Although we are doing fantastically well, until we cannot be relegated I will not settle. Still not halfway so a long way to go.
We really just need to stay out of any nasty losing streaks, I still think this could happen with injuries to key personnel. One thing which is very different to last year is it didn't really effect the team if we had injuries, this year if we lost Bassong, Holt and Tettey for any amount of sustained time I think we could see a nosedive in performances and points attained.
Evening Carrabuh, yes anything can happen, but January is looming so perhaps some quality cover in a couple of positions would help avoid any injury problem. I suppose aiming for 40 points needs five wins so hopefully we will not stutter to get there. We got away with it last year as from the Leicester cup game we struggled. A good win at Spurs helped with a losing streak. I remember people saying we would be safe from Wigan last year but only really got there with a couple of games to go. We seem more solid, which makes me optimistic, even if we lost a couple of players. Get in another striker Guildlletti and Biglic and happy days!
You'll be more than fine. Let's say 40 pts is the minimum needed, it usually is. So you only need 15 points from 21 games. You have to play us (Royals) and QPR which honestly speaking is probably 6 pts. So that'd leave only 9 points from 19 games!! You're looking far, far more likely to be in the scrap for Europe rather than worrying what's happening at the basement - most impressive start, lads ...
The brain cells have gone into hibernation. Did we take on anybody in the January window last season?
Good point carrabuh and I'd probably add Whittaker to your list, as Rusty worries me at FB though he's good at CB. As long as it's only one of those at a time, we could probably cope, but if we were to lose 2 of them for any length of time than I think we could have a bad run of results and start to head down the league. I'd consider anything more than 6 points between now and the end of Jan a bonus - but the way the team is playing now they could surprise us!!
I agree with that to the extent I would consider Ryan Bennett as cover at RB and Russell Martin primarily Centre half. Russell Martin used to play Centre back a lot at Peterborough I remember, as well as centre midfield at times. I don't think we should play him their, but he is probably more verstatile than we realise.
Yes, I remember him having to fill that position for most of the 2nd half once and he did pretty well too.
Bolton last season he played majority of the game there, one of our rare clean sheets from last season.
Relegation Watch - update. Now the holiday games are over a review of how things have altered at the bottom: 20th QPR . Nil points,from three.Chelski tonight.Will be a major shock if they don't leave ST empty handed. Odds now shortened to 1/4 on for the drop. 19th Reading.Three points against West Ham should have helped.However odds now down to 1/6 on.The bookies have clearly decided that 19th and 20th spots are booked. 18th.Wigan.Despite a shock 0-3 away to Villa The Pie Eaters have slipped back into the bottom three this morning but their odds on survival have improved from 13/8. 2/1 is currently on offer.Booby Brown Shoe reputation as an escapology expert clearly still cutting some ice. 17th Saints. Two good performances against Potters and Gunners have helped odds against the drop drifting from 11/10 out to 11/8. 16th Villa - The big losers here.Three massive defeats and a conceded 94th minute equaliser against the Swans have moved them from 4/1 down to 2/1 15th Newcastle. The Geordies still have a home game against Everton tonight.Newcastle 12/1 against.Not really in the frame IMO. 14th Sunderland.Massive win against Man City have moved them out to 11/1 13th Fulham.Three points at the baggies 20/1 12th Norwich.Nil points from three tough fixtures and one impossible one thanks to Cu*tenburg. 11/1
Another round of the relegation scraps this weekend sees QPRv Spurs for the Saturday lunchtime kickoff.Spurs could play old 'arry with the new 'arry here.Personally I am going for 1-3.The BBC' T**t in residence reckons 1-1 Reading take on The Baggies after beating West Ham in their last home match.Another away win for me 1-2. Lawro says the reverse,well we shall see. Wigan are at Fulham.A bit of cottaging for the Pie Eaters should leave a bad taste in the mouth.I reckon 2-0 to the Berbatov strollers.The prat says a 1-1 draw. Villa v Southampton. The big one at the bottom.Both sides will be desperate not to lose.Lawro say 2-1 to The Villa personally I see this as a draw 1-1. Norwich v Newcastle.Strangely I agree with the Lawro prediction of 1-1.Where I disagree with him is that it is a result that helps neither side.I think it helps both. Sunderland v West Ham The Hammers wont have C**tengurg to help out tomorrow and O'Neill's boys will brush them aside 3-0 for me.Lawro agrees but says 2-1.
ODDS UPDATE Since the opening post the odds on relegation have altered in four weeks: 20th QPR Were 8/11 on,odds have shortened despite the Stamford Bridge result now 4/7 on. 19th Reading have moved out marginally from 2/9 now 1/4. 18th Villa are the big movers were 4/1 against,now down to evens. 17th Wigan have drifted from 13/8 out to 15/8 16th Newcastle shortened from 10/1 in to 6/1 15th Saints have moved out to 15/8 from 13/8 That appears to be it apart from any "freefaller" We are listed at 11/1.So if anyone is worried wager fifty quid and you can have a week in Benidorm to compound the agony.CT tip for an outsider :West Ham they looked awful against Sunderland and without C**tengburg's interference thay would be featuring in the list.
We are defintely not safe yet, there is almost half the season left so I personally think it's ridiculous for anyone to think we're home and dry just yet. Nobody has been left behind so far and it's getting bunched up down there. Far from squeaky bum time, but we definitely need to start picking up some wins sooner rather than later.
