[Archived] The Relegation Thread

[John]

Its fine though, once Ryan Nelsen has discovered how to walk again along with these “4 quick signings”, our relegation rivals will be cacking themselves.

[Amo]

The problem being, of those four teams you mentioned, we haven't beaten a single one of them. In fact we've lost to two of them at home.

Amazing how one point can pull the wool over so many eyes.

[Audax]

1 point doesn't pull the wool over my eyes, it's just better to get a draw than a loss, I think that's what everyone sees.

Yeah, somehow the Rovers have to get about 45% of all remaining points available to hit, I'll just say 38 points so one can fudge that figure up or down.

Rovers: 11 points out of 18 games, 20 games remaining, 60 points possible.

27/60=45% , that's another way to look at it, be kind, I think the math is correct here.

But gee, it's more like 19 games left because despite an upbeat prediction of a draw, Utd. are not going to be defeated at OT, I can hope.

I don't like the current situation, I often look at about everything optimistically and yes, often to my detriment..

tough road to hoe, more like you have to hope for total collapses, I don't see it, every point is important when almost every game this weekend has been a draw and yeah, those teams kept up the status quo.

[Plastic Head]

Players who will insist on leaving in the summer (providing they don't leave in Jan)

Robinson

Olsson

Samba

N'zonzi

Players who we will need to lose as we won't be able to pay them

Givet

Dunn

Formica

Roberts

Rochina

Yakubu

Pedersen

Players who will leave anyway either in Jan or in the Summer.

Salgado

Nelsen

Andrews

Hoillet

Morris

Blackman

That leaves us next season with...

Bunn

Henley Hanley Dann Anderson

Lowe Grella Petrovic Vukvevic

Slew Goodwillie

That team will have to be rebuilt by Steve Kean and Jerome Anderson with no money from Desai.

Shall we start the relegation to League 1 thread now?

[Athlete]

Whats the point with the thread till this time next year as were virtually down now

[Ozz]

Half way point and we have 14 points. So fair enough to say we are course for a 28 point return. Cleary not get any money spent on new players in Jan, esp after a reserve team won at Old Trafford and can see Samba, Hoillett etc mving next month too. Still, nice to annoy United fans, Sir Alex and all the day trippers at both Anfield and OT this Xmas.

Happy new year folks, enjoy it while you can!!!

[jim mk2]

Good to catch United on an off day and Kean will enjoy the moment but it should be remembered at the halfway 19-match mark in the season we are in 19th place with 14 points from a possible 57 and barring a sustained U-turn in form are still likely to go down.

It should also be remembered West Ham staged a mini-revival at about this point last year and at one stage I think climbed out of the bottom three only to sink back again.

Today was a pleasant shock but Rovers and Kean still have it all to do.

[Clitherover]

Good to catch United on an off day and Kean will enjoy the moment but it should be remembered at the halfway 19-match mark in the season we are in 19th place with 14 points from a possible 57 and barring a sustained U-turn in form are still likely to go down.

It should also be remembered West Ham staged a mini-revival at about this point last year and at one stage I think climbed out of the bottom three only to sink back again.

Today was a pleasant shock but Rovers and Kean still have it all to do.

Well Jim, I'm glad you're here to bring my optimism crashing back down to earth with a thud.

[AllRoverAsia]

Good to catch United on an off day and Kean will enjoy the moment but it should be remembered at the halfway 19-match mark in the season we are in 19th place with 14 points from a possible 57 and barring a sustained U-turn in form are still likely to go down.

It should also be remembered West Ham staged a mini-revival at about this point last year and at one stage I think climbed out of the bottom three only to sink back again.

Today was a pleasant shock but Rovers and Kean still have it all to do.

It's been good to catch Arsenal, Liverpool and MU on off days. 7 points comon you're havin a larf

[jim mk2]

It's been good to catch Arsenal, Liverpool and MU on off days. 7 points comon you're havin a larf

Certainly good to take points off them but what about the other teams such as West Brom, Bolton etc etc ?

This isn't about taking points off the "top" teams - it's about staying in this league over the course of the season.

And no, I'm not having a laugh. Getting relegated is not funny.

[hesfromburn]

Jim is right here its the points we have dropped in the matches that we should have at least got draws that have got us in this position and could get us relegated. Because at this rate next time the "winnable" games come around draws will not cut it.

Win against stoke could start to relieve some of the preassure

[rhodie]

It's been good to catch Arsenal, Liverpool and MU on off days. 7 points comon you're havin a larf

The one thing we have in our favour is that we aren`t totally isolated at the bottom,with the likes of Sunderland,wolves ,Qpr,wigan and bolton all within 3 points and us hopefully coming into form, Stats and averages are going out the window this season.As dismal as our win rate is ,we ain`t the only ones losing... so cheer up you miserable buggers.

[DE.]

As long as we lose/draw with the teams around us, which we have been doing, we'll go down. A freak result here or there won't change that.

[rovers11]

who would have thought, after they beat us, that we would be in a better position than bolton come the turn of the year. Can't believe we are only 3 points away from safety, thought we'd be 7 or 8 away at this stage.

[frosty]

Next two Premiership games - Stoke and Fulham at home. 6 points please. 4 at the very least.

I know we needed 6 points from West Brom and Bolton, and we messed them up big time, but maybe just maybe the results at Anfield and OT will help us kick on.

[rovers11]

Next two Premiership games - Stoke and Fulham at home. 6 points please. 4 at the very least.

I know we needed 6 points from West Brom and Bolton, and we messed them up big time, but maybe just maybe the results at Anfield and OT will help us kick on.

definitely winnable games clming up in january. But we've been here before...

[Tom]

definitely winnable games clming up in january. But we've been here before...

We have but it has taught us predicting things is useless.

We wont face a more daunting week than visiitng Anfield and Old Trafford again and we just came away with 4 points, neither will we have 2 kinder games than West Brom and Bolton in a row.

[Audax]

From the results of one game, you don't want to be too hopeful but what do people think? Before this game, some thought us 90% certs to go down.

It's just one game but against a team that was arguably playing the best footy in the league with two straight 5-0 wins over Fulham and Wigan.

So, in my view, I'd tend to say it is about 50/50 now, it's going to be real tight but sure a look at the table would probably say around 10 teams could be involved in the struggle to go down.

Wolves at 17 and they play Chelsea next, no sure deal for Chelsea, you'd think if they don't win that, they'd sack Valles Boa. So Wolves are at 3 points ahead.

Valles Boa is a nice guy, Mourinho wasn't a nice guy on a professional level mind you, they did a lot better with Jose but did sputter and that's why they sacked him. Chelsea might not win that.

Got to say, if you saw Chelsea, 2 or 3 times Aston Villa had single breakaways and at least one of those I know they scored on. Got to think that is poor defending, maybe not taking Villa lightly and got stung badly for it. I mean you don't see that even much with the weaker defences of the league.

[Audax]

Look at this! Everyone was worried about nothing, that's how it always is. Just kidding!!

[Paul]

From the results of one game, you don't want to be too hopeful but what do people think? Before this game, some thought us 90% certs to go down.

So, in my view, I'd tend to say it is about 50/50 now,

Before Christmas with the team on 10 points I was 100% certain we would be relegated. Four points from Anfield and Old Trafford was a dream so I expected us to be on 10 points needing 30 from 19 games.

This morning QPR, Wolves and Sunderland are still within reach. We need Everton to beat Sunderland and then aside from the Stoke game there are several crucial matches over the next four days.

The team have done a fantastic job over Christmas to give us some hope of climbing out of this mess. It's just hope today, results against Stoke, Fulham and Everton are vital to give us a chance. I think we need 6/7 points from those three games, 4 may not be enough.

There is a faint glimmer of hope when I thought we were dead and buried

[Mattyblue]

I'm not getting my hopes even slightly up until I see the reaction tomorrow.

We win, then lets have a go. We sell Samba and others, then get the white flag up.

[47er]

You beat me to it there Matty! I was going to post the same thing. Daily Mail is today saying that all of our players are available for transfer except those bought in the summer. We wouldn't want to lose Goodwillie or Slew, Petro, Anderson or Ribeiro would we?

That's the financial and administrative mess we are in.

Samba is clearly the one in demand and who would raise the most money. Lose him and we have had it. All those youngsters battling away for us v Stoke might as well not bother if that happens. I'm certain we'll lose Junior and worried about losing a very under-rated N'Zonzi.

[Rover_Shaun]

I just have that inevitable feeling Stoke will put the good ship championship back on course. After all we have nobody competent on the rudder

[Pedro]

You beat me to it there Matty! I was going to post the same thing. Daily Mail is today saying that all of our players are available for transfer except those bought in the summer. We wouldn't want to lose Goodwillie or Slew, Petro, Anderson or Ribeiro would we?

That's the financial and administrative mess we are in.

Samba is clearly the one in demand and who would raise the most money. Lose him and we have had it. All those youngsters battling away for us v Stoke might as well not bother if that happens. I'm certain we'll lose Junior and worried about losing a very under-rated N'Zonzi.

I expect it to be the likes of Roberts, Salgado and Andrews to go. That will free up at least £100k a week and generate about £2million in sales (altogether approx £4.5m come the end of the season). I also wouldn't be suprised if Hoillet went somewhere in a part-ex deal.

[Audax]

Before Christmas with the team on 10 points I was 100% certain we would be relegated. Four points from Anfield and Old Trafford was a dream so I expected us to be on 10 points needing 30 from 19 games.

This morning QPR, Wolves and Sunderland are still within reach. We need Everton to beat Sunderland and then aside from the Stoke game there are several crucial matches over the next four days.

The team have done a fantastic job over Christmas to give us some hope of climbing out of this mess. It's just hope today, results against Stoke, Fulham and Everton are vital to give us a chance. I think we need 6/7 points from those three games, 4 may not be enough.

There is a faint glimmer of hope when I thought we were dead and buried

Thanks. A fine analysis. 6 or 7 points and at the same time, being realistic.

Sunderland leapfrogs to 13th, last weekend, West Brom defeated Man City and now Sunderland defeats Man City. Fulham isn't all that bad.... the table is tight.

http://www.soccerway.com/national/england/premier-league/2011-2012/regular-season/

Swansea at 15th have 20 points. 20 points would be kind of a benchmark at the half way point of the season.

You could almost double everyone's points for a rough estimate. QPR and Wolves at 17 would have 34 and would be clear of the relegation zone but that's a very rough estimate.