[Archived] The Relegation Thread

[jim mk2]

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

After today do you have any confidence we can take 1 point off Fulham ?

Today was Bolton all over again - schoolboy defending and the match lost by half-time.

Nothing has changed since August. The team looked all wrong then and the odd freak result has not changed my mind.

Roll on the cricket season....

[DE.]

At least 'last-game-syndrome' only had a day or so to infect people before until we crashed back to reality again.

[Paul]

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

An well back to total darkness then...........just when you think there could be the slightest chance along comes Stevie boy.

[Waggy76]

After today do you have any confidence we can take 1 point off Fulham ?

Today was Bolton all over again - schoolboy defending and the match lost by half-time.

Nothing has changed since August. The team looked all wrong then and the odd freak result has not changed my mind.

Roll on the cricket season....

I totally agree with every sentence ,just hope the weather is kinder this cricket season .....

[Amo]

Roll on the cricket season....

Maybe that was Venky's plan all along.

[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

I wish I was wrong

[thenodrog]

Fulham just beat Arsenal in the final minutes. Looking very much like a 5 horse race for relegation now. Somebody will no doubt have a good / bad run but for the time being we are very much in our own mini league of depression now folks.

[imy9]

Agreed Drog, 3 from 6 I feel, if we can get our injured players back and sign a couple we may just scrape out of it but it's not looking good.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'm expecting the worst to be honest,how the hell is Kean going to turn our form on its head to save us?..its asking for a near miracle.

The horrible Rao's (yes that's right,the same people who swore they would look after the club) wont put a penny of their own money into the buying of decent players to help any relegation fight....

Just get this season over and the inevitable.

[deftangel]

Whilst we continue to leak stupid goals, we're not going anywhere. Even the win at Old Trafford required us to score three times.

A clean sheet today would have represented progress. Alas it was not to be. I can't see us getting any more than a point against Fulham.

[Tom]

This is a telling statistic - Swansea 9 clean sheets, Rovers - 0

[RoverRich]

This is a telling statistic - Swansea 9 clean sheets, Rovers - 0

Very true. Nothing fancy from Swansea, no stand out quality defenders just a solid, well organised unit in front of a very good goalkeeper. We can't even do the basics in defence! I don't understand why it is so hard for us.

[booth]

Would we have clean sheets under Sam Allardyce, yes.

Have we had any clean sheets under Steve Kean, no.

Questions must be asked.

[jim mk2]

Would we have clean sheets under Sam Allardyce, yes.

Have we had any clean sheets under Steve Kean, no.

Questions must be asked.

Stand by for a riposte from the Sam deniers.

Kean has said many times in post-match interviews about the need to "shut the back door" so why does his team continue to give away soft goals ?

If he does nothing else on the training ground over the next few weeks (because it'spatently obvious we are stuck with him) it must be to organise his side to defend properly.

Even some 0-0 draws would be progress.

[Audax]

Swansea? I can't judge it but I've heard the term "Swansea-lona" a few times.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/markogden/100018479/swanseas-premier-league-debut-was-wonderful-and-worrying/

But yeah, 23 points and it is all that home play as to why they are up there.

Fast out of the gate, it seems to add up to that right now, slow out of the gate, Bolton, Rovers, Wigan and to a lesser degree Wolves, I still think Wigan has broken out of the doldrums.

[Torgeir]

Stand by for a riposte from the Sam deniers.

Kean has said many times in post-match interviews about the need to "shut the back door" so why does his team continue to give away soft goals ?

If he does nothing else on the training ground over the next few weeks (because it'spatently obvious we are stuck with him) it must be to organise his side to defend properly.

Even some 0-0 draws would be progress.

Yakubu said Steve Kean is good, he doesn't put pressure on the players. That's obviously not the right approach, the hairdryer has to come out - at least occasionally. Knowing when to lift a group of players by backing them, and knowing when to criticise their effort, is essential.

Can't see us keeping a clean sheet before we field:

1. Four natural defenders in the same game.

2. A competitive set of midfielders.

3. A tactically competent manager on the sidelines.

[Audax]

It's a bad sign when first you see West Brom float up the table and now Swansea, Wolves and QPR are probably due for a good game eventually and then what? Since Wigan vs. Sunderland will be manager vs. manager in part, maybe Roberto Martinez is able to defeat Sunderland tomorrow, I say O'Neill get's his first loss tomorrow. Martinez is pretty sharp. If Wigan won, they'd leapfrog Wolves and QPR who the latter would be pushed down into the red zone. Put a fiver on Wigan because Wigan seems to have an idea on games they need to win even if they have sputtered pretty poorly at times and I mean this season and last season. Hate seeing alot of this play just coming down to who is managing a team better, maybe Fergie took us too lightly but the game is enjoyable, so Fulham will be a big test.

[cravenblue]

With fulham winning yesterday there is a big gap. Relegation will come from 3 of the current bottom 5

[alexanders]

With fulham winning yesterday there is a big gap. Relegation will come from 3 of the current bottom 5

I would say we are most likely to go down with Bolton and either of Wolves, QPR and Wigan.

[BPF]

I would say we are most likely to go down with Bolton and either of Wolves, QPR and Wigan.

We will be playing in the Championship next season, no doubt.

[rovers11]

We will be playing in the Championship next season, no doubt.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. With all the problems behind the scenes and the lack of quality on the pitch, it is difficult to see us staying up.

Although, I was thinking. What would happen if we stayed up?! Another season of Kean, lose Samba in the summer, and another season where we lose every match. No fun!

[thenodrog]

Although, I was thinking. What would happen if we stayed up?! Another season of Kean, lose Samba in the summer, and another season where we lose every match. No fun!

Rovers11 don't kid yourself. I guarantee that that scenario awaits us whether we stay up or go down. Unless we go bust or we get new owners in we will be in freefall.

[rovers11]

Rovers11 don't kid yourself. I guarantee that that scenario awaits us whether we stay up or go down. Unless we go bust or we get new owners in we will be in freefall.

We'd be good enough to finish mid table championship, I reckon. If teams like Southampton and Brighton can flourish in the Championship with their poor teams then I don't see why we couldn't.

I'm praying for new owners, though. The only way this club can be a force again. Until then, we're gonna be a mid table championship side.

[des]

for me its down to who we sign and can keep in jan, if its a good window we might well stay up if not its dowm we go

[47er]

We'd be good enough to finish mid table championship, I reckon. If teams like Southampton and Brighton can flourish in the Championship with their poor teams then I don't see why we couldn't.

I'm praying for new owners, though. The only way this club can be a force again. Until then, we're gonna be a mid table championship side.

The sad thing is, with a decent manager and just a bit of the cash Venkys promised, we would be Premier League mid-table. Its hard to take how let down we've been.