[Football] Relegation

[Colonel Mustard]

Too early to predict with confidence IMO. Burnley are the big surprise after the 'new Burnley', supposedly transformed by Kompany, stormed the Championship. It just hasn’t happened. I’d expect the owners to use the Jan window to make changes. They won’t want to risk another relegation.

 

[Clive Walker]

tricky one, I'll go with Leeds again.

 

[WhingForPresident]

I think Bournemouth have a good enough squad to stay up, things will either click with Iraola or they'll get someone in that can sort that team out.

Promoted sides all straight back down for me.

 

[nwgull]

Maybe the points total was tongue-in-cheek, but the overriding point isn't. Fully aware that ANYTHING can happen in football, I'm taking it one game at a time. For example, extrapolate out the current form over the rest of the season (extremely unlikely, but there IS a chance – maybe even worse form) and we're bang in trouble.

Extrapolate 3 points from last 5 games (which is the worst possible sample size) and we finish on 34 points, which would probably still be enough this season!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Maybe the points total was tongue-in-cheek, but the overriding point isn't. Fully aware that ANYTHING can happen in football, I'm taking it one game at a time. For example, extrapolate out the current form over the rest of the season (extremely unlikely, but there IS a chance – maybe even worse form) and we're bang in trouble.

Mate, we're bloody good.
Last 5 games? We lost by the odd goal to City, drew with Liverpool, had 80% possession at Goodison and drew there with a highly contentious dissallowal. Fulham skanked a draw again in a game in which we were by miles the better team. All this is going on whilst we've got a pain in the arse injury list and are trying to juggle Europa League games as well

We aint going down any more than Man U or Villa aren't

 

[albionalex]

I think Burnley will splash some cash in Jan, whereas Luton won't.

That could be the difference between them.

 

[Pavilionaire]

In terms of motivation, Burnley, B'muff and Sheff Utd have all been relegated from the Prem then promoted against within the last 4 years, so they know relegation isn't the end of their world. This notion is reinforced by the fact that Luton went from League One to Prem in a short space of time, and Ipswich are looking like they might repeat that feat, suggests the Championship lacks quality. Parachute money will help with that, although right now it doesn't look like any of those sides have much in the way of big ticket players to sell on if they do go down.

Luton - on the other hand - know that not only do they not have saleable players but all their Prem riches - including parachute payments - will likely go on their new stadium, so they may not get another chance at the top flight for many years.

It is too close to call - all 4 sides have 1 win, all 4 are struggling to score. I think it will come down to who they sign in the January window, in which case I think Kompany and Burnley are best placed to attract the requisite players. Bmuff, Sheff Utd and Luton to go down.

 

[Weststander]

Mate, we're bloody good.
Last 5 games? We lost by the odd goal to City, drew with Liverpool, had 80% possession at Goodison and drew there with a highly contentious dissallowal. Fulham skanked a draw again in a game in which we were by miles the better team. All this is going on whilst we've got a pain in the arse injury list and are trying to juggle Europa League games as well

We aint going down any more than Man U or Villa aren't

Wake up and smell the coffee.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I still think they'll be ok. The promoted clubs are all awful and they are decent under Dyche. Not back to European qualification standards but much better than many around them.

And, I'll be honest, I don't want them to go down anywhere near as much as I used to. Their fans were really friendly on Saturday and a knowledgable bunch and that new ground's going to be MINT (and hopefully quicker back to town). Not an away day I want to lose. I'll happily NEVER go to Luton or Burnley TBH.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

That Luton game had the feeling of a lower league team coming to us in the FA Cup. They needed to change their mentality to actually believe they belong... it feels like they're getting there. Probably still won't be enough, but they're putting up a fight

Yeah, that's exactly what I thought too. I don't think they have the quality to do anything else though. It'll see them pick up points but I just can't see them getting the number of points you'd usually need to stay up. But the other promoted teams and Bournemouth also appear equally ill equipped to get many points so it's all to play for. It'd be a great story if they did.

 

[London Irish]

It will be the promoted teams alas, the gap between the top two leagues gets bigger every season due to the TV money. If you are part of that emerging oligopoly like us, I guess for self-interest reasons you don't complain too much, but it's not great for the wider game

 

[Easy 10]

I think Burnley will splash some cash in Jan, whereas Luton won't.

That could be the difference between them.

Burnley splashed the cash in the summer to the tune of around £110m. Their squad has had a huge overhaul since promotion, and at the moment its difficult to see the benefit of it. They are bang in trouble, and unless they pick up soon, Kompany could be a dead man walking come the next international break. Hard to see them being big spenders in Jan, I don't think their owners are awash.

I think all 3 promoted sides look totally ill-equipped for the PL. Sheffield Utd are actually weaker than when they came up, and have an owner who will not invest anything in January as he wants out. Luton's spirit might give them an outside chance, but that really can only take you so far and their squad is paper-thin. Muff look to be in danger of being dragged in but they've been around the block a few times and survived before, so it won't be by much but I think they'll be alright.

I just cannot put my finger on a team being worse than the current bottom 3. I reckon they'll all be miles adrift by the turn of the year.

 

[studio150]

The PL finally get tough with FFP, and dock Everton 12 points, and then relegate City to the National League, as most of the 100 charges or whatever the number is are found to be breaches of the regulations.

So City, Everton and Sheffield United.

Meanwhile in the real world, Sheffield, Luton, Burnley

 

[Albion 4ever]

The bottom four are all so bad, they should all be relegated.
Even if Everton got deducted 12 points, I would still back them to stay up with relative ease.

 

[southstandandy]

Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool

 

[albionalex]

Burnley splashed the cash in the summer to the tune of around £110m. Their squad has had a huge overhaul since promotion, and at the moment its difficult to see the benefit of it. They are bang in trouble, and unless they pick up soon, Kompany could be a dead man walking come the next international break. Hard to see them being big spenders in Jan, I don't think their owners are awash.

I think all 3 promoted sides look totally ill-equipped for the PL. Sheffield Utd are actually weaker than when they came up, and have an owner who will not invest anything in January as he wants out. Luton's spirit might give them an outside chance, but that really can only take you so far and their squad is paper-thin. Muff look to be in danger of being dragged in but they've been around the block a few times and survived before, so it won't be by much but I think they'll be alright.

I just cannot put my finger on a team being worse than the current bottom 3. I reckon they'll all be miles adrift by the turn of the year.

They're being linked today with Ben Brereton Díaz. I don't know if he would score goals in the PL but on paper that would be a good signing.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Not just saying this because of well you know......but I think Palace could get dragged into it. They don't look much cop what I've seen of them this season.

But they've probably got more about them than all of the current bottom 4.

they also have arguably their best 2 players out but coming back soon.

 

[Arthur]

They're three points behind us with a very favourable run of fixtures coming up.

No chance of them going down sadly.

I think they've already got enough points to stay up based on the bottom 4

No chance.

They prioritise all games against the bottom teams and try and get 6 points off each.

They are excellent at doing this every season. You don't have to do much the rest of the games to stay up.

they also have arguably their best 2 players out but coming back soon.

Right so we're agreed....Palace nailed on for relegation. Thanks lads that's made my day!

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Mate, we're bloody good.
Last 5 games? We lost by the odd goal to City, drew with Liverpool, had 80% possession at Goodison and drew there with a highly contentious dissallowal. Fulham skanked a draw again in a game in which we were by miles the better team. All this is going on whilst we've got a pain in the arse injury list and are trying to juggle Europa League games as well

We aint going down any more than Man U or Villa aren't

Fully agree. We seem to forget that we won 5 out of our first 6 league games before succumbing to Villa 6-1. This is the one really stand-out bad result we've had, and seems to have dented our self-belief a bit. Yes, losing at home to West Ham wasn't great but it's the odd one-loss-in-six result that I can tolerate.

Villa aside, I don't see a lot wrong. The difference between now and previous seasons, previous decades!, is that our expectations have grown sky-high. It's no disgrace to lose by a single goal at Man City, or to draw with Liverpool, nor for that matter to battle to an away draw against an awkward Everton, who at the moment are not the Everton of the last two seasons. Fulham was an annoying draw but even title-winning sides have bad days at the office. Even City lose and draw the odd home game.

We need to deliver a good thumping on Sunday to Sheff Utd and we'll all feel a bit better. If we get something at Ajax on Thursday, so much the better. Keep the faith, everyone!

 

[smillie's garden]

No chance.

They prioritise all games against the bottom teams and try and get 6 points off each.

They are excellent at doing this every season. You don't have to do much the rest of the games to stay up.

They didn’t do that in 2018/19, thank god