[Archived] The Relegation Battle Aftermath

[LLOYDY]

I think 38 points may be enough, I had us scraping to that by drawing with Bolton, West Ham and Wolves. Blackpool, Wolves and Wigan all have very difficult run ins and won't pick up many points. Will be our only saving grace. With the remaining fixtures for all teams I think 17th is an optimistic target.

[jim mk2]

I sadly think we'll go down in 19th above only Wigan.

Next week is a massive set of fixtures with 6 rivals playing each other

Birmingham v Sunderland

Blackpool v Wigan

Everton v Blackburn

West Brom v Chelsea

West Ham v Aston Villa

Worrying if we don't get a point.

West Brom are safe so can be discounted and we need the other matches to be draws. Wins for West Ham and Blackpool would be bad news.

Rovers generally have a good record at Goodison but Moyes is a canny blighter and has got a very ordinary Everton side playing well again.

We'll need some Arsenal-type grit and some luck to come away with a point.

[thenodrog]

Since we have become widely regarded as relegation threatened we've got just 3 rather fortunate draws at home to teams around us. NUFC, Blackpool and Brum. It's a fairly safe bet that we aren't going to get many more at fortress Ewood either.

We still have some fight in the squad but we also have some players who are not pulling their weight therefore nullifying the fighters. To be honest I can't see a worse team than us in the Prem and I am now preparing for the seemingly inevitable. Our best hope now imo is to almost miraculously glean points out of the two mid table teams that we have coming up.

Worst bit of all is that this is rooted in ignorance, incompetence and avarice and is all so unecessary.

[Hughesy]

Im backing us to do it....we dont do things the easy way, knowing rovers we will beat either City or United.

KEEP THE FAITH lads!! The club needs us more than ever it times like these.

[Drunx2002]

With so many of our rivals playing each other in the coming weeks we'll need a huge amount of draws in those games to stay up.

I thought we played ok yesterday - if Jones and Samba had but those two decent chances away in the first 10 minutes we would have been home and dry.

And therein lies the problem for me. Santa Cruz is goalless since he returned and I have no confidence in our other strikers to score even if they do get good chances. We only look threatening from set pieces, or when Olsson or Hoilett run at defenders. Whatever is happening internally at the club we need Givet back at LB to allow Olsson to play left wing, and Kalinic needs to come back from the cold and start up front with RSC against Bolton and potentially in all our must win games away.

It will be typical Rovers to get an unlikely win somewhere against Everton or Man City.

Having said that I expect we will need to beat Wolves on the last day to stay up.

[47er]

Im backing us to do it....we dont do things the easy way, knowing rovers we will beat either City or United.

KEEP THE FAITH lads!! The club needs us more than ever it times like these.

Sorry--if we can't beat that Brum shower at home we've had it.

[67splitscreen]

Bit of an overview.

Left Fulham out of this, pretty sure they will walk it with their home form, 5 wins and a draw in the last six. Villa winning today probably means they will be OK.

Stoke

Home Wolves - Arsenal - Wigan

Away Villa - B/Pool - City

WBA

Home: Chelsea - Villa - Everton

Away: Spuds - Wolves - Newcastle

S/Land

Home Wigan - Fulham - Wolves

Away Brum - Bolton - West Ham

Rovers

Home City - Bolton - Utd

Away Everton - West Ham - Wolves

Brum

Home S/Land - Wolves - Fulham

Away Chelsea - L/Pool - Newcastle - Spuds

Villa

Home Stoke - Wigan - L/Pool

Away West Ham - West Brom - Arsenal

Blackpool

Home: Wigan - Newcastle - Stoke - Bolton

Away: Spuds - Man U

West Ham

Home: Villa - Rovers - S/Land

Away: Chelsea - Man C - Wigan

Wolves

Home: Fulham - WBA - Rovers

Away: Stoke - Brum - S/Land

Wigan

Home: Everton - West Ham

Away: Blackpool - S/Land - Villa - Stoke

So many potential six pointers in the above fixtures + Villa and S/Land playing four game each against the drop candidates.

Current form last six games.

12 Villa 8

13 Wolves 8

14 W Ham 8

15 Brum 5

16 Stoke 5

17 Wigan 5

18 Rovers 4

19 B/Pool 4

20 S/Land 1

[John]

Did not realise Hogdson is unbeaten so far as WBA manager in his 4 matches so far - they have had some pretty tricky fixtures too since he took over, will be interesting to see if it just a honeymoon period as they were sliding downwards pretty badly before he took over.

Sadly their good run continues...

[Majiball]

With the games coming up next weekend that form guide could look very different should those six pointers be decided. All the more reason to have a bit more of a gamble away to Everton for me, next game. They did really well yesterday but what a makeshift side, rattle them early and who knows. We need to get a point at least from the next two games as otherwise should blackpool & West ham win we could potentially go into the Bolton game level on points with 18th place.

[Fraserkirky]

I tell you what West Brom have a worse run in than us. The could easily get beat the last 6 games. you gotta fancy Blackpool to pick up some points in their home games. We cant lose to West Ham or Wolves.

I think we will stay up with Wigan,West Ham and Wolves going down

It's gonna come down to the wire I reckon. Squeeky Bum time.

[blue/white]

Since we have become widely regarded as relegation threatened we've got just 3 rather fortunate draws at home to teams around us. NUFC, Blackpool and Brum. It's a fairly safe bet that we aren't going to get many more at fortress Ewood either.

We still have some fight in the squad but we also have some players who are not pulling their weight therefore nullifying the fighters. To be honest I can't see a worse team than us in the Prem and I am now preparing for the seemingly inevitable. Our best hope now imo is to almost miraculously glean points out of the two mid table teams that we have coming up.

Worst bit of all is that this is rooted in ignorance, incompetence and avarice and is all so unecessary.

Wholeheartedly agree w/ this post.... even more so with that last sentence.

[Miker]

That result against Birmingham was horrible, no question about it. Our run in for the last 6 games is the worst of all the teams in the relegation battle (save for West Ham). This is a huge worry. We should never have been pulled so deep into this battle and all sane logic tells me that we won't make it this season. Any hope I had has been deteriorated by our failure to beat both Blackpool and Birmingham at home. The point at Arsenal was just a consolation.

The players need to put in a tremendous effort for the rest of the season, but I don't expect them to get any favours along the way.

[philipl]

Bit of an overview.

Left Fulham out of this, pretty sure they will walk it with their home form, 5 wins and a draw in the last six. Villa winning today probably means they will be OK.

Stoke

Home Wolves - Arsenal - Wigan

Away Villa - B/Pool - City

WBA

Home: Chelsea - Villa - Everton

Away: Spuds - Wolves - Newcastle

S/Land

Home Wigan - Fulham - Wolves

Away Brum - Bolton - West Ham

Rovers

Home City - Bolton - Utd

Away Everton - West Ham - Wolves

Brum

Home S/Land - Wolves - Fulham

Away Chelsea - L/Pool - Newcastle - Spuds

Villa

Home Stoke - Wigan - L/Pool

Away West Ham - West Brom - Arsenal

Blackpool

Home: Wigan - Newcastle - Stoke - Bolton

Away: Spuds - Man U

West Ham

Home: Villa - Rovers - S/Land

Away: Chelsea - Man C - Wigan

Wolves

Home: Fulham - WBA - Rovers

Away: Stoke - Brum - S/Land

Wigan

Home: Everton - West Ham

Away: Blackpool - S/Land - Villa - Stoke

So many potential six pointers in the above fixtures + Villa and S/Land playing four game each against the drop candidates.

Current form last six games.

12 Villa 8

13 Wolves 8

14 W Ham 8

15 Brum 5

16 Stoke 5

17 Wigan 5

18 Rovers 4

19 B/Pool 4

20 S/Land 1

Anyone feeling optimism about Rovers'chances just has to look at the fixtures list to have it dissipated.

We are going to have to find a very unexpected win in one of the Manchester games to stay up in my opinion. Even then avoiding defeat against both West Ham and Wolves is critical.

[Parsonblue]

Looking at these fixtures I really can't see how we are going to escape. Our form does nothing to suggest that we are capable of winning one game, let alone two. Sadly, I don't think we can rely on hanging on for six draws.

Wolves look to have the easiest fixure list and must feel that three home wins would see them safe. Even their away games give them the opportunity for picking up points. Likewise, West Ham will see their three home games as an opportunity for six or seven points while Wigan away is a game they should get something from. We simply can't afford to lose to either of these teams and, sadly, I suspect we might have to win one.

I believe Wigan will be one of the relegated teams and Blackpool's game against them next week will go some way to deciding the Seasiders' fate. If Blackpool win they will fancy their chances of beating either Stoke or Bolton, as one of them will have an eye on a Cup Final.

While the away fixtures are difficult for Birmingham, they will fancy their chances in their three home games.

If the Rovers are to survive we MUST beat Bolton and try to pick up at least a point in one of the other home games. Away from Ewood it's going to be a case of avoiding defeat at all costs - starting at Goodison at the weekend.

[thenodrog]

Looking at these fixtures I really can't see how we are going to escape. Our form does nothing to suggest that we are capable of winning one game, let alone two. Sadly, I don't think we can rely on hanging on for six draws.

Wolves look to have the easiest fixure list and must feel that three home wins would see them safe. Even their away games give them the opportunity for picking up points. Likewise, West Ham will see their three home games as an opportunity for six or seven points while Wigan away is a game they should get something from. We simply can't afford to lose to either of these teams and, sadly, I suspect we might have to win one.

I believe Wigan will be one of the relegated teams and Blackpool's game against them next week will go some way to deciding the Seasiders' fate. If Blackpool win they will fancy their chances of beating either Stoke or Bolton, as one of them will have an eye on a Cup Final.

While the away fixtures are difficult for Birmingham, they will fancy their chances in their three home games.

If the Rovers are to survive we MUST beat Bolton and try to pick up at least a point in one of the other home games. Away from Ewood it's going to be a case of avoiding defeat at all costs - starting at Goodison at the weekend.

Just had a thought. This 2010/11 campaign could easily see the Prem League without a single representative from Lancashire next season.

[Mattyblue]

Just had a thought. This 2010/11 campaign could easily see the Prem League without a single representative from Lancashire next season.

Why are the Mancs and Scousers in trouble?

[Hughesy]

This is Blackburn....we do things the hard way

I still believe we will stay up, since HT against Blackpool we have not looked like a team about to get relegated.

Wolves have just shipped 7 against Newcastle & Everton - 2 teams they would have hoped to perhaps draw with or nick a point.

Blackpool threw away a 2 goal lead against us, then lost badly to Fulham and then got put aside with ease by Arsenal yesterday.

Wigan - whilst they have learned to keep it tighter at the back are still failing to win & also score goals.

Wigan, Wolves & Blackpool to go down!

[Mattyblue]

Goals are going to be a problem. if Hoilett doesn't score, who will?

We are still looking relatively strong at the back and we have a bit of pace and bite in midfield, but the strikeforce is the worry.

[broadsword]

This is Blackburn....we do things the hard way

I still believe we will stay up, since HT against Blackpool we have not looked like a team about to get relegated.

Wolves have just shipped 7 against Newcastle & Everton - 2 teams they would have hoped to perhaps draw with or nick a point.

Blackpool threw away a 2 goal lead against us, then lost badly to Fulham and then got put aside with ease by Arsenal yesterday.

Wigan - whilst they have learned to keep it tighter at the back are still failing to win & also score goals.

Wigan, Wolves & Blackpool to go down!

It's far too tight to call.

We may well end up drawing our way to safety.

[philipl]

This is Blackburn....we do things the hard way

I still believe we will stay up, since HT against Blackpool we have not looked like a team about to get relegated.

Wolves have just shipped 7 against Newcastle & Everton - 2 teams they would have hoped to perhaps draw with or nick a point.

Blackpool threw away a 2 goal lead against us, then lost badly to Fulham and then got put aside with ease by Arsenal yesterday.

Wigan - whilst they have learned to keep it tighter at the back are still failing to win & also score goals.

Wigan, Wolves & Blackpool to go down!

If we are very very lucky.

That was a performance of a relegation candidate against Brum- we were so disjointed and would only score if we got lucky. We got lucky with the defender's mistake caused by his colleague looking too dazed to receive a pass giving Hoilett a chance to dispossess him.

[imy9]

But we were unlucky with the 'goal' that stood and a penalty against Benjani, we have been unlucky a number of times with decisions going against us hopefully things even themselves out.

[blue_and_white]

While the performances have been better since the capitulation at Villa, the worrying fact is that we don't seem able to win matches. If we can't win then we won't constantly be able to avoid defeats and our points tally will continue to increase at a slower rate than games played. I really can't see where this win is gonna come from, if we can't beat Blackpool and Birmingham, what are the chances we'll beat a much better team this season in Bolton? The positives from the weekend are that West Ham and Wolves' good runs in form seem to have ended, meaning around 39 points might just be enough. 4 draws, doable but very, very tight.

[K-Hod]

Wolves and WHU got into great form, but their run has ended at a terrible time (for them).

I agree that we will end up drawing our way to safety and limping over the line.

WBA and Villa now look to be all but safe, particularly WBA, Sunderland may get dragged in but it's unlikely in my eyes.

At one point yesterday Arsenal really could have run riot on Blackpool!

[Hughesy]

If we are very very lucky.

That was a performance of a relegation candidate against Brum- we were so disjointed and would only score if we got lucky. We got lucky with the defender's mistake caused by his colleague looking too dazed to receive a pass giving Hoilett a chance to dispossess him.

Spin it how you want...you could say they got very lucky too, clear push on jones, possible offside for the goal.

I think against brum we didnt really get going, but it didnt look like a relgation team to me.

Blackpool are the only team that worry me....Win against Wigan and it gets tough, lose or draw and I think they will go down.

There last 4 are Stoke, Bolton, Spurs & United.

[thenodrog]

Spin it how you want...you could say they got very lucky too, clear push on jones, possible offside for the goal.

I think against brum we didnt really get going, but it didnt look like a relgation team to me.

Addled thinking. We have become very brittle these past months and on Sat against relegation rivals at home we hardly troubled the opposing keeper at all(same as the previous match v Blackpool).