OK so we have 9 matches left. 5 at home and 4 away. I reckon to be safe we need 10 more points which would give us 38 and mean the bottom 3 would probably need 5 wins from their last remaining games to overtake us. None of our remaining fixtures look impossible and the fact that we have only one game against teams at the bottom, Reading, is probably an advantage. Personally I still think we will end up on 40 points. That's wins against West Ham, Stoke and Reading plus three draws against Liverpool, Sunderland and Swansea. COYR!
I wish I could be as confident. I have given up forecasting match results so I shall take each match as it comes and cheer on the team. The one thing my old body will not be able to take is a last day deciding match . My blood pressure will just go through the roof as it did against QPR.
The thing in our favour Godders is the teams below us have games against each other. QPR still have to play Reading, Villa and Wigan for instance. They'll cut each others throats!
Just had a horrible thought...do you think it is in our interest to have QPR win these games!! Better that one gets the points than they share them out, unless we start winning again. The road to madness!!
The battle is between Wigan, Villa and Saints. Reading are down and QPR will finish well clear of the relegation zone. In fact, I think that Harry will guide them to finish above bothe Sunderland and Newcastle. He has assembled a talented and strong squad which is probably ideally suited to playing themselves out of trouble. Alos worth noting that they have a very easy run in. For my money, Wigan's luck must surely run out at some stage. I think they are more likely to struggle than Villa. The problem for me is that I think Villa are in a very false position and should not be in trouble. As soon as they click, I think it will mean trouble for Saints. Sunderland may get involved in the struggle yet I think our next two games will be lost and then a gap will start to open up with Villa. Next Sautrday they play QPR - an interesting fixture which you can see Harry winning. I'm inclinded to agree with Fran's assessment as we will start to require QPR to beat the relegation competition. QPR need to be taken out of the equation and perhpas treated as a middle of the table team because they will finish well clear of the relegation zone and won't be involved in a scrap to any degree by next month. i agree, it is in our interest that they beat the teams around us.
Not sure I agree but you are right we will never know. Players are clearly behind MP though and the spirit looks good. If we can get something from the next two games we'll all feel more confident.
I'll keep saying it, we were sailing towards mid-table under Nigel, now we have 6 points from 8 games yet we're expected to get 10 points from our final 9 games? It's not going to happen. We'll do well to scrape away with 36 points.
Olly. I don't remember you being positive even when Nigel was here! We've been unlucky against Newcastle and Norwich. QPR was a bad performance but that game apart we have shown we can compete with any team in the PL. Even if we only get 36 points the teams at the bottom ahve to win four of their last nine games. We will be fine!
I've been debating the desired outcome of Villa-QPR. Wuth things so tight, and the finish line now getting ever closer, I'm not sure we can neccessarily take the simplistic view of 'draw is best, they both drop points'. If people really believe that QPR are not a threat to us, then surely a QPR win is best? Villa could overtake us, so surely a QPR win is best? Villa are not currently a bottom three side, so we could stay up even if they do overtake us, so surely a Villa win is best? etc etc etc My gut feeling is that a QPR win would be the worst result. But I cannot decide what is better for us between a draw and a Villa win.
You're dreaming if you think QPR will stay up. Them and Reading are as good as down. We'll be just fine, however; ignoring the Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs games, we have 6 eminently winnable games and we only need to win 3 of them.
People still using the if Adkins was still here crap, If Strachan was still here then we'd never have been relegated from the Prem.
Disagree . QPR will stay up . He has got them playing for each other , that's what was missing before IMHO .
They won't stay up. Their remaining fixtures are: Villa (A), Fulham (A), Wigan (H), Everton (A), Stoke (H), Reading (A), Arsenal (H), Newcastle (H), Liverpool (A). Their last 3 games will kill them off IMO.
That's my take too.Don't see them getting more than 3wins and 3 draws.35 points won't be enough.Note they have 5 away games and 4 at home.
