It's a tough run in for us and I can't see that we will get anything in the next two away games against two teams of very physical and big opponents.Steve Bruce would do well to set up very defensively and pack the midfield and if necessary "park the bus". A single point from either game would be a bonus. Swansea at home could offer 3 points and a point against Arsenal at home is achievable. Fulham or Aston Villa away could supply the necessary final point if we have not achieved it earlier.The Man Utd and Everton games would then give us a chance to play fringe players assuming THud,Davies etc may have a date down south . Heres Hoping...............
Everyone is expecting 3 points from the Swansea game and, on paper, it looks good as Swansea have 3 wins and 3 draws away from home, all against the bottom clubs. However, their 16-goal 'star larker' of last season, Michu, has been out for three months with an ankle injury. He was on the subs bench last game and made his first appearance for three months. He is expected to make the first team very shortly so will be with the Swans when they visit us. Couple him with Wilfried Bony who has 10 goals this season and they could be formidable up front. I would not take this game for granted. I think we will fall over the line as other teams have a tougher run-in than we do. We are still the proverbial 'few sandwiches short of a picnic' at this level and do not have much depth. I feel there will be efforts to unload some players during the close season as we still need another 'engine' in midfield, another quality striker as well as defender.
Yes i said our run from Christmas was very difficult because we had mainly top 10 teams at home and that's prove to be the case WBA was our first home win of 2014 which was a much needed 3pts, games at home to Swansea, Arsenal and Everton are also very difficult, away fixtures were better and the two wins on the trot against Sunderland and Cardiff were massive now we have West ham and Sunderland i would be happy to finish with a point from one of the games.Our last three away games at Fulham, Man Utd and Aston villa so overall around 4pts needed. Our first half to the season we did really well and laid down the foundations to help stay up which hopefully will now be the case
I don't really think anyone has an easy run in, if you're not playing a top team your playing a team scrapping for their lives! Maybe if you was up against a team who are already down you might feel a bit better? But I couldn't see any team as easy in this league.
I'm feeling optimistic - I think the players are aware they're one or two wins from safety and will go all out to secure that prior to the cup game. Of course, I felt optimistic after we annihilated Fulham and then we lost four on the trot... Hammers fans seem to think the best they can hope for is a draw - apart from one or two doing the usual underestimating us thing - funniest one being the guy who says we don't have any top-class defenders - uh, Curtis Davies? When you're CB pairing is Winston Reid and James Collins, that's a bit rich. http://kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=152466
Fancy us to get something from the game on Wed, draw would be fine, a win would be pretty much job done, 36 points with 7 matches still to go
I wouldn't call any of our players "top class". Davies was in a midtable championship team last season. Give them plaudits for playing out their skins every week, but let's not get carried away.
Perhaps an issue over semantics - as far as I'm aware Davies is near the top of the list stats wise in the Prem for CB position. I don't think there's too many Prem clubs outside the top 6 he wouldn't walk into at the moment. We've the sixth best defence in the league in terms of goals conceded and the best outside the top 8.
I'd settle for a point from West Ham & Stoke, both tough games with three from Swansea, given the likes of Fulham Cardiff and Sunderland are poor I think by then we should have enough to be secure, remember Sunderland have some big games away so lookstough for them.
Don't worry guys - beating us, Sunderland and Brom this past month has put you safe no question. Fulham have by far the "easiest" run in of the bottom contenders, and if they weren't such a crap side themselves, I'd still give them a decent chance of escape on the basis of that. However, if they lose their next game at home to Everton, they've had it. Apart from Chelsea at home for our last game, I think we've not got a bad set of fixtures to pick up points - whether it'll be enough is another matter. If we beat Brom and Palace in our next two games (4 points would be OK), we have a chance. I thought Stoke would blow it, but their recent results have been a revelation. I'll still take Fulham, and Brom for the drop, and if the third isn't us, I'll plump for Palace. Norwich are basically a good side and despite their horrendous last four games, I think they'll scrape over the line. The enigma is Poyet at Sunderland. Relying on games in hand for comfort can provide false hope. They have the most difficult run in of all and they still have to play us......... Good luck in the Prem next season - just hope we are still there with you.
Swansea aren't out of the woods yet.. I keep thinking, they've got the players, the possession and the style but they need Michu to save them
Swansea have got enough class and Prem experience in their side to pull through, but they've been making a bit of a pig's ear of it recently. One point from their last 5 games and I can't see them getting anything at Arsenal tonight either. The crunch game for them will be Saturday when they take on Norwich at the Liberty. If they win, they'll be set up mentally to go on - if they lose that one, anything could happen because then they play you next up there.........
I said I thought you were down the other week, but you've played well, the last few matches, so your lads seem capable of getting out of it. Just need the rub of the green. It's going to be interesting.
