

[gumboots]

Two fairly pivotal games this weekend, Boro against Hull and Stoke v Newcastle.

It would be a massive boost for us if neither Boro nor the barcodes were to win those games.

Indeed it would as those must be games they are targetting as winnable whereas we are expecting to lose whilst hoping against hope to get something from our game aggianst Liverpool. Unfortunately United's win today means Liverpool can't afford torelax between Champions league games as i hoped they might do.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Wigan,Pompey WBA all at home

Our destiny clearly lays in our own hands regardless of what other's do around us....we can only slit our own throats.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Wigan,Pompey WBA all at home

Our destiny clearly lays in our own hands regardless of what other's do around us....we can only slit our own throats.

I've got a funny feeling our away results may bring us more joy. If we had to beat an already relegated West Brom to stay up I'd fear the worst. Remember Birmingham in the last game of our previous season ?

[OJRovers]

Hopefully it won't come down to us needing to beat West Brom on the last day. We are in a position where we need 2 wins from Pompey (h), Wigan (h), Stoke (a), City (a) and West Brom (h) - as someone has mentioned, its well in our own hands now.

If it does come to the last day, we should be ok because the other contenders around us have tricky ties:

Sunderland home to Chelsea

Stoke away at Arsenal

Newcastle away at Villa

Boro away at West Ham

[RevidgeBlue]

Looking at graham's list, with ManUre and Arsenal to come in games 3 and 4, Boro are surely down unless they get six points from their next two home games against Hull and Fulham.

Even if they were to win those two, and then got beaten as expected in games 3 and 4, they'd still only have 33 points from 35 games.

Only a matter of time before they join WBA in the "gone" category surely.

[Hughesy]

Iv thought for the last 2 or 3 weeks that Boro look as good as down and I stick by that now.

I think the last place is now down to Newcastle, Sunderland or Hull - I believe Us, Pompey & Bolton all have enough to get clear.

[thenodrog]

Iv thought for the last 2 or 3 weeks that Boro look as good as down and I stick by that now.

I think the last place is now down to Newcastle, Sunderland or Hull - I believe Us, Pompey & Bolton all have enough to get clear.

I'd have thought that before seeing Saturdays performance and the associated injuries.

[Hughesy]

Thing is - we are difficult to beat (exc top 4) and I think that alone will save us - we also seem to have belief and a strong team spirit - we will be fine mate.

[gumboots]

Thing is - we are difficult to beat (exc top 4) and I think that alone will save us - we also seem to have belief and a strong team spirit - we will be fine mate.

It struck me too. We don't look down and out like some of the teams I've seen this weekend. The defence in particular look like they are determined to make up for all their lapses earlier in the season and make it very hard for people to get past them. Add to that others getting back to help out and it makes you hard to beat. WE also somehow manage to find a goal or two along the way and teams like the Boro just aren't doing that. I think the players still believe that it's in their own hands as it is and a result like Saturday must have done them a power of good. To be pretty sure that you have lost a game to a dodgy penalty and then suddenly find yourselves with a victory when you've played the worst football seen at Ewood in a long time must feel like all your Christmases have come at once.

[philipl]

The Spuds penalty was the 50th goal Rovers have conceded this season in the League.

However, the good news is we have only let in 16 in the last 14 games (including the 4 goal mauling at Arsenal).

For all the justifiable complaints about our central midfield, the horror shows of clubs attacking us at pace straight through the middle are thankfully a thing of the past as opposed to four times each half which was the average under Ince.

Any club that is keeping it tight at the back is going to climb the table. We saw that when Sparky shut things up when he came to Rovers and we are seeing it again with Sam in charge.

[Rovermatt]

Allardyce has turned us into a very difficult team to beat. Since he's been here, we've only lost 3 league games. However we've been unable to shake ourselves clear of the drop zone because of (a) the chaos wreaked on our league position during the Ince debacle and (b ) too many draws not being enough to overcome that obstacle. Now we're 5 points clear of Newcastle and our fate rests very much in our own hands. If we play as soundly as we have for most of Sam's tenure, then I really don't see us collapsing to the extent required to go down.