one more win

[LoveCurryPies]

I think we will get 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. 41 points.

[spt_claret]

I found these stats they showed on MNF last night quite interesting. Obviously 4 games is a small sample size but still. The > 2x the amount of 10+ pass sequences per game is quite telling.

It's a small sample yeah, I think Spurs and Villa away will tell us a lot more but there's definitely an improvement. But then we had similar performances with Cork and Pieters in in February, I'd pretty much written Cork off after Leeds but we did so much better in that short spell of games with him and Erik. Though Taylor has been very good recently too.

Like I say Dyche would not have got more points, even if we um and ah over the penalty miss denying us a perfect 12. At the start of the season I would have had all those results as very possible except maybe drawing Vs West Ham but I didn't feel confident about them by the middle of April. I don't know if we're overperforming so much as evening out after a few isolated underperformances (Leeds) or costly moments (Brentford, Norwich, 5 mins Vs Brighton), but it is starting to seem now with the benefit of hindsight that something had gone wrong with Dyche's camp meaning we weren't overperforming like we used to enough against mid table or upper teams, and had started to underperform against smaller teams. I'd been thinking it was just a case of players declining, I'm far less sure now.

[Rileybobs]

No way will one more win be enough. That relies on Leeds losing at least 3 out of 4 and I feel that's unlikely. Plus Villa are a good side who have lost their way a bit recently, probably due to having to neither look up nor seriously look down, but they are definitely dangerous. Our players have played out of their skin for 4 straight games now and with our thin and ageing squad you've got to worry it will be a bridge too far at some point. Finally getting full weeks off between games has got to be helping us right now i feel. I just desperately hope we can get 3 points on Saturday and then if there really has to be a game we don't really show up it's the Spurs match, leaving us 2 to get over the line.

Not quite true. Leeds could draw three and lose one of their remaining games and we would stay up with one more win.

[Dark Cloud]

Not quite true. Leeds could draw three and lose one of their remaining games and we would stay up with one more win.

Yes definitely true and it's yet another permutation of how and where sides will accumulate points in the coming weeks. My biggest fear right now is that not long ago we were all shouting very loudly about how Everton in particular had an awfully tough run in, especially compared to ours. Lately they've beaten Utd and Chelsea which has kind of made a mockery of their tough fixtures. Looking now at the games to come for all 3 of Leeds, Everton and us you'd have to say there's nothing to choose between them. All winnable or certainly "drawable" on their day and so much depends on whether the opposition fancy it or not. Everton have definitely been lucky in that respect as both Utd and Chelsea really weren't at it, but then again we got lucky with both Saints and Wolves not at their best. I believe it's so much about how Villa turn up and play against us which will determine what happens.

[KateR]

I have Burnley on 39, Everton on 38 and Leeds on 36, with Leeds run in I'm thinking two draws out of they're 4 games and one of them is Chelsea, so 36 points would be enough to stay up.

Yet I am sure there will be a couple of shock results that can easily throw that out of the window.

[Dark Cloud]

PS I wasn't in favour of sacking SD at the time (far from it!) but I can't help feeling that if he's was still in charge he'd STILL be picking Westwood ahead of Cork!!

[Dark Cloud]

I think we will get 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. 41 points.

Crikey! I'll but your drinks all night if that happens! (In the Spoons of course! )

[Zlatan]

PS I wasn't in favour of sacking SD at the time (far from it!) but I can't help feeling that if he's was still in charge he'd STILL be picking Westwood ahead of Cork!!

even with a broken leg...?

[Dark Cloud]

even with a broken leg...?

Exactly my point Zlatan!!!

[summitclaret]

Please leave Westy alone. He was doing what he was told to do. He is our best passer, easily.

[Zlatan]

Please leave Westy alone. He was doing what he was told to do. He is our best passer, easily.

certainly not having a dig at Westy... one of my favourite players and its a shame he got injured. I do feel that his injury galvanised the resolve of the squad though, which is a clear benefit.

[Dark Cloud]

Please leave Westy alone. He was doing what he was told to do. He is our best passer, easily.

And I wasn't having a go at Westy either.

[LoveCurryPies]

Crikey! I'll but your drinks all night if that happens! (In the Spoons of course! )

Start saving.

[Elizabeth]

that's all we need. then we are safe

I think many people let the euphoria of the Watford game get to them and will express a similar emotion if we beat Villa on Saturday.
Something has to give at some stage and we have to believe our lads will prove more determined than one of Everton or Leeds

[ecc]

I tried my best not to dream after Watford but I must admit the Everton win hit me hard.

It does really seem we have the togetherness required.

Another major positive IMO is the number of different players scoring recently. Unless I'm mistaken, we've had eight different scorers in the last six matches:

Rodriguez (Everton)
Cornet (Everton)
Collins (Everton and Southampton)
Weghorst (West Ham)
Roberts (Southampton)
Vydra (Wolves)
Brownhill (Watford)
Cork (Watford)