The Premier League Relegation Crunch Weekend. . .

[technocracy]

So WBA have fulfilled there potential of the being of being the first down - but the question is who'll join them?

Tonight: Portsmouth v Sunderland

Saturday:

Aston Villa v Newcastle United

Hull City v Manchester United

West Ham v Middlesbrough

Sunderland v Chelsea

The current scores on the board:

16 Sunderland 36 9 9 18 -17 36

17 Hull City 37 8 11 18 -24 35

18 Newcastle United 37 7 13 17 -18 34

19 Middlesbrough 37 7 11 19 -28 32

20 West Bromwich 37 8 7 22 -31 31

Sunderland - a win tonight and they'll be home and dry and playing against an already safe pompey side with little to play for I wouldn't be surprised. Well they know it'll be there last chance of points as no doubt Chelsea will beat them on Sat

Hull - Well even if Fergie puts out the 2nd squad I fully expect for them to get a thrashing! A Man U young side eager to impress and fighting for places on the bench in the Euro Cup final . . not easy! Hull need more than a point to ensure safety so they can't just do a 10-0-1 formation and cling on for draw since it would be sucide if N'Castle won.

N'Castle - Villa aren't in anything like decent form however that doesn't detract from the fact that N'Castle are totally useless! If Villa turn up then and perform they should win easily - however if they play to there current form then it's going to be close!

M'Boro - Coming up a Wet Sham side with nothing to play for and them fighting for there lives, M'boro also seem to perform better again passing teams rather than physical in your face teams. There only problem is -4 GD behind Hull - however considering who Hull are playing this it isn't outside of reality that a 0-1 win for them and Hull getting a 4-0 mullering and they could make the great escape!

It's gonna be a very interest weekend of footie and I'm sure there is still some surprises awaiting this weekend!

What I'd like to see is a bottom 3 of:

Hull

N'Castle

WBA

But what I think will happen is

Hull

M'Boro

WBA

What d'ya reckon . . . predictions please!

[bkkjames]

I predict the points will be exactly the same as you have listed above, with the exception that Sunderland may scrape an extra one tonight at Pompey.

Wonder what will happen in the Northeast if Sunderland hang on and Castle are the biggest team in the Championship?

[ThaiPauly]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

So for ONLY that reason I would like Newcastle to stay up.

Villa deperatley want to finish 5th ahead of the Toffee's, but I think Newcastle will nick a point.

Man U will definatley field a weakend side against Hull and should win...BUT I rememeber 2 years ago when they had already won the title they lost at home to West Ham, a win that saved the Hammers from the drop.

So who knows...but I am looking forward to it.

As Brom have already gone, I feel its 3 clubs for 2 spots, but ANYTHING can, and usually does happen in the closing stages of the last game of the season.

Again, FA Cup finalists Pompey LET Fulham beat them at home as they could not give a toss, with 11 minutes of the season remaining Fulham scored and Reading went down on GD, even though we won 4-0 at Derby.

Who would have backed Wigan to win AT Sheffield United on the last day two years ago...it was Wigan heading for the drop.

If Boro win at West Ham and Hull and Newcastle loose, well thats another twist !!!

Again, ANYTHING can happen, but at least whatever happens is of little consequence to me, I wll enjoy the day with relish.

[Zodiac]

Tech: the games are all on this Sunday right, not Saturday?

The game to follow is surely Newcastle, as if they lose they are down whatever anyone else does, correct?

[technocracy]

Oops my bad - Sunday . . force of habit!

Well Sunderland have left themselves a basically a must win game against Chelsea!

If Hull & N'Castle win and they don't win they are down - a draw and they would go down on GD.

Yes if Newcastle lose they are down - however if M'Boro win and Hull get thrashed they'll leapfrog both!

Also from our point of view Hull staying up would be good as you can be pretty dam_n well sure they will occupy 1 of the bottom 3 spaces! However I dispise Phil Brown with a passion and would love his ego to get knock down a peg or 10.

[binnsy]

middlesboro playing crap

sunderland playing crap

to join west brom

[alant]

hope newcastle go down, just because of their behaviour towards their managers they have been shocking and it isnt for the first time and please dont tell me the fans are not to blame for that, they could have been a little more vocal about some of the decisions.

predictions

villa get second wind and batter newcastle who along with middlesbro fill the last 2 relegation spots

[Jimjim]

Boro are not technically out of it, but realistically have no chance, in my opinion. As for the last spot, who knows? I think it's likely Hull or Newcastle to go down. Have a feeling Newcastle will pull at least a point out of the hat, so it's up to Hull to win or go home.

[sanmiguel]

I think Newcastle will lose and go down, but Hull will also lose, i cant see Boro closing a 5 goal deficit to go past Hull but think theyll beat West Hams kids.

Edited May 19, 2009 by sanmiguel

[chavy]

I agree with "jimjim" Boro are all but gone, I acn see the Geordies getting something at Villa & Man U (1st team or not) to beat Hull.......I'm sorry to say

[JacknDanny]

I think all 4 teams are playing crap at the minute, and have been for several weeks.

They will all get beat at the weekend, save Hull who may nick a point from United reserves.

So for me Middlesborough and Newcastle to join the Baggies

[Spit the Dog]

All 4 teams have been shockingly bad lately and in any other season would have been relegated. It just goes to show how poor the league is outside of the top 4, when teams like Stoke and Wigan can finish comfortably in mid-table.

I can see Chelsea beating Sunderland easily but I can only see Newcastle at best getting a draw with Villa which would save the Mackems. In normal circumstances Hull v Man Utd would be an away banker but with the Champion's League final coming 3 days later it is impossible to know what frame of mind or team selection Man Utd will go with. So if Hull can get a point, they should stay up.

[mrtoad]

It's all very close, and for a change not any of the bottom sides apart from West Brom have been playing well in the past month

As West Brom are now down that leaves two spots, and Boro just don't look to have it in them to get out of the bottom. For me I reckon it will stay the same, with none of them getting any points at the weekend, so that will see the Barcodes join the other two.

In the end though there will be three very lucky teams, as IMO the bottom 6 are bloody awful.

[StevieH]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

if newcastle do go down TP i think they'll be unrecognisable next season. owen, viduka, martins, nolan, barton, gutierrez, beye, bassong, coloccini. . . .can't see any of them staying with the barcodes in the championship.

[bkkjames]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

if newcastle do go down TP i think they'll be unrecognisable next season. owen, viduka, martins, nolan, barton, gutierrez, beye, bassong, coloccini. . . .can't see any of them staying with the barcodes in the championship.

with the exception of maybe beye and bassong, can't see Newcastle wanting any of them anyway.

Edited May 20, 2009 by bkkjames

[Spit the Dog]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

if newcastle do go down TP i think they'll be unrecognisable next season. owen, viduka, martins, nolan, barton, gutierrez, beye, bassong, coloccini. . . .can't see any of them staying with the barcodes in the championship.

You make it sound like a bad thing!!! Please feel free to add Smith, Ameobi, Butt, Cacapa, R Taylor and Geremi to that list.

[StevieH]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

if newcastle do go down TP i think they'll be unrecognisable next season. owen, viduka, martins, nolan, barton, gutierrez, beye, bassong, coloccini. . . .can't see any of them staying with the barcodes in the championship.

You make it sound like a bad thing!!! Please feel free to add Smith, Ameobi, Butt, Cacapa, R Taylor and Geremi to that list.

heh. they're the guys who i think will be content to stay at newcastle in the event of relegation, along with steven taylor, andy carroll etc. could see duff staying as well as given his injury record there won't be many clubs in for him.

[bkkjames]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

if newcastle do go down TP i think they'll be unrecognisable next season. owen, viduka, martins, nolan, barton, gutierrez, beye, bassong, coloccini. . . .can't see any of them staying with the barcodes in the championship.

You make it sound like a bad thing!!! Please feel free to add Smith, Ameobi, Butt, Cacapa, R Taylor and Geremi to that list.

heh. they're the guys who i think will be content to stay at newcastle in the event of relegation, along with steven taylor, andy carroll etc. could see duff staying as well as given his injury record there won't be many clubs in for him.

the whole team reminds of the saying "parts = less than the sum of the whole but in reverse" Or those movies - "Pirates of the BPL and Castaways".

it really just must be a bad bad dream

[sanmiguel]

I would rarther be playing Hull next year than Newcastle.

if newcastle do go down TP i think they'll be unrecognisable next season. owen, viduka, martins, nolan, barton, gutierrez, beye, bassong, coloccini. . . .can't see any of them staying with the barcodes in the championship.

You make it sound like a bad thing!!! Please feel free to add Smith, Ameobi, Butt, Cacapa, R Taylor and Geremi to that list.

In 1 week Viduka/ Owen have gone from publicly seeking a contract to shutting the <deleted> up, good riddance to them.

Most of them are at best championship players.

[technocracy]

All 4 teams have been shockingly bad lately and in any other season would have been relegated. It just goes to show how poor the league is outside of the top 4, when teams like Stoke and Wigan can finish comfortably in mid-table.

Like Stoke and Wigan?!??!?! Exactly what have Stoke and Wigan got in common? One is the second old club in the Football League with a large fan base (and not forget the loudest fans in the league - 122.6db was recorded at the weekend) has spent a large period of it's history in the top flight unfortunately for past 23 years have been stuck in the lower leagues. The other is team recent elected (past 30 or so years ago) to football league that's struggles to attract 15,000 fans having spent only 5 season in the top division in there history essentially struggling to draw a crowd from the local rugby teams.

Remember if Man Citeh lose at the weekend and we win we can get a Top 10 finish . .. but of course the league is poor - nothing to do with the likes of Stoke out performing the teams below them. Wigan have a decent manager in Bruce however there current form has been poor but either way you look at it Whelan seems to know who run a football club unlike the fat clown Ashley.

Also we played ALL the top 4 last year with only Arsenal away outstanding this weekend - I think it would be fair to say we put the 4 points Liverpool dropped against us pretty much screwed up there title hopes.

[Macclad]

I reckon Boro are all but down and Sunderland are so poor I can see Chelsea beating them comfortably.

Villa are already qualified for Europe so,believe it or not,I can see Newcastle getting at least a point there.

United are unlikely to play the likes of Van der Saar,Evra,Vidic,Ronaldo,Rooney and Tevez so I see shades of two years ago when United lost at home to West Ham who avoided the drop.If O'Shea,Evans,Scholes,Giggs etc.do play the last thing they will want is to get injured in a meaningless match and miss out on the Champions League Final so I can see Hull surviving.

For the drop.....WBA,Middlesborough and Sunderland.

Well done to Stoke by the way.At the start of the season I thought they were certs for relegation,so great to see them surviving comfortably and hope they can build on it for next season.

[EastSaxCol]

Can't help hoping really.

[technocracy]

Can't help hoping really.

[bkkjames]

Can't help hoping really.

very good!

[sanmiguel]

All 4 teams have been shockingly bad lately and in any other season would have been relegated. It just goes to show how poor the league is outside of the top 4, when teams like Stoke and Wigan can finish comfortably in mid-table.

Like Stoke and Wigan?!??!?! Exactly what have Stoke and Wigan got in common?

Not too much like you say, Wigan actually play some good football and have some genuinely talented players, i believe he is refering to Stokes absolutely dreadful to watch kick and hope football which involves kicking the other team off the park .... but as can been seen it does get results in this league.

Tony Pulis was renowned for this kind of anti-football at Bournemouth.

but either way you look at it Whelan seems to know who run a football club unlike the fat clown Ashley.

Something we agree on!

Edited May 21, 2009 by sanmiguel

[Sunderland]

Sunderland deserve to go down as much as anyone else. The only thing that has allowed them to keep their heads above water is the fact that they took the following points off those below them:

Hull - 6 points

Newcastle - 4 points

Middlesbrough - 4 points

WBA - 3 points

Anyway as far as Sunderland are concerned, we win, we stop up.

Newcastle draw or lose, we stop up.

Hull lose, we stop up.

Newcastle and Hull win, we go down if we don't win.

The complicated bit.

Newcastle win, Hull draw, we go down if we get beat by 5 clear goals*

*I.e. we lose 5-0 - 6-1 etc. then our and Hull's goal difference would be the same but Hull have scored 7 more goals.

A draw is no use to us apart from it keeps our goal difference down. Newcastle and Hull win, we draw, we go down on goal difference.

Who do I want to go down with West Brom and Middlesbrough ... Hull. I like derby matches, so I actually want the barcodes to stay up with us next season.

[Zodiac]

Sunderland deserve to go down as much as anyone else. The only thing that has allowed them to keep their heads above water is the fact that they took the following points off those below them:

Hull - 6 points

Newcastle - 4 points

Middlesbrough - 4 points

WBA - 3 points

Anyway as far as Sunderland are concerned, we win, we stop up.

Newcastle draw or lose, we stop up.

Hull lose, we stop up.

Newcastle and Hull win, we go down if we don't win.

The complicated bit.

Newcastle win, Hull draw, we go down if we get beat by 5 clear goals*

*I.e. we lose 5-0 - 6-1 etc. then our and Hull's goal difference would be the same but Hull have scored 7 more goals.

A draw is no use to us apart from it keeps our goal difference down. Newcastle and Hull win, we draw, we go down on goal difference.

Who do I want to go down with West Brom and Middlesbrough ... Hull. I like derby matches, so I actually want the barcodes to stay up with us next season.

Interesting analysis this Sunderland.

However my guesstimate and prediction:

Your namesake team will survive and their result against Chelsea will prove to be irrelevant.

Why?

Highly unlikely both Hull and Newcastle to win.

'Boro out of it and are doomed with WBA.

The pivotal game is at Villa.

The away side will get either a 1-2 or 1-1 in my guess with Martins or Owen being the hero.

Hull, despite the reserve opposition will go down 0-1 or 0-2.

Somewhere in the afternoon there will be a mighty bust up and players sent off.

Anyhow just my prediction; maybe I will need to eat my words!

[mrbojangles]

I still dream of Man United going down. Maybe next year

[brewsterbudgen]

So how many of these vital games will be viewable by True subscribers? The games advertised as being on on Truesport 1, 3 & 5 are all meaningless games (except for the clubs' supporters). The key games, Man U/Hull, Villa/Newcastle are being advertised as being on Truevisions 106 etc. Where will a Platinum or Gold subscriber find these channels?

[alant]

I still dream of Man United going down. Maybe next year

wouldnt that be nice, have to make do with newcastle utd this year

up the clarets