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Against The Bottom Six


JPTCount
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Worth looking at all the results between the bottom 6 - I'm inclined to agree that it'll be points won/lost against teams around us that will be key come May...

 

[table=width: 500, class: grid]

[tr]

[td][/td]

[td]Pld[/td]

[td]Won[/td]

[td]Drw[/td]

[td]Lst[/td]

[td]GF[/td]

[td]GA[/td]

[td]Pts[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]1. Saints[/td]

[td]6[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]0[/td]

[td]1[/td]

[td]11[/td]

[td]4[/td]

[td]15[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]2. Wigan[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]3[/td]

[td]1[/td]

[td]1[/td]

[td]10[/td]

[td]7[/td]

[td]10[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]3. Newcastle[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]2[/td]

[td]2[/td]

[td]1[/td]

[td]7[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]8[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]4. Aston Villa[/td]

[td]7[/td]

[td]1[/td]

[td]3[/td]

[td]3[/td]

[td]4[/td]

[td]10[/td]

[td]6[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]5. QPR[/td]

[td]6[/td]

[td]0[/td]

[td]4[/td]

[td]2[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]8[/td]

[td]4[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]6. Reading[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]0[/td]

[td]2[/td]

[td]3[/td]

[td]5[/td]

[td]8[/td]

[td]2[/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

 

The only caveat with those figures is that not every team has played the same number of home and away games. Reading have only played one of the teams around them at home, while we've only got QPR to play at St Mary's. However, so far we have a 100% record away from home against the teams around us :thumbup:

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Its defiantly an important aspect to the season, beating the teams around us and getting points of the teams not far above us is the best target to staying up.

 

I like the mini table too, conceded the least goals against the teams around us (half scored by Wigan too).

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indeed. it's going to be very tight, especially with Reading's run of fixtures at home like you say.

 

i think we will go there and beat them though, for what it's worth.

 

Indeed

 

I think that

 

Either reading or QPR will go

Wigan will go

And between us and villa

 

I really think this is wigans year. Which is no slant on Martinez, who has done a great job

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I still firmly believe Reading and QPR will go, QPR have left themselves too much to do (pretty much European qualification form required for the rest of the season) and Reading simply aren't good enough. For the first 80 minutes on Saturday, by all accounts they barely resembled a Championship side, let alone a Premier League one. You'd think most teams in this league wouldn't let them off the hook in the way West Brom did.

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I still firmly believe Reading and QPR will go, QPR have left themselves too much to do (pretty much European qualification form required for the rest of the season) and Reading simply aren't good enough. For the first 80 minutes on Saturday, by all accounts they barely resembled a Championship side, let alone a Premier League one. You'd think most teams in this league wouldn't let them off the hook in the way West Brom did.

 

West Brom have lost 3 straight now, perhaps they've run out of puff or Odemwinge is dreaming of a big payday elsewhere. Mulumbu has been dropped or is injured and the wheels have come off.

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West Brom have lost 3 straight now, perhaps they've run out of puff or Odemwinge is dreaming of a big payday elsewhere. Mulumbu has been dropped or is injured and the wheels have come off.

 

Norwich have also dropped off... But I think them and WBA have enough to get the required points... Along with west ham

 

Sunderland won't go. But an eye on Newcastle when the Europa league starts again and they have no players

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Norwich have also dropped off... But I think them and WBA have enough to get the required points... Along with west ham

 

Sunderland won't go. But an eye on Newcastle when the Europa league starts again and they have no players

 

Ah I wasn't intimating that I thought West Brom would go down but with their recent form and Gera gone for the season they may not be the team they were a month ago. Banking on us beating them at home. We'll see how they get on against QPR on Saturday, a win for QPR there would not be good.

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West Brom have lost 3 straight now, perhaps they've run out of puff or Odemwinge is dreaming of a big payday elsewhere. Mulumbu has been dropped or is injured and the wheels have come off.

Odemwingie's been in and out of the team this season anyway, and Mulumbu's at the African Cup of Nations. While I'm sure West Brom will level out as the season progresses, what happened on Saturday was a complete freak collapse.

 

I think I read somewhere that it's the first time in more than three years that a team leading a Premier League game at the 80th minute went on to lose the game. Assume the previous one must have been Arsenal when they fell to bits at Wigan.

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I think I read somewhere that it's the first time in more than three years that a team leading a Premier League game at the 80th minute went on to lose the game. Assume the previous one must have been Arsenal when they fell to bits at Wigan.

 

Weren't we leading against Utd in the 80th minute this season. Strange stat.

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Odemwingie's been in and out of the team this season anyway, and Mulumbu's at the African Cup of Nations. While I'm sure West Brom will level out as the season progresses, what happened on Saturday was a complete freak collapse.

 

I think I read somewhere that it's the first time in more than three years that a team leading a Premier League game at the 80th minute went on to lose the game. Assume the previous one must have been Arsenal when they fell to bits at Wigan.

 

Southampton Vs Man Utd ?!

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19384117

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I actually think it's not a bad shout all. They have been poor for a while now, have lost Ba and are struggling to replace him and are also due to lose a couple more key players.

 

They have two of the best players in the bottom half in Ben arfa and cabeye.

 

Depends if they can stay fit and on form

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They have two of the best players in the bottom half in Ben arfa and cabeye.

 

Depends if they can stay fit and on form

 

Ben Arfa doesn't seem to be able to stay fit and is inconsistent and it will probably take a while for Cabaye to get back to 100%.

 

If we had lost Lambert this window and had our best CB wanting out as well, I think we'd all fear the worst despite also having other quality players.

 

They are in trouble IMO.

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They have two of the best players in the bottom half in Ben arfa and cabeye.

 

Depends if they can stay fit and on form

 

And, in Cabaye's case, unsuspended. That's part of their problem; they rely so much on Cabaye and Tiote - guys whose style attracts yellows and reds. When they lose even one fo them they've got problems.

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If BenArfa goes, then why would Cabaye want to stay? He's pretty good and would harm his international career if he was to go down with them. They only really have Ameobi and Cisse up front, and Cisse seems to have spurts where he'll score loads in a short time. Certainly be interesting to see what happens with them as they're in freefall at the moment. Be huge if we can go up there and get a 1-0 ala West Ham.

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And, in Cabaye's case, unsuspended. That's part of their problem; they rely so much on Cabaye and Tiote - guys whose style attracts yellows and reds. When they lose even one fo them they've got problems.

 

Saw them the other week, Tioté was abysmal, gave the ball away all of the time and jumped out of tackles. Vastly overated this season which is why they're struggling. Cabaye made him look good.

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I still firmly believe Reading and QPR will go, QPR have left themselves too much to do (pretty much European qualification form required for the rest of the season) and Reading simply aren't good enough. For the first 80 minutes on Saturday, by all accounts they barely resembled a Championship side, let alone a Premier League one. You'd think most teams in this league wouldn't let them off the hook in the way West Brom did.

 

I literally could not believe that result, nor could my Reading supporting mate that said they seriously didnt deserve it, from the highlights they were destroyed for the first 80 or so minutes, then they just capitulated.

 

A lot will hang on their next result though, a decent win will give them a platform, a lose and its back to square one.

 

As for relegation fodder, WHU could get sucked in but unlikely, Newcastle are in turmoil, players leaving etc, something seriously wrong here, expect revelations soon, there is a very real chance they could go. Reading arent good enough though, QPR have too much to do, but could escape if Villa and one other capitulate.

 

I think we will be ok, a couple of serious signings we could finish comfortably.

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As we've said with many of our promotion seasons gone by 'Its in our hands now'.

 

We are going to have a torrid month and a half but then we can push on and sort out our Premier League spot for next season.

 

At the moment we are on 21 points so lets say we need 40 to stay up......

 

Home wins against West Brom, West Ham, QPR will give us 9 of those and potentially Stoke but wouldnt want to take part in sky sports final day show if at all possible.

 

Without the Stoke points being taken into consideration realistically we should be looking at win/draw at home to liverpool putting us on 31, then the away games....

 

Wins at Wigan, Reading and Newcastle would seal it as we'd be taking points of them all as well. February is a great time to play Wigan if past seasons are anything to go on but Newcastle is a tough place to go so i think best hope for that one is a draw.

 

Then we can be looking at draws at Swansea, Sunderland and Norwich with my heart saying one of those games will be our Hull away last season and get the surprise win.

 

Also we have Everton at home which we really should be winning to stay up and it would be nice to beat a real premier league team in our maiden return season.

 

Looking at what we have left to do I genuinely fancy our chances but stick with Adkins over the next 6 weeks because they wont be as rosey as what May will hopefully bring.

 

QPR, Reading and Wigan for the drop IMHO.

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Good piece of analysis, this, it means something unlike many of NickGs dribbling musings (though his last one was pretty good too).

 

Has definitely made me feel more optimistic than I have in a while.

 

I will concede though that if it was not for the poor standard of the bottom 6 this year we would be in real trouble but yes that mini table shows we are probably the best of a bad bunch and TBH on current form probably a mid table side

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As we've said with many of our promotion seasons gone by 'Its in our hands now'.

 

We are going to have a torrid month and a half but then we can push on and sort out our Premier League spot for next season.

 

At the moment we are on 21 points so lets say we need 40 to stay up......

 

Home wins against West Brom, West Ham, QPR will give us 9 of those and potentially Stoke but wouldnt want to take part in sky sports final day show if at all possible.

 

Without the Stoke points being taken into consideration realistically we should be looking at win/draw at home to liverpool putting us on 31, then the away games....

 

Wins at Wigan, Reading and Newcastle would seal it as we'd be taking points of them all as well. February is a great time to play Wigan if past seasons are anything to go on but Newcastle is a tough place to go so i think best hope for that one is a draw.

 

Then we can be looking at draws at Swansea, Sunderland and Norwich with my heart saying one of those games will be our Hull away last season and get the surprise win.

 

Also we have Everton at home which we really should be winning to stay up and it would be nice to beat a real premier league team in our maiden return season.

 

Looking at what we have left to do I genuinely fancy our chances but stick with Adkins over the next 6 weeks because they wont be as rosey as what May will hopefully bring.

 

QPR, Reading and Wigan for the drop IMHO.

 

I think 37 will be enough this year.

What's that. 4 wins and 4 draws????

 

Saying it like that. Certainly very doable... Still think we are going to have to turn over a top club. Everton could be that.... Come mighty close against Man U and arsenal

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I think 37 will be enough this year.

What's that. 4 wins and 4 draws????

 

Saying it like that. Certainly very doable... Still think we are going to have to turn over a top club. Everton could be that.... Come mighty close against Man U and arsenal

 

 

Pity Chelsea aren't hurrying up with buying Fellaini, before Saturday would be handy.

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I think for me the real concern is that we don't have many home games left against the obviously weaker teams.

 

I think its likely we will need to gain 3 points against a few of the stronger teams at home. 1 win from Everton or Liverpool, 2 from Stoke, West Ham or WBA and beat QPR. Combined with 1 more win on the road and a few draws should get us over the line.

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We have always been a strong home side and that got us promoted from the championship. Of course the odd Sunderland result comes along, but I fancy us against everyom and even moreso Liverpool. With west ham and west brom seemingly run out of gas, it's good to have them at home in second half of the season.

 

However, what could well keep us up is our sudden new found resilience away from home. Winning games when they matter, defending well and showing signs of taking an unexpected 3 points gives us an unexpected extra platform for the points tally.

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As we've said with many of our promotion seasons gone by 'Its in our hands now'.

 

We are going to have a torrid month and a half but then we can push on and sort out our Premier League spot for next season.

 

At the moment we are on 21 points so lets say we need 40 to stay up......

 

Home wins against West Brom, West Ham, QPR will give us 9 of those and potentially Stoke but wouldnt want to take part in sky sports final day show if at all possible.

 

Without the Stoke points being taken into consideration realistically we should be looking at win/draw at home to liverpool putting us on 31, then the away games....

 

Wins at Wigan, Reading and Newcastle would seal it as we'd be taking points of them all as well. February is a great time to play Wigan if past seasons are anything to go on but Newcastle is a tough place to go so i think best hope for that one is a draw.

 

Then we can be looking at draws at Swansea, Sunderland and Norwich with my heart saying one of those games will be our Hull away last season and get the surprise win.

 

Also we have Everton at home which we really should be winning to stay up and it would be nice to beat a real premier league team in our maiden return season.

 

Looking at what we have left to do I genuinely fancy our chances but stick with Adkins over the next 6 weeks because they wont be as rosey as what May will hopefully bring.

 

QPR, Reading and Wigan for the drop IMHO.

 

Or we could just take one game at a time?

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