So are there 3 worse teams than us this year?

To stay up we need 3 teams to finish worse off than us.
Here are the relegation odds from Coral.
Are there three worse teams than us?

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I think the question is are there three worse managers than our's?

I actually think our team is only 2 players away from being a top 8 team.

 

Palace, Hull and Stoke are the only ones at a push

sad times when Newcastle and Sunderland are behind West Brom etc

 

I reckon West Brom might struggle this season. Palace, us and another for the drop I reckon.

 

I am looking at Norwich to do worse than us this year and I don't particularly wish them to go down at all.

 

Maybe but only just. Certainly the squad as it stands (which is what we have to assume it will be at window closed minus Cabaye), is not a top 10 squad as Joe suggests. 9th-18th is always a bit of a lotto. It would have nice to know we'd more than likely be at the top end of that. I'm not sure we will as the squad stands currently.

 

It is crazy when you look how tight the league is mind. I think if we went and signed two players (say Ince and Rhodes), our squad would look a very different propersition. All of a sudden I'd be fairly confident we'd make the top 10. Just not the owners way though, he'd far rather roll the dice and see what happens. He can always just sack the manager, and say it was all his fault. I don't think this current situation is that unpalatable to him. He ha a ready made scapegoat in Pardew to quickly deflect any criticism regarding the obvious lack of investment. Even now while many are venting their frustration about our inactivity, most of it is aimed at Pardew. Managers always carry the can at football clubs. Not that Pardew is blameless, he was poor last season and hasn't pulled up any trees so far this season. It doesn't half work out ok for Mike though as long as we don;t get relegated.

 

It's all pretty hilarious. Ironic that CL football doesn't really make much of a difference to the top 3. Their earnings are either propped up by sugar daddies or, in the case of Man U, the global brand is so strong it would take years of non-European action to dent their income. Spurs have missed out on the CL year after year, yet again this season have managed to spend the best part of £100m on players. Arsenal, by contrast, keep qualifying and don't spend - relatively - anything. Liverpool have been sporadic in success for the best part of two decades, yet also find enough investment to throw 10's of millions at players.

I just don't think there's any chance now, unless foreign investment comes, for anyone to bridge the gap. But when you consider the holy grail is places 1 - 4, and there's already 6 clubs slogging it out (well, 3 clubs slogging it out for fourth!!!!), why on earth would anyone bother? Our best chance was getting the Dubai money that went to City. From now, our top placement is 7th. So it's funny that the comments about being "happy" with top-8 come up, and that many would agree we're only two players from aspiring to this anyway.

Fine lines, but hypothetically speaking we're only a winger and a striker away from being what even the most optimistic would deem to be acceptable. I mean, if we are sat here on September 3rd in the 3rd round of the League Cup, 4 points in the league and these two players - with or without Cabaye - then are we not meeting expectations?!

I'm one of the contributors to the doom and gloom, but when you look at the facts of the matter...well, it's odd, isn't it? Bipolar might be a good word.

I still want the manager out, mind.

 

yes, there are three worse teams than us, on paper at least

 

Palace and Hull are likely to surprise a few teams this season, I hope one of them isn't us.

These are must win games that could end up keeping us up.

 

I hope so, not been impressed so far.

 

There's loads of teams worse than you lot. Problem is I don't think there's 3 worse managers than Pardew.

 

In terms of player quality, I'd say there's plenty that are. In terms of how we link up as a team and how we win games, I'm not so sure.

 

Not many would argue with that.

 

The bookies reckon there are 3 worse teams than you lot.

They don't get it wrong very often.