[Archived] Relegation Watch 2009-10 Season

[DE.]

Portsmouths awful form could be a blessing in disguise for them, I imagine Hart will go in the next week or two, he's taking them down for sure.

Problem is, who do you bring in? They've bought Championship players, no calibre of manager is going to make them any better than that. I honestly can't see them surviving this year no matter what they do. Only a massive splurge in January will give them any hope, and is that realistically going to happen? Hart's been allowed to bring in over 14 new players, it's up to him to get the best out of them. Unfortunately, their best is not going to be good enough. He knows that, the fans know that, we know that - but does the owner?

Sad times to be a Portsmouth fan.

The league this year is going to be much like last year - you're going to have to be exceptionally bad to get relegated, and any team with half-decent players & management will comfortably survive.

[American]

Bolton have cut their wage bill by £5M and are struggling.

Ring any bells?

We kept our wage bill the same and are struggling.

(edit, replaced bill for budget)

[Shabani]

Come january the following clubs should be below us

Burnley, Birmingham, Pourtsmouth, Wigan, Wolves, Hull, Bolton - Maybe Wham and Fulham

That would put us 13th/11th

With the right investment and a bit of ambition by the board we could be top 10 and get some serious prize money, offsetting that extra investment

[philipl]

Make that six. Are they the only league club in England to be without any points this season?

They're as good as relegated.

Wonder how The Axe's World Cup ambitions are coming along?

David James' hopes should be being buried under the Pompey goals against column.

[DE.]

I can't see the Everton board sacking Moyes. He's done a good job there and they aren't the type of club to make rash, illogical decisions. I don't even think Everton will be in that much trouble - they've had a poor start and their squad is thin, but they'll be okay. They have too much quality to be in any real trouble. There's no way they'd repeat the heights of last season any time soon, but they're on a good footing and unless something drastic happens will comfortably avoid relegation this year.

[philipl]

I could have added Everton to the Rovers and the dingles as a club that won't go down unless they totally screw up because of the dross that is queueing up for 18th to 20th.

Moyes is too shrewd a manager plus Everton have players back playing in 2010 who are far far better than anything the death spiral clubs either currently have or are going to be available and willing to transfer in January. That said, hopefully things are looking a more than a bit sticky for the Toffees at 5pm your time this evening.

[philipl]

Having a good squad of players doesn't mean you will automatically stay up. We should know that. Everton also have that thing we know so little about - expectation. That raises the benchmark for the manager to perform to. So relatively speaking, Everton are currently the worst team off by far.

Hence my "if they don't totally screw up" caveat.

Incidentally, when we went down in '99, we had an expensive squad but not a good one.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Having a good squad of players doesn't mean you will automatically stay up. We should know that. Everton also have that thing we know so little about - expectation. That raises the benchmark for the manager to perform to. So relatively speaking, Everton are currently the worst team off by far.

I'll have a little bet with you that we finish below Everton this season.

[champions1995]

In the 2005-06 season, Everton got off to a disastrous start, picking up just three points and scoring just one goal in their first eight matches. The previous season, Everton had come 4th, but despite their terrible start, they stuck with Moyes and eventually finished in a comfortable 11th position.

Sacking Moyes would be a ridiculus thing to do and I am confident in saying, Everton will not go down.

[Paul]

City - very difficult to predict - DRAW

Sunderland - LOSE

WHU - only managed a draw last time - WIN

Wolves - WIN

Everton - LOSE

Arsenal - LOSE

Burnley - WIN

Man Utd - LOSE

Chelsea- LOSE

On that theory we could have 10 points from 9 games at the end of October, not that far off last season when we had 12 from 10! I'm not at all sure things look good for us in the first couple of months of the coming season.

There's no sign of us signing two strikers though.

In early August I was thought pessimistic, well 10 points at the end of October now looks optimistic, I'm beginning to doubt we'll have 7. It's pretty obvious Allardyce can't do this.

As for Rovers? We will spend time in the bottom three without a doubt, which will have people panicing for weeks at a time, but it will boil down to one thing. Will there be three worse teams than us? Which isn't a great way to stay up. We still lack any sort of creativity or strike force meaning it's difficult to see how we will create chances, score goals or entertain folk. I think we'll spend most of the season in the bottom third finishing 15th / 16th. Look at last year's league table, knock off the three relegated clubs, drop Pompey and Hull into the bottom two spots and ask yourself this "Other than the promoted clubs which established PL club has a poorer squad". It's scary and I'm very worried about our ability to survive.

Paul, I actually think we arent that poor and definitely wont be once we sign 2 strikers at least.

I believe Stoke, Hull, Portsmouth, possibly Bolton, as well as the three promoted teams are all weaker than us, even on paper.

You really think Sunderland will beat us? I think we get them at a good time of the season, before their new signings get (if they ever get any!) to gel. Everton is about 50/50 considering our recent record against them.

It gives me no pleasure at all but we need to wake up and smell the coffee. This team is not good enough

[Hughesy]

In early August I was thought pessimistic, well 10 points at the end of October now looks optimistic, I'm beginning to doubt we'll have 7. It's pretty obvious Allardyce can't do this.

It gives me no pleasure at all but we need to wake up and smell the coffee. This team is not good enough

He cant do this??

[Paul]

He cant do this??

Manage our football team competently. He is the expert you know.

[Hughesy]

He didnt keep us up then?

[Blue blood]

Not saying I've lost faith in the manager or anything Hughesy but I expect more than just staying up. Mid table - 13th imo - is the least we should expect given the players we have and given the other teams in the prem.

Have to say I think it was a big mistake dropping Jacobsen who has done nothing wrong. Sends the wrong message to the players. A few others who've made far less telling contributions are still in the team.

[CrazyIvan]

Not saying I've lost faith in the manager or anything Hughesy but I expect more than just staying up. Mid table - 13th imo - is the least we should expect given the players we have and given the other teams in the prem.

Have to say I think it was a big mistake dropping Jacobsen who has done nothing wrong. Sends the wrong message to the players. A few others who've made far less telling contributions are still in the team.

Jacobsen's wife had a baby earlier today that's why he wasn't there.

[Hughesy]

Have to say I think it was a big mistake dropping Jacobsen who has done nothing wrong. Sends the wrong message to the players. A few others who've made far less telling contributions are still in the team.

FFS i give up

[DE.]

Unfortunately, on the back of that defeat we should most certainly cast ourselves as relegation candidates. Should Dunn get injured where will any creativity come from? Who's going to score out of the woeful Roberts and (hopefully) still adjusting Kalinic? Benni Mac? What happens when/if Di Santo goes back?

I don't think we'll go down this year, but it's likely to be based purely on the fact that, much like last year, there are 3 teams worse than us, rather than us staying in the league by our own merit and good performance.

[philipl]

The BBC:

1652: FULL-TIME: Everton 3-0 Blackburn

Impressive victory for Everton, who were by far the better side. Blackburn created nothing and already look like they could be relegation candidates

How the Beeb love us! Even on today's showing, we looked better by far than Bolton, Hull and Pompey.

[Mr. E]

The BBC:

1652: FULL-TIME: Everton 3-0 Blackburn

Impressive victory for Everton, who were by far the better side. Blackburn created nothing and already look like they could be relegation candidates

How the Beeb love us! Even on today's showing, we looked better by far than Bolton, Hull and Pompey.

You still believe, as you said earlier, that one can't possibly consider Rovers will struggle at the bottom this season?

[broadsword]

The BBC:

1652: FULL-TIME: Everton 3-0 Blackburn

Impressive victory for Everton, who were by far the better side. Blackburn created nothing and already look like they could be relegation candidates

How the Beeb love us! Even on today's showing, we looked better by far than Bolton, Hull and Pompey.

Difference is that both Bolton and Hull have money to put things right.

So far, we're on form for another season of relegation struggle. Well, actually we're in the zone right now. I wouldn't stake your hopes on there being 3 worse teams all season, it sounds a bit complacent.

I think selling your best players and not making the greater amount of the fee available to the manager for strengthening, is a suicidal long-term policy.

[Tom]

The BBC:

1652: FULL-TIME: Everton 3-0 Blackburn

Impressive victory for Everton, who were by far the better side. Blackburn created nothing and already look like they could be relegation candidates

How the Beeb love us! Even on today's showing, we looked better by far than Bolton, Hull and Pompey.

We were poor today but out of interest how does a side that created nothing manage to hit the bar? Usual BBC journalism

[philipl]

Hull are rolling in so much cash they cannot even release their accounts! Their owner is as good as bust apparently.

[champions1995]

It is so important that EVERYONE gets behind rovers on saturday against Villa and encourage the team to get something from the game. The negativity is understandable, but we must keep the faith in Sam and the players, and do not start booing like some 'supporters' did against West Ham.

Today was very disappointing, and it seems we simply cannot pick up any points against good sides. Yes Everton have started the season poorly, but their lowly position on entry into todays game was false. We lost all 8 games against the big four last season and also lost twice against villa. We need to find a way of playing to get results against these teams, although as long as we win the games against the teams around us we will be fine.

[DE.]

It is so important that EVERYONE gets behind rovers on saturday against Villa and encourage the team to get something from the game. The negativity is understandable, but we must keep the faith in Sam and the players, and do not start booing like some 'supporters' did against West Ham.

Today was very disappointing, and it seems we simply cannot pick up any points against good sides. Yes Everton have started the season poorly, but their lowly position on entry into todays game was false. We lost all 8 games against the big four last season and also lost twice against villa. We need to find a way of playing to get results against these teams, although as long as we win the games against the teams around us we will be fine.

Difficult to be positive when you see 4-5-1 with Roberts alone up front to be fair. Our team selection is cringeworthy and shows no optimism or hope at all. It's a lot to ask the fans to get excited when the team seems mainly selected for damage limitation purposes.

Obviously booing doesn't help, and getting behind the team is important, but the management need to show a little positivity as well.

[American]

I think selling your best players and not making the greater amount of the fee available to the manager for strengthening, is a suicidal long-term policy.

Or going 8% over the wage budget to sign 2 right backs when you already had 2 that could play there and one who could fill in at a pinch.