So will we stay up or not

[Newcastleclaret93]

Crikey, you have a real downer on the manager and players don't you. The latest that our current team wouldn't be good enough to get our of the championship despite it being good enough to routinely stay in the premier league. Mind you, you described them all as donkeys earlier.

I think the manager is great. I just think the squad we have built with the lack of funds we have is really poor.

I think they would struggle in the championship purely down to the fact that our squad would probably still be one of the smallest in league.

Most Burnley fans were telling me the other day that the reason we lost against Bournemouth is because our squad isn’t big enough to play twice a week. With that logic we would struggle.

[Dy1geo]

Yes I said all along that this year we will finish 16 or 17

It is concerning that we are not scoring goals but we will get enough important ones by the end of the season. If we beat Fulham that on top of another win and draw will for this season be enough.

As for next season unless money is invested given we are likely to lose one if not two of Pope or Tarks it will be a high probability

[Jakubclaret]

It hardly matters.
Without huge investment in the squad our days are numbered so if it's not this season then, without major cash input, it will be next season.

That’s somewhere not far off how I see it, it’s slowly catching up with us & becoming more difficult as we aren’t strengthening sufficiently in keeping with the league as it’s progressing, it’s a question of when & not if, assuming no allowances for no significant investment.

[claptrappers_union]

The squad will need a complete overhaul in the coming two years. We have many players in there 30s who need to get off the books and get some money in for

Then there’s the likes of Pope, Tarkowski and McNeil who we most likely need to sell to fund new signings.

So in season 2022/23 - it’s going to look a lot different - something that worries me because the team has always naturally evolved

[Taffy on the wing]

"exciting times"...........Didn't last long on here!

[warksclaret]

Got to say I’m seriously worried this season. The Blades and the Baggies are gone in my view. Fulham, Newcastle, and Brighton are all playing better football than us, we are abject at the moment. They have all been creating chances, but yes they haven’t been taking them, especially Brighton. We haven’t been creating anything of note. Yes we have injury issues, but those that think that our problems will be simply solved when those out come back are deluded.

Fulham worry me-they have become hard to beat since the New Year, and won away at Everton convincingly and drew at Spurs recently, Brighton and Newcastle have been on a bad run but creating lot more chances than us of late. We are on a tight rope and as mentioned yesterday we have failed to score in 19 games. Performances against Bournemouth, WBA and Spurs dont exactly fill me with confidence

[KRBFC]

Right again. And what we evidently deserve from our alleged failure to try to improve is 5 straight seasons in the Premier League.

I predict we’ll make that 6, not strengthen to your (and many others’) liking in the summer, then go on to stay up yet again next season.

In fact, I’m so confident that I’d be challenging you to a bet on it, if I thought there was the slightest chance that you wouldn’t welch out on it when you lost.

Stand still and you deserve everything that comes your way, I don't know why you're weirdly offering a bet when I said on the post you quoted ''I think we'll scrape survival''. Not sure why I even responded to someone as petty as you tbh

[Silkyskills1]

The squad will need a complete overhaul in the coming two years. We have many players in there 30s who need to get off the books and get some money in for

Then there’s the likes of Pope, Tarkowski and McNeil who we most likely need to sell to fund new signings.

So in season 2022/23 - it’s going to look a lot different - something that worries me because the team has always naturally evolved

How much money do you expect us to receive for our 'players in their 30's'?
You mention season 2022/23 ; What about 2021/22 if the mass exodus of players actually happens?

[Spijed]

Fulham worry me-they have become hard to beat since the New Year, and won away at Everton convincingly and drew at Spurs recently, Brighton and Newcastle have been on a bad run but creating lot more chances than us of late. We are on a tight rope and as mentioned yesterday we have failed to score in 19 games. Performances against Bournemouth, WBA and Spurs dont exactly fill me with confidence

Since the new year both teams have played 11 matches and got 12 points.

Interesting quote from RLC ""It's kind of the story of our season," said Loftus-Cheek. "We're playing well and dominating games but can't see it off."

[warksclaret]

Since the new year both teams have played 11 matches and got 12 points.

Interesting quote from RLC ""It's kind of the story of our season," said Loftus-Cheek. "We're playing well and dominating games but can't see it off."

Hearing Wilder speak last night, he seems resigned to the situation. WBA dont have enough goals in them to make up the required goals but good at set pieces and good defensively under Sam. Its Fulham I have slight concerns as its possible with better finishing that they continue to build up points. If we match their points in the next 12 or so games then we have no worries. Both Newcastle and Brighton are hard to read at present-playing well but failing to score

[claretonthecoast1882]

Hearing Wilder speak last night, he seems resigned to the situation. WBA dont have enough goals in them to make up the required goals but good at set pieces and good defensively under Sam. Its Fulham I have slight concerns as its possible with better finishing that they continue to build up points. If we match their points in the next 12 or so games then we have no worries. Both Newcastle and Brighton are hard to read at present-playing well but failing to score

Spurs (h)
Liverpool (a)
Man City (h)
Leeds (h)
Villa (a)
Wolves (h)
Arsenal (a)
Chelsea (a)
Burnley (h)
Southampton (a)
Man Utd (a)
Newcastle (h)

How many points would you expect Fulham to get

[Newcastleclaret93]

Spurs (h)
Liverpool (a)
Man City (h)
Leeds (h)
Villa (a)
Wolves (h)
Arsenal (a)
Chelsea (a)
Burnley (h)
Southampton (a)
Man Utd (a)
Newcastle (h)

How many points would you expect Fulham to get

I would say between 11-14 points on current form

[claretonthecoast1882]

I would say between 11-14 points on current form

Current form ?

They have won twice since the start of December, 2 wins in 16 and they are suddenly going to start running at a point a game or better ?

[Grumps]

Current form ?

They have won twice since the start of December, 2 wins in 16 and they are suddenly going to start running at a point a game or better ?

Exactly.... People started panicking after the Everton result, which to be fair was more down to Everton being really poor on the night.. Even the Sheff utd game should have been a draw had the ref done a proper job in the last minute

The media love Fulham, and good old Scotty... But they are not as good as the BBC, Stephen warnock or pierce would try to make you believe this weekend

[Newcastleclaret93]

Current form ?

They have won twice since the start of December, 2 wins in 16 and they are suddenly going to start running at a point a game or better ?

Current form.

Fulham’s last 6 games have won them 9 points. Based on current form I don’t think it’s out of the question to suggest that they will get between 11-14 points from those fixtures.

[Conroysleftfoot]

Current form.

Fulham’s last 6 games have won them 9 points. Based on current form I don’t think it’s out of the question to suggest that they will get between 11-14 points from those fixtures.

I agree with you about Fulham, they do keep the ball better than us, and I can see them getting close to a point per game in the remaining fixtures.

[warksclaret]

Current form.

Fulham’s last 6 games have won them 9 points. Based on current form I don’t think it’s out of the question to suggest that they will get between 11-14 points from those fixtures.

A point a game is more than do-able. They have Spurs this week. If they get pasted by Spurs I will start to relax. I suspect they will keep the score down though, maybe steal a point

[Spijed]

A point a game is more than do-able. They have Spurs this week. If they get pasted by Spurs I will start to relax. I suspect they will keep the score down though, maybe steal a point

That would take them up to 35 points which is about average for a team in 18th at the end of the season.

As for keeping the score down, I'd expect that as well, just like we easily did when playing Spurs at home earlier in the season.

[KateR]

Second thoughts?

NO, I don't have, I'm still confident we will stay up.

[Newcastleclaret93]

NO, I don't have, I'm still confident we will stay up.

I think your right. We need roughly 9-10 points from next 12 games. Given Leicester’s injuries tomorrow could be a big game in the grand scheme of things.

[KateR]

I think your right. We need roughly 9-10 points from next 12 games. Given Leicester’s injuries tomorrow could be a big game in the grand scheme of things.

it's never going to be about just what we do, of course we have to concentrate on what we can do and pick points up wherever possible, against Leicester would indeed be a good start.

[boatshed bill]

it's never going to be about just what we do, .

Well it should be.
Or are you taking the view that all we have to be is "not as bad as" 3 other clubs, which kind of takes away the whole ethos of the game (in my humble opinion, of course)

[JarrowClaret]

This season is all a bit meh I can’t get fully in to it, I think we will be fine but in all honesty I don’t think it matters if we go down. Whatever happens we need to rebuild at the end of this season unless we see a number of the U23s having what it takes to step up for the first team which may be easier in the championship!

[KateR]

Well it should be.
Or are you taking the view that all we have to be is "not as bad as" 3 other clubs, which kind of takes away the whole ethos of the game (in my humble opinion, of course)

if 5 or 6 teams around us not including the bottom two win every game then we will go down, if the same 5 or 6 teams lose every game then we stay up!

Reality is neither of those will happen, since a few have to play each other for example but I think you're taking what I said a little bit out of context, as I did say in the same sentence:

"of course we have to concentrate on what we can do and pick points up wherever possible,"

[jojomk1]

The remaining games against our nearest rivals are so important but our record so far this season against them is not the best

Our record so far
Home - W 1 D 3 L 1
Away - W 0 D 2 L 1

Of the current bottom seven sides, we have four matches left against any of them but three of these are away

We have Southampton, Fulham and Sheff Utd away and just Newcastle at home

Fulham have Southampton away with Burnley and Newcastle at home

Newcastle have Burnley, Brighton, Fulham and WBA away with Sheff Utd at home

Brighton have Southampton and Sheff Utd away with Newcastle at home

Southampton have Sheff Utd and WBA away with Brighton, Burnley and Fulham at home

The good news is that Fulham and Brighton have only three 6 pointers left

We are less than average in past matches especially away, and we still have to travel for three games

Our final position is in our hands but we have to improve on current results against our nearest rivals

[claretandy]

Like i've said for a while, we need a result at Fulham and to beat Newcastle at home with a few draws chucked in as well.

[CardiffClaret]

Spurs (h)
Liverpool (a)
Man City (h)
Leeds (h)
Villa (a)
Wolves (h)
Arsenal (a)
Chelsea (a)
Burnley (h)
Southampton (a)
Man Utd (a)
Newcastle (h)

How many points would you expect Fulham to get

I certainly feel a little less worried after reading that fixture list for Fulham. That looks like a torrid run of games.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

Classic pessimist when this post comes up each year. I can never see the light at the end of the tunnel so I always say no and I’m always wrong. And again, can’t see where the next win is coming from. So no. Hopefully the pattern continues.

[Tall Paul]

St Maximin and Almiron are both out for at least a month, so Newcastle are going to struggle even more.

[snapcrackleandpop]

How much money do you expect us to receive for our 'players in their 30's'?
You mention season 2022/23 ; What about 2021/22 if the mass exodus of players actually happens?

Apart from Tarks Pope & McNeil who will more than likely all go in the summer to other prem clubs we will not receive anything of note for the rest (including Mee).

[claretandy]

St Maximin and Almiron are both out for at least a month, so Newcastle are going to struggle even more.

It will end up being a straight shoot out between Fulham and Newcastle on the final day, they have Sheff Utd at home the week before.

[ecc]

Fulham have a tough set of games coming up. But so do we and we made an - on paper - home banker as poor a performance as I've seen in some time.

As ever time will tell.