Even though we all know we are safe I felt I had to include us as we are level with Saints.
Many twists to come in this extraordinary season.

Southampton have Spurs away to come.

It was scheduled for next week but presume that has been moved to a yet announced date due to FA Cup.

Looking at those fixtures , ain't looking good for the geordies .

expoultryboy wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:31 pm

Looking at those fixtures , ain't looking good for the geordies .

However, they are likely to have a few players back - Almiron, Saint-Maximan and Callum Wilson.

All match winners on their day.

Next Fri - Fulham v Leeds
Next Sat - Brighton v Newcastle

Squeaky bum time for all

Or Fulham.

Looking at fixtures and form it will be a 3 legged race between Fulham, Newcastle and Southampton.

claretburns wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:16 pm

Southampton have Spurs away to come.

It was scheduled for next week but presume that has been moved to a yet announced date due to FA Cup.

Cheers. I’ll make it tbc.

I think it will be Fulham who drop.

Top Claret wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:38 pm

Looking at fixtures and form it will be a 3 legged race between Fulham, Newcastle and Southampton.

Take another look at Brighton's fixtures. Southampton are 33 the same as us, and almost safe.

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 3:35 pm

However, they are likely to have a few players back - Almiron, Saint-Maximan and Callum Wilson.

All match winners on their day.

That’s fine if they all come back firing. Some players take a few games to get up to speed.

I know there’s no easy fixture at this level, but that Newcastle run-in, yikes

last day should be interesting fulham v newcastle

last day should be interesting fulham v newcastle

bfcjg wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 4:01 pm

I think it will be Fulham who drop.

If they lose to Leeds I suspect that will be the case. Newcastle under Bruce seem to know how to grind out results, whereas Fulham give the impression they only know how to play one way.

It was telling the way they conceded against us. Instead of trying to protect the lead for a few minutes their defence had completely disappeared.

This year The Saints have won two drawn one and lost the rest. There are a few seasons where a team ostensibly safe go on a shocking run and get sucked into a relegation battle. Could be them this season.Hope their form doesn't start to pick up when we play them.

We're definitely not out of it and very time we produce a brilliant result like yesterday a number of the others produce something too. (Like Fulham getting the win at Anfield last week) which keeps the pressure up and keeps us looking over our shoulder. Every team there has (on paper) some easier fixtures and (on paper) some real toughies, including us, but as we know there really isn't any such thing, especially this season with teams quite capable of ripping up the form book and getting totally unexpected results. Fulham have come to at a good time for them, but I still think they're the most likely to drop. We have to make sure we keep doing what we've been doing for several weeks now and make it count in the games that ultimately will really matter to us. Saints away, Fulham away and Newcastle home as they will determine our future. (Hopefully Sheff U away will be irrelevant!) I really enjoyed yesterday, but now the dust has settled it's clear the finishing line is still some way off!

After our last 3 performances what a dreadful time to have 3 weeks off.
Ings will likely be back for our game and you know he’ll score, so we need two.

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 4:31 pm

but now the dust has settled it's clear the finishing line is still some way off!

How many points do you think we need?

Spijed wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 4:55 pm

How many points do you think we need?

It's like gazing into a crystal ball as nobody really knows the answer and looking at it historically really doesn't mean things will happen in the same way. The traditional target of 40 will mean certain survival I'd say (especially if we get a decent number of those points from our games with Saints, Newcastle and Fulham) but I'd like to think 38 will be sufficient. If we'd beaten Fulham and WBA at home as expected we'd be dipping for the finishing tape by now!

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:22 pm

It's like gazing into a crystal ball as nobody really knows the answer and looking at it historically really doesn't mean things will happen in the same way. The traditional target of 40 will mean certain survival I'd say (especially if we get a decent number of those points from our games with Saints, Newcastle and Fulham) but I'd like to think 38 will be sufficient. If we'd beaten Fulham and WBA at home as expected we'd be dipping for the finishing tape by now!

Realistically we’re no longer in a the relegation fight. Time to start looking up the table.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:25 pm

Realistically we’re no longer in a the relegation fight. Time to start looking up the table.

I disagree. A GLANCE at the table is deceptive, but a longer look shows we're still not safe by any means. We need to stay free of injuries to key players and produce the level of performances we have for the past 3 games and I definitely agree we'll be fine, but as I said above, the finishing line is still some way off and we'll need to make sure we don't chuck in stinkers like we did against WBA in the games against those around us. I'd still sooner be us than anyone else down there, but that doesn't mean I'm sleeping properly (Yet!!)

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:22 pm

If we'd beaten Fulham and WBA at home as expected we'd be dipping for the finishing tape by now!

If we’d played Fulham when we should have and had a weeks rest before the Baggies we’d have won them both. Fulham’s covid issues screwing us twice.

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:34 pm

I disagree. A GLANCE at the table is deceptive, but a longer look shows we're still not safe by any means. We need to stay free of injuries to key players and produce the level of performances we have for the past 3 games and I definitely agree we'll be fine, but as I said above, the finishing line is still some way off and we'll need to make sure we don't chuck in stinkers like we did against WBA in the games against those around us. I'd still sooner be us than anyone else down there, but that doesn't mean I'm sleeping properly (Yet!!)

I didn’t say that we’re safe now, just like Man City were not safe after 5 games. The chance of us not picking up enough points in the next 9 games to avoid the drop is minimal, hence my claim that realistically we are not in a relegation battle. The bookies have us at a best price of 16/1 to be relegated which suggests I’m right.

For context, we’re closer to 10th position than 18th and have a very reasonable run in.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:40 pm

I didn’t say that we’re safe now, just like Man City were not safe after 5 games. The chance of us not picking up enough points in the next 9 games to avoid the drop is minimal, hence my claim that realistically we are not in a relegation battle. The bookies have us at a best price of 16/1 to be relegated which suggests I’m right.

For context, we’re closer to 10th position than 18th and have a very reasonable run in.

You said realistically we aren’t in a relegation battle but that’s not strictly true because we aren’t mathematically safe, we are unlikely to go down which reflects the bookies odds but we are still looking over our shoulders & still involved in a relegation battle on the fringes, are you boldly suggesting we will stop caring if Brighton & Fulham start collecting points.

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:54 pm

You said realistically we aren’t in a relegation battle but that’s not strictly true because we aren’t mathematically safe, we are unlikely to go down which reflects the bookies odds but we are still looking over our shoulders & still involved in a relegation battle on the fringes, are you boldly suggesting we will stop caring if Brighton & Fulham start collecting points.

Unlikely = not realistically.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:56 pm

Unlikely = not realistically.

Well if you say that from the outset without suddenly changing tact when challenged wouldn’t be any confusion

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:58 pm

Well if you say that from the outset without suddenly changing tact when challenged wouldn’t be any confusion

’Realistically we’re no longer in a the relegation fight.’

...what I said at the outset.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:00 pm

’Realistically we’re no longer in a the relegation fight.’

...what I said at the outset.

Realistically we could still be relegated albeit unlikely, for me there a distinct difference between the 2 definitions.

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:02 pm

Realistically we could still be relegated albeit unlikely, for me there a distinct difference between the 2 definitions.

To be honest Jakub, you having a contrary view to mine only serves to make me more certain that I’m right.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:05 pm

To be honest Jakub, you having a contrary view to mine only serves to make me more certain that I’m right.

When are you ever wrong? I give up you are right as always, goodnight

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:06 pm

When are you ever wrong? I give up you are right as always, goodnight

Finally you post something that I agree with.

Still on a knife-edge

14 Brighton 10 pts - 39 pts
15 Southampton 6 pts - 39 pts
16 Burnley 5 pts - 38 pts
17 Fulham 11 pts - 37 pts
18 Newcastle 9 pts - 37 pts

Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:09 pm

Still on a knife-edge

14 Brighton 10 pts - 39 pts
15 Southampton 6 pts - 39 pts
16 Burnley 5 pts - 38 pts
17 Fulham 11 pts - 37 pts
18 Newcastle 9 pts - 37 pts

Seems pretty pessimistic. We've just got five points from Leicester, Arsenal and Everton. Seems pretty likely (but not a certainty) the next nine games will bring more than just five more.

I bet you'd also get good odds on us getting the fewest points between now and the end of the season out of those five teams.

We are not going down. We’ve got points in the bag and there is nothing in our run of form to suggest we won’t comfortably pass the 40 point mark. We have a good defence, a brilliant keeper, 4 serviceable strikers, a wonderful young midfielder and great team spirit. I am looking forward to that run in.

One game at a time. But first of all, let's savour the result against Everton. If Burnley play anywhere near the level & standard of football they played against Everton, I have confidence that they will pick up a few more points before the end of the season. Hopefully Dyche will give the team a good break over the next three weeks which gives our remaining injured players some time to get back to fitness and also refreshes the squad.

It's absolutely nailed on Sheff Utd will beat us in the final game.

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:01 pm

It's absolutely nailed on Sheff Utd will beat us in the final game.

They might but who cares we'll already be on the beach by then.

After this weekend.

We should be home and dry with at least four games left.

I think the defeats this weekend mean it would take a blow out of epic proportions for us to be caught by Fulham, I think we can now look fairly comfortably down with dispassionate interest and look up for the extra money we get for our final position.

We should avoid the temptation to look at those fixtures and see wins for our rivals everywhere. Crunch matches tend to end in draws, and matches against big teams tend to end in defeat at this stage. So I still feel as I did a week or two ago that 33 may well be enough, and 36 certainly will be. I suspect Newcastle will drop on about 32 points.

Newcastle could easily lose every game until the last two. Win them both and stay up on 34pts.

It's heading for a Final day Fulham-Newcastle shoot out, it's tough to see anyone else being dragged in now, not impossible but unlikely.

All very interesting, and I see us getting 11 from what’s remaining. Some will see more, some less.

I personally believe both us and saints are out of it.

It would take a catastrophe for us to be anywhere near relegation. Not absolutely mathematically impossible I’ll grant you, but a catastrophic downturn in form and performances that I don’t believe we are capable of.

If we lose out next two games then we're right back in it
even more so if Fulham manage to pick up some points in their next two.
Especially with Man U, Wolves and West Ham to follow.

Is that likely to happen?
Wouldn't wish to bet big money on it.

But then if we did lose our next two we're just as likely to get something
at Old Trafford or against Wolves and West Ham.

it's been that sort of season.

things not looking good for the geordies with that run in.

We'll pick points up in the Southampton and Newcastle games, can peeps have some confidence in the manager and the squad for once.

And without even kicking a ball this weekend we've taken a large step to safety due to Fulham and Newcastle both losing.

Yes in theory we can still be sucked into trouble, but it won't happen.

Worst case scenario we'll pick up 6/7 points from the 27 available, and there's no way Fulham and Newcastle will match 39/40 come the end of the season, let alone beat it, and for those who still fear the worst remember they meet on the final day, so they can't both claim 3 points should they need to.

For me, it’s either Fulham or Brighton who’ll drop.

EricaJacko wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 14, 2021 4:03 pm

Take another look at Brighton's fixtures. Southampton are 33 the same as us, and almost safe.

But unlike us Southampton are in dire form. Haven’t looked but are they currently bottom of the form table? Currently doesn’t appear to be a worse team in the PL. Brighton will be fine I think, it’s just that some on here have this great desire for them to go down. The bottom three are going I think, definitely the bottom two.