[Archived] Relegation Watch 2009-10 Season

[LDRover]

For all those bemoaning 4-5-1 don't expect it to change. It won't be long now before we're in the mire and that tactic is deemed a necessity rather than an option.

[Paul]

He didnt keep us up then?

Good grief are you blind? We played some terrible football under Allardyce last season and to an extent stayed up because there were poorer teams than us. We didn't take many of the opportunities we had to pull clear.

This season we've started where we left off. This is a poor side and an unbalanced squad. The manager had the summer to sort it out, he didn't.

[Presty On Tour]

We need Mike Bassett, He'd play 4-4 f****** 2!

[Iceman]

Please, no more of this 1 striker up front.

[Paul]

Sorry double post

[sambo]

I think it will look something like this

14th Burnley

15th Notlob

16th Rovers

17th Birmingham

18th Hull

19th Wolves

20th Pompey

[Hughesy]

Good grief are you blind? We played some terrible football under Allardyce last season and to an extent stayed up because there were poorer teams than us. We didn't take many of the opportunities we had to pull clear.

This season we've started where we left off. This is a poor side and an unbalanced squad. The manager had the summer to sort it out, he didn't.

Im not denying it was ugly last season - Sam just got the best out of what he had - and it worked.

This season is a stability season - get stable again, secure our position in the league and then move on next term. I dont expect us to win the league or challenge the top 6 and im sure Sam either. It takes time.....something you dont seem willing to give him.

[Tris]

Im not denying it was ugly last season - Sam just got the best out of what he had - and it worked.

This season is a stability season - get stable again, secure our position in the league and then move on next term. I dont expect us to win the league or challenge the top 6 and im sure Sam either. It takes time.....something you dont seem willing to give him.

He's signed 8 first team players FFS - I'm not giving him credit for the best new recruit because Hoilett is somebody else's triumph.

So why are we still playing to draw against crap teams who we should be beating?

[Eddie]

Im not denying it was ugly last season - Sam just got the best out of what he had - and it worked.

No he didn't.

He came in and had a honeymoon period in which time we got to safety and after that he failed to get a side together that could stay totally clear of trouble.

He signed how many right backs this summer?

How many central midfielders?

That's all that needs to be said to show the job he did over the summer.

[Paul]

Im not denying it was ugly last season - Sam just got the best out of what he had - and it worked.

This season is a stability season - get stable again, secure our position in the league and then move on next term. I dont expect us to win the league or challenge the top 6 and im sure Sam either. It takes time.....something you dont seem willing to give him.

Secure our position? I've pointed out to you before I forecast we'd finish 15th or 16th so I'm not asking for the moon. At the start of the season we were in the PL and we still are. Sam has had the whole summer to work out his best side and to sign the players he needs. He refused to address the midfield situation and gambled on Dunn, Reid, Grella and Emerton returning successfully, so far he's got Dunn back and Grella, one successful the other not. Personally I've never seen Emerton reach his potential in midfield and Reid coming back to his peak, which was never great, has to be very questionable. He's sanctioned the sale of our left back to pay the wage bill and help him sign an ageing right back from Real Madrid - one position which wasn't really a problem. Add to this the attacking players who joined the squad this summer have hardly played (I know Di Santo is injured) plus we are reduced to playing 4-4-1-1 or 4-5-1 at home. I think it's reasonable to question things.

Don't forget this is a season in which we have sold a record number of season tickets, if we don't give people something to shout about they won't be back next year.

Not given him time? Until yesterday I have not criticised Allardyce. I suggest you find a calendar, Ince got six months during which time large parts of the support slaughtered him, Allardyce has had 10 months and to date all we have is murmurings of discontent. At this stage last season we had 7 points, today we have 4, and there was growing unrest amid calls for Ince to go. The truth is we have a poor, unbalanced squad which this season has produced 15 minutes of exciting football, how much longer the general support will put up with this I'm not sure. Nowhere have I suggested Allardyce should go but I do question what he is doing. Your response to anyone who questions the manager or the club is to put them in the suicide squad bracket while you call a player dog sh!t (a particuarly unpleasant description in my view).

This is the extent of your ability to come up with an arguement? I'd suggest you go away and have a little think before continuing to tell us all how rosy the Ewood garden is right now. There are people who know the price of everything but the value of nothing.

The turning point for me was Sam's "I'm the expert" comment. Now I'm no football manager but I have years of managerial experience and the best way to alienate people is to make comments on these lines. I want to watch some decent football and Allardyce is effectively telling the support sit down, shut up, listen to him and enjoy what he tells us is good football. Time was when I might have gone to Everton this weekend but we've already decided it isn't worth travelling to watch an Allardyce side, because every time we do they roll over for some tummy tickling. It may have been on TV but I didn't even bother to find out. Great effect our manager is having on the support.

[waggy]

He didnt keep us up then?

is this the best you can do to defend lardarse,the premier league history is dotted with mangers saving clubs in a far worse position than we were last season

[unluckymorton]

Good grief are you blind? We played some terrible football under Allardyce last season and to an extent stayed up because there were poorer teams than us. We didn't take many of the opportunities we had to pull clear.

This season we've started where we left off. This is a poor side and an unbalanced squad. The manager had the summer to sort it out, he didn't.

Fulham Away. Came back from 1 down to win 2-1. Opportunity taken.

Hull away, Spurs at home, 2 difficult games. Both opportunities taken.

Pompey and Wigan at home job done as would be expected.

Arsenal, Man City, Stoke, Liverpool & Chelsea... How many points would you expect from that lot???

It's too early to demand pretty football and a top ten finish, Hughesy is right, it's about stability and consolidating our position in the Prem. It'll take a long time to put right the damage that that prick Ince did to the club.

We will never be world beaters and European qualification is further away than it has been for a long time but what is needed is for us fans to get behind the team and the manager.

[Hughesy]

is this the best you can do to defend lardarse,the premier league history is dotted with mangers saving clubs in a far worse position than we were last season

Like who?!

It's too early to demand pretty football and a top ten finish, Hughesy is right, it's about stability and consolidating our position in the Prem. It'll take a long time to put right the damage that that prick Ince did to the club.

We will never be world beaters and European qualification is further away than it has been for a long time but what is needed is for us fans to get behind the team and the manager.

Its like talking to a wall mate. The club budgetted for 13th - thats the target....Simples!

[AggyBlue]

Like who?!

Its like talking to a wall mate. The club budgetted for 13th - thats the target....Simples!

Perhaps the club should have budgeted for 17th, any extra prize money for finishing higher to be given to the manager for new signings.

[den]

There are still people looking for teams worse than us. Totally wrong.

I'll re-iterate, we have to get to 40 points, otherwise we're in deep do-do. We're only 5 games in and that might suggest there's still plenty of time, but look again.

It's more than likely, in fact very likely, that we will get no points at all from the top four, plus the now endlessly rich Manchester City. That is ten games where we are likely to get absolutely nothing.

So, after yesterday, we have another 23 games to get another 36 points. Think about it folks - 23 games to get another 36 points! Who thinks we can do that?

Man City becoming so strong makes it very, very difficult for the rest of us. Every single game, home or away, against anyone outside those five clubs is vital. Every single one.

[67splitscreen]

Every team in the so called mix gaining points from those top five or six clubs make the task even harder, not to mention the lack of draws this season could make the total needed even higher.

[Neil Weaver]

There are still people looking for teams worse than us. Totally wrong.

I'll re-iterate, we have to get to 40 points, otherwise we're in deep do-do. We're only 5 games in and that might suggest there's still plenty of time, but look again.

It's more than likely, in fact very likely, that we will get no points at all from the top four, plus the now endlessly rich Manchester City. That is ten games where we are likely to get absolutely nothing.

So, after yesterday, we have another 23 games to get another 36 points. Think about it folks - 23 games to get another 36 points! Who thinks we can do that?

Man City becoming so strong makes it very, very difficult for the rest of us. Every single game, home or away, against anyone outside those five clubs is vital. Every single one.

Not going to disagree Den, and maybe you'll point to your "teams worse than us clause", but it's the same argument for about ten other teams in this League eg I heard a bit of Wigan's game at the weekend where the commentator was saying they've played something like 34 league games now against the 'top 4', are still trying to win one, and have the grand total of 4 draws in those 34 games. So to your question, no I'm not terribly confident about getting another 36 points, but getting an honest answer from the supporters of 6 - 8 other clubs and I don't think they'd be too confident either.

[den]

Unfortunately, other fans worrying about their club doesn't make one jot of difference as to how we can get those 36 points from probably, just 23 games, [as you know Neill].

I'm just trying to outline how very important every game against the teams outside the top five are now. It's only when working these things out that you can understand the emphasis that the managers these days put on the "other games". You can partially understand them concentrating on the games from the teams outside that top 5.

[waggy]

Like who?!

lets see redknapp/hodgson/curbishley to start with

[unluckymorton]

lets see redknapp/hodgson/curbishley to start with

Redknapp has always had plenty of money to spend, Curbishley is that good that he's not in the Premier league any more and yes Hodgson has done extremely well at Fulham, turning them into a mediocre side.

We are in a position where we need stability and all the fans need to understand that we are going to be a bottom half side for the next couple of seasons. We are having an early bad run, Sam needs to change his ways with team selection but it could be a lot worse.

I don't fear the drop, we will survive, survival has been what this season is about since the Man City game.

I do believe you don't support the Rovers any more Waggy? Get back down there and get behind the lads.

[waggy]

I don't fear the drop, we will survive, survival has been what this season is about since the Man City game.

survival is what this season is about,most on here had us finishing 12th upwards before the season started,face it lardarse has wasted money,and i rekon we have a poorer squad than last season,but to say the season is about survival is a disgrace we are at least equal with 8-10 teams in this league

[philipl]

Pompey's new owner has said there are no funds for signings this January and he wants to develop an Arsenal style academy.

Well that is one relegation slot sealed then- just hope Rovers get all six points against them.

[tcj_jones]

Another crushing 4-0 reverse for Hull last night, albeit in the cup. They're gonners too. Thank God there are two teams this season that are so awful that there is only one relegation spot to be filled.

[G Somerset Rover]

Another crushing 4-0 reverse for Hull last night, albeit in the cup. They're gonners too. Thank God there are two teams this season that are so awful that there is only one relegation spot to be filled.

Too right.

Brown did an amazing job to get them to the Premier League but their form since Christmas of last year has been woeful.

It'll be interesting to see who goes first, Hart or Brown.

[CrazyIvan]

Another crushing 4-0 reverse for Hull last night, albeit in the cup. They're gonners too. Thank God there are two teams this season that are so awful that there is only one relegation spot to be filled.

Got to say Wolves aren't looking too clever either. Whether performances turn around for any of these teams will be an interesting watch. Same for us to be honest. This season may end up like last with next to nothing separating 11th to 17th with the bottom three just a teeny bit behind.