It could be tight, Thurnby, but who would have picked us to beat WBA and ManCity in the final games last year! It is a very funny game after all. Que sera, sera and all that! OTBC!
I have no idea how you calculated those final points totals-it just isn't possible to do it that way and can only possibly rely on guesswork.We know from the prediction league that most weeks half the players fail to get five out of ten results right for the bonus points,so it's about 50% accuracy.Working with averages is much more accurate because it balances out.For example if Sunderland were to go on a run of results it is quite likely that for example Crystal Palace would suffer a slump to balance.This is the reason why the bottom of the table rises at about a point per set of games.To give us just three points from seven games doesn't really make sense when Sunderland are on ten points.Personally I dont see them getting more than eight.
Of course it was guesswork CT, I don't have a crystal ball but my forecasts like anyone else's is based upon my thoughts and of course we are always more cautious of our own club and would naturally under-estimate our return - which hopefully is the case here. Sunderland have Cardiff, West Brom, Swansea ans West Ham all at home and the 10 points come from those fixtures where three wins and a draw is quite possible (again in my opinion!)
I don't disagree with your points totals,they are probably close to where it will end up.I just don't think it is possible to put individual teams names to them simply because of results like Swansea last night.Equally Sunderland might fail to score more than another three or four and finish high 20's.
I may have mentioned this before and I'm not sure what anyone else's thoughts are on the matter but...Does anyone think that the world cup may be in the opposition players mind when we go into those last 4 games. Obviously those big 4 are full of international players looking forward to the world cup. Could this have a positive or negative effect on their mind-set? For those who are permanent fixtures in their international squads maybe they might take their foot off the gas in the last games and try to protect themselves for the World cup. For others who are on the fringes maybe they will be going all out to finalise their place?? Just thinking aloud really but would be interested to know what other people thought, or if in fact it will have no effect at all?
I'd imagine that it would be the last thing in their minds if they still had the chance to win the league but once that chance has gone or the league is sealed then it probably would come in to play. Maybe we should do our bit for England and have Johnson break Suarez.
This is turning into a re-run of last season with Cardiff and Fulham playing the QPR/Reading roles and Sunderland the Wigan one.I remember how nervous everyone was thinking that the games in hand would turn into points.Must admit though they nearly snatched one off the Scousers.
Sunderland's next 'game in hand' is against Manchester City, who after Liverpool's three points last night can't afford to take their foot off the gas - all good from a NCFC perspective
Just noticed, the current bottom 3 have been in-situ since 11th Feb, and we're 6 points further from the drop than then. I thought there'd been more movement below us than that. Surely if any team is to launch a serious bid for survival, it should have started by now? Hadn't Wigan's form picked up by now last season? Also worth pointing out that, despite spending next to nothing, we must have had one of the best January windows in the bottom half? Yobo has been excellent, whilst the money splashed by other clubs has had a negligible impact. I can't think of anyone other than Hull right now who look better for the money spent.
The money spent in january has largely been wasted, there were very few players brought in who looked like they would be capable of affecting change in their team, Fulham looked to have done pretty well with Holtby and an in form striker but also lost Berbatov. It's arguable that one of the best january signings was Yobo and shows that really january is for identifying and fixing a specific need not trying to build a new squad.
I'm trying to find a temporal line graph of points accumulated by EPL clubs throughout this season - struggling though. If anyone finds one, can they post it here please?
Compare this season with last: 31st March 2013 14 Norwich 31 34 15 Newcastle 31 33 16 Sunderland 31 31 17 Wigan 30 30 18 Villa 31 30 19 QPR 30 23 20 Reading 31 23 29th March 2014 14 Norwich 31 32 15 Swansea 31 30 16 WBA 30 28 17 Palace 30 28 18 Sunderland 29 25 19 Cardiff 31 25 20 Fulham 31 24 Looks more comfortable this year than last.
We got away with that quite well really.On balance I think Cardiff's draw at WBA is probably the best result rather than one of them getting three points.I can't remember the last time I wanted West Ham to win a game.In fact as Sunderland are at home a draw would do.Fulham surely gone now.
I don't think you can look any further than Sunderland for the last relegation spot. They would have to win 2 games and draw another of their games in hand to go ahead and that would only be on goal difference. And bear in mind one of their games in hand is Man City away. They would have to show form that they simply have not demonstrated this season, I can't see them scoring the goals they need to pull it back and keeping them out at the other end. If they do somehow manage to turn it around then it's going to be WBA, Palace or Us, in that order it think. Sunderland have only won 3 games in the last 10, their last victory coming on the 1st of Feb. We NEED to beat WBA next week at home and I think we will do it, then I will be 99% sure we wil be ok. It would be great to beat Fulham away but they had 23 shots today with 8 on target against a very good Everton side. I fear the worse for us going there. It's a little bit like Wigan last season, everyone was scared about their games in hand and the fact they are wigan and had escaped so many times before. Sunderland are not wigan and will have to pull a rabbit out the hat to stay up. They still have to play: Spurs (a) Everton (h) Man City (a) Chelsea (a) Man U (a) I think they will lose all of these or maybe scrape a draw against Everton. The ones I think they can win or draw. West Brom (h) Cardiff (h) Swansea (h) Even if they beat the swans , WBA and Cardiff it would only put them on 34 points. I just can't see it for a team that has only won 3 times in 10 prem games and not won in almost 2 months. It would have to be mercurial. Just gotta hope west ham can hold them to a draw or inflict a loss tomorrow. It will be close though. I think we will finish 16th with west Brom 17th and Sunderland going down.
