[Archived] Relegation Watch

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Bet you feel so big after typing that. Good God, I wonder why I even bother looking at this site with all the name calling, point scoring and general bitchiness here.

Sorry, bit cruel just fed up with all the doom and gloom...even though your right

[1864roverite]

I think the relegation issue is becoming more simpler rather than complicated.

Simple equation for Rovers is this.

Must win games

Pompy

spurs

WBA

Wigan

Stoke

Must take points in the following

Fulham

Hull

Everton

Wham

Bonus points

Liverpool

Chelsea

Arsenal

Man City

18 points imo out of that lot sees us survive, it may well be less.

As it stands I dont see either WBA/ Boro/Stoke/pompy/newcastle and spuds grossing any more than that total in their remaining games.

[John]

Interesting hearing Tony Mowbray's interview. He said they really believe they can win games at home, which will make the difference.

[1864roverite]

They are currently 2-0 down at Flham who btw should have been 7 or 8 in front, woodwork 4 times and two or three good saves from Carson have prevented a massive goal leakage.

[Balwer]

After today you'd have to think that WBA are going down. Boro need something dramatic to change or they will too.

As for the final spot, Stoke has shown a bit of fight, Newcastle and Spuds are both hot and cold. Pompey is an unknown but seem to be heading in the right direction.

If I had to bet right now I'd say

20th - WBA

19th Middlesborough

18th - Stoke

I think Rovers will finish about 15th.

[philipl]

I hope Everton are as uninterested in taking 3 points when they come to Ewood as they were at Newcastle in the second half today. That was a very under-powered performance lacking in all urgency against ten men.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Interesting exclusive by our Nicko, in today’s People, where he states that Rovers and Sam could part company this summer if Rovers are relegated.

My f'kin god what a mess.Where has the loyalty and integrity gone in football.

I really do hope you are wide of the mark with this one Mr Nixon!

[gumboots]

My f'kin god what a mess.Where has the loyalty and integrity gone in football.

I really do hope you are wide of the mark with this one Mr Nixon!

Why? It would appear to be us hedging our bets as much as him hedging his. We can't afford an expensive manager if we go down. We'll need to go back to trying an up and coming if there's one willing to come to Rovers with no cash and few players of any quality to work with, assuming we'd sell quite a few. It's all ifs and buts at this stage anyway. We might still avoid the drop and we'll all set off again next season full of as much optimism as Rovers fans ever have.

[DP]

I think the relegation issue is becoming more simpler rather than complicated.

Simple equation for Rovers is this.

Must win games

Pompy

spurs

WBA

Wigan

Stoke

Must take points in the following

Fulham

Hull

Everton

Wham

Bonus points

Liverpool

Chelsea

Arsenal

Man City

18 points imo out of that lot sees us survive, it may well be less.

As it stands I dont see either WBA/ Boro/Stoke/pompy/newcastle and spuds grossing any more than that total in their remaining games.

Pretty much sums it up for me 1864

What's all this Allardyce is God stuff? If we go down, he will have played a massive part in it. We've still got better players than West brom, Middlesbrough and Stoke, and with our game in hand our destination is very much in our hands. It's as much about mental strength and motivation now and it's up to Sam to give that to the players.

[incecticide]

The point of the post is that there's a time and place critique the players, the attitudes, the trustees, the pies, whatever, but the time is not now. We are in dire sh*t and we ALL need to get together to drag us out of the mess. It's about controllable variances ie focus only on the things we can control and as fans the ONLY thing we can control is the atmosphere at the ground. All this negative stuff drains people and when they get to the matches they are already half defeated before they turn up. There's no place for your frustrations right now, we all need to do our jobs and mine is to get to matches and make as much positive noise as I can get out. Hopefully you feel the same way. Ask yourself how many battles were won by going into the fight saying there's zero chance of victory. Up and at 'em! Come the close season I'll join you in lynching a few people but right now let's do our job.

If you read the post you've replied to, you'll realise I'm completely on board with that and what little difference I can make by supporting the team is made with gusto. The time and place to say I think we're going down is here, any time other than while Rovers are playing.

The negative stuff comes from the fact that despite all the supposed positives that DE4Life has listed, it's got us nowhere, we're still in the drop zone with tougher games coming up than the ones we've struggled through.

[DE.]

The negative stuff comes from the fact that despite all the supposed positives that DE4Life has listed, it's got us nowhere, we're still in the drop zone with tougher games coming up than the ones we've struggled through.

It's hardly got us 'nowhere', has it? We're 2 points away from 16th/17th place with a game in hand. A win takes us out of the relegation zone. Compared to when we were hovering in 19th/20th and looking like we were in serious threat of becoming cut adrift, I don't see that as getting nowhere. It's slow improvement, that needs to pick up speed. If we lose to Hull I will fully accept we are in deep trouble and are more than likely going down. It's a game that really is a must-win, considering our upcoming games. Even a draw isn't really good enough.

[incecticide]

A win takes us out of the relegation zone. Compared to when we were hovering in 19th/20th and looking like we were in serious threat of becoming cut adrift, I don't see that as getting nowhere.

Finally you've hit the nail on the head - a WIN. Something we've struggled to acheive recently, against teams like Sunderland. With games against in-form teams and our bogey team (West Ham) on the horizon, things need to change.

We were in the relegation zone then, we're still there now. We've got nowhere.

[The Prof.]

Have to say 1884 that list doesn't fill me with much confidence.

If we go down will Sam go or will we fire him? Ain't much else around for him and he is probably a good bet to get us back up.

Could it be we won't pay or be able to pay his wages?

[incecticide]

Have to say 1884 that list doesn't fill me with much confidence.

If we go down will Sam go or will we fire him? Ain't much else around for him and he is probably a good bet to get us back up.

Could it be we won't pay or be able to pay his wages?

Shouldnt there be a FM-style relegation wage cut clause in Sam's contract?! Or maybe it's a relegation release clause... I'd like to know more about it, especially about which side requested it.

[The Prof.]

Shouldnt there be a FM-style relegation wage cut clause in Sam's contract?! Or maybe it's a relegation release clause... I'd like to know more about it, especially about which side requested it.

Dunno Insecticide, we seem to be signing some odd contracts recently.

[Guest Kamy100]

Having spent considerable time looking at the remianing games of all the teams in the bottom 8, I am revising my predicition of needing sub 40 points to stay up this season, I now believe that 37 points will keep us up this season.

All of this means that IF we can pick up 7 points from the next three games (Hull, Everton and Fulham) it would put us in a good position going into the final 10 games of the season.

[Ricky]

We'll be doing well to pick anything up at Fulham, their home record is excellent. We need to pick up maximum points from Hull and Everton really.

[incecticide]

All of this means that IF we can pick up 7 points from the next three games (Hull, Everton and Fulham) it would put us in a good position going into the final 10 games of the season.

Way too optimistic. 4 points is pushing it. Beat Hull and look for a draw from either of the others.

[DE.]

Finally you've hit the nail on the head - a WIN. Something we've struggled to acheive recently, against teams like Sunderland. With games against in-form teams and our bogey team (West Ham) on the horizon, things need to change.

We were in the relegation zone then, we're still there now. We've got nowhere.

Your method of reasoning is far too simplistic.

If we'd lost all of our games or were in the same position as when Ince was in charge (spineless, looking like we were going to be cut adrift from the teams above us, etc etc) I'd agree.

But we're not. We're 2 points off 16th/17th, that's the bottom line.

Last 8 Premiership games under Ince:

Villa 3-2 Rovers

WBA 2-2 Rovers

Rovers 0-2 Chelsea

Rovers 1-2 Sunderland

Spurs 1-0 Rovers

Portsmouth 3-2 Rovers

Rovers 1-3 Liverpool

Wigan 3-0 Rovers

Won: 0 Drew: 1 Lost: 7 Points: 1

Last 8 Premiership games under Allardyce:

Rovers 3-0 Stoke

Sunderland 0-0 Rovers

Rovers 2-2 Man City

Rovers 3-0 Newcastle

Rovers 2-2 Bolton

Boro 0-0 Rovers

Rovers 0-2 Villa

Man Utd 2-1 Rovers

Won: 2 Drew: 4 Lost: 2 Points: 10

Considering Sam arrived at a time when our club was in disarray, I find it amazing for anybody to say we have gotten nowhere. We have picked up maximum points against Stoke and Newcastle, 2 of our relegation rivals. We haven't lost to any team around us, unlike under Ince, who managed to get us to lose to Sunderland, Spurs, and Portsmouth. Under Ince we conceded 20 goals in his final 9 games. Under Sam, we've conceded 8. Under Ince would we have gotten anything against Man City, Bolton or Newcastle? Would we have even beaten Stoke? Judging from Ince's previous results, and the performing against Wigan, it seems unlikely.

We're going forwards, not backwards. We're getting somewhere, and it's only because we performed so awfully before our change in manager that we are where we are. We've gone from a spineless team that leaked goals left, right and centre into a team that has a bit of bottle and a sense of purpose.

Hull is crucial, as far as I'm concerned. Win that, and we're in with every chance of surviving. Lose it, and we leave ourselves with a task IMO too difficult for the current players to handle. Even a draw is inadequete at this point.

[nicko]

My f'kin god what a mess.Where has the loyalty and integrity gone in football.

I really do hope you are wide of the mark with this one Mr Nixon!

It's quite a common sense one really...

And, remember, both sides agreed terms very quickly and amicably when Sam arrived.

1 - if Rovers go down then they cut their costs and re-negotiate.

2 - if Rovers stay up, everyone takes a fresh look at it anyway.

I realise that is a bit of a generalisation, but there's no need to think it doesn't suit both sides.

A good idea, in fact.

[modes98]

Beat Hull and look for a draw from either of the others.

Everton looked very poor without Arteta yesterday, he is a game winner. They have very few options up front as well. We will be looking to beat Everton and with all due respect to them so we should be. The harder test will be away to Hull Imo, they are fighting for their lives as much as we are. What have Everton got to fight for?

[LeChuck]

What have Everton got to fight for?

European football...

[Hughesy]

When we play Everton, they will be without Arteta, and hopefully Anichebe.

Next up we need to barge Fellini in the back and the automatically loose another player. He has a cracked bone in his back - so lets get stuck in when we do play them!

[philipl]

I saw quite a bit of Premier League football this week-end and will be interesting to see how Hull and Spurs perform tonight.

Taking the bottom half:

11 Sunderland 26 5 2 6 15 15 3 5 5 12 18 -6 31 Were good at Arsenal and were rarely troubled by a toothless Gunners. Impressive how a few decent results has lifted them from relegation zone to near safety in very little time- a lesson for Rovers.

12 Bolton 26 5 2 6 13 15 4 1 8 16 23 -9 30 Unconvincing- were fortunate to catch West Ham asleep at the Reebok but had enough cutting edge to score 2 in 2 and kill the game whilst they could- they took their chances; lesson for Jason Roberts.

13 Hull 25 3 3 6 13 25 4 5 4 18 21 -15 29 Tonight

14 Newcastle 26 4 6 3 19 20 2 4 7 14 22 -9 28 Awful against a painfully pedestrian lacklustre Everton who gifted the Toon a wholly undeserved point. Just hope Everton are as lacking in desire and hunger when they come to Ewood as we would surely beat them.

15 Portsmouth 26 5 2 6 18 21 2 5 6 11 22 -14 28 Crazy game at Stoke and very lucky to escape with a point. Enjoying new manager bounce but not at all convincing despite having some individually outstanding players performing well.

16 Tottenham 25 4 5 4 11 9 2 2 8 15 22 -5 25 Tonight

17 Stoke 26 6 4 3 15 13 0 3 10 8 29 -19 25 Physical but uninspired against Pompey. Were very fortunate Pompey switched off 100% after taking the lead but Beattie looks like trouble for any defence not willing to stand firm physically.

18 Blackburn 25 3 4 6 15 21 2 4 6 13 21 -14 23 We all saw it- we gave the Mancs a fright.

19 Middlesbrough 26 3 6 4 10 15 2 2 9 8 21 -18 23 Desperate catatonic stuff against a Wigan side who really didn't turn up at the Riverside. Another struggler gifted a point this week-end.

20 West Brom 26 5 2 6 18 24 1 2 10 6 25 -25 22 In deep trouble. Play nice stuff but have been making mistakes all season and did so again at Craven Cottage.

Of the eight clubs that have played so far in this round of fixtures, only Sunderland and Rovers really put on a performance. Unless heads go down, then usually performances produce points and wins sooner rather than later.

I think we will be alright and Sam has enough about him to prevent the nerves and lack of confidence from being so low interfering with the march to safety.

[Iceman]

Do we want a draw or a win for Hull. Im hoping for a Hull win, as spurs run in looks bad!