Jump to content

Relegation Battle - The Opposition's view


georgeweahscousin
 Share

Recommended Posts

QPR fans continue to blame Mark Hughes, avoiding to see that their whole set up is a mess, and that Fernandes's just using them as a branding tool. They will go down and then try to buy themselves a promotion, fail, and then go full Pompey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QPR fans continue to blame Mark Hughes, avoiding to see that their whole set up is a mess, and that Fernandes's just using them as a branding tool. They will go down and then try to buy themselves a promotion, fail, and then go full Pompey.

 

They aren't going to blame Fernandes because he pumps money into the club, same with the Chelsea fans they don't blame Abramovich yet have a go at Rafa. I'm pretty sure many Saints fans wouldn't criticise Cortese if it was his millions rather than the Liebhers.

 

They are a mess though QPR, but they are only in trouble if Fernandes decides to stop writing the cheques, don't think they have any loans or anything like Pompry did. When they go down he;s going to have to write off a lot of expenditure, half their squad will have little re-sale value and those that do will have to be sold at losses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you answer your own questions on this? It seems so. Bit odd.

 

I'm sure you won't replicate this mistake when doing your blog for the rest of us to enjoy ;)

 

Thanks Chris for an interesting read. It's all about opinions so I find it interesting to see how other non-Saints perceive the relegation battle...

 

Out of the 15 votes, none for Saints. Maybe out of politeness for Chris but most likely because they genuinely don't see us going down...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems quite a rational collection of opinions.

 

Realistically, it is in our own hands (as ever). Three wins from the next 3 games and we are home - 3 defeats and we are still alive. can any of the bottom 4 say that?

 

I would say 5-6 points would have us almost there

 

Certainly a point at Newcastle and a win against QPR will almost have us there

 

And certainly doom arry to another relegation... Which of course he will be totally blameless

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is not a miracle maker Delldays. When he came in the team were bottom of the league, had a poor poor squad, down to the bare bones. His job was to strengthen the team and give them a chance, which he did. It was the players really, the players let them down.*

 

 

*all said from the window of a Range Rover

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He is not a miracle maker Delldays. When he came in the team were bottom of the league, had a poor poor squad, down to the bare bones. His job was to strengthen the team and give them a chance, which he did. It was the players really, the players let them down.*

 

 

*all said from the window of a Range Rover

 

I know he tries his best. And he is one of the best managers in the country...........says the sun editor

 

 

On another note. Are QPR any closer to safety compared to the day he took over?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know he tries his best. And he is one of the best managers in the country...........says the sun editor

 

 

On another note. Are QPR any closer to safety compared to the day he took over?

 

Queens Park Rangers 24 November 2012 Present 16 games 3 wins 8 draws 5 losses 18.75%win ratio

 

His current record at QPR.

 

When he took over they were 20th, 6 points from safety.

 

£23 million and 6 players (plus another £250k a week in wages) later they are 20th, 7 points from Safety.

 

:lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we have a right to be confident now, and positive results in our next two games could see us pull clear (especially given the other sides games!), but what to do fans of the other clubs think about it all?

 

Have a read, it seems we are going off the radar now...

 

http://wp.me/p1mFFL-tu

 

It's things like this that threaten to give the internet a good name! Many thanks, a quite refreshing change from the usual drivel on here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know he tries his best. And he is one of the best managers in the country...........says the sun editor

 

 

On another note. Are QPR any closer to safety compared to the day he took over?

 

 

Was going to C+P but went a bit wrong, they were 5 points adrift on 22nd November, the day of Hughes sacking, 7 points today

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was going to C+P but went a bit wrong, they were 5 points adrift on 22nd November, the day of Hughes sacking, 7 points today

 

probably becaue the team in 17th place has got better results since then though. HR seems to have obtained 13 points from 13 games so they must have had just 4 from the 13 games that Hughes was in charge. We also had 4 from 10 but we've got a lot better results since then. Our excuse was that we had some pretty hard games but I doubt if the same could be applied to QPR's start to the season. HR's record of a point a game might be enough to keep a side up if applied throughout the season but

to obtain at least 35 points from 25 games was always going to be a tall order with a lot of the better sides still to play.

Edited by Window Cleaner
Link to comment
Share on other sites

By my calculation in the last 15 league games ( the Cork/Shaw era.....) we have won 5 drawn 7 and lost 3 making 22 points from 15 games. If you transposed that across an entire season that would be 55 points after 38 games. In other words we are currently playing like a top half premiership side. We are also a young side who will improve and we also have the financial resources to improve with new players. Stay up and the future looks very healthy.

 

Our biggest problem will be to hang on to our better players and Cortese should focus on getting Morgan, Cork, Shaw, Punch and Adam tied down for as long as possible with SRL extended for another 2/3 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With you there.. Pretty sure QPR will.. Reading are having their little moment, and I think the last spot will be Villa/Wigan. Hopefully it's Wigans year.

 

I don't know about Reading 7 of their last 12 matches are against bottom half teams. If they can win 4 of those they'll go a long way toward survival. I still see Fulham and Norwich spiralling downwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about Reading 7 of their last 12 matches are against bottom half teams. If they can win 4 of those they'll go a long way toward survival. I still see Fulham and Norwich spiralling downwards.

 

I really don't think they're that good though.. IF they lose Le Fondre/Kebe for a bit, they're f*cked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QPR fans continue to blame Mark Hughes, avoiding to see that their whole set up is a mess, and that Fernandes's just using them as a branding tool. They will go down and then try to buy themselves a promotion, fail, and then go full Pompey.

 

Seriously question, if they are relegated can they afford even the first season in the champ ? The wages look like they are barely sustainable in the prem let alone the champ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't think they're that good though.. IF they lose Le Fondre/Kebe for a bit, they're f*cked.

 

They're not that good, then again neither are most of the others, don't see why they should lose Le Fondre and Kebe really, no more chance of losing key players than any other side. They've Villa,Wigan and QPR at home (and us but they'll not win that)

defeating all of those 3 will see them as good as safe. For me it's QPR, Wigan and 1 other from 5 or 6 teams unless Wigan beat

Reading at The Madj.... in their next league game..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seriously question, if they are relegated can they afford even the first season in the champ ? The wages look like they are barely sustainable in the prem let alone the champ

 

That will depend largely on what level the parachute payments are fixed under the new TV deal. I've seen as much as 25 million for next season plus the solidarity payment. QPR will offload a lot of players as well.

Edited by Window Cleaner
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That will depend largely on what level the parachute payments are fixed under the new TV deal. I've seen as much as 25 million for next season plus the solidaity payment. QPR will offload a lot of players as well.

 

Offload them to who? Who will take on their stupid wages for average ageing players? They'll get good offers for Remy and Taarabt...that's about it.

 

They'll have a lot of players on contract they'll struggle to shift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Offload them to who? Who will take on their stupid wages for average ageing players? They'll get good offers for Remy and Taarabt...that's about it.

 

They'll have a lot of players on contract they'll struggle to shift.

 

Exactly.. and the players won't leave unless they're offered similar to what they're on now. Finding clubs to take on overpriced players with a relegation on their CV may prove tricky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Offload them to who? Who will take on their stupid wages for average ageing players? They'll get good offers for Remy and Taarabt...that's about it.

 

They'll have a lot of players on contract they'll struggle to shift.

 

We shall see then, they have a fair few players who could do a good job elsewhere, I'd expect there to be plenty of takers for Hoilett,Mbia and Granero if the price was right, not to mention Julio Cesar. They'll be left with the nucleus of a Championship side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Offload them to who? Who will take on their stupid wages for average ageing players? They'll get good offers for Remy and Taarabt...that's about it.

 

They'll have a lot of players on contract they'll struggle to shift.

 

Someone will buy Samba, but not close to £12 million, nor will he get close to £100k a week. He'd add steel to someone like Arsenal or Liverpool.

 

Tarrabt will get takers, as will Remy (but I wonder how low his release clause is). Julio Cesar will get takers, Granero will have takers in Spain but probably only a free.

 

Think they have spent close to £40 million in transfer fees, doubt they will get 25% of that back.

 

The likes of Zamora, Wright-Phillips, Andy Johnson, Onouha, Robert Green, Jenas, Mbia, Park, Bosingwa will be very tough to get off the books as most are on around £50 - 60k a week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone will buy Samba, but not close to £12 million, nor will he get close to £100k a week. He'd add steel to someone like Arsenal or Liverpool.

 

Tarrabt will get takers, as will Remy (but I wonder how low his release clause is). Julio Cesar will get takers, Granero will have takers in Spain but probably only a free.

 

Think they have spent close to £40 million in transfer fees, doubt they will get 25% of that back.

 

The likes of Zamora, Wright-Phillips, Andy Johnson, Onouha, Robert Green, Jenas, Mbia, Park, Bosingwa will be very tough to get off the books as most are on around £50 - 60k a week.

 

Isn't Jenas just on loan there same as Townsend (who looked pretty handy by the by)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The likes of Zamora, Wright-Phillips, Andy Johnson, Onouha, Robert Green, Mbia, Park, Bosingwa will be very tough to get off the books as most are on around £50 - 60k a week.

 

These are the problem players.. on way too much money than they should be. Won't be interested, and hard to shift.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That will depend largely on what level the parachute payments are fixed under the new TV deal. I've seen as much as 25 million for next season plus the solidarity payment. QPR will offload a lot of players as well.

 

I think QPR might be in a lot of trouble actually. Yes, they have people to support them with money at the moment, but that might not last for ever. Even with the parachute money, QPR will be miles away from being sustainable. Read somewhere that they make less than £1 mill on match days in the premiership. If it's true that Samba makes close to £100k a week, that means they don't even make enough to support his wages alone.

 

Some of the biggest earners there are on long contracts, like Samba, which means that they're dependent on the good will from the owners for years to come, unless they manage to offload pretty average players on enormous wages. Guess Ben Haim has a couple of things to teach his team mates about draining your employer for money.

 

Also, just like Pompey QPR have very few assets. Old, low capacity stadium and doesn't own their own training ground. So many similarities there, the only exception being that qpr owners aren't total crooks. But you don't have to be a crook to go tired of wasting your money on a football club.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Telly was crap here last night so I took a lengthy run through the forums of relegation rivals.

 

I was surprised how many thought that Saints wouldn't go down, and that was before the Man City result. Since that we barely get a mention.

 

I still think there's a ton of volatility over the balance of the season and that two bad results would drop us right back in the kaka, but that's not how rival fans are seeing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His current record at QPR.

 

When he took over they were 20th, 6 points from safety.

 

£23 million and 6 players (plus another £250k a week in wages) later they are 20th, 7 points from Safety.

 

:lol:

 

I hope you don't mind, but I nicked your stat and put it on Twitter earlier... Got over 350 retweets - we're clearly not the only ones laughing at Redknapp's failure :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Offload them to who? Who will take on their stupid wages for average ageing players? They'll get good offers for Remy and Taarabt...that's about it.

 

They'll have a lot of players on contract they'll struggle to shift.

 

I'd take Junior Hoilett or Taarabt in a heartbeat, and perhaps Cesar if we lose Boruc, but that's it.

 

 

Hoilett can be molded into a great player IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sure you won't replicate this mistake when doing your blog for the rest of us to enjoy ;)

 

Thanks Chris for an interesting read. It's all about opinions so I find it interesting to see how other non-Saints perceive the relegation battle...

 

Out of the 15 votes, none for Saints. Maybe out of politeness for Chris but most likely because they genuinely don't see us going down...

 

and we had just beaten City.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I favour being positive but in the words of the man with the chin, "it's a funny old game".

 

A couple of injuries and we could be seeing very different opinions for any of the bottom 6. I don't think QPR will survive but I think they will begin to pick up results as the players gel.

 

Hopefully that won't be before we play them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope you don't mind, but I nicked your stat and put it on Twitter earlier... Got over 350 retweets - we're clearly not the only ones laughing at Redknapp's failure :-)

 

Yeh no worries, QPR fans will still blame Hughes though, bet Redknapp will get away with their relegation completely, on his record it won't have happened.

 

I'd take Junior Hoilett or Taarabt in a heartbeat, and perhaps Cesar if we lose Boruc, but that's it.

 

 

Hoilett can be molded into a great player IMO.

 

 

I was thinking through the 30+ players who they have signed and can only think of handful that if Saints had signed them I would have been happy with. I reckon Hoillet & Cesar. Remy and Samba would also be in the list but at the price and wages QPR paid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's hard not to get too excited after you've just given the Champions a right good tonking, but looking at our next 3 fixtures, there's a distinct possibility that we could be there or there abouts in terms of safety when we come to face Liverpool at St Mary's.

 

Newcastle Away - Would have preferred playing them a few weeks ago. They added some real quality in January, to what was already a very good squad. Injuries are returning too. But they have a trip to Eastern Ukraine on the Thursday before they play us, which means they won't get back until Friday morning, probably won't train til Saturday giving them a days preparation. I'd be more than happy with a draw here, and that I think we'll get it. Newcastle 2-2 Saints.

 

QPR Home - If we want to survive in this league, and push on further up the table then this simply is a must win game. Remy will probably be back, but defensively they were all over the place against Swansea and I think we can really hurt them there. 3-1 Saints.

 

Norwich Away - If we can keep it tight against them (Norwich have scored 1 goal in their last 5 games) then we give ourselves a very good platform to go on and win the game. They're in pretty poor form, no win in 9 and 5 defeats amongst that lot. Again, a draw wouldn't be a disaster either but definitely one we can win given our present form. 2-0 Saints.

 

7/9 would give us 34 points. 4 more points (38 will be more than enough this season IMO) to guarantee safety from 9 games after that. Then we have 2 back to back home games.

 

Whilst still only 4 points above the drop zone, I think we are in a very good position. Playing some really good stuff, have some very winnable games coming up, 2 week break before our next game which will allow even more time for the squad to get to know Pochettino and his staff better, and baring any training ground injuries MP will have a fully fit squad to choose from with Shaw, Fonte, Ramirez and Guly all likely to be back in contention by the Newcastle game. A fully fit squad in February, got to be unheard of. Add that to the confidence the City win would have given the side, I think we are going to be absolutely fine.

 

Our current form reads 9 points from last 6 games. If that can be maintained over the next 12 then we'd end up on 45 points. So even if our form dips slightly we are still going to be OK. I wholeheartedly agree with the point made in the blog that our current league standing reflects our dreadful start too. We are not playing like a bottom 6 side, and neither have we since the start of November in my eyes. Touch wood we do not suffer any major injuries, and as long as we don't then my final place prediction for us is 12th. Onwards and upwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are playing well and doing the right things now at the right times, but we are very much in this relegation fight. If we get complacent, it will kill us.

The old Saints teams, knew what a relegation fight looked and felt like - Our current lot don't. We should be ok, but the moment we all (Players and fans) start thinking we are safe, it will bite us on the arse.

 

Should be a exciting but nervous end to the season, just need to hold our nerve, without getting carried away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...