Who is for the Drop?

First topic message reminder :

I've probably just given Blackburn the kiss of death by suggesting on their thread that they'll avoid the drop.

My teams for the drop are the three new boys. I think inexperience will ultimately count against them. QPR's recent poor results are not far off becoming a freefall. Despite very respectable starts, I don't see Norwich or Swansea scoring enough and believe their commendable work rates may lead to them both running out of gas around Easter.

All carefully worked out and most likely entirely wrong. What do others think?

#ALBION

Think Wigan, Wolves, QPR.

I reckon Bolton will just stay up.

I think those three as well. Wolves look terrible, Wigan lack goals and QPR have tried to buy a whole new side and get them gelled within 6 months. Doesn't work.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote: Non playing Wolves will probably regard today's results as OK providing they take a least a point off Fulham tomorrow. But if they lose they are likely to sink below Blackburn on goal difference and will see it as a poor weekend.

Wolves losing 4 - 0 so it looks like a very poor weekend for them....

Wolves lost 5-0 to Fulham.

Given that QPR have a horrendous fixture list (playing the top teams), I would say that any of the bottom five could go down. QPR, Blackburn, Bolton, Wolves, Wigan. Maybe it would be best if they all get relegated.

Nore Staat wrote: I would say that any of the bottom five could go down. QPR, Blackburn, Bolton, Wolves, Wigan. Maybe it would be best if they all get relegated.

The bottom of the table has a very odd look to it with an eight point gap between QPR and Aston Villa. Fair chance that a record will be set by a team getting the lowest number of premiership points whilst staying up.

I hope Wigan, Blackburn and Bolton are put out of there misery and go down. There attendences are just dire, can't even sell out against the Top teams.

I think whoever stays up is going to stay up because of other teams being worse, rather than them being better.

This Weekend's matches are going to be very interesting for the bottom five teams:

Bolton v QPR (sat)
Wolves v Blackburn (sat)
Norwich v Wigan (sun)

I think Wigan could draw with Norwich, but they are more likely to lose. The other matches look like draws to me.

I'm hoping for a Bolton vs QPR draw, Wolves win and Wigan loss.

Lucky rabbit's foot, horseshoe, four leaf clover etc gathered, and all cracks in pavements to be avoided for the remainder of the week!

Crimey wrote:I think whoever stays up is going to stay up because of other teams being worse, rather than them being better.

agree

Of the current bottom five, the only team i would like to see stay up is Wigan.

And thats entirely because I like Martinez.

I don't see them managing it this year though.

Nore Staat wrote:This Weekend's matches are going to be very interesting for the bottom five teams:

Bolton v QPR (sat)
Wolves v Blackburn (sat)
Norwich v Wigan (sun)

I think Wigan could draw with Norwich, but they are more likely to lose. The other matches look like draws to me.

Nore Staat - thanks for flagging these games. Very interesting as you say.

Home or away, all these teams should be looking for 3 points. Wonder who will be disappointed ....

I hate that we're playing Wigan this weekend, after them coming off a horrible result at home, coming to us they'll wanna make a statement and turn us over. I'm officially bricking it but I still think we'll win 3-1

I wouldn't be too worried, Olly.

Most of Wigan's away games are now after 'a horrible result at home'.

Wigan are looking more and more like a busted flush.

guildfordbat wrote:I wouldn't be too worried, Olly.

Most of Wigan's away games are now after 'a horrible result at home'.

Wigan are looking more and more like a busted flush.

I am always worried before games!!!
I just think they'll have a chip on their shoulder following Dave Whelan's public criticism

A lot to be said for getting relegated to the Championship. You go into the weekend thinking there's a reasonable chance of taking thee points...

Here are the remaining fixtures for the Race to the Bottom

20: Wigan		19: Bolton		18: Wolves		17: Blackburn		16: QPR
P27 GD-29 PTS20		P27 GD-27 PTS20		P27 GD-26 PTS22		P27 GD-22 PTS22		P27 GD-18 PTS22
Norwich (a)		QPR (h)		Blackburn (h)		Wolves (a)		Bolton (a)
West Brom (h)		Aston Villa (a)		Man Utd (h)		Sunderland (h)		Liverpool (h)
Liverpool (a)		Blackburn (h)		Norwich (a)		Bolton (a)		Sunderland (a)
Stoke (h)		Wolves (a)		Bolton (a)		Man Utd (h)		Arsenal (h)
Chelsea (a)		Fulham (h)		Stoke (a)		West Brom (a)		Man Utd (a)
Man Utd (h)		Newcastle (a)		Arsenal (h)		Liverpool (h)		Swansea (h)
Arsenal (a)		Tottenham (h)		Sunderland (a)		Swansea (a)		West Brom (a)
Fulham (a)		Swansea (h)		Man City (h)		Norwich (h)		Tottenham (h)
Newcastle (h)		Sunderland (a)		Swansea (a)		Tottenham (a)		Chelsea (a)
Blackburn (a)		West Brom (h)		Everton (h)		Wigan (h)		Stoke (h)
Wolves (h)		Stoke (a)		Wigan (a)		Chelsea (a)		Man City (a)

ps It's funny how things have turned around for Sunderland - they were an easy fixture under Steve Bruce, but now they are a very difficult fixture under Martin O'Neill. QPR have the hardest run-in, with Bolton the easiest.

Thanks - Nore Staat. Weird how two teams with 20 points after 27 games have both got a very reasonable chance of avoiding relegation. But only of course if they turn up to their matches....

Difficult to say who would be hardest hit by a loss this weekend. Possibly Wolves..

I am now learning towards Bolton and QPR to avoid the drop. I think Bolton's easier run in plus Owen Coyles management skills will see them through - once the players can find some confidence. I think Mark Hughes is a very good manager, and if QPR can keep eleven players on the field then I think they should generally be a good match for most teams. They also have new owners who seem to have spent plenty on players. However QPR have the most difficult of run-ins, but ... the other teams around and below them are poor.

So I am leaning towards Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn being relegated.

This week I think QPR need at least a draw. Bolton must be expecting at least a draw. I think all the others need at least a draw. A loss, especially a home loss, will add to the teams low confidence levels. I agree it will be important for Wolves to get at least a draw - with a change of management (a novice) and a previous loss to Fulham 5-0, if they lose to Blackburn at home, their confidence in the new manager will drop further.

Nore Staat - Yes, many thanks from me also.

I see Wigan are at home to Wolves on the last day of the season. Will that be significant or will it be all over by then?

A header from QPR's Clint Hill crosses the line but is clawed back and a goal NOT given.

Bound to prompt more calls for goal line technology. I'm sure Hughes will be suitably calm and understanding ....

Hahaha I hate QPR. Come on Bolton!!!!

Olly - even better for you now as Pratley heads Bolton ahead ....

Calm down, Olly! Minutes after the restart, Cisse equalizes - clearly offside but the goal is given!

Bolton take the lead in the 87th minute

Late goal from Klasnic gives Bolton a 2-1 win and three vital points!

Wonder whether Neil Warnock is enjoying the "revival" at QPR since he was given the boot.

Well given the money they have spent if QPR go down they will be in serious trouble. Think of all the wages they must be paying to Cisse, Zamora, Barton etc. They can't sustain them in the Championship,so a big offload would be needed.

Corporal - so as to ensure I recognise you at Guildford this summer, can I suggest you sport a Cisse haircut.

guildfordbat wrote:Corporal - so as to ensure I recognise you at Guildford this summer, can I suggest you sport a Cisse haircut.

Not sure that Chichester would be willing to sit anywhere near me if that happens...

Owen Coyle is clearly a man with a deep insight into the game of football, judging by his quote after the game today: "I said prior to the game that it was going to be two teams going all-out to win, and so it proved".

0 - 2 Shocking performance by Wolves. Looking better for Blackburn.

No doubt the win will not stop the bile being heaved in Steve Kean's direction....

We look a relegated side on the basis of the last four games. There is absolutely no belief in those players, no matter what TC says about "morale being high". Everyone at the club does seem to be pulling the same way though...following the strong current that is pulling us down to the championship.

It's reaching the point now that I dread 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. Our ever more hopeless performances are torture and unless something miraculous happens, I don't see anything changing.

One bright spot from today...the performance of David Davis. Made his premier league debut today at 21, and looked every inch the real deal. He was the only one out there other than Matt Jarvis and Richard Stearman that really wanted it today. He's going to be a star for us in the championship.

Pack - I'm sorry for you, old pal, but not Morgan. As per earlier posts, he's brought so much on himself and, unfortunately, you and your team too.

Btw, it's hard to see 'morale being high' when your club captain turns up unfit to train in the way he did.

westisbest wrote:Not looking to good for us indeed guildfort.

.... We have a promising youngster in Andreas Weimann. now is the time to play him ....

Westy - excellent call by you around ten days ago on Weimann.

Good reaction to get to the ball and determination to force it over the line in the final minute yesterday for 3 vital points.

Not your finest season by a long way but I reckon Villa are safe now. You have points in the bank and the bottom five all seem a lot worse.

update to the Race for the Bottom

20: Wigan		19: Wolves		18: QPR		17: Bolton		16: Blackburn		15: A Villa
P28 GD-29 PTS21		P28 GD-28 PTS22		P28 GD-19 PTS22		P28 GD-26 PTS23		P28 GD-20 PTS25		P28 GD-4 PTS33
West Brom (h)		Man Utd (h)		Liverpool (h)		Aston Villa (a)		Sunderland (h)
Liverpool (a)		Norwich (a)		Sunderland (a)		Blackburn (h)		Bolton (a)
Stoke (h)		Bolton (a)		Arsenal (h)		Wolves (a)		Man Utd (h)
Chelsea (a)		Stoke (a)		Man Utd (a)		Fulham (h)		West Brom (a)
Man Utd (h)		Arsenal (h)		Swansea (h)		Newcastle (a)		Liverpool (h)
Arsenal (a)		Sunderland (a)		West Brom (a)		Tottenham (h)		Swansea (a)
Fulham (a)		Man City (h)		Tottenham (h)		Swansea (h)		Norwich (h)
Newcastle (h)		Swansea (a)		Chelsea (a)		Sunderland (a)		Tottenham (a)
Blackburn (a)		Everton (h)		Stoke (h)		West Brom (h)		Wigan (h)
Wolves (h)		Wigan (a)		Man City (a)		Stoke (a)		Chelsea (a)

Apart from Bolton, the bottom five are all playing at home next. However the teams playing at home are up against top teams or teams that are on a good run of form. I think the best they can hope for is a draw, apart from Wolves who need to avoid a hammering (at the hands of Man Utd).

I think Wigan must win their home tie against West Brom to have any chance of avoiding relegation. After West Brom they have three away matches to Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and two home ties against Stoke and Man Utd. It is likely that after those matches their confidence levels will be in the negative territory.

QPR and Wolves look doomed, QPR because of their horrible run in and Wolves just look awfully poor.
I still think we (Latics) will stay up, as we've been comically poor most of the season yet we aren't adrift, heck we've not won at home since August, our top scorer has 4 goals to his name and 3 of those were deflections and most importantly, we've got great form for surviving against the odds at the last minute, so the other club will either be Bolton or Blackburn

Nore Staat wrote:I think Wigan must win their home tie against West Brom to have any chance of avoiding relegation. After West Brom they have three away matches to Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and two home ties against Stoke and Man Utd. It is likely that after those matches their confidence levels will be in the negative territory.

Nore Staat - hard to disagree with any of that. However, if Wigan do win today they'll be out of the bottom three ....

Told you Wigan need someone who can put it in the back of the net

Result simply not good enough for Wigan.

So Wigan drew what most saw as a "must win" game for them. On the balance of play and chances created they should have won, with Roy Hodgson recognising that Wigan seemed the more likely to win, and Martinez saying Wigan "deserved to win".

From the reports it seems clear that Wigan had many chances to score (with only one scrambled goal actually being taken), but were wasteful, firing all over the place in front of the goal, hitting their own players, the corner flag, pigeons flying high over the stadium, spectators in the top tier of the stadium, everywhere except the empty net. Basically they seem to panic in front of goal, shooting wildly, not taking their time, rushing their shots, not being composed, filled with fear rather than boldness and confidence.

I think I have to blame their manager in not being able to calm them down in front of goal. Their failure to win here was due to their lack of confidence and composure in the final third of the pitch.

Wigan's next six fixtures are horrific.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Fulham away with Man Utd and Stoke at home.
I can only see them getting points at home to Stoke maybe!

We have Wolves next week

I'd expect Wolves to play a lot better against Norwich than they do United, a game they should be looking to pick up points in.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:I'd expect Wolves to play a lot better against Norwich than they do United, a game they should be looking to pick up points in.

What you got against Norwich Ghosty?

Nothing but they aren't exactly United are they?

Wolves do only have 10 men so of course they'll play better!

We gave United a good run for there money twice this season!

That may be true but what United do against a team down to ten men is no indication of how a bottom half of the table team will do.