[Archived] The Relegation Thread

[thenodrog]

This table with the exception of us is almost unbelievable.

http://www.footballformguide.net/form/npower-championship

[RevidgeBlue]

That form table illustrates the point I was trying to make before the Cardiff game. In my view there are no truly outstanding sides in the Division and there is not that much to choose between any of the teams on a given day hence the bottom teams having an unusually high points tally at this point of the season.

Interesting that Leeds and Leicester are directly above us at the bottom of the form table given some people are touting Pearson and Warnock as potential managers for us. No thanks in either case I'd say.

Edit: At least results went reasonably well for once last night. A glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel finally.

[Howler]

Just trying to catch up on things here. Is it just me or are the players getting away with an AWFUL lot of flack? Yes the owners have ruined us, so has JA, Kean etc. but we have a lot of international players in our squad who just aren't, and haven't performed for an incredible amount of time now. They're just riding the gravy train until it spectacularly crashes. I'd be embarrassed if I were one of 'em.

Its not just you. To be fair Orr and Murphy have deservedly come in for a bit of abuse at games. Other than that, unfortunately most of our fans want to "get behind the lads" (or as it actually turns out, sit in silence) no matter what.

While our predicament is largely down to venkys and managers, lets not pretend that the players are guilt free. With the odd exception they have massively underperformed and for the most part have put little effort in. As you say, they should be embarrassed but I'm guessing they're probably not

[John]

It's true the effort of some players has been disgraceful. Appleton and Bowyer after the Cardiff game have both aired their grievances in public regarding this.

However, also looks like we are all coming round to the conclusion that our squad is not very good...

[rovers11]

We were given a bit of a lifeline by results last night. Peterborough blew a great chance to move out of the bottom 3. Huddersfield had a tough game away at Bolton but fancied them to get a point. Looking at the fixtures, Peterborough and Barnsley are our biggest hope in staying up.

Peterborough have got promotion chasing Watford and Brighton at home plus relegation threatened Sheff W. A very tough set of fixtures. Away from home, they have another game against a relegation rival (Huddersfield) which won't be easy plus trips to promotion chasing Palace and a very good home team in Derby. On paper, you would say they would lose to Palace, Brighton and Watford whilst the games against Huddersfield and Sheff W could go either way. However, we'd have also thought that they'd lose to Cardiff but they beat them!

Barnsley are hopeless away from home but very strong at home. They've got Palace, Forest and Cardiff away as well as Huddersfield. With their poor away form, don't fancy them to win any of those (although you never know). At home, they have very winnable games against Charlton and Derby but, again, this is the championship so it wouldn't surprise me if they slipped up in one of those very winnable games. They have an extremely tough home game against Hull as well.

We could be looking at a new survival target of 52-54 points rather than 55-57.

[Neil Weaver]

A glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel finally.

As has been said though Rev, we're still looking for the tunnel.

[LDRover]

The most telling thing about the form table above is that the top 4 have changed manager this season.

With the exception of Saunders at Wolves where the jury is still out you'd have to say the respective boards have chosen well.

The polar opposite is at the bottom.

[longsiders1882]

Don't worry, I'm not here to gloat. Allowing for the game in hand we are a single point better off than you.

Put simply I think we both really need 3 points this weekend. IF you lose then Wednesday and more than likely one of Peterborough or Huddersfield go above you - a draw would be enough for Huddersfield to go above you. If Barnsley get a rare and unlikely away win, even a point, then you could end the day in the bottom 3. Similarly if we lose then with those results we could be a single point above a whole clutch of teams on 50, 2 of which would have a game in hand on us.

Neither of us has the easiest set of games left either. Very nervous few weeks ahead for both sets of fans unless points are collected this weekend.

[jim mk2]

Form table is very similar to last season - us in freefall while teams around us picking up the odd point here and there. Unless there is a dramatic turnaround in our form (and who can see that happening?) we're sunk.

[G Somerset Rover]

No wins in 11 (all comps) and no wins in 10 league games.

We either need a lot of luck to get out of this or the players to show some fight and heart. I cannot see either forthcoming. Dann talks about us going to show the aforementioned this coming Saturday, but where the hell has it been the past 11 games? Rubber dinghy men the lot of 'em - minus a few of the youngsters and Dunn & Rhodes.

[rovers11]

Don't worry, I'm not here to gloat. Allowing for the game in hand we are a single point better off than you.

Put simply I think we both really need 3 points this weekend. IF you lose then Wednesday and more than likely one of Peterborough or Huddersfield go above you - a draw would be enough for Huddersfield to go above you. If Barnsley get a rare and unlikely away win, even a point, then you could end the day in the bottom 3. Similarly if we lose then with those results we could be a single point above a whole clutch of teams on 50, 2 of which would have a game in hand on us.

Neither of us has the easiest set of games left either. Very nervous few weeks ahead for both sets of fans unless points are collected this weekend.

Tbh Lonsiders, Burnley will be fine. They can grind out a result and will have more than enough to stay up. I don't even consider Burnley a relegation rival. It's between us, Huddersfield, Wolves, Peterborough, Barnsley, and Sheff W (Bristol City have already gone imo). The rest will have more than enough to survive.

All 6 of us are in deep deep trouble.

If I was a supporter of Peterborough then I'd be concerned that despite being unbeaten in 7 games, they are still in the bottom 3. That run has to end at some point and then what!? Can they keep this good run going? I'd be worried about that.

A Wolves supporter will probably be thinking the same thing - we've won 4 out of 5 yet are only 1 above the drop zone, have played a game more than 3 of those teams, and have just lost a few key players to injury. Again, what happens if this good run comes to an end?!

A Barnsley fan will be thinking - we can't win for toffee away from home which means if we slip up at home, we are screwed!

Huddersfield will be concerned at their lack of goals and hence lack of wins. What happens if they concede the first goal?! They also have games against pretty much all of their relegation rivals which mean if they slip up in those games then they are in big big trouble.

Sheff W will be gutted that they lost a last second goal at the weekend and their form is patchy.

We all know what us Rovers fans are thinking - lack of goals, can't defend set pices, no real passion from the players, can't win a game for love nor money, no manager, both goalkeepers injured, absent owners, shebby singh, a useless board, dwindling attendances, and VENKY'S!

[roverandout]

footballers all talk, talk the talk but cant walk the walk, like all our managers this season!!

[RibbleValleyRover]

The Manager doesn't appear to have a clue what he is doing and the players have no morale or fighting spirit by the looks of it. I would be surprised if we win another game this season.

[rovers11]

The Manager doesn't appear to have a clue what he is doing and the players have no morale or fighting spirit by the looks of it. I would be surprised if we win another game this season.

The only way I can see us getting the required points is if we get an impact manager in. Someone who takes no nonsense and can get the players fired up. The club just seems really defeatist at the moment. The team put out against Cardiff wasn't a team that said to me we believed we could go and get something there.

There are players in the squad with fighting spirit - Rhodes, Dunn, Hanley, Kane, Jones, Williamson, and Lowe. They give it their all and fight for the cause.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Can you imagine Souness let loose on this bunch!

[RevidgeBlue]

The Manager doesn't appear to have a clue what he is doing and the players have no morale or fighting spirit by the looks of it. I would be surprised if we win another game this season.

That's a bit harsh.

Bowyer rotated players on Monday probably hoping he could rely on our overbloated squad for a performance and it backfired badly.

Let's see what happens when he reverts to what most people would consider our strongest line up.

I do think though the Wednesday game is approaching the last chance saloon. Win and we've every chance of getting out of it. Even a good performance and a point will give us something to build on. Lose, and/or a poor performance and the damage to morale will be difficult to overcome.

Let's see what happens on Saturday

[AlanK]

Look, forget about what the other teams are doing, who they have to play etc. It is inevitable that with our current form we will continue to fall lower in the league. That is how we have ended up where we are now. Some people really do bury their heads in the sand.

[JAL]

All that money spent and Rovers still have no team worthy of the famous shirt.

[Philly13]

Unfortunately SR 95% of the team do not give a toss about the fans or the club. In fact, some of them appear to be actively trying to get us relegated. The only ones I suggest actually care are Kean (now out for the rest of the season), Hanley, Henley, Dunn and Rhodes. The rest, IMO, could not care less what happens to the club and have no pride whatsoever in their own performances.

Dann seems to care

[Rover_Shaun]

Dann seems to care

Only about personally not getting relegated 3 seasons running..............not that he's capable of doing anything to prevent it

[LDRover]

Dann seems to care

He's been a fixture in the side on our slide to oblivion and one of Kean's boys. If he cared he'd be leading by example and pulling everyone else up with him.

In my opinion, he doesn't give a shiny sh1te like the majority of them. He knows there'll be another club willing to shell out for his mediocrity next season.

[USABlue]

We were given a bit of a lifeline by results last night. Peterborough blew a great chance to move out of the bottom 3. Huddersfield had a tough game away at Bolton but fancied them to get a point. Looking at the fixtures, Peterborough and Barnsley are our biggest hope in staying up.

Peterborough have got promotion chasing Watford and Brighton at home plus relegation threatened Sheff W. A very tough set of fixtures. Away from home, they have another game against a relegation rival (Huddersfield) which won't be easy plus trips to promotion chasing Palace and a very good home team in Derby. On paper, you would say they would lose to Palace, Brighton and Watford whilst the games against Huddersfield and Sheff W could go either way. However, we'd have also thought that they'd lose to Cardiff but they beat them!

Barnsley are hopeless away from home but very strong at home. They've got Palace, Forest and Cardiff away as well as Huddersfield. With their poor away form, don't fancy them to win any of those (although you never know). At home, they have very winnable games against Charlton and Derby but, again, this is the championship so it wouldn't surprise me if they slipped up in one of those very winnable games. They have an extremely tough home game against Hull as well.

We could be looking at a new survival target of 52-54 points rather than 55-57.

I fancy Posh to get out of it, I'm looking at them a bit like Wigan last season, they have pulled off a few eye opening results. After some of the hammerings thy took I was surprised to see their goal difference is not that much worse than ours. sad thing is in that form table 5 of our fellow "strugglers" are in the top ten. The stars are aligning again just as they did last season. From what appeared to be safety to relegation, it is again going to be I think.

Dann seems to care

If he cared he'd have challenged for some of those headers he's let our opponents score from.

[DE.]

He's been a fixture in the side on our slide to oblivion and one of Kean's boys. If he cared he'd be leading by example and pulling everyone else up with him.

In my opinion, he doesn't give a shiny sh1te like the majority of them. He knows there'll be another club willing to shell out for his mediocrity next season.

This, pretty much. Never got the impression Dann really gives a toss.

[david_daft]

Apologies if this already been mentioned, If we get relegated this season do we still get the parachute payments from the Prem?

Seem to remember something about still getting some, but not the £16 mil + £8 mil + £8 mil.

[Philly13]

Not sure if this is a bad sign, but in my game of football manager Rovers got back to the prem and they've been given 9 red cards in 21 games. Lowe has been sent off 4 times and Etuhu 3.