2024/25 Relegation Battle (Without Everton!)

[MikeH72]

And how is that giving Moyes a hard time?

It’s merely pointing out that we’re still not a very good side and that if most of our opponents play to their level, then there’s still some slogging to do before we get there

All Moyes can do is get the players to go out there and give it a try, which he’s been doing

In no way was I criticising him, or really the players to be honest

All they can do is try, and they have been

So now you’re saying the only reason we’ve won games is because we’ve played better than the opposition in them? That’s usually how football works like. If all of Leicester and Ipswich’s opponents perform to their level against them, then neither of them will pick up a single point either. That’s not how football works, teams don’t turn up and play to their maximum capabilities every week.

If we were in Leicester or Ipswich’s position, you would be scoffing at anyone suggesting we had a hope of catching the team 9 points ahead of us. There’s a difference between being realistic and being fatalistic, imagining the worst possible scenario and then convincing yourself and acting like that’s likely to occur.

 

[knowing your history]

Sometimes you have to separate cup ties with league.

Exit to Southampton in the league cup was terrible with a mix and match side but there was a solid unbeaten run in the prem around that game. Also lost 4-0 to Palace under Lampard but good home wins against Newcastle and Man. United either side of that game which were critical to keeping the team up.

I think the big problem now is not getting another forward in and just waiting for Broja and DCL to come back. Broja won't be available until April and let's be honest anything he contributes will be a bonus for this season.

I assume DCL will be back in March if it was decided not to get anyone else in as the worry now is Beto is easily marked out of the game by top level CBs so team stops scoring and starts losing again and then whole club gets the jitters again but even then I'd still expect a few 1-0s and 2-1s if Alcaraz can get in the side soon enough.

 

[knowing your history]

I just don’t know why mentally you approach today differently than any other match. ls it simply because it’s classified as FA vs. PL? Because of who we’re playing, it’s more like a PL match if anything.

The only difference playing RS is it’s in close proximity to today. That’s it. The other 19 play RS twice, too. Sometimes there aren’t reasons besides we’re struggling today or we’ve been figured out by today’s manager.

With cup ties it's more a mix and match side. Young being back in yesterday for example when he hasn't been seen for three weeks. Also Harrison getting significant minutes.

I also think if it's been drilled into the players for last few months that the club must remain in the prem at all costs then cup can get in way with extra matches rather than having free weekends to prepare for a few more prem games in the run in.

It's been the mentality for the last few years and I obviously hope it changes with the stadium move as FA cup needs to be taken seriously again by all.

Wouldn't want to see that first half replicated against an Ipswich or West Ham in the run in so hopefully that will be a one off under Moyes so no harm done in the run in.

 

[Victus]

By the logic used in this thread, Saints are better than Ipswich because they beat them last weekend, even though it's their second win the whole season. It doesn't work that way.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

imagining the worst possible scenario and then convincing yourself and acting like that’s likely to occur.

Again

I’ve not done this

I’ve said MULTIPLE times that we’re in a good position right now and that I think we can do it

Just because I’m not 100% as positive as you are doesn’t mean I’m negative

FFS

 

[Blast_of_Cannock]

Feels a bit better about yesterday after the mighty Plymouth victory!

 

[matty1878]

Feels a bit better about yesterday after the mighty Plymouth victory!

it doesn’t. they’ve played therye c side

and they play us

you don’t laugh mate

 

[Goat]

Again

I’ve not done this

I’ve said MULTIPLE times that we’re in a good position right now and that I think we can do it

Just because I’m not 100% as positive as you are doesn’t mean I’m negative

FFS

Be the change you want to see in the world Mikey.

 

[Goat]

Moyes is tripe. A washed up Scotsman with zero clue how to get these players to dig in.

We are about 50-50 in terms chances to go down.

Once these owners chose Moyes we automatically went to one of the favourites to go down.

 

[hallamblue]

it doesn’t. they’ve played therye c side

and they play us

you don’t laugh mate

Who cares, they were always going to play their strongest team against us, their momentum has been halted now and we need to get into them and try and score early on to try and keep that doubt in their minds.

 

[tommytowne]

it doesn’t. they’ve played therye c side

and they play us

you don’t laugh mate

A master stroke by Slot. Sacrifice a cup in the hope that the first team come to the last derby game at Goodison all guns blazing.

 

[Blast_of_Cannock]

it doesn’t. they’ve played therye c side

and they play us

you don’t laugh mate

Don't laugh! They lost to Plymouth. I deserve my laugh!

 

[catcherintherye]

it doesn’t. they’ve played therye c side

and they play us

you don’t laugh mate

It was hardly a C side mate, the 14 players they had out cost about 250m for a start.

 

[knowing your history]

It was hardly a C side mate, the 14 players they had out cost about 250m for a start.

I was surprised how strong it was with Diaz and Jota starting and Nunez coming on, didn't expect any of them to travel.

Probably re-emphasises my point about yesterday. RS went there with way less intensity than a league game and thought they could just turn it on near the end. Instead they conceded and then the Plymouth keeper pulled off some amazing saves in last ten minutes and now they're out of winnable competition.

I don't think they'll have it easy against Newcastle so would be interesting to see how they reacted to the pressure of trying to close out the league if they lost that cup final aswell.

 

[MaximusEvertonius]

Absolutely. Some brilliant saves by Plymouth that could have easily given the RS three goals.