Five wins will see us safe, but we don't want a winless run to stretch into mid January. If that happens, the teams scrambling to avoid the third from bottom slot will be on our shoulders. Suddenly the two Reading games - and Reading are a bogey team - and QPR and Wigan at home assume massive importance. And whilst QPR are not a bogey team as such, any club managed by 'Arry is a nightmare fixture!
Norwich and Swansea at home are also target games, as is the home fixture against West Brom. Matches away to Villa, Southampton and Sunderland have become must not lose affairs meanwhile.
If you were spread betting, you would be brave to go high on a 43 point target at this stage. I fear we may be sweating before the season ends!
11 comments:
I agree HF .The current crop of injuries to the teams best players has severely dented team form.There is no way we would survive if this current team ALLARDYCE put out (against EVERTON )plays out the rest of the season,it is bottom three material.Too many passengers in the side ,can't knock their workrate , but just do not have the quality.He must be feeling very uncomfortable now,knowing that contract renewal talk is in the air and WESTHAM are in a slump.I will be very interested to see just how much funding he will be allowed to have in the January window.
And news just in-Desperate Sam has banned contact during training and practice matches incase the poor mites hurt themselves. Soft southern twats.
His relectance to bring youngsters off the bench when we need that kind of spark is frustrating me now. cOLLISON DID MORE IN 5 MINUTES THEN NOLAN HAS DONE IN THE AS T5 GAMES.
Tomkins to cover the threat of Baines and Pienar was the worst possible selection. We have selected the slowest player to cover the most dynamic and skillful duo that are capable of unlocking any defence. That is really elementary and very poor from Allardyce. Anyone could have been a better selection to guard the only obvious threat Everton had in attack as they were playing without Fellaini. Even Spence would have been a better option.
Also, Noble and Neill in midfield is like having no resistance at all when Everton attacked. I will not pick on Noble (although he gave the ball away a few times). But it is obvious that we need Diame and that without him we are totally lost.
The club must do everything to keep him in January and get him back in the team asap.
Intetesting article but I wouldn't describe those 45 minutes against Chelsea as 'epic'. Our reserve 'keeper had a few saves to make and in reality were quite lucky to go in at the break 1 0 up.
As for your second team West Ham I think you're being a bit negative to be honest. I can't see Reading or QPR accumulating more points than you. Wigan and Southampton have been playing the better football so I suppose you could consider them a threat. However my neutral gut instinct says you will be safe.
You won't pick on Noble, Sav, but I will. Apart from every set piece being shockingly poor (this will be overlooked), watch his 'challenge' on Osman when Osman crosses for Everton's winner. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT AGAIN!!!
Look, HF. You are, and always have been, a pessimist. But since we went down with 42, most teams in 17th place have had in the neighborhood of 38. So I can't see that point total being a problem this year. And if staying up is truly the most important thing, we are most likely OK. Our better than expected start probably spoiled us a bit. Now its time to come back to earth.
Surely we can manage five more wins. I really can't se it not happening. I agree with sav(and you) that Tomkins played out of position is worrying. He's a centre-back, nothing else. Diames return is, of course, crucial.
But really, what worries me most is Sams love for Taylor. He's just not good enough. And with our weak spots being the fullbacks. We canät have him running around like a headless chicken on the wings. With that said. Jarvis doesn't make anybody happy at the moment either.
You make some good points about Taylor and Jarvis 15:28. Totally agree.
Stani, I know exactly what you mean and I was shocked to see how pathetic Noble was in that play. But I thought if I make this about Noble again my other point about playing Tomkins as a full back would not be made stongly enough.
Without the dynamic Diame, midfield is way too slow, even against teams that are worse, like Reading. Not only Nolan but Noble very poor today - again. He's just not that good. Collins can only block and head out from defence, or lump it back to opposition. Like most of this current team, he's truly limited.
Money should be spent or we will be in the relegation zone again....
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