[Archived] The Relegation Battle Aftermath

[John]

I am already feeling a bit nervous about the Brum match - massive game.

[philipl]

I am convinced that we have better players than the teams around us. The real problem is that these teams have a decent manager/coach while we have Kean.

Were doomed....

Agreed except Kean produced an organisation and game plan against Arsenal that I had come to never believe he had in him.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I am already feeling a bit nervous about the Brum match - massive game.

Me too, it'll be won or lost in team selection I think. If Nzonzi can't play it'll be a blow but it'll solve one problem- what midfield to pick. I'd go with Givet back in at full-back ( only if his attitude is 100% right ) and Hoilett, J Jones, Dunn/Emerton, P Jones, Ollsen in midfield. I don't want Pedersen anywhere near this team,there's no room for lightweights or fainthearts in a relegation dogfight. I'm not sure we can keep rolling out the very un-impressive and lethargic Santa Cruz up front either, surely Benjani to start and then Roberts would contribute more. Tough decisions for Kean to make, let's hope he gets it right. I know " must win " is over used, I remember us losing to Leeds at home a while back in a " must win " game. I came away thinking that's it, we've blown that, but we went on to beat Fulham away next game and never looked back. Having said that it's definitely a very very important game and probably our easiest game of the run in in theory. Come on Rovers.

[Mercer]

Brum will be uncompromising. McLeish is a street fighter and you see that in their team when you look at their players.

They will not go down and this match, not the Arsenal match, could well prove to be the make or break match.

Since Kean took over, we've struggled in these type of matches and although my heart says a win for us, my head says we will get a draw at best. I just have a horrible feeling that Derbyshire and Ferguson will come back to haunt us.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Me too, it'll be won or lost in team selection I think. If Nzonzi can't play it'll be a blow but it'll solve one problem- what midfield to pick. I'd go with Givet back in at full-back ( only if his attitude is 100% right ) and Hoilett, J Jones, Dunn/Emerton, P Jones, Ollsen in midfield. I don't want Pedersen anywhere near this team,there's no room for lightweights or fainthearts in a relegation dogfight. I'm not sure we can keep rolling out the very un-impressive and lethargic Santa Cruz up front either, surely Benjani to start and then Roberts would contribute more. Tough decisions for Kean to make, let's hope he gets it right. I know " must win " is over used, I remember us losing to Leeds at home a while back in a " must win " game. I came away thinking that's it, we've blown that, but we went on to beat Fulham away next game and never looked back. Having said that it's definitely a very very important game and probably our easiest game of the run in in theory. Come on Rovers.

Completely agree with that. If we can keep that team fit (Dunn over Emerton for me because we need goals from somewhere), we'll stay up.

[philipl]

Wolves and Blackpool getting tonked has helped a bit with the goal differences this weekend.

[Paul]

<br />Wolves and Blackpool getting tonked has helped a bit with the goal differences this weekend.<br />

It's been a very good weekend for Rovers; unexpected point, those two well beaten plus by all accounts we put in a very good shift.

Beating big club is vital and should Wigan lose at Chelsea I think they won't be able to catch us - goal difference means Wigan would need 8 points to pass Rovers. Have to hope Arsenal do the decent thing and beat Blackpool which again with goal difference would mean they need five points to pass us.

Beating Birmingham is now crucial.

[jim mk2]

More important than winning is not losing to a relegation rival so a draw against Birmingham (while disappointing) would not be the end of the world.

[Tom]

I always like to have a games cushion so we need to make that 4 point gap as soon as possible so hopefully come the united game we can be safe, especially if that game ends up being on the Tuesday after everyone else has played their hand.

Going to the last game would be too much for me to take I think.

[Mercer]

It's incredibly tight and every point, even goal will count.

I tried the BBC 'predictor' and had Wigan, Brum & Villa down with third from bottom on 40 points and three other teams (including Rovers) on 40 points but escaping due to a better goal difference!

[Exiled in Toronto]

More important than winning is not losing to a relegation rival so a draw against Birmingham (while disappointing) would not be the end of the world.

Completely agree. A defeat would be catastrophic, a draw status quo with one game less. Same goes for away at WHU and Wolves.

[Tom]

Completely agree. A defeat would be catastrophic, a draw status quo with one game less. Same goes for away at WHU and Wolves.

Whilst this may be true we simply have to win at least one of those games you would think as I can't see us getting 6 draws in 7 games.

[martonrover]

More important than winning is not losing to a relegation rival so a draw against Birmingham (while disappointing) would not be the end of the world.

I take your point but I really think we have to win this one. If we don't I really can't see where a win's going to come from and all the good work of yesterday will be wasted.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Whilst this may be true we simply have to win at least one of those games you would think as I can't see us getting 6 draws in 7 games.

Winning at Everton and home to Bolton are by no means out of the question. From here on in we have to do as well as or better than the teams below us - denying them a win against us hurts them more than it does us.

But we'd all rather win and get safe asap obviously.

[philipl]

One thing worth noting is that the strong performance of the bottom three means 20th placed Wigan are averaging a point a game and 18th and 19th better than a point a game.

This almost certainly means a team is going to go down with 40 points this season.

[47er]

I'd be surprised if at least 2 of Blackpool,West Ham, Wolves and Wigan didn't go down. I really believe we are fighting with all the clubs from West Brom down to avoid that 3rd spot.

The table is crazy this year. Everton have been dull and disappointing but are currently 7th! I think what we are seeing this season will be increasingly the trend in the Premier league rather than a one-off.

Only clubs with financially loaded owners, good managers and sound admins will be able to avoid relegation scraps year after year.

We have the first requisite, only Venkys can ensure we have the rest.

[Mercer]

One thing worth noting is that the strong performance of the bottom three means 20th placed Wigan are averaging a point a game and 18th and 19th better than a point a game.

This almost certainly means a team is going to go down with 40 points this season.

Spot on.

Reckon all should do the BBC predictor - I got:

14 West Ham -16 42

15 Blackpool -23 41

16 Rovers -11 40

17 Wolves -17 40

18 Brum -17 40

19 Villa -18 39

20 Wigan -27 36

Absolutely incredible, think there were 9 teams approaching the last day who could go down!

[roverwhelmed]

I did the predictor, and we came 12th on 44 points.

I have Wigan in 20th, Blackpool in 19th and Birmingham in 18th.

I got us to pip Birmingam 2-1, draw 1-1 at Everton, draw 1-1 with Man City, pip Bolton 2-1, draw 2-2 at West Ham and lose 3-1 against United at home, with a draw with Wolves on the last day.

I think I might be being slightly over optimistic in such predictions, but am on a bit of a high since yesterday and trying to enjoy it

[47er]

I did the predictor, and we came 12th on 44 points.

I have Wigan in 20th, Blackpool in 19th and Birmingham in 18th.

I got us to pip Birmingam 2-1, draw 1-1 at Everton, draw 1-1 with Man City, pip Bolton 2-1, draw 2-2 at West Ham and lose 3-1 against United at home, with a draw with Wolves on the last day.

I think I might be being slightly over optimistic in such predictions, but am on a bit of a high since yesterday and trying to enjoy it

That's a finish of Allardyce-esque proportions!

[roverwhelmed]

That's a finish of Allardyce-esque proportions!

Haha

[47er]

Just looking at Sunderland's fixture, they are incredibly likely to play a major role in the relegation battle. They have to play: West Brom (h)/Birmingham (a)/ Wigan (h)/ Fulham (h)/ Bolton (a)/ Wolves (h) and West Ham(a).

That is frightening for us given their current form.The last thing we want is them handing out points to our relegaton rivals. Indeed, its not beyond possibility that they could end up in a relegation scrap themselves so dire is their present run.

[Hughesy]

A bonus weekend for us really....an unexpected point and more importantly ZERO damage to the goal difference, which looks like it may be key for some teams.

A win next week would be excellent and probably provide us with a nice bumper over Blackpool & Wigan.

I think West Ham will beat Bolton, and Villa could well beat Newcastle.

[Steve Moss]

I take your point but I really think we have to win this one. If we don't I really can't see where a win's going to come from and all the good work of yesterday will be wasted.

Play like we did yesterday, and we should beat Birmingham, Everton, Bolton, West Ham and Wolves. And we should put up a scrappy showing against ManC and ManU, perhaps getting a point from one or both.

Play like we did yesterday and we might hit 50 points. If so, I'll admit I was wrong about Kean and these past months have been teething pains while the squad learns a new way of doing things.

I really hope this is the start of something great. But I still fear Kean is a first class BSer, and no manager.

So prove me wrong, Kean. Beat Birmingham, beat Everton and, win or lose, stick it to ManC hard. Do that and I'll man up and admit I'm wrong. Three games away from converting me and, I suspect, quite a few others.

Just looking at Sunderland's fixture, they are incredibly likely to play a major role in the relegation battle. They have to play: West Brom (h)/Birmingham (a)/ Wigan (h)/ Fulham (h)/ Bolton (a)/ Wolves (h) and West Ham(a).

That is frightening for us given their current form.The last thing we want is them handing out points to our relegaton rivals. Indeed, its not beyond possibility that they could end up in a relegation scrap themselves so dire is their present run.

Sunderland are better than that, they're just in a rut. They'll pull out of it and send more than one of our relegation rivals down. And if not, they'll crash and burn, taking one of those relegations spots which are lurking around the corner.

[Stevo]

My prediction left me shocked at the end. After trying to be as realistic as possible, here's how the bottom of the table would look:

11 Fulham -1 44points

12 Birmingham -15 44points

13 Stoke -6 43points

14 West Ham -13 43points

15 Blackpool -21 43points

16 Newcastle -6 42points

17 Blackburn -14 42points

18 West Brom -17 42points

19 Wigan -23 39points

20 Wolves -19 38points

Mental. Our results went:

Vs Brum (Home) 2-1 Win

Vs Everton (Away) 2-1 loss

Vs Man City (Home) 2-2 Draw

Vs Bolton (Home) 2-1 Win

Vs West Ham (Away) 2-1 loss

Vs Man Utd (Home) 1-3 loss

Vs Wolves (Away) 1-1 Draw

So that's 8 points and would leave us 17th on goal difference if the other results go as I thought. It certainly going to be a frightening end to the season - only 4 points seperated 8th from 18th.

[Steve Moss]

On the euphoria of the Arsenal draw, and putting aside my misgivings with Kean (or perhaps trusting in the senior players, such as Salgado, Samba and Nelsen), I did the BBC league predictor. Amazingly, I had us at 8th with 49 points:

Rovers 3 Birmingham 1

Everton 0 Rovers 2

Rovers 1 ManC 2

Rovers 2 Bolton 1

WHam 2 Rovers 3

Rovers 1 ManU 3

Wolves 1 Rovers 3.

Everton was also at 49 points but took 7th on goal difference, while Sunderland was 9th.

Wolves (36), West Ham (34) and Wigan (33) are the teams relegated.

ManU (87), Arsenal (80), Chelsea (76), ManC (75), Spurs (63) and Liverpool (56) are the top 6 squads.

And Blackpool stay up at 15th on 43 points.

May I be hailed as a psychic or Kean a genuis, or both.