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?

we will be well safe mate at least 5 places above the bottom 3.
we realistically need between 6 and 12 points

I think that Wigan, Wolves and Bolton will go down.
Wigan - They simply don't score enough goals and I can't see any miracle escapes this season.
Wolves - Don't know what has happened to them but they seem to struggle to win games which is obviously a problem.
Bolton - Simply concede too many goals.
If anyone think that Norwich or Swansea will go down they clearly haven't seen any Premier League football that either team has played this season

ollyrules wrote:I think that Wigan, Wolves and Bolton will go down. If anyone think that Norwich or Swansea will go down they clearly haven't seen any Premier League football that either team has played this season

competely agree mate

cricketfan90
Have watched quite alot thankyou. I agree the Swansea and Norwich play really good football. But it will get harder and harder until the end of the season. The mental toughness these teams do not have.

dosent sound like you have nissan to be honest...

they only need a few more wins to be safe IMO, and they will probably be home wins

how much have you watched either team in the last couple of seasons prior to this?
Neither team give up, so I think they have plenty of mental toughness.
Neither Lambert or Rodgers bring in mentally weak players

Tooze - thanks for the update on Jackson. Glad he's well viewed at Norwich, both on and off the pitch.

nissan wrote:cricketfan90
Have watched quite alot thankyou. I agree the Swansea and Norwich play really good football. But it will get harder and harder until the end of the season. The mental toughness these teams do not have.

How can neither of these teams have mental toughness. They probably are two of the best in the league for mental toughness! You don't come through a 46 game Championship season playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday without mental toughness. Swansea clearly has it installed in the club after nearly dropping out of the football league 10 years and Norwich have had back to back promotions. These things don't come if you have players who lose there heads if they go down.

No worries, Guildford

I really can't see Norwich getting relegated. They've got another 16 matches to play and have already got 29 points. Just a couple of wins and a draw or two would seem them to the verge of safety.... And they are showing no signs of running out of steam.....

Wigan, Wolves and the third one is more tricky,but I think QPR.

Ryan - a warm welcome to the best thread on 606 v2 apart from the cricket ones of course.

I originally thought Wigan and Wolves would both have enough experience, 'know how' and fight (particularly Wolves) to scrape clear. They both now seem to be trying hard to prove me wrong ....

Bad results last night for Wolves and Wigan. A point nearer to safety for Swansea although they'll still look on it as 2 points lost.

As for tonight ....

guildford,
"best thread on 606v2 apart from the cricket ones" . . . . and the golf ones, can't believe you forgot that.

kwinigolfer wrote:guildford,
"best thread on 606v2 apart from the cricket ones" . . . . and the golf ones, can't believe you forgot that.

Kwini - some things just don't need to be said.

PS Hope you've seen the david de gea thread.

Indeed guildford, not much to add really. Decent shot-stopper, can flap at crosses and doesn't command the area - no presence at all.

Soft spot here for Wolves but they're drawing games they should win, losing games where they should get a point. Roger Johnson and the Doyle/Hunt duo just haven't got it done. Fear for them now.

Not much on here about Villa's haplessness, but McLeish has taken a decent mid-table team and led them to the down escalator, where you'd think they had the quality to be up to the Newcastle level. If QPR hold their lead tonight, McLeish could be in trouble.

Kwini - on de Gea, I was really referring to my great uncle drinking Guinness at the Dell which I thought might appeal to you (yesterday's post on that thread).

Yes, I've also a soft spot for Wolves. They went up to the old 'proper' Division One with my team Coventry in '67 when we pipped them as Division Two league winners on the last day of that season.

Meanwhile, McLeish is mightily unpopular across most areas of the Midlands ....

Ah ha! Not a million miles removed from Eddie Clamp's halftime Scotch fortifier!
Used to get in at The Dell for a shilling, back in the early days of Terry Paine and John Sydenham . . . . .
Later spent two early 70's years hopscotching from St.Andrews to The Hawthorns to Molyneux when exiled in Edgbaston, but never made it to Highfield Road. A friend of mine tells a story of hiding under your mate Mick Coop's girlfriend's bed when the Cov full-back arrived home unexpectedly . . . . ! Do you remember the immensely talented Brian Lewis of a slightly earlier Coventry generation - his frequent transfers commonly thought to be the result of threats from dismayed husbands . . . . !!

Hah! Wonderful stories and times, Kwini.

I remember both Mick Coop and Brian Lewis well.

Coop was a local lad, from Leamington Spa if memory serves me right. Pretty ordinary full back but not for want of trying. I would have been more sympathetic towards him from the terraces if I'd known about your mate's activities.

Lewis was a decent midfielder with blue eyed, blond hair good looks. I was probably too young at the time to appreciate the reason for his many transfers but now it all makes sense.

I remember Lewis once gave some verbals to Liverpool's Ian Saint John. The Saint immediately responded by knocking him out cold with a right hook and was promptly sent off. In later years, Lewis was a member of the Colchester team that beat Leeds in that famous FA Cup tie.

I was sorry to hear of his death about a dozen years ago (I trust you knew of that). A lot was made of it locally as he was born and first brought up in Woking near to me now.

I've just looked up Lewis' obituary in The Independent - January 1999. Refers to him as 'a lovable scamp on and off the pitch'. Backs up both our memories and thoughts.

gb,
Lewis had two stints at Pompey; left under a domestic cloud both times. Terrific player and, yes, a friend forwarded me news of his demise. Could have been a top class player; came back to Pompey from Colchester but his days were numbered by then.
Ha! Just read that Ivan Ponting obit - he fantasises a lot that boy!, but nicely catches the essence of BL. Nice to see Ray Crawford's name in that Colchester line up - I saw him play at Fratton Park on his wedding day!

Back to topic after the amorous adventures of the late Brian Lewis and - totally unconnected - one of Kwini's pals with the girlfriend of Mick Coop. Anyone asking ''who?'' is obviously lucky enough to be under age fifty!

Anyway, some intriguing fixtures at the basement end today.

QPR v Wolves - a real relegation dogfight for want of a better or worse cliche.

Norwich v Bolton - a win for the Canaries would move them on to 32 points and 12 ahead of the Trotters. Surely Norwich are safe despite (or because of) my early season prediction of doom?

Wigan v Everton - most seem to think the Latics have already bought their ticket to next season's Championship. Defeat today would seem to confirm that.

Arsenal v Blackburn - Steve Keen could find the lynching party starting to regroup if he returns home from London pointless.

West Brom v Swansea - both still have the potential to get sucked in and down.

Thoughts, my friends?

Big chance for QPR to get more space.

Norwich - only need two or three wins to be safe and this could be one of them.

Blackburn - away to Arsenal - they have form in away matches against Man U & Liverpool. Bad setback against Newcastle so they need a point.

Wigan Blackburn Wolves there the 3 teams that are going down this season

Toon Lass wrote:Wigan Blackburn Wolves there the 3 teams that are going down this season

You could well be right, hinny. A couple of weeks ago I thought QPR were pretty certain for the drop but Hughes seems to have give them a new impetus. Still not convinced that Swansea have enough experience nor goals in them. Far from over ....

I've got a funny feeling West Brom will drop this year, Wigan and Blackburn seem likely, a few teams could be the third but I've got a sneaky feeling for the Baggies

guildford, Brilliant spin from Phil Neville. I know he's good cricketer but don't think Americans pick the leg break.

Another 3 points closer to safety for us today

kwinigolfer wrote:guildford, Brilliant spin from Phil Neville. I know he's good cricketer but don't think Americans pick the leg break.

Kwini - they just said on Match of the Day (that's still going since you left home!) that Howard failed to pick Neville's doosra!

ncfc_Tooze wrote:Another 3 points closer to safety for us today

Tooze - yep, you're almost there. I reckon 5 more points will be enough although I'm sure you'll want 8 to get to the magic 40 figure ....

Norwich are as safe as houses, it's all about how high they'll finish now

guildford,
I hope MOTD still uses the Willie Carr / Ernie (his brilliant future is someway behind him now) Hunt show.
An old friend of mine coached in the Swindon youth organization when Bert Head was manager - always said Ernie Hunt was the most talented young player he'd ever seen. And Summerbee, Woodruff, Trolloppe, Rogers, maybe even Rod Thomas all went through his hands also.

(Getting back on topic, great three points for Wolves today - West Brom next week, while Wigan and QPR are busy knocking one another off . . . . . . )

QPR will be gutted by Cisse pointlessly (!) getting himself sent off, which turned the match.

Norwich look safe, barring a catastrophic collapse.

yeah the 8 points would be good, but that 12 point gap is looking nice

Tooze - as a supporter it's natural you're still a bit edgy about your team but as others have said it would take something amazing and catastrophic for Norwich to drop now.

Dreadful result for Blackburn but, in all the circumstances and its context, probably an even worse one for QPR. As the Corporal says, the turning point being Cisse getting himself sent off and showing he has the brains of a rocking horse. Big Mick and Wolves won't be complaining though.

I thought Martinez looked a broken man on Match of the Day. Wigan really needed the 3 points that Neville's doosra seemed to promise them.

The Swans will be delighted with their win at West Brom. The gaffer's prediction about West Brom is starting to look a good call ....

I think mentally it is going to take a huge turn around for Wigan to stay up. They look a beaten side already.
I think Blackburn are going to struggle without Samba and Nelsen, especially if they stop scoring goals.
The other sport for me is between Bolton, QPR and West Brom. I think Wolves have too much quality to go down. West Brom should be OK but there home form needs to pick up sharpish. I think Bolton will go down simply because they are poor away from the Reebok.
Norwich are clearly going to make a huge push and get fourth place!!!!!

guildfordbat wrote: As the Corporal says, the turning point being Cisse getting himself sent off and showing he has the brains of a rocking horse.

His current hair style, too, is somewhat similar to a rocking horse...

Wigan and Blackburn, plus either Wolves or Bolton although I like them both because Coyle is a good manager and Mick is a legend although he probably should be fired sooner than later if Wolves want to stay up.

Blackburn
Wigan
Another
Norwich and Swansea.. next season.

nissan wrote:
Norwich and Swansea.. next season.

Why???

TSC wrote:
.... Mick is a legend although he probably should be fired sooner than later if Wolves want to stay up.

TSC - can't agree with that (the 'firing sooner' bit). Mick is a shrewd and experienced operator who has the respect of his players and most Wolves' supporters. Whilst quite often bringing in a new manager gives a team a lift, I can't see that being the case for Wolves. I think it would just cause confusion and resentment at what would clearly be perceived as a panic move.

Three from Wigan, Wolves, Blackburn and Bolton. QPR have a new and hungry manager, plus what looks to be a good squad - so I can see them improving. I can't see any reason why the other four teams should show an improvement. Bolton seem to be a selling club with debts, Blackburn have internal problems and an issue with their captain Samba, and Wigan keep shipping in the goals.

nissan wrote:Blackburn
Wigan
Another

Norwich and Swansea.. next season.

:facepalm, why?

As a lifelong Wolves fan I have to keep believing that we can stay up. The squad is better than its showing and we've had a conveyor belt of injuries this year... but thats just an excuse!

Mick is one dimensional but what he's good at is keeping us up. If we ever want more than that, then we'll have to look somewhere else.

It was a great 3 points on saturday, vital. I agree that Cisse's red was a turning point, but losing Frimpong for the rest of the season could turn out to be a massive blow for us. He's been a revelation in his few games. Bye bye Frimmy!

Hi Pack - how are you doing, old pal?

I hope you've noticed I'm one of the few on this thread with confidence in Mick's ability to keep the Wolves ship afloat.

Anyway, as to more important matters - hope to see more of you soon on the cricket board. Cheers, Guildford

Hi Guildford! Nice to hear from you! I'm doing fine thanks, just been off the forums for a fair while, getting back into the swing of things now

Yes I noticed your support and it hasn't gone unappreciated! We've got a few leaks in the hull as it were, but I think we've got enough to plug them. The real disappointment seems to be that the vast majority of folk were expecting more from Wolves than a relegation fight this year. We just haven't delivered when you look at the players on our books. Hopefully 2012 will be better results wise.

I'm sure I will make my presence known on the cricket forums in due course, although I'm a little resentful towards the whole shebang right now, having spent the best part of two weeks getting up at 6am specifically to watch England be pounded, or rather spun, into the Dubai dirt!

Wigan, Bolton and Blackburn for me. Just think in Doyle and Fletcher they have the strikers to keep Wolves up.

Dog Eat Dog This Weekend

The bottom six all involved in three games this weekend.

Today - Blackburn v QPR and Bolton v Wigan.

Tomorrow - Wolves v West Brom.

Intriguing and vital stuff.

Meanwhile Swansea play Norwich today. Both no doubt making further nonsense of my pre-season prediction that they would be for the drop!

PS Coming tonight on this thread - guest appearances by Willie Carr and Ernie Hunt ....

guildfordbat wrote:Dog Eat Dog This Weekend

The bottom six all involved in three games this weekend.

Today - Blackburn v QPR and Bolton v Wigan.

Tomorrow - Wolves v West Brom.

Intriguing and vital stuff.

Meanwhile Swansea play Norwich today. Both no doubt making further nonsense of my pre-season prediction that they would be for the drop!

PS Coming tonight on this thread - guest appearances by Willie Carr and Ernie Hunt ....

Big win for Norwich today. We're safe!!!!
Ahh that feels good to say that!
Only 8 points of Champions League!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Massive game tomorrow for Albion. If we get a win, that will give us a very nice gap indeed.

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:18th Wigan
19th QPR
20th Bolton

For a brief moment I've got the right teams, although not necessarily in the right order. But no doubt things will change good few times before end season.

But have just realised that the late QPR goals have pushed Blackburn back into the drop zone - so my mini moment of interim glory only applied for a few minutes....

Norwich almost home and dry now... Great effort from them