[Archived] Relegation Watch

[DP]

Interesting the comparisons to 99 (although I don't like them). The Villa away game where we won 3-1 I remember well. It was the end of the honeymoon period but we played pretty well despite having (I think) Peacock and Broomes at centre half. Dunny in midfield as well scoring his first league goal.

It all fell apart though due to key injuries and Kidd not knowing his best team. We also didn't seem to have the never say die attitude to dig results out when you're not expecting them. This is something Big Sam needs to install as so far we've shown no sign of having this ability this season either. Don't forget in 2004 we looked like we were only going to go one way and then we had that great 4-3 win at Fulham playing an unusual formation and consequently went on to beat Man Utd at home and Everton away and staying up quite comfortably.

Souness always got the team going for the big games. Can Sam do the same?

[John]

Our run in looks horrible.

Had a few sleepless nights last week, many more to come I feel.....

[Fraserkirky]

Yikes that is not good. Fulham away is a massive game for us.

Newcastle's run-in is awful, would like to see them go down with Pompey. But I really don't care as long as we stay up.

We need to beat Hull,West Brom, Stoke and Pompey.

A couple of draws as well and it could be close.

Against the top 4 we need to play a 5-4-1 of :

ooijer samba nelsen givet warnock

Don't give a damn about midfield

RSC Roberts

And pray for a draw.

[Paul Mellelieu]

We need a miracle to stay up.

[CAPT KAYOS]

We need a miracle to stay up.

More like 3 miracles....

[RibbleValleyRover]

It pains me to say this but i think we are going down.

I can't help but feel the damage has been done due to a severe lack of investment and Ince's reign.

[thenodrog]

Optimistic as ever, I'm looking forward to a huge staying up party in May.

Don't bother inviting waggy, he'll be dressed in black and staring glumly into his pint in some Rishton boozer.

[thenodrog]

We need a miracle to stay up.

I'm likely to agree. This season has all the hallmarks of a relegation season imo. Sam has his work cut out big time and the loss of something like 6 points with the City debacle, Roberts unbelievably missing when 1 on 0 v Sunderland and Benny's missed pen v Notlob is an unbelievably huge body blow falsely disguised by the fact that we did not lose any of those matches. How different would our prospects be with those in the locker? How different even if Ince had been replaced before the clocks went back as I reckoned for in the close season.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

At this moment it is too close to call

[tonyoz]

I'll say it again, as long as Blackburn are one point clear of the bottom three going into the final day, you'll be fine as you have West Brom who will already be relegated by then so that should be a shoe in three points.

I seem to recall that we had a relegated Birmingham to beat to get into Europe last season.

[bobsterbrfc]

i seem to recall that in '99 we were effectively relegated when we lost at home to the already relegated nottingham forest, just before playing united

[jim mk2]

It pains me to say this but i think we are going down.

I can't help but feel the damage has been done due to a severe lack of investment and Ince's reign.

Been thinking that way for the past 4 - 5 months.

The players have also given up to judge from their lack of effort in the Coventry match.

[bubblerrovers]

If west brom get anything at Fulham, and we'll lose to Utd, We'll be bottom and i feel that will be the first nail in the coffin, Come monday there could be a big gap formed,

[Ninjathunder]

I still think we need to recognise that had we picked up those 6 points as we should have done we'd be up there with the likes of the mighty Hull, and there's no way I'd be saying now that they are anywhere near safe at this time. There's still a few twists and turns in this league yet (Ok I'm trying to keep the glass half full but admittedly it's not easy).

[AggyBlue]

The players have also given up to judge from their lack of effort in the Coventry match.

You must have left 10 minutes early Jim. Are you a Riversider by the way?

[jonv]

I'm likely to agree. This season has all the hallmarks of a relegation season imo. Sam has his work cut out big time and the loss of something like 6 points with the City debacle, Roberts unbelievably missing when 1 on 0 v Sunderland and Benny's missed pen v Notlob is an unbelievably huge body blow falsely disguised by the fact that we did not lose any of those matches. How different would our prospects be with those in the locker? How different even if Ince had been replaced before the clocks went back as I reckoned for in the close season.

we beat fulham with our game in hand. we beat hull next weekend. we jump out and beyond the relegation.

stop being such a pussy

[John]

we beat fulham with our game in hand. we beat hull next weekend. we jump out and beyond the relegation.

I just don't think we have enough quality to see out and actually win matches - particularly away from home. Plus, we play all the top 4 away.

Also, with the way the fixtures are, we could become bottom of the table and a gap could appear, adding more pressure to our situation. Not feeling that hopeful as we have looked like relegation candidates for most of the season.

ps - I am usually quite pessimistic when it comes to these sort of things.....

[DE.]

Before everybody chimes in with more ridiculous comments such as 'we need a miracle to stay up' I think it's worth noting the teams around and below us (Boro, WBA, Stoke, Newcastle, Pompey) are in similar or worse situations than us. I'd rather be a Rovers fan than a fan of any of these other teams, and I don't think we'll go down, based on the fact there are 3 teams in the league worse than us. We need some strengthening in the summer for sure, but some people here need to get a grip and stop creating such pathetic doom and gloom over a season that can still be salvaged.

[Hughesy]

I honestly cannot believe the negatibity on here.

Yes we lost to Villa, but I didnt expect anything from that - and same goes for saturday. A point against either is a bonus to be honest. Ok we had a dodgy 30 mins against Coventry too, but we are still in the cup at least.

10 games unbeaten prior to Villa and now the world is going to end??? FFS get a grip lads and get behind the team.

[The Prof.]

Well I'm optimistic.

Three clubs have a good chance of going bust so we're safe.

Anyway I'm fed up with the same old same old faces in the Premiership, it's desperately boring as teams try to shut each other out and double or treble up on anyone with talent.

And even if we do go down will look forward to seeing some fast exciting football ala Swansea and Burnley in Division 2 (No I won't call it the championship - ever). Plus we will get a mass change of our fossilised personnel and build a team around our younger, fitter players and play that way too.

That's just Samba at the moment but I know we'll have our next Golden Generation through by Christmas next year.

Sam will quickly bring in two pacy wingers and wow - just watch us go. There are some places I've never been to as well so here goes:

WWHHOOOOOHOOooooooo! Like that slide in Waves!

[Guest Kamy100]

I think that we will stay up, West Brom, Boro and Stoke have plenty of problems. We just need to continue to hang, the home games are going to be crucial.

[Hughesy]

The way I saw it prior to the Villa game was that it was our hardest home game left. Every other home game we should be capable of taking points in.

Keep the faith lads.

[stuwilky]

Don't bother inviting waggy, he'll be dressed in black and staring glumly into his pint in some Rishton boozer.

Is the same boozer at the end of your golf round?

[Poita]

It pains me to say this but i think we are going down.

I can't help but feel the damage has been done due to a severe lack of investment and Ince's reign.

What an absolute load of shight... "It pains me"?? Wake up to yourself buddy.

The admins need to change the thread name to something along the lines of Negativity and Dribble.

We all need to get behind our football team and be positive.

And for fook sake.. If it "pains you" Keep it to your bloody self.

[USABlue]

I can't help but echo a lot of the doom and gloom. I have not seen a lot of us this season but what I have seen has been of very poor quality indeed. We have all the body langauge of a team that has given up I think, the last two games seem to be BFS standard long ball over the top and we are getting nothing from it. Perhaps I am just despondent I don't know but I have a bad bad feeling about where we will be playing football next season.