Relegation battle 2019/20

[the_box]

We've begun to get the results our performances deserved. Too many good players now out injured, no intention of buying anyone in January. A reserve side loss to Rochdale to go out of the Cup on Saturday is on the cards and I'd fancy a thrashing by Wolves on the 11th after that.

Steve Bruce's 5-2-3 is an affront to all that is good and holy. I doubt he has it in him to course correct now that we've started veering downwards though. If we survive the drop it will be by the skin of our teeth.

 

[MsNuno]

This is wide open now, fair play to Watford moving out of the bottom three, looking grim for Norwich though now. 6 teams running at basically 1 point per game.

 

[SilentWitness]

It’s amazing that there are only 12 points between 5th and 17th at this point. It’s so tight and impossible to judge really this season. Nobody expected Watford or Southampton to go on the runs which they’ve managed to recently and they’ve clawed themselves from the depths.

Hopefully we left our bad streak at the start of the season and keep up the positive run we have been on as I’m still nervous.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Hopefully Burnely and West Ham go down.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Villa is playing better recently too. I think Burnley and Bournemouth will go down right now. Although I think all sides from Newcastle and down could go down.
Southampton and Everton should be pretty safe now.

 

[charlenefan]

Usually a side that think they're out of it get sucked back in which is why I'm still not ruling out Southampton, that being said things are looking really grim for both Burnley and Bournemouth at the moment

 

[Josep Dowling]

Bournemouth and Burnley are strange ones because I doubt they will sack their manager. Bournemouth especially look like its gone massively stale there and I think if they went down they would struggle to go back up, and even worse they will a lot of players in big money they simply won’t be able to pay. Could get nasty for them if they get relegated.

I can’t stand Burnley for some reason so I’ll happily see them get relegated.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Usually a side that think they're out of it get sucked back in which is why I'm still not ruling out Southampton, that being said things are looking really grim for both Burnley and Bournemouth at the moment

True that. Although Southampton has started defending better and got Ings in top form. Everton might not be fully safe yet. Not the best squad and I am not sure Anchelotti is the man to save you from relegation. Although at the moment they feel like a side that can challenge for top 7 and europe.

 

[charlenefan]

Bournemouth and Burnley are strange ones because I doubt they will sack their manager. Bournemouth especially look like its gone massively stale there and I think if they went down they would struggle to go back up, and even worse they will a lot of players in big money they simply won’t be able to pay. Could get nasty for them if they get relegated.

I can’t stand Burnley for some reason so I’ll happily see them get relegated.

I'd be quite happy to see the league loose both clubs, neither really bring anything to the league. Bournemouth might play nice football but what do they ever achieve with it? I certainly don't remember any major scalps down the years not like Norwich v City this season for example. Burnley obviously don't even try to play football. I'd much rather the PL keep the likes of Norwich and Villa than those other two

 

[Josep Dowling]

I'd be quite happy to see the league loose both clubs, neither really bring anything to the league. Bournemouth might play nice football but what do they ever achieve with it? I certainly don't remember any major scalps down the years not like Norwich v City this season for example. Burnley obviously don't even try to play football. I'd much rather the PL keep the likes of Norwich and Villa than those other two

I like to see bigger clubs in the league. As much as they are a rival it would be good to see Leeds back. I would expect them to get results against the bigger clubs as well, and no doubt beat us!

I’m not a massive fan of Norwich but then they did give us our easiest 6 points of the season so maybe it would be a good thing if they stay up.

 

[Maluco]

All it really takes at this stage is a few key injuries and a number of sides could get sucked back into it. Villa’s squad is poor for the money they have spent. I would say they would struggle if Grealish went down to something. They don’t have a consistent goalscorer.

Southampton look better, but again, the quality is poor in their first team. An injury to Ings and it would be tough to see where they would get goals from. It certainly wouldn’t be from Adams or Long.

Bournemouth just haven’t progressed. They have been the same team for so long now and it just seems so stale. For all his plaudits, I actually think Howe has done a really bad job there of refreshing the squad and gradually bringing in better quality. They are as good as they were when they came up and have never even had a cup run or anything of note.

Burnley have a tougher backbone and I actually think they will get their act together and start to win games at home again. They have Barnes and Wood and always seem to be able to revive themselves

I will go for Burnley escaping and Newcastle or Villa getting sucked in and joining Norwich and Bournemouth late on in the season after a bad run.

 

[LInkash]

I think the bottom three will stay the bottom three now, unless we see more sackings and new manager bounces.

 

[Dancfc]

I'd be quite happy to see the league loose both clubs, neither really bring anything to the league. Bournemouth might play nice football but what do they ever achieve with it? I certainly don't remember any major scalps down the years not like Norwich v City this season for example. Burnley obviously don't even try to play football. I'd much rather the PL keep the likes of Norwich and Villa than those other two

Bournemouth have done quite well against the big sides.

Won four times against Chelsea (three away), beat United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs I think twice each.

 

[Lay]

I recall a few were happy that Norwich came up. However I never like when they’re up as they’re just a non entity that go down after a season. Only to come back up and go down. Apart from when playing us, no one can recall a single Norwich game this season.

So in conclusion, feck Norwich

 

[charlenefan]

Bournemouth have done quite well against the big sides.

Won four times against Chelsea (three away), beat United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs I think twice each.

Were any of them major scalps? Certainly their 2 wins against us can't be classed as such. Even their 4-3 win over Liverpool came at a time when everyone put goals past Klopp's team

Bournemouth are a soft touch as far as I'm concerned, anything less than 6 points against them is an awful return and says more about the sides that don't beat them than it does Bournemouth (and yes I count Utd when I say that)

 

[charlenefan]

I recall a few were happy that Norwich came up. However I never like when they’re up as they’re just a non entity that go down after a season. Only to come back up and go down. Apart from when playing us, no one can recall a single Norwich game this season.

So in conclusion, feck Norwich

They beat City 3-2 there's a game I recall
They should have beat Spurs had it not been for a daft offside, there's another
They also performed very well at Anfield in the first PL game of the season

This Norwich side has been unlike the others, they've played some of the best attacking football in the league this season, just incredibly naive and poor defensively

 

[FootballHQ]

 

[FootballHQ]

It’s amazing that there are only 12 points between 5th and 17th at this point. It’s so tight and impossible to judge really this season. Nobody expected Watford or Southampton to go on the runs which they’ve managed to recently and they’ve clawed themselves from the depths.

Hopefully we left our bad streak at the start of the season and keep up the positive run we have been on as I’m still nervous.

You'll be fine now, aren't you at 30 points now? Imagine if you'd given Marco Silva the xmas period. Even Big Dunc's 5 points from his 3 games was massive considering you were 18th at the time.

Southampton have been incredible, their away form is top 6 so that would have to drop off considerably for them to be seriously threatened.

I do have a feeling Newcastle will be that mid table team who really drop for the final weeks.

 

[charlenefan]

You'll be fine now, aren't you at 30 points now? Imagine if you'd given Marco Silva the xmas period. Even Big Dunc's 5 points from his 3 games was massive considering you were 18th at the time.

Southampton have been incredible, their away form is top 6 so that would have to drop off considerably for them to be seriously threatened.

I do have a feeling Newcastle will be that mid table team who really drop for the final weeks.

I wouldn't be sad to see Newcastle drop back down, they're so far from the club they were in the nineties and the early noughties when they were a credit to the PL

 

[FootballHQ]

I'd be quite happy to see the league loose both clubs, neither really bring anything to the league. Bournemouth might play nice football but what do they ever achieve with it? I certainly don't remember any major scalps down the years not like Norwich v City this season for example. Burnley obviously don't even try to play football. I'd much rather the PL keep the likes of Norwich and Villa than those other two

Bournemouth this season have taken 7 points off Man. United, Arsenal and Chelsea. Last season they also beat Chelsea 4-0 and Spurs. Few years back but they came from 3 down to beat Liverpool I think.

Bit harsh to say they don't do major scalps, we are far worse against the better teams in this league (not just tonight).

Burnley is the new Stoke. Team you wouldn't want to watch every week with direct, percentage football but my feeling is they'll get enough points from teams around them so can't see them going down.

 

[jeff gurr]

I think the bottom three will stay the bottom three now, unless we see more sackings and new manager bounces.

I agree, what you see is what you get. Nigel Pearson looks like he can keep Watford above the drop but Dean Smith & Eddie Howe seem to be adrift from whats needed.

 

[FootyGirl88]

Getting very hard to call right now.

 

[MsNuno]

Another twist with villa beating watford and with Bournemouth beating Brighton. Interesting at the bottom of the table at least

 

[Wessex Saint]

Hoping that we are pulling clear now. I have to say that it was looking really bad. If we had hung on to win at Arsenal and not thrown the 2 goal lead away vs Wolves, we'd pretty much be safe. But that's football, ifs and ands.......

 

[jderbyshire]

So now we're in the Winter break, heading towards roughly the last third of the season, who do we think will go down?

I'd say Norwich and Brighton definitely, but not sure about the other. Watford have been bad this season but are coming back now.

I think Grealish will drag Villa up, which will be annoying because it complicates our attempts at a transfer.

Bournemouth and Palace have slipped this year - could be one of them. I expect West Ham will find a way to stay up, no matter how shit they are.

What do we reckon?

 

[ArjenIsM3]

So now we're in the Winter break, heading towards roughly the last third of the season, who do we think will go down?

I'd say Norwich and Brighton definitely, but not sure about the other. Watford have been bad this season but are coming back now.

I think Grealish will drag Villa up, which will be annoying because it complicates our attempts at a transfer.

Bournemouth and Palace have slipped this year - could be one of them. I expect West Ham will find a way to stay up, no matter how shit they are.

What do we reckon?

We have to let Watford beat us so Villa go down instead. It's for the Grealisher good.

 

[MsNuno]

Villa have a tough run in they still have to play 9 of the top 10, they'll be relying on teams around them dropping points.

 

[SilentWitness]

No idea. I thought Southampton were gone 5 games ago. I'd love it to be West Ham and Newcastle.

There is a weird rivalry between fans of teams like us, West Ham and Newcastle. The rivalry is we want to be less shit than the others. We don't care if we are better or if we are a good team. We just want to be less shit so we can lord it over the others. It's petty but I love it. Also would like Moysey to get fecked and True Geordie to cry into his Coco Pops.

 

[FootyGirl88]

West ham, norwich and brighton

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

West Ham vs Villa on the last day. Could be massive. It is possible that we will play against both Villa and West Ham near the end too.
Could help or ruin the season for Moyes potentially.
West Ham also plays Watford near the end.

Is Ole still here or have they fired him once top 4 is gone? Could be a big factor for those clubs.
Under a new manager it might make life harder for Moyes than it was for Cardiff and Huddersfield last season after top 4 was gone.
Watford play us soon so that is a big boost for them too. Although they will probably just get a 0-0/1-1 draw this time.

 

[roonster09]

Norwich, West Ham and Villa.

 

[Nickosaur]

I'm hoping Brighton have enough to avoid the drop. Would be a shame as they've played some lovely football at times but have lacked the cutting edge when it counts. Huge game at the weekend v Watford. I may be a lot more optimistic depending on the outcome of that game!

 

[Siorac]

Might be too early but I think Watford's time has come, they haven't had a new manager bounce.

I think Wolves have too much quality to go down.

Newcastle will be contenders.

United will reach 40 points in March.

That proved to be quite the prediction - if we don't win both our games in February, we will indeed reach 40 points in March.

 

[FootyGirl88]

I'm hoping Brighton have enough to avoid the drop. Would be a shame as they've played some lovely football at times but have lacked the cutting edge when it counts. Huge game at the weekend v Watford. I may be a lot more optimistic depending on the outcome of that game!

It would be very ironic if they went down considering they sacked Haughton because of the playing styling.

 

[giorno]

Norwich are gone

Watford are a mid-table side who had a bad start in terms of result, but they'll keep beating the competition. From Palace up they're probably safe

That leaves Villa, West Ham, Bournemouth and Brighton...probably i'd say West Ham and Villa

 

[Sassy Colin]

I want West Ham go down in the hope that the media will finally realise what a useless cnut Moyes is.

If he keeps them up, he will be hailed as the manager of the season, no doubt. Guaranteed someone like Alan Brazil will mention his name as such, anyway.

 

[Nickosaur]

It would be very ironic if they went down considering they sacked Haughton because of the playing styling.

It wasn't wholly down to the playing style. Hughton had lost the dressing room. Form from Xmas to end of the season was atrocious.

 

[charlenefan]

Norwich 7 points from safety
Newcastle 7 points from the relegation zone

Think it's probably safe to say Norwich will go whereas Newcastle and above will continue to do enough not to be massively involved in a relegation battle.

Between Watford, West Ham, Villa, Bournemouth and Brighton. Looking at the fixtures I think Watford and Brighton have got the easier run ins, Bournemouth have an awful April and it could come down to West Ham v Villa on the final day

 

[FootballHQ]

Was hoping we'd kick on after beating Watford in mid January last minute but it simply hasn't happened.

We have talent but not the mentality to grind out results as you all saw v Spurs. We also hardly get any points off the top 8 teams and we play loads of them in the run in.

Think Bournemouth have a very tough run in aswell.

Can see Watford stringing together a few wins and West Ham's big names turning up for a few games near end of the season so don't think the current bottom 3 will stay as it is.

 

[Antisocial]

I think West Ham will manage to do enough to survive sadly, but can't really decide which two of the others will join Norwich back in the Championship.

I'm very interested in seeing how Watford do from here on out; I thought they'd turned a corner under Pearson.

Villa should be a Premier League team, but I'm not seeing enough in their performances to survive; they'll probably go down in place of West Ham