05 Dec 2021 00:40:24
Just looked at our statistics and I'm getting rather concerned. So far we have 15 points from 14 games. 2 points from the last 24 points played for. We have 24 games left so at the same rate we will just about reach the 40 points usually needed to avoid going down.
The problem is that we play the top 7 teams (as of today) nine times and if we lose those games then we need 25 points from the remaining 15 games or 45 available points.
Of course we could take points of the top seven teams and we will get better when the injured players return and getting a few players in January will help. But it its going to be a nail bitting end to the season especially since the last five games of the season include Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

1.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 04:45:15
I don't think we can read too much into points per game Mike. We were contenders for Europe the first 6 and worse than anyone the next 8

I agree though we're in a relegation dogfight unless we improve quickly and we need to have done enough before the final run in.

{Ed0666's Note - you’ll be ok stop worrying. Do you really think you’re worse than Norwich, Newcastle and Burnley?

2.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 05:29:49
The last 8 games? Yes

Football is a lot about confidence and we have none right now and, I know you won't agree with this, Rafa isn't helping with his tactics, team selections/ substitutions

You sure you don't want a Rafa/ Klopp until the end of the season? It is the season of giving you know.

3.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 10:00:00
BW to us Rafa's selections are baffling but even with us (some of us) not knowing what is going on what real choices does he have. Take Simms, signs a new contract (so the Club must see something) and returns to U23's. Take Rondon, Iwobi, it cannot be blind loyalty or stubborness in their constant selection. We see in the majority of games, players just not up to it. Obviously the Manager, coaches see something different. For what it is worth I am told it has come to a head, nothing else.

4.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 10:34:09
Newcastle looked decent enough yesterday and the fans are riding the bounce from the new manager. We could easily finish 3rd from bottom, I don’t understand why so many are confident that we won’t.
Dyche and his squad are experts at navigating this situation. Is Benitez? Or did he get relegated with Newcastle?

5.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 11:32:01
Well I don't think that we will be relegated Ed0666 but we have got ourselves in one hell of a mess. "The Devil is in the details".

6.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 11:37:04
Good post DFS mate as you say none of us are privy as to who plays and which players are picked, Rafa sees them all on the training ground and on the pitch, this poor run of games will change as soon as we have our injured players back, he has to have time.

7.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 12:13:19
You do realise we could have more injuries don’t you?
Forget the bloody training pitch. He keeps picking players who are under performing and letting him down. But he still picks them?
Now I might be wrong but if you replace someone who isn’t performing with an untried youngster?, will you be any worse off?

8.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 12:36:19
Game of onions mate and mine is Rafa has to be given time.

9.) 05 Dec 2021
05 Dec 2021 12:52:20
The lack of a rb a LB (letting one go on loan? ) being unhappy for 2 or more seasons with our CBs. Yet the real critical problem isn't the goals conceded, though some clean sheets are welcome, it's our lack of goals. Goals win games, clean sheets dont. We got tonked by Watford and Liverpool. Otherwise we've been beaten by a goal. We may well have won a game or 3 more upto now with a goal scorer instead of a struggling target man who was never prolific at any stage of his career. DCL is our only option which is crazy considering our spending and that Lukaku left ages ago and is at his 3rd club since. Rikky is wasted uptop but for a game here and there it's fine. We need goals and to carry a goal threat the opposition are mindful of tactically, at the moment they know we are toothless. With DCL We would be capable of winning again and that's the difference right now. It's a problem we won't solve as our hands are tied with transfer rules and windows and waiting for DCLs injury but it's the problem. As for playing the kids? Clearly not a single one of our managers has seen enough to convince them to play them. It's such a gulf between an average u23s side to a Premier league side, even a struggling one. Hence why they go on loan with mixed success to league 1 level clubs. They're not the answer. The only time teams succeed in introducing kids is into a winning side, surrounded by confidence and carried to an extent. For a small cameo here and there. Or a CL club who has little interest in the league Cup and they play some of their fringe players with 1 or 2 of their exceptional kids. Our kids are far away from the level and our militant fans, the same fans calling for them, will skin them alive when they inevitably fail to shine. Lose lose all round. DCL has only been good for 2.seasons and he's no kid. He was afforded a lot of patience by the club, though my memory of some fans were screaming for him to be kicked out as he wasn't fulfilling the promise fast enough for them 3 years ago. The experts in their armchair wisdom are almost always wrong, yet here we are yet again having a board room subconsciously directed by them.