I worked in Bournemouth for a few years and IF they get relegated I have a lot of sympathy for th3 real fans . But for the jumping on the bandwagon Fans when they went into the PL I would love it if they went down .
If it's a draw on Friday night, then 36 points becomes the survival target for Bmouth and Villa. If West Ham and Watford lose to Man Utd, Man City and Arsenal respectively, that is. That's a final-day win for Villa against West Ham, plus one more against Everton or Arsenal. And it's wins for Bmouth against us and Everton (if they too lose to Man City). Bmouth and Villa wouldn't really need to care about each other, because in all likelihood that 36 point target would have two places attached to it (ie they could both survive). 35 might be enough on GD, especially if City stick a few past Watford, but Villa and Bmouth can't really aim for that. But it would reduce Bmouth's target down to one win and one draw. No real change for Villa. If there's a winner on Friday night, that 36 point target provisionally goes down to 35. Possibly to 34 if that loser if Watford. But with it would come an added complication of only one place being available. So Bmouth and Villa would then need to care about each other (eg Villa could reach 35, but still go down because Bmouth exceed it further).
Can’t agree with wanting Bournemouth to stay up. Unless it’s at the expense of West Ham. Then I’m all for it.
The second weirdest thing of this relegation battle weekend - after that Bmouth second half - is that West Ham won 4-0 and yet arguably finish the weekend in greater danger than when they started.
Just want Bompey down. Just getting deluded abuse from 'mates' that when they beat us to stay up we better watch out next season. Deluded. Above their station. Like that annoying fly in the air that you want to swat, yo know you will, but can't quite do it.
Interesting conundrum for Howe now, what do you do with the City game? Sacrifice it, rest the players and go all out to win next weekend (v Saints)? Or go there and try to get something?
They cannot sacrifice it. Even if they expect to get nothing from the match, they cannot be in a position where they are two results behind with two matches remaining, and that's a distinct possibility if their GD erodes. Have to play to win on Wednesday and hope to have something left for Sunday.
I think that the second half performance from Bournemouth has come too late in the season to save them. They will get nothing from City but I think is hey are mathematically safe by the time we play them, their nerves will be on a knife-edge. Intrigued to see the comments about snapping up any Bournemouth players should they get relegated. From the matches I have watched, I am not convinced we would want any of them. I have been surprised that Ake has attracted so much attention but I suppose he is in a poor team. I agree that a lot of their squad will be snapped up by some of the teams coming up yet I cannot think that any player in the Bournemouth team with the exception of Ake would represent an improvement for Saints. I wouldn't disagree with the comment about Bournemouth getting relegated from the Championship being unrealistic either. They look like a team with the potential for a freefall.
The four fighting for survival all won this weekend, so it’s as you were before this round of fixtures began. I still think Bournemouth and Villa will go down and their wins have come too late, but you never know and Watford could easily lose their last three.
