[Archived] Other premier league 2011-12

[Clitherover]

Sunderland are an irrelevance anyway. They're not going down, especially not with O'Neill in charge. Our "group" are Wolves, QPR, Bolton & Wigan. We'll be aiming to finish top of this pile and that's as high as we can realistically aim (16th).

i think you can quite easily add Swansea to that ''group'' if any club is likely to do a Blackpool/Burnley style kamikaze towards the bottom of the league it's them.

[bennyboyt11]

Got a funny feeling Norwich and Swansea will be fine this year... I always felt teams like Hull, Burnley and Blackpool would drop like a stone after a good start but I don't have that feeling with Norwich or Swansea. We'll see I suppose, but I think the bottom five now will be the bottom five come the end of the season, just in a different order.

The difference was that Hull/Blackpool relied on scoring more goals than the opposition, rather than having a tight back unit, which is something Swansea in particular are doing very well.

[Stuart]

Got a funny feeling Norwich and Swansea will be fine this year... I always felt teams like Hull, Burnley and Blackpool would drop like a stone after a good start but I don't have that feeling with Norwich or Swansea. We'll see I suppose, but I think the bottom five now will be the bottom five come the end of the season, just in a different order.

After 16 games last season (by Christmas), Blackpool had 22 points.

After 17 games this season (by Christmas), Norwich had 21 points, Swansea had 18 (after 16 games).

They could well be dragged back into it.

Teams with 18 points or less on Christmas Day...

2010/11 = 6 (2 were relegated)

2011/12 = 10

Ominously though, West Ham were bottom with 13 points (18 games), Rovers had 10 (17 games).

Not sure what all this means but it looks like an inferior bottom half of the league this year (at the half way stage) so maybe all isn't lost?

[braddock]

I believe at least one of the newly promoted teams will go down. I'm leaning towards two.

Gives us one or two Prem regulars to get above to survive. I believe we will finish above Bolton, Wigan and Wolves. Not ruling us out overtaking any others too, though if we do that won't be as well as leapfrogging all of the former teams mentioned, rather instead of.

[DE.]

After 16 games last season (by Christmas), Blackpool had 22 points.

After 17 games this season (by Christmas), Norwich had 21 points, Swansea had 18 (after 16 games).

They could well be dragged back into it.

Teams with 18 points or less on Christmas Day...

2010/11 = 6 (2 were relegated)

2011/12 = 10

Ominously though, West Ham were bottom with 13 points (18 games), Rovers had 10 (17 games).

Not sure what all this means but it looks like an inferior bottom half of the league this year (at the half way stage) so maybe all isn't lost?

Oh aye, they can definitely still get dragged back into it... for some reason I just don't think they will. Not sure why. QPR have got money to back them up so in theory they should avoid the drop ahead of Swansea and Norwich, and you'd expect at least one promoted team to go down.... but when you've got the likes of us, Wigan, Wolves and Bolton competing to see who can play the worst each week, they must fancy their chances.

[DE.]

Another good day for Swansea and Norwich, confirming my thoughts that they'll be fine. Think a gap will soon start to develop between the bottom five and everybody else.

[Tom]

Bradley Johnson after getting Barton sent off today

I suddenly like him more

[thenodrog]

Bradley Johnson after getting Barton sent off today

I suddenly like him more

Really Tom? I don't! Where's his stitches? Where's a lump the size of a pigeon's egg on his forehead? He has proved himself a diver and a cheat. I hope opposing teams and referees now target him for some individual treatment. Personally I liked the reaction from Norwich's Grant Holt who unless I am mistaken appeared to be remonstrating with the ref not to dismiss Barton.

If I was Barton as soon as that red card was shown I'd have run to the cheating Johnson and booted him in the ######. May as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb eh?

[Andy]

I believe we will finish above Bolton, Wigan and Wolves. Not ruling us out overtaking any others too.

Based on performances and results under Kean, what gives you that belief?

Genuine question.

[alexanders]

Hope Sunderland win tonight against Wigan!

[Mattyblue]

Based on performances and results under Kean, what gives you that belief?

Genuine question.

Don't be expecting to hear from bradders for a while...

[jrabrfc]

Joey Barton hands in transfer request?

[Audax]

Steve McLaren looks set to return to the Dutch Club FC Twente but actually, that club Twente has been doing well from what I can tell. McLaren of course, managed them previously.

Twente won a match 6-2 as visitors a few weeks ago and are 3rd place in that league.

Perhaps the manager Twente let go was perceived as being "flamboyant" so that could play into things. Sure makes you wonder. They seemed to be doing well so this sacked manager Adriaanse must have riled the board of Twente.

However, the flamboyant coach has had a troublesome relationship with Twente president Joop Munsterman ever since the start of his spell, and the club have now reportedly decided to let go of Adriaanse.

http://www.soccerway.com/news/2012/January/03/mcclaren-set-to-return-as-twente-coach/

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Big game Manchester City vs. Liverpool, I don't see Liverpool winning or drawing this.

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Beckham not going to Paris St. Germain, excuse me, I don't really mind Beckham but I think he and his publicity agent do try to play these things for all the attention they can get. BBC is reporting he won't go, from the start I thought he'd stay with the LA Galaxy if he indeed continues to play football.

[alexanders]

Very good to see Wigan 2 down

[cn174]

Very good to see Wigan 2 down

2-1 to Sunderland now.

I haven't seen it but Sunderland's first goal is supposed to be controversial and in the 49th minute of the half too!

[LDRover]

I believe at least one of the newly promoted teams will go down. I'm leaning towards two.

Gives us one or two Prem regulars to get above to survive. I believe we will finish above Bolton, Wigan and Wolves. Not ruling us out overtaking any others too, though if we do that won't be as well as leapfrogging all of the former teams mentioned, rather instead of.

How's that going to happen?? Are they going to start deducting points off the others??

[roverandout]

i think sunderland winning is bad as it leaves an even bigger gap between the rest and the bottom 5

[G Somerset Rover]

So frustrating that any half decent manager would get us out of this scrap fairly comfortably IMO. Certainly if they'd joined a few weeks ago.

As it stands Kean is here forever and we're on a one way ticket to the championship.

[cravenblue]

Wish venkys would see whats happening at sunderland, grt rid of a manager who isnt getting results, get someone else in and hey presto and a run of results pulls them well clear of relegation

[cn174]

4-1 now. Wigan defending like idiots!

[imy9]

All those people saying that O Neill would be poor for us need to look at the job he has done already at Sunderland, having spent no money so far.

[Audax]

Sunderland beat Man City last game, more than a fluke, oh well, good to see people contributing here. Sunderland is breaking away no matter what but that is O'Neill's childhood team so the news stories say, does that mean he would not have done as well for the Rovers? Or would have even accepted the job? He might not have taken a job with the structure the way it is, he walked from Aston Villa who have never really recovered.

All those people saying that O Neill would be poor for us need to look at the job he has done already at Sunderland, having spent no money so far.

I just wonder if he would have come and of course Sunderland was his childhood club.

[LeChuck]

All those people saying that O Neill would be poor for us need to look at the job he has done already at Sunderland, having spent no money so far.

Indeed. They're pretty much safe already.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Indeed. They're pretty much safe already.

Yeah Kean or Martin O'Neil - Give me a milli second to consider it

[roverandout]

i would sooner have april o'neil than kean