That isn't just relegation form, it's stranded at the bottom form if you spread it over a season. We are playing so negatively in order not to lose, but would we really have done any worse than 9 from 14 games if we had been a bit more adventurous? Also, the one game we did win - against Everton - happened because of the way the match panned out. We equalised near the end and then our players went for it. I'm sure CH wasn't very happy about that - if he could have got anywhere near them he would have told them to defend deep and go for 1-1, I'm sure. And now we're out of form, lacking in confidence, and facing a relegation struggle that probably could and should have been avoided.
If we are being honest we should not really have won the Everton game,but then we did deserve to beat Sunderland.That is the way things work out.I think it likely that we will get at least 5 points from what is left and out of Wigan,Sunderland and Villa not all three will reach 39.They have tricky fixtures and four away games.
Your comments, while true, Cruyff's Turn, merely paper over the cracks raised in vietnam's post. We're firing many more blanks this season, despite having a better balanced squad at our disposal. That is NOT second season 'getting found out' but overcautious-to-the-point-of-catatonic-trance tactics and a squad woefully short of any confidence in front of goal - because it has been largely coached out of them by the negative tactics they are forced to employ.
Ah, but don't forget all the smart arses on here this season who have been telling this is the only was we can stay up this year, by being better defensively and taking no risks (as opposed to Swansea and Saints who are showing jus how it can be done if you have confidence in your attacking players) The same people who knew best as they bang on about how if we'd have continued in the same "gung-ho" fashion as we did under Lambert we'd have been slaughtered and already down (we never, ever started a PL game under Lambert anything like "gung ho", we were just more attacking and inventive) The same people who don't understand such negativity because we were so attacking and exciting against Swansea and Man City (when we were two down in two minutes and had no choice and spent most of the game playing against ten men, leaving just one game out of 31 when we looked like a top flight team) The same ones who bang on and on about us showing patience (despite us gradually playing worse and worse as the season progresses until we've virtually run to a standstill and looking entirely clueless in the opposition half) We're in trouble now, bang in trouble and anyone who denies that is living in cloud cuckoo land. I still think we might have enough to stay up, but if we do then surely over the course of the season we must have proved ourselves to be be one of, if not the worst sides to have survived relegation in premiership history.
Of course, I hope that's true. But, if it is true, it will be because the fates have dealt other teams 'down there' tougher run ins than ours, because Hughton is not going to change anything around at this stage of the season. I mean, he's changed virtually nothing since we lost 3 - 4 to Man Citeh, so why "tinker" now? It's got to the point where it's fans of rival clubs are being critical of our negativity, not just biased journo twats like Lawrenson and Durham. Opposing fans have no hidden agenda, they just call it as they see it. And it's not difficult to see what they're basing the damning verdicts on!
We will be, without doubt, the worst team to survive in PL history. Ignoring this "long term" project certain fans like to try drilling into us we are nothing short of embarrassing. We could and should have ensured PL survival weeks ago.
Munky, Cromer and Kio, and all the others on your side of the fence, it's very difficult to argue against all the points you make, that doesn't make you right or us wrong, it just means we see things differently to you! The glass half full merchants on my side of the fence all appreciate that things will have to change next season, can we not ALL get behind the team to try and ensure that the changes happen to us as a Premiership team, not a Championship one! If we all shout together over these last seven games, surely we can carry the team across the line!
Maybe if everyone in the stadium blows hard enough we can get the ball into the oppositions penalty box
I called for Hughton's head after that pathetically woeful display against Luton, then back-tracked. Now I'm wondering whether that was the right thing to do, had McNally wielded the axe then I doubt we would be where we are now IMO. We have put in pathetic, woeful, embarrassing, negative performances for the best part of the season and THAT result has been the icing on the cake for me. Even if we do manage to stay up, which I seriously doubt now, we will probably struggle even more next term under this buffoon. Can anyone on here seriously suggest that there are THREE worse teams than us in the PL ? No, I thought not, should we survive we will be the luckiest ever to do so. I've had enough Mr Hughton and perhaps you should seriously consider as to whether you are up to the job and to think many lambasted Newcastle for sacking him. It seems those Geordies weren't so daft after all !! RANT OVER !!! OTBC IH-WEMOSTDEFINITELYDONOT-T
I wouldn't dream of trying to undermine anything the club or coaching team are trying to achieve by booing/chanting/tweeting McNally to that effect, etc. But on a private fans forum surely it's acceptable to be critical of a set up whose current form is at best relegation - at worst bottom of the league. And the biggest bugbear is it's not just the poor form, it's the negative mindset which eventually rubs off on fans and players alike. Anyhow, Maestro is about to start plying me with London Pride, etc, so by the time I return we should all be Championshh League contendershh
You could have mentioned me by name My views on this have been placed on this board for 3 months but I have contained a lot of what I have felt about wtf is going on and will continue to do so simply because nothing I say or do will change anything on the pitch or in the minds of those on the "other side". All the same, if we do go down, other than being really quite annoyed, I will be wearing a kind of smug "I told ya so" expression and any such relegation will be deserved if the current form and style remains the same
Not sure what they are now but before the weekends fixtures you could get 21/1 on us being relegated. Few quid on that would make you even more smug ;-)
I'm probably on Dave's side of the fence in that I'm prepared to tolerate the style at the moment, because picking up the 5 or so points we need to survive should be achieved with it, just about. The signing of Wolfswinkel makes me hopeful though that things will change next season. A striker of his calibre needs service, and if we're supposedly in the market for 2 wingers and an attacking midfielder, we could have an entirely new front 4 next season. Whether that means we'll be more reliant on individual brilliance to create chances, or we'll actually commit more bodies forward, but if Hughton gets the men he wants, we should almost definitely pose a greater attacking threat next season. I don't think it'll be a return to the goal tally of last year, but it'll be more respectable. Coupled with an already pretty solid defence, it should help us progress, and hopefully turn some of the many draws this season into wins. That's my hope anyway, and for now I'll accept ugly play in return for survival, which we're still more than capable of. Even if we continue at a rate of 9 points in 14 games, we'd still finish on 38.5 points, and could well survive. I also can't see us going the rest of the season without a win.
Saddest thing for me is that this whole issue has got fractious and divisive - although not as mental as three or four weeks ago, thank god But in the ensuing month since that all kicked off, are we playing with a different shape, attitude, resolve or flair? No, it's the same old, same old and even though the signing of RVW was a welcome distraction, it's all reverted back to type. I hope Ricky doesn't watch too many of our recent games or the deal to bring him here could be in jeopardy
Not brave enough to lay money on it as I think survival will happen but it might only be a point or two. Although I have my views I do share some of DH's view, and I am sure most of us do, in the hope that next season will offer something different to what we becoming accustomed to this year
Believe me Thai, if we survive and still play this way next season, I'll definitely change sides! I just think it's only fair to give him the chance to assemble his own team!
