Yes, reputation as never being relegated is on the line, but it's more than that. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone who's whole career, heart and soul has been at the same level, and who lives and breathes football, and isn't one of these modern day mercenaries. I'm like you now. I haven't got a clue what will happen in the next month. Speculating on results from now on in is just pointless in my opinion.
Hopefully some of the hapless twats who have been masquerading as footballers at Villa Park this season decide to start putting a shift in. Most of them will want put themselves in the shop window to land a nice juicy contract next season. Fingers crossed Big Sam won't want any of them.
Today Arsenal were pretty apathetic - hints of the non match by Jimmy Hills Coventry &Bristol City when we got relegated -Palace Are A Fellow London Team ......mmmm very dodgy. Bet they are'nt apathetic next week - still BSA will have us prepared -we're on a roll I hope - time to
Arsenal don't want to catch Spurs then? Conspiracy theories about Sunderland being relegated man, if you go down it's cos you're not good enough and that's it.
As I see it we get 7 points and we are safe. Norwich would need to get 7 points, that means that they could not finish above us by beating both Everton and Watford and they would have to get a point against Arsenal away and/or United at home. If they don't beat both Everton and Watford they have o win one of those two tough games. Newcastle would have to get 10 points from their last five games. If we give them six from Villa and Palace (not certain they will get them) they would still need to get four points from Man City, Liverpool and Spurs. That will be very tough. So can we get 7 points? Well on our points per game since the turn of the year we should get 6.5 points, so it is nothing special to get 7. By Sunday we will have a good idea of how things will go. Man City still need points to get into the top 4, If Liverpool win the Europa League they will need to finish above Arsenal as well, so they will give it a go tomorrow. Remember since the Mags have come back up City have won by at least two goals in every game at SJP. It is the Liverpool game which causes me concern. They can not get into Europe via the league , so they will be focused on the Europa League semi and might field another weakened team on Saturday. If they get les than two points from these two games they would have to win their last three to finish above us if we get 7 points. So it is simple get 7 points and we stay up!
That means you see Newcastle winning four of their five games and/or Norwich three of their four. Neither of these seems feasible to me that's why I think 7 will do.
I would definitely like you to be right...but better 'safe' than sorry as it stands we have our safety in our own hands if we win at least 3 games imho
Apparently Chelsea have given up on the league and will be playing some of their younger players (bbc text) This could help us.
Yes the one thing they had to chase was the unbeaten record since the special one left. Now that's gone, it makes sense to blood kids to see how they cope in the first team. If we were safe we would all be suggesting that. Just hope it is true and that their kids don't have a blinder against us.
I said before the Norwich game we need to win 3 games and hope to pick up another point with a draw. Nothing has changed.
I felt fairly confident we would win at Norwich, they are not that good, they allowed a poor Newcastle team to score two at Carrow Road, then their manager put out a team at Palace not to get beat instead of going for a more positive result which ended in them getting beat off a team who hadn't won this year. I don't think they will pick up another 4 points this season. That then brings us,onto Newcastle, they have two winnable and three very looseable games and I will give them six more points. That will mean we would need two more wins and ensure we don't fritter away our goal difference advantage. It was the collective manner in which the lads played on Saturday which I feel the other two teams don't have and of course our experience in these relegation fights will be invaluable, don't forget both Norwich and Newcastle were relegated the last time they had their backs to the wall in this type of dog fight. Time will tell.
Their rivalry with Spuds is not part of my gripe mate - just they were very poor and almost disinterested against a relegation threatened (london) team - you brought out that counter - I wondered if they will be so apathetic on Saturday ? Also it's so patronisingly obvious you go down cos your not good enough - bit like not getting in champions league - not good enough. In the end it's all emotional opinions & not worth falling out over though
Its a daft idea for anyone to suggest Arsenal would deliberately not turn up for a game, in their league position, at this stage of the season. The Arsenal I saw on Sunday is the same Arsenal I see at the end of most seasons the last 15-20 years or so. Just running out of legs and idea's. Mental stamina has been affliction they seen to suffer most second-halves of the season.
I concur here they do tend to underachievement but my original txt was defensively emotional - my default coping state for our baffling performances - but I bet there's no underachievement on Saturday - lol
