Realistic outcome without Demba?

I've done the PL predictor for all the games up until March.

Do you think this is a realistic outcome without Demba?

Fulham 2-1 Toon
Blackburn 0-2 Toon - Without Yakubu I think they'll fail to breach our defence and we'll keep a clean sheet.
Toon 1-1 Villa - With Demba I'd say 2 or 3-1 but without, I can't see us scoring many vs Villa's defence with Ameobi and Best.
Spurs 2-0 Toon
Toon 3-0 Wolves

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Hopefully we'll be in this position, and we can kick on and secure that 7th place spot when he gets back.

 

I don't think we'll lose to Fulham, I don't think we can concede that easily and they can't score that easily. Draw, maybe a win. The same with Blackburn.

Villa and Wolves seem winnable to me, I think Villa's defence isn't that good and we can score a few against them.

The only loss (from how the fixtures look on paper) will be Tottenham. There's only really a very slim chance of a draw there, and that's if we play negative.

 

Made the point earlier that without Ba's goals we'd be 10th. So you never we might be able to nick a 1-0 or 2-1 against Villa.

 

Is he not back for Wolves game?

 

Ba will be back for Wolves game and could be back (if they don't make it to the semi's) for the Spurs game.

 

We need a striker on loan. Maybe Erding on loan with an option to buy? What happens if Best gets injured, I couldn't bare watching Shola at front on his own for us.

 

Or just sign Rhodes...

 

Would love to but Beckford proved being great in league 1 doesn't mean being great in the top flight. Maybe wait until summer.

 

To be fair Beckford did a tidy job getting 10 goals last season, also remember Danny Graham being very successful in that league for Carlisle and he has done well, same with Holt and Morison too.

 

Exactly. There's also the fact that Rhodes will cost about £10m to bring in at this point in time. The club isn't in a position to be taking gambles like that.

 

Beckford was just a person who got tap-ins. Rhodes scores great goals, solo goals, headed goals, any sort really. He is complete striker, whcih Beckford never was.

No way, he'd be 4-6mill, especially if Huddersfield don't get promoted (which is likely atm)

 

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If Shola carries on playing and actually turns up, which to be fair he has this season more than he hasn't (can't see it happening though) I think we could pick up a few points in the next few games.

Also hopefully Cabaye's available, he's almost as valuable as Ba.

 

Huddersfield's future won't be known for a few months yet, we're talking about getting someone in this month.
And during this month, you'd be very lucky to get him for 4-6m. There are lots of clubs with deeper pockets interested in him now, and that will drive the price up.

Look at Connor Wickham, he cost £8m and in his entire career he's scored about the same number of goals as Rhodes has this season in the league alone. That was in the summer too, when players are generally cheaper. Okay, he was coming from the Championship rather than League One, which might alter the prices a bit, but the days of being able to buy quality lower league players for peanuts are over.

 

Wickham is rising to 12mill, and there was interest in him from the top teams. Interest in Rhodes is from us, Fulham, Villa etc. so won't be as much.

 

Looks like QPR are going to be in the points according to your predicition league table, how about we just sign some of their players? That workhorse(/donkey) Shaun Derry anyone?

 

They are due to play Wigan and Wolves at home in the next 3 games.

 

I agree. I think we will lose to Fulham and Spurs, beat Blackburn and Wolves and draw with Villa.

A point isn't out of the question on Saturday though. Nor is a win v Villa.

 

i said just after christmas that i would be extremely happy with 40 points at the end of January with both demba and cheik gone (oh yeah first name terms now ,lol ) but now we have the liverpool and united games out of the way im wanting us to push on and win the next 3 games which i think we can do.. i still stand by the statement that if we get some good players in this jan then why not make a good effort to push for europe.

 

I know this. I also know QPR are around the same level as a Wigan or a Wolves in terms of playing staff, so why is everyone assuming they'll win? I find it odd a team in the bottom 3 is assured of all these points by pundits... The last time that happened was surely when we were "assured" of making it out of our predicament...