Whose For The Drop?

[bartender100]

As sad as it makes me, I think Norwich have had it now, not getting anything against Villa was the last chance, out of our hands now.

Home to WBA away to Man City final two games

I think 40 maybe even 41 will not be enough for the final relegated team

I think you will find there a quite a few very worried geordies too! Wigan fans a used to it...water off a ducks back for them!

Your right Newcastle is my only hope ( as bad I woild feel for their supporters), Sunderland have two home games left

Wigan play their game in hand tomorrow, home to the Swans which I think they will win

But 40 points not enough, what do you think?

[Travel2003]

But their salaries!

They need to agree either to cut their salaries, or play with the same salaries in the Championship.

Looking at some of the faces to the players after they got relegated, it seem like they really do not give a damn where they play.

Salaries indeed and who in the EPL really wants Remy & Samba at that price + transfer fee. I'm not convinced they are THAT good. Cesar is a good goalkeeper, very experienced and a few good years left in him........Man U, with DeGea to Real Madrid to part fund buying Bale? SAF likes experienced keepers.

I feel a bit sorry for Tony Fernandes. His heart seems in the right place but its strange that such a successful businessman should be so naive.

As for buying one of their mercenaries, i'm not sure i'd like the attitude they would bring with them. For the most part the team have been a disgrace.

The team is not pretty enough.

Tony Fernandes should have know that by now, after his success with Air Asia.

Pretty pretty pretty.

[jellydog]

It would be ironic given all the Di Canio hoopla and his histrionics on the pitch, if Sunderland bit the dust. Can't say I'm wishing for it, but it would be just about as amusing as watching his entrance at Sunderland.

[carmine]

As sad as it makes me, I think Norwich have had it now, not getting anything against Villa was the last chance, out of our hands now.

Home to WBA away to Man City final two games

I think 40 maybe even 41 will not be enough for the final relegated team

I think you will find there a quite a few very worried geordies too! Wigan fans a used to it...water off a ducks back for them!

Your right Newcastle is my only hope ( as bad I woild feel for their supporters), Sunderland have two home games left

Wigan play their game in hand tomorrow, home to the Swans which I think they will win

But 40 points not enough, what do you think?

Thats a tough one. I can see Newcastle only getting one more point. They are all over the place at the moment. Wigan seem to be getting their usual end of season momentum. Sunderland have to come to Spurs and remember thats a must win for us too.

Newcastle seem to have hit a brick wall at the worst time possible though don't they

[smokie36]

Sunderland have two home games before they visit us. I reckon they will take three points at least from those and be safe by the last game.

[SantiSuk]

Norwich or Newcastle seem to be the teams on a negative roll. The relegated team will be on 39 or even 40 points this year and eliminated on goal difference. Despite the negative roll thing I would bet on Wigan to fail to pull it off this time around. Playing with only half a defence. Alcaraz , Beausejour and Figueroa all out - Alcaraz may get back this week, but from a hamstring means half power.

OK if you want to get down and dirty, here is how it unfolds

Swansea Home - Draw (it's the expected 3 pointers that kill you at this time of year)

Arsenal Away - Loss

Aston Villa Home - Win (only because Villa will already be beach-side by then - congrats to them on a gritty Carrow Road Agbon-sucker-punching performance)

39 points, same as Norwich and Newcastle, but relegated on goal difference. They end on the same points and same goal difference as Newcastle (who get the vital point against us in the last 5 minutes to survive and put us into the EU.L ). Newcastle stay up by virtue of the same points tally (3) in games between the two clubs but a better goal difference.

[This is potentially an exceptional year when two teams finish jointly third last. Same points, same GD. Anyone know if my assumption about how that would be sorted is correct?]

PS Scudamore wrote this script last night and is in process of greasing the right palms among the clubs and refs]

[JacknDanny]

As sad as it makes me, I think Norwich have had it now, not getting anything against Villa was the last chance, out of our hands now.

Home to WBA away to Man City final two games

I think 40 maybe even 41 will not be enough for the final relegated team

I think you will find there a quite a few very worried geordies too! Wigan fans a used to it...water off a ducks back for them!

Your right Newcastle is my only hope ( as bad I woild feel for their supporters), Sunderland have two home games left

Wigan play their game in hand tomorrow, home to the Swans which I think they will win

But 40 points not enough, what do you think?

I think it could go down to the last game of the season,,,,,,,,,,,,, Southampton V Stoke with one of those 2 copping it. Maybe 40 wont be enough this year

[Travel2003]

If Wigan win their game in hand against Swansea, who are finished for the season, and with their superstar out for rest of their games.

And Sunderland win tonight, which is very doable.

Then Newcastle is in the drop zone.

Newcastle do not have the easiest games left, with away to QPR who hopefully will show their home fans some last performance, and Arsenal as visitors, who have a lot to play for as well.

[BangrakBob]

Think I'll be tuning in online to Soccer Saturday with Jeff Stelling and the lads for the final day...Championship was a cracker on Saturday.

[carmine]

Think I'll be tuning in online to Soccer Saturday with Jeff Stelling and the lads for the final day...Championship was a cracker on Saturday.

Good call Bob. Jeff Stelling is still light years better than the other football related tv anchors

[mrtoad]

Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton seem to be the teams on the slide. Pardew seems to have lost his team - but he's on a 7 year contract, or something stupid like that, so they are lumbered with him. It does look like it's between the Present Newcastle manager and the previous one. Wigan seem to have hit form at the right time again, they are like the new Coventry.

[BangrakBob]

I don't think Wigan are any better off than the other sides we are considering here, especially as they have defensive injuries, are still in the bottom 3 and 2 points behind the next team. However, they have a composure and maturity about their game and some talented attacking players. I enjoy watching them play, they've been pretty unlucky this year with results having played well.

[sotsira]

If Wigan win tonight then that will bring in all the teams from 40 points in to a

relegation fight until the the final whistle of the final day.

Anyone one from 7 teams can go down at the mo, especially if Wigan win their game in hand.

Sunderland v Southampton this weekend is a massive six pointer for them both,

if one of them loses then it could be curtains.

[Travel2003]

It hurts so much watching that Stoke team play, I really wish they were relegated.

Must be the most one-dimensional team since Big Sam's Bolton.

[SantiSuk]

I reckon that my earlier prediction on another thread that one of Arsenal or Spurs will relegate a North Eastern team on the last day of the season is moving ever closer, but I'm now calling it for Wigan to go down, courtesy of a fialure to win theit too obvious banker tonight. I wish it were otherwise and I should hope that they win tonight so the pressure is a little bit lessened on them when they play us Gooners - their last game against Villa is a 3 pointer, now that Villa have headed to the beach but it'll be too little too late.

Of course I would prefer Stoke to go down, by miles. However, their one point puts them on 41 and they have a good goal average. Safe. Unfortunately. Last night potentially keeps Sunderland fighting for survival for their Spurs game, but it lets Spurs off the hook a little bit for their Stoke game; any result last night could not have kept both teams fighting for survival against Spurs, but I would have prefered it to have been Stoke at home to Spurs desperate for the three points.

Congrats to the Potters nonetheless for their stickability - their fans deserve a more positive team for the future. Lighten-up Pulis and get rid of that bus. Otherwise your fans need some singing practice form Milwall ("everybody hates us; we dont care")

[sotsira]

I reckon that my earlier prediction on another thread that one of Arsenal or Spurs will relegate a North Eastern team on the last day of the season is moving ever closer, but I'm now calling it for Wigan to go down, courtesy of a fialure to win theit too obvious banker tonight. I wish it were otherwise and I should hope that they win tonight so the pressure is a little bit lessened on them when they play us Gooners - their last game against Villa is a 3 pointer, now that Villa have headed to the beach but it'll be too little too late.

I would't rule out Villa just yet, they have to play Chelski and then Wigan, if they lose them both, then they could still

get relegated on 40 points, especially with their inferior goal difference.

[tw25rw]

Sunderland are missing important players, but their goal difference is worth a point, so I think they'll stay up.

Newcastle looked blunt up front, but much more organised v West Ham than v Liverpool.

Villa seem to be in some form, as do Wigan, though Wigan were abysmal at West Ham the other week (pub football at it's worst from both teams apart from the goals).

But Norwich look somewhat doomed. I think Holt was out and is now back, so maybe that will make a difference.

[carmine]

I reckon that my earlier prediction on another thread that one of Arsenal or Spurs will relegate a North Eastern team on the last day of the season is moving ever closer, but I'm now calling it for Wigan to go down, courtesy of a fialure to win theit too obvious banker tonight. I wish it were otherwise and I should hope that they win tonight so the pressure is a little bit lessened on them when they play us Gooners - their last game against Villa is a 3 pointer, now that Villa have headed to the beach but it'll be too little too late.

I would't rule out Villa just yet, they have to play Chelski and then Wigan, if they lose them both, then they could still

get relegated on 40 points, especially with their inferior goal difference.

I reckon its between Toon and Wigan.

[salty]

Tonight's game could tell a lot especially if Wigan do not win.

[salty]

Hard to see Wigan getting anything at Arsenal. Looks like they are doomed.

[carmine]

Hard to see Wigan getting anything at Arsenal. Looks like they are doomed.

Their best chance is if Spurs put Arsenal under more pressure by winning at Chelsea. Otherwise i think you are right

[Travel2003]

Wigan's performance last night was so awful, I can not remember a team committing so many unforced errors since Derby dropped out of PL some years ago.

The errors made were so bad one can not stop thinking this was as close to suspicion on match fixing one can get.

Surely some of the Wigan players must have had bets in on this match, because at least 20 passes were delivered directly to the feet of advancing Swansea players, for them to basically take route one towards the Wigan goal..

Shameful performance.

[SantiSuk]

Unfortunately, yes they are all-but relegated. You cant keep pushing water uphill every year. Maybe I can get to see my couple of EPL games at Hull next season instead, but tickets would be a lot tighter until they start to fail.

Martinez will be off to Everton in the Summer and we wont see Wigan again in the EPL in my lifetime (about 25 years!).

Newcastle and Sunderland will be safe by the time that Arsenal and Spurs play them on the last day, which puts the other great positions battle squarely down to the result at Stamford Bridge tonight (not mathematically true of course but 75% confidence level).

[Travel2003]

Unfortunately, yes they are all-but relegated. You cant keep pushing water uphill every year. Maybe I can get to see my couple of EPL games at Hull next season instead, but tickets would be a lot tighter until they start to fail.

Martinez will be off to Everton in the Summer and we wont see Wigan again in the EPL in my lifetime (about 25 years!).

Newcastle and Sunderland will be safe by the time that Arsenal and Spurs play them on the last day, which puts the other great positions battle squarely down to the result at Stamford Bridge tonight (not mathematically true of course but 75% confidence level).

Where will Moyes go?

[sotsira]

Wigan's performance last night was so awful, I can not remember a team committing so many unforced errors since Derby dropped out of PL some years ago.

The errors made were so bad one can not stop thinking this was as close to suspicion on match fixing one can get.

Surely some of the Wigan players must have had bets in on this match, because at least 20 passes were delivered directly to the feet of advancing Swansea players, for them to basically take route one towards the Wigan goal..

Shameful performance.

The consolation for Wigan though, is that they will be in the Europa league next season,

due to the cup final, as Man City are already in the Champs League.

[salty]

Unfortunately, yes they are all-but relegated. You cant keep pushing water uphill every year. Maybe I can get to see my couple of EPL games at Hull next season instead, but tickets would be a lot tighter until they start to fail.

Martinez will be off to Everton in the Summer and we wont see Wigan again in the EPL in my lifetime (about 25 years!).

Newcastle and Sunderland will be safe by the time that Arsenal and Spurs play them on the last day, which puts the other great positions battle squarely down to the result at Stamford Bridge tonight (not mathematically true of course but 75% confidence level).

Where will Moyes go?

Would you believe Man Utd.

[SantiSuk]

Well done Canaries. Its a bit late for doing the maths but I think that the race for demotion is now limited to Wigan, Aston Villa and Sunderland. I say that because Wigan have to beat Villa on the last day to survive and that would mean all teams currently placed above Villa are already safe?

What do Norwich have to do in the Summer to survive another season? (apart from replacing the old man at the front - seems incredible now to think he was almost playing for England in the Euros 2 years ago). Hope it goes well - Norwich was my team for a few years in the 70s and I saw them win promotion to the first division back then (somewhere in London I think, maybe Watford).

[BangrakBob]

Well done Canaries. Its a bit late for doing the maths but I think that the race for demotion is now limited to Wigan, Aston Villa and Sunderland. I say that because Wigan have to beat Villa on the last day to survive and that would mean all teams currently placed above Villa are already safe?

That's if Wigan beat Arsenal

[SantiSuk]

Well done Canaries. Its a bit late for doing the maths but I think that the race for demotion is now limited to Wigan, Aston Villa and Sunderland. I say that because Wigan have to beat Villa on the last day to survive and that would mean all teams currently placed above Villa are already safe?

That's if Wigan beat Arsenal

Not so. It's a statement of the position now.

[Sunderland]

I wouldn't expect Sunderland to take anything from their trip to Spurs. If Wigan win at Arsenal (a big ask) then I would expect them to go on and beat Villa and stay up, and they would deserve to stay up.

Sunderland need 'another' massive clear-out in the summer. Paulo di Canio is spot on, everything needs to be changed about the mentality of the squad. Shockingly poor season.