[Archived] The Relegation Battle Aftermath

[LDRover]

I seem to recall United's reserve team dicking Schalke 4-1, I won't be losing any sleep over Blackpool.

It'll take a hell of a lot of results to go against us next week for us to go down, mark my words it won't happen

[RevidgeBlue]

Sorry.

Here's a few thinngs to cheer you up then. West Ham have booked and paid for 34 coaches to bring plenty of support. ( Maybe the directors will turn up as well )

Just 1 of the 11 league games between these two has ended in a draw.

W'ham have only lost 1 of the 9 games against teams in the current bottom 6.

Wigan have kept only 1 clean sheet in the last 19 games.

Champagne Charlie Nzogbia is rated as doubtful.

No worries.

Thanks for the above, ordinarily I would have said Wigan weren't good enough to beat WHU but I've given up trying to predict games.

I'd never have had Blackpool down for four out of the last six points or Wolves six out of six in a million years.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I seem to recall United's reserve team dicking Schalke 4-1, I won't be losing any sleep over Blackpool.

It'll take a hell of a lot of results to go against us next week for us to go down, mark my words it won't happen

In the infamous Hull game they more or less left every player in the 20 most likely to play in the final in the stands it was almost their 3 rd team that played in that game, players I'd never heard of before. Can't see them doing that at Od Trafford though.

[cravenblue]

Was samba injured, didnt seem too impressed

[Kamy100]

Was samba injured, didnt seem too impressed

He was injured, he was unhappy because he and P.Jones had been indicating to the bench for at least 10 minutes that he should be taken off and nothing happened.

[cravenblue]

Wasnt that the dame with j jones. He kept telling bench he was injured, but nothing happened

[47er]

Mercerman expected a -5 goal difference in our final two games if we were lucky and -8 was if we played badly!

Good to see the team set up so well, Kean is getting better.

Keep the aggro going Imy.

That's the way!

[47er]

IF West Ham beat Wigan tomorrow then that gaurantees 2 cannot catch us.....it also means Wolves HAVE to beat us for us to go down. A draw and they stay below us.

Blackpool also need to win to overtake us.

I also think Fulham could do us a big favour tomorrow.

I can't see West Ham winning though stranger things have happened. Fulham v Brum is a toss-up but Fulham's away form is terrible.

And Manure have nothing to play for. But its in our own hands. Win at Wolves and we are safe.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Thats cos if he'd said anything else he'd have been in trouble. On the plus side I cant ever envisage Fergy ducking a match at OT.

You're probably right but that last game of the season against West Ham a couple of seasons or so back fills me with dread for next week. That and some of Blackpool's impressive away results.

[BuckyRover]

I can't see West Ham winning though stranger things have happened. Fulham v Brum is a toss-up but Fulham's away form is terrible.

And Manure have nothing to play for. But its in our own hands. Win at Wolves and we are safe.

They have a 100% home record to play for, many will be playing for a place at Wembley and they won't want to go in on the back of a defeat even though they don't need the points.

Stranger things have happened but I don't think Blackpool will win at OT

[RoyRover]

I was looking at the league table earlier on and from my reckoning for us to go down would need the following to happen:

- we lose or draw to Wolves next week

- Wigan win their next two games, taking them to 42 points, which would be one or two points ahead of us based on us losing or drawing

- Blackpool beat Manchester United next week, taking them to 42 points, which would be one or two points ahead of us based on us losing or drawing

- Birmingham win at least one of their two remaining games

So what we need to happen is for Wigan and West Ham to draw tomorrow, which would send West Ham down, look for Fulham to do us a massive favour and get a result against Birmingham and then next week looking for any combination of Stoke getting at least a point at home to Wigan and Blackpool losing away to United.

[Blue n White Rover]

I was looking at the league table earlier on and from my reckoning for us to go down would need the following to happen:

- we lose or draw to Wolves next week

- Wigan win their next two games, taking them to 42 points, which would be one or two points ahead of us based on us losing or drawing

- Blackpool beat Manchester United next week, taking them to 42 points, which would be one or two points ahead of us based on us losing or drawing

- Birmingham win at least one of their two remaining games

So what we need to happen is for Wigan and West Ham to draw tomorrow, which would send West Ham down, look for Fulham to do us a massive favour and get a result against Birmingham and then next week looking for any combination of Stoke getting at least a point at home to Wigan and Blackpool losing away to United.

If Wigan and West Ham draw that will mean them 2 can't catch us (barring a huge turn around in GD). That would then mean Blackpool MUST win at OT. United haven't lost their all season so I'm hoping that trend continues.

Speaking to a United fan, he expects the following team to be played by Fergie.

Amos

Fabio Smalling Evan O'shea/Brown(if fit)

Nani Fletcher Gibson Anderson

Berbatov Owen

Seems a good enough squad to beat Blackpool.

[Hughesy]

I can't see West Ham winning though stranger things have happened.

True but lose and they are down....it is there cup final!

A draw or win for West Ham will do us a favour.

[old darwen blue]

RFW quoted on football365

"You can look upon the last five minutes as demeaning the game but it was common sense for us and obviously it was an important point for them," said Ferguson, whose side will be presented with the trophy after their clash with relegation-threatened Blackpool at Old Trafford next Sunday.

"It gives us a real opportunity to look at how we can rest players and who needs to keep going.

"We have a responsibility to make sure we are fair to all clubs in the country who are struggling relegation.

"Manchester United will try to win next Sunday, there is no doubt about that."

[RevidgeBlue]

True but lose and they are down....it is there cup final!

A draw or win for West Ham will do us a favour.

The only snag there is that if Birmingham get anything tomorrow West Ham are down. If they hear that Brum are winning comfortably their heads may drop a bit.

Worst possible case scenario - Brum win tomorrow and Wigan and Blackpool win their remaining games all for 42 points.

Rovers and Wolves draw next week and go down with WHU on 41 points.

It might not of course be anything like that bad after the results later today and we'll know a lot more after that. C'mon West 'aaaam and Sparky.

[Messi422]

If Wigan and West Ham draw that will mean them 2 can't catch us (barring a huge turn around in GD). That would then mean Blackpool MUST win at OT. United haven't lost their all season so I'm hoping that trend continues.

Speaking to a United fan, he expects the following team to be played by Fergie.

Amos

Fabio Smalling Evan O'shea/Brown(if fit)

Nani Fletcher Gibson Anderson

Berbatov Owen

Seems a good enough squad to beat Blackpool.

Valencia need one more game to get his medal.

[imy9]

Keep the aggro going Imy.

That's the way!

Great to see you take a Tongue in cheek in comment and suggest it's aggro, you really need to get out more...

[Ricky]

Bear in mind that fulham got battered in their last game. Im certain that sparky will want to put that right. There is no way he'll want the players to go out with a whimper.

Fulham don't win away often but they did win at wolves recently and have drawn quite a few games. A draw wouldn't be the worse result in the world.

[Bobby G]

I think Van Der Sar will start next week as its his last match at OT. Wouldnt it make sense for a farewell?

[47er]

Great to see you take a Tongue in cheek in comment and suggest it's aggro, you really need to get out more...

Yes, thanks for the gratuitous advice It would certainly avoid encountering your "wit".

[Wilky]

we are safe now unless we take a battering from wolves and both Birmingham and blackpool win....

we are very very lucky

[Ewood Spark]

Fulham don't win away often but they did win at wolves recently and have drawn quite a few games.

Fulham drew at Wolves.

[imy9]

Yes, thanks for the gratuitous advice It would certainly avoid encountering your "wit".

I'm offended, really am, Tongue in cheek generally is not meant to be 'laugh out loud' funny but then you'd know that if you read my post properly...doh! De ja vu?! Your comment certainly added a lot to the debate (sarcasm incase you're unsure, classed under light hearted banter, people who leave their homes use this some times)

Back to the game waking up this morning it seems an even better point, just hope that West Ham do us a favour, least they owe us after the Tevez incident a few years back.

[Stuart]

Barring a Wigan win today, this is what is worrying me the most.

My link

"Sir Alex Ferguson left a host of star names on the bench and there were no complaints from his West Ham counterpart Alan Curbishley."

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Brown, Heinze, Evra (Giggs 57), Solskjaer, Carrick (Scholes 58), Fletcher, Richardson, Smith (Ronaldo 58), Rooney.

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Vidic.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Collins, Ferdinand, McCartney (Spector 28), Benayoun, Reo-Coker, Noble, Boa Morte, Zamora (Harewood 63), Tevez (Mullins 82).

Subs Not Used: Walker, Davenport.

The only saving grace is that, as pointed out, there will be several players hoping to be in the squad for the CL final.

[gumboots]

Barring a Wigan win today, this is what is worrying me the most.

My link

"Sir Alex Ferguson left a host of star names on the bench and there were no complaints from his West Ham counterpart Alan Curbishley."

Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Brown, Heinze, Evra (Giggs 57), Solskjaer, Carrick (Scholes 58), Fletcher, Richardson, Smith (Ronaldo 58), Rooney.

Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Vidic.

West Ham: Green, Neill, Collins, Ferdinand, McCartney (Spector 28), Benayoun, Reo-Coker, Noble, Boa Morte, Zamora (Harewood 63), Tevez (Mullins 82).

Subs Not Used: Walker, Davenport.

The only saving grace is that, as pointed out, there will be several players hoping to be in the squad for the CL final.

to be honest, if that's the team Utd played, they should never have lost to West Ham!