2024/25 Relegation Battle (Without Everton!)

[Saint Domingo]

Leicester and Wolves have some very difficult fixtures coming up. There’s a good opportunity here for us to put some distance between those two teams and us.

 

[sbbefc]

As long as we make sure we beat Ipswich and Leicester at home then it shouldn't be an issue. We'll only need a couple more wins elsewhere and a few draws to get us over the line.

 

[OneTrueLegend]

Southampton are so naive. Why do they persist fannying around from the back when they just can’t do it. Great having a philosophy and sticking by it. But may as well just boot the ball into their own net a couple of times a game. You simply have to do anything to survive the first season. Then worry about philosophy.

I find it bizarre as well, so many modern managers have this "we play our way, regardless of the results, available players or opposition". It would drive me mad if I was watching that. The likes of Southampton and Ipswich don't seem capable of shutting up shop if they go a couple of goals up in a game. That could benefit us this season. Leicester is a bit different, they changed the manager, but he seemed very dejected after their latest defeat to Fulham.

Hoping Chelsea can beat Wolves tonight so we keep our 4 point lead and a game in hand. Chelsea have not been on a great run though, no win in the last 5 in the league.

 

[mikel_88]

Think City might exercise their buy back

Not sure if Delap would be keen on returning playing second fiddle to Haaland

Maybe do what villa have done not sure what his buy back is but if a decent price. Could make a decent profit on him

 

[jamieni]

I find it bizarre as well, so many modern managers have this "we play our way, regardless of the results, available players or opposition". It would drive me mad if I was watching that. The likes of Southampton and Ipswich don't seem capable of shutting up shop if they go a couple of goals up in a game. That could benefit us this season. Leicester is a bit different, they changed the manager, but he seemed very dejected after their latest defeat to Fulham.

Hoping Chelsea can beat Wolves tonight so we keep our 4 point lead and a game in hand. Chelsea have not been on a great run though, no win in the last 5 in the league.

Yeah, look at Spurs. They’ve had a lot of injuries but Ange has kept playing gung ho stuff and if they keep losing they’re in serious danger. They should have more than enough to be higher up the league if they just kept it tight and relied on some magic from their front players.

 

[liamefc91]

Chelsea win to round off a good weekend please

 

[mikel_88]

I find it bizarre as well, so many modern managers have this "we play our way, regardless of the results, available players or opposition". It would drive me mad if I was watching that. The likes of Southampton and Ipswich don't seem capable of shutting up shop if they go a couple of goals up in a game. That could benefit us this season. Leicester is a bit different, they changed the manager, but he seemed very dejected after their latest defeat to Fulham.

Hoping Chelsea can beat Wolves tonight so we keep our 4 point lead and a game in hand. Chelsea have not been on a great run though, no win in the last 5 in the league.

Same is nice to create a gap and have a club between us and the bottom 3. Just be great this week if the fixtures all go for us and chelsea can win

 

[Titus Bramble]

I find it bizarre as well, so many modern managers have this "we play our way, regardless of the results, available players or opposition". It would drive me mad if I was watching that. The likes of Southampton and Ipswich don't seem capable of shutting up shop if they go a couple of goals up in a game. That could benefit us this season. Leicester is a bit different, they changed the manager, but he seemed very dejected after their latest defeat to Fulham.

Hoping Chelsea can beat Wolves tonight so we keep our 4 point lead and a game in hand. Chelsea have not been on a great run though, no win in the last 5 in the league.

Agree, but it's done Vincent Kompany's career no harm.

 

[jamieni]

Same is nice to create a gap and have a club between us and the bottom 3. Just be great this week if the fixtures all go for us and chelsea can win

Given the lack of form in the bottom 4 or 5 sides, if we can get 3 more wins fairly quickly then I reckon we’re pretty much safe at that point barring two of Ipswich, Leicester and wolves going on a mega run.

 

[mikel_88]

Given the lack of form in the bottom 4 or 5 sides, if we can get 3 more wins fairly quickly then I reckon we’re pretty much safe at that point barring two of Ipswich, Leicester and wolves going on a mega run.

Yeah was a really big result yesterday is pretty much on us now to push on and really put the pressure on the teams at the bottom. Just hooe we can get some new players in and get the lads back from injuries. Next week is another big game tough but we need to be looking to get something even a draw try and get a run going

 

[Tipp blue]

I thought we would need five more wins before end of season to guarantee safety as we'll obviously pick up a few draws too, alongside not losing to direct rivals.

Our best path to safety.

Spurs home
Leicester home
West Ham home
Ipswich home
Southampton home
Wolves away

United home, Palace away, Fulham away also opportunities to pick up some points.

I'm happy that Moyes emphasised the need to add to the squad now because we can't just assume we'll win home games against poor sides in the division.

We've got a horrible April on the agenda so it's vital we pick up at least three more wins before then, which we're more than capable of doing.

No excuses those 5 home games you mention are all very winnable, Goodison isn't going to let us go down.

 

[OneTrueLegend]

Yeah, look at Spurs. They’ve had a lot of injuries but Ange has kept playing gung ho stuff and if they keep losing they’re in serious danger. They should have more than enough to be higher up the league if they just kept it tight and relied on some magic from their front players.

Dragusin is not a CB that can play in a high line, it was an odd purchase from them, he got sent off in the europa league becasue he got done for pace on the half way line and dragged a man down. He tried to get a grip of Ndiaye yesterday and Ndiaye pushed him away.
Spurs fans yesterday calling for Levy to go, but the style of play is down to the manager, they have 10 players out injured at the moment, most teams have 5 or 6. But I think the style of play they have is very intense and in the Premier League its hard to do that for 38 games. In Scottish football, where Ange was before, more than half the games are against poor opposition that you can beat in 2nd gear.

 

[Mark Bisson]

Getting McNeil, Garner and Tim back will be massive for us. With JOB bedding in nicely also and maybe a couple of additions we stand of chance.

 

[Tipp blue]

Getting McNeil, Garner and Tim back will be massive for us. With JOB bedding in nicely also and maybe a couple of additions we stand of chance.

Stand a chance? We'll be well out of it by late March.

 

[Tony’s Carp]

I find it bizarre as well, so many modern managers have this "we play our way, regardless of the results, available players or opposition". It would drive me mad if I was watching that. The likes of Southampton and Ipswich don't seem capable of shutting up shop if they go a couple of goals up in a game. That could benefit us this season. Leicester is a bit different, they changed the manager, but he seemed very dejected after their latest defeat to Fulham.

Hoping Chelsea can beat Wolves tonight so we keep our 4 point lead and a game in hand. Chelsea have not been on a great run though, no win in the last 5 in the league.

Totally agree with the first part. The real top managers constantly reinvent. Pep is the master. Lesser managers like Ange, or Russel Martin, or even Dyche, cling stubbornly to one style of football, it doesn’t make you principled it just limits your shelf life. Too much analytics in the game now- if teams know how you’ll play they’ll work out how to beat you.

Thought Moyes got it spot on yesterday with his sort of hybrid approach at the back. None of us knew for sure what it was going to be from the team sheet, I’ve seen people argue about what it was even now it’s been. Worked yesterday, might work next week, won’t work forever. I’m sure unlike Mr “this is how we play, mate” Moyes is canny enough to know it.