[Archived] The Relegation Battle Aftermath

[Gav]

Watching Match of the Day Birmingham were awful and with Tottenham away in their last game I think they're gone.

Stoke have nothing to play for and Wigan are capable of winning that match. N'Zogbia is on top form.

The big shock I think will be Blackpool winning at Old Trafford. Don't ask me why - something in me water tells me they will.

Birmingham sounded absolutely shambolic yesterday if the sky commentators are to be believed, I like you, think they'll go down.

Stoke don’t lose too often at home, regardless of the circumstances, and Wigans away record is hardly inspiring, home win all the way.

As for bpool winning at Old Trafford, no chance Jim, if you think both Wigan and Bpool will win I’d get £10 on that right now, it won’t just happen.

Which means we’ll stay up, not because we’re a good side, not because we’ve a good manager, but simply because results have mostly gone our way.

[imy9]

Ah what a difference a day makes...

Just walked into the staffroom at school and there are two nervous Wolves and Birmingham fans, the only Rovers fan is a little more confident BUT IMO we need to set out to win on Sunday, we cannot afford to play for a draw.

[chris]

Birmingham sounded absolutely shambolic yesterday if the sky commentators are to be believed, I like you, think they'll go down.

Stoke don’t lose too often at home, regardless of the circumstances, and Wigans away record is hardly inspiring, home win all the way.

As for bpool winning at Old Trafford, no chance Jim, if you think both Wigan and Bpool will win I’d get £10 on that right now, it won’t just happen.

Which means we’ll stay up, not because we’re a good side, not because we’ve a good manager, but simply because results have mostly gone our way.

this season its impossible to predict results, we only have to worry about ourselves, no one can be confident on other results.

how much would you have got for Blackpool, Wigan and Wolves all winning this weekend?

[JC4LAB]

The way I see it is We have a better goal so at least two of those below.Blackpool Wigan or Brum need to draw or get beaten if we dont win at Wolves..

[BuckyRover]

this season its impossible to predict results, we only have to worry about ourselves, no one can be confident on other results.

how much would you have got for Blackpool, Wigan and Wolves all winning this weekend?

A lot less than for Brum, Pool and Wigan to win next weekend.

It's a massive ask. Look through Premiership results. See how many times there are 3 away wins in the premiership? Let alone three away wins for teams in the bottom three. (When we played west ham there were two, the week before one, the week before that one, before that three (includes Chelsea and teams in the bottom 3 losing at home, before that 3 includes arsenal and teams in the bottom 3 losing at home.)

Keep the faith

[philipl]

Invented a new word?

I cannot see what I am typing on the MB from my PC. I accidentally shrunk the characters to micro-size and cannot find the button I need to restore viewing of characters on screen to normal size.

Anyway a huge thank you to Sparky for winning at Brum yesterday.

It is all too easy to see all of Wigan, Blackpool and Brum winning on Sunday.

Stoke could not raise their game at Wembley so why will they go for it against Wigan when they are carrying a load of semi-fit players?

Blackpool should have beaten Man U at Bloomfield Road (another dodgy pen decision went the Mancs' way) and will be facing the reserves (who hammered Schalke) but even so you can be sure the reserves will be checking out of full-blooded 50/50s.

Liverpool are so fixed on NOT getting into the Europa League that Spurs will not be pushed by their scores coming through.

Thankfully we know how to beat Wolves because we are going to have to.

[BuckyRover]

I cannot see what I am typing on the MB from my PC. I accidentally shrunk the characters to micro-size and cannot find the button I need to restore viewing of characters on screen to normal size.

Anyway a huge thank you to Sparky for winning at Brum yesterday.

It is all too easy to see all of Wigan, Blackpool and Brum winning on Sunday.

Stoke could not raise their game at Wembley so why will they go for it against Wigan when they are carrying a load of semi-fit players?

Blackpool should have beaten Man U at Bloomfield Road (another dodgy pen decision went the Mancs' way) and will be facing the reserves (who hammered Schalke) but even so you can be sure the reserves will be checking out of full-blooded 50/50s.

Liverpool are so fixed on NOT getting into the Europa League that Spurs will not be pushed by their scores coming through.

Thankfully we know how to beat Wolves because we are going to have to.

CTRL + Mouse wheel

[Hughesy]

Uefa have just announced England have been given an extra uefa cup spot, which means tottenham don't need to beat Birmingham anymore :-/

Strange time to announce it given the possible ramifications on the last day

To the league or the Fair play team?

We already knew the fair play team would get one (Fulham)....but the league?

If so then id suggest Liverpool have friends in high places!

[Tom]

I cannot see what I am typing on the MB from my PC. I accidentally shrunk the characters to micro-size and cannot find the button I need to restore viewing of characters on screen to normal size.

Anyway a huge thank you to Sparky for winning at Brum yesterday.

It is all too easy to see all of Wigan, Blackpool and Brum winning on Sunday.

Stoke could not raise their game at Wembley so why will they go for it against Wigan when they are carrying a load of semi-fit players?

Blackpool should have beaten Man U at Bloomfield Road (another dodgy pen decision went the Mancs' way) and will be facing the reserves (who hammered Schalke) but even so you can be sure the reserves will be checking out of full-blooded 50/50s.

Liverpool are so fixed on NOT getting into the Europa League that Spurs will not be pushed by their scores coming through.

Thankfully we know how to beat Wolves because we are going to have to.

It's all too easy to see it happening from a Rovers point of view, if you were neutral I can almost guarantee you wouldn't predict it

[roversinmyblood]

We have to beat Wolves on Sunday if we want to keep our destiny in our own hands and be sure of survival. However, as previous posters have shown a draw or a loss requires a combination of results to make us safe.

People on here are panicking because they believe that the other teams are going to win their games but we are not, thus dropping us right in it. However, if you gave the other teams fighting to avoid relegation a choice of swapping their position with ours, then I am sure that they would all swap in an instant. After all I would rather have to go to Wolves to get a victory rather than be away to Man. Utd., Spurs or Stoke!! All of which are very difficult places to get a result, even Spurs as they are fighting to keep their Europa place.

We are also in the situation that we could lose and still be safe (dependent on results) where as the others really, really need to win as a draw is unlikely to be enough unless the other teams all lose.

Saying all of the above does not however settle my nerves totally, as we all know Rovers dreadful luck and the omens are similar to the last time we got relegated. But we are in pole position lets not forget that and it may, just may help you sleep at night!!

[BuckyRover]

It's all too easy to see it happening from a Rovers point of view, if you were neutral I can almost guarantee you wouldn't predict it

Saying you are worried about the possibility of it happening is fair enough, saying you expect us to need a victory is just baffling.

It's far more likely that all three teams will lose. ("but they have all got nothing to play for!" like Fulham yesterday?)

Do you think Redknapp will just say to his players "I don't mind finishing behind Liverpool just have a rest", SAF "lose this game for my mate Holloway, Pulis saying "we've had a good season that ended at Wembley, just take easy from now on, don't worry about the fans"

[Kamy100]

In the papers this morning Harry has said that he sacred the players into winning yesterday, he told them if they didn't then they would have to qualify via the fair play route which mean playing Europa League qualifers, which meant that they only got 2 weeks off! I think that is motivation enough for the Spurs players on Sunday.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

I cannot see what I am typing on the MB from my PC. I accidentally shrunk the characters to micro-size and cannot find the button I need to restore viewing of characters on screen to normal size.

Anyway a huge thank you to Sparky for winning at Brum yesterday.

It is all too easy to see all of Wigan, Blackpool and Brum winning on Sunday.

Stoke could not raise their game at Wembley so why will they go for it against Wigan when they are carrying a load of semi-fit players?

Blackpool should have beaten Man U at Bloomfield Road (another dodgy pen decision went the Mancs' way) and will be facing the reserves (who hammered Schalke) but even so you can be sure the reserves will be checking out of full-blooded 50/50s.

Liverpool are so fixed on NOT getting into the Europa League that Spurs will not be pushed by their scores coming through.

Thankfully we know how to beat Wolves because we are going to have to.

Everyone I speak to says that we are not even in the battle for relegation. We're out to 12/1 to go down. The odds of Spurs/Man Utd/Stoke all losing are very slim.

Blackpool should have beaten Utd at Bloomfield Road and we almost beat United at Ewood but we didn't get very close to beating them at OT did we??

Im sticking a tenner on us to go down but I really cant see it. Our goal difference is the main thing. Even if there are some shock draws it wont be enough to send us down. It'll be interesting but Im not too worried.

[Bobby G]

To the league or the Fair play team?

We already knew the fair play team would get one (Fulham)....but the league?

If so then id suggest Liverpool have friends in high places!

A fair play position is through the Fair Play League isnt it? I could be wrong if they have changed the rules.

[BuckyRover]

Everyone I speak to says that we are not even in the battle for relegation. We're out to 12/1 to go down. The odds of Spurs/Man Utd/Stoke all losing are very slim.

Blackpool should have beaten Utd at Bloomfield Road and we almost beat United at Ewood but we didn't get very close to beating them at OT did we??

Im sticking a tenner on us to go down but I really cant see it. Our goal difference is the main thing. Even if there are some shock draws it wont be enough to send us down. It'll be interesting but Im not too worried.

As so many "in the know" posters think we NEED to win. I'm going to stick money on us drawing and still going down. I think it will be about 50/1.

Please don't criticise me for betting on the team. You can guarantee when I make a bet it doesn't happen so I'm doing us a favour really.

[gumboots]

I cannot see what I am typing on the MB from my PC. I accidentally shrunk the characters to micro-size and cannot find the button I need to restore viewing of characters on screen to normal size.

Old age catching up there?

[Majiball]

Blackpool are a good away team, spuds 1-1, Liverpool 0-1, and about 4-5 more wins if memory serves me correctly. Wigan & Wolves are the form teams out of the bottom lot with 8 points in their last 6, Birmingham thankfully are dire at present and face spuds at home who surely will want to sign off a great season for them with a win at home. However spuds form is dire at present as well, but they haven't lost at home in 6.

For me it's simple, we must get at least a point at Wolves, which keeps them below us and then we hope royal red nose can do us another favour, as I can see Wigan beating Stoke.

Brum to draw, pool as well, wigan to win and what we do who knows as we are the joint worst away team in this league, funnily enough with Stoke & Wolves.

[BuckyRover]

Old age catching up there?

He needs to use Windows Accessibilty Magnifier.

There is no shame in that Philipl

[gumboots]

We have to beat Wolves on Sunday if we want to keep our destiny in our own hands and be sure of survival. However, as previous posters have shown a draw or a loss requires a combination of results to make us safe.

People on here are panicking because they believe that the other teams are going to win their games but we are not, thus dropping us right in it. However, if you gave the other teams fighting to avoid relegation a choice of swapping their position with ours, then I am sure that they would all swap in an instant. After all I would rather have to go to Wolves to get a victory rather than be away to Man. Utd., Spurs or Stoke!! All of which are very difficult places to get a result, even Spurs as they are fighting to keep their Europa place.

We are also in the situation that we could lose and still be safe (dependent on results) where as the others really, really need to win as a draw is unlikely to be enough unless the other teams all lose.

Saying all of the above does not however settle my nerves totally, as we all know Rovers dreadful luck and the omens are similar to the last time we got relegated. But we are in pole position lets not forget that and it may, just may help you sleep at night!!

Correct me if I'm wrong but last time we went down didn't we play forest who had nothing to play for because they were already relegated and fail to beat them. the players had stopped playing for the manager or themselves and the manager had had a go at them on at least one occasion in the press. So which omens are the same? I'm not confident we're staying up, not at all, because strange things do happen, but nor do I think there are any real parallels between last time and this other than the manager's name had 4 letters and he'd previously worked as a number 2

[adopted scouser]

I can't see anything but a win for United. To finally get to 19 over their biggest rivals is huge for fergie, they'll want to beat Blackpool and be presented with the cup in a huge party at OT.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

There are 4 teams in the division who would give a heck of a lot to be in our position instead of theirs right now. I cannot see Birmingham beating Spurs or Blackpool beating Utd both away from home and on the same day. Blackpool cannot defend and Birmingham have a terrible away record, are depleted by injuries and are coming up against a Spurs team who have something to play for.

Its beyond 'unlikely' that we'll go down. Its not impossible and for it to still be a distant possibility is obviously mildly concerning but for it to occur it'd come about as a result of the most remarkable premier league weekend arguably ever witnessed.

[roversinmyblood]

Correct me if I'm wrong but last time we went down didn't we play forest who had nothing to play for because they were already relegated and fail to beat them. the players had stopped playing for the manager or themselves and the manager had had a go at them on at least one occasion in the press. So which omens are the same? I'm not confident we're staying up, not at all, because strange things do happen, but nor do I think there are any real parallels between last time and this other than the manager's name had 4 letters and he'd previously worked as a number 2

I don't mean specifics, just the general feel, such as penalty decisions going against us, not getting the rub of the green,stupid actions by individuals and Refs generally being seeming to be against us.(I remember no Ashley Ward not getting a nailed on penalty.)

[philipl]

Thanks- now understand how I shrunk the text!

For those of a conspiratorial bent, have to say that of the five clubs in trouble, our's is the club that the Premier League authorities would be happiest to see becoming somebody else's problem.

I expect we will be playing Wolves, the crowd and the officials.

[chris]

I can't see anything but a win for United. To finally get to 19 over their biggest rivals is huge for fergie, they'll want to beat Blackpool and be presented with the cup in a huge party at OT.

I think he will play some of the bench warmers like Owen, Scoles, Berbatov and they will probably be brilliant trying to get a place on the bench in the biggest club event in the world at wembley.

I don't fancy Blackpools chances.

[jim mk2]

.

As for bpool winning at Old Trafford, no chance Jim, if you think both Wigan and Bpool will win I'd get £10 on that right now, it won't just happen.

.

West Ham won at Old Trafford a few seasons to save themselves. When they are playing well like against Bolton at the weekend Blackpool can score goals against anybody and their away record is very good. A win at Old Trafford is not improbable..

Despite their away form Wigan are a good bet to win at Stoke too. After their cup final defeat and a midweek game against City I just cannot see Stoke being up for it.

Wolves' confidence will be high after two successive wins and they will feel they can beat Rovers. Fletcher is a in very good form and could be a problem for us.

The worst-case scenario of Wigan, Wolves and Blackpool all winning could easily happen.