Relegation 23/24 Thread

coollino · November 25, 2023

GrandOldTeam said:
Not sure mate. We couldnt cope with the pressure/expectation to win Vs Fulham, Luton, Wolves at Goodison. We've still had a poor start, results wise.

Sure we started to turn it around, but the pressure/demand to win in a relegation scrap presents a bigger challenge I think is underestimated.

I think it will be different for a while though, the fans will just be annoyed at the PL and not the team

Sheedy's right peg · November 25, 2023

It's going to take time to pull ourselves out of the bottom 3.

We all want to be out of the drop zone immediately but it's going to be probabpy 5 to 6 weeks before we pull ourselves clear.

There'll be setbacks but it is what it is - we've just got to keep supporting the players and avoid any panic.

GrandOldTeam · November 25, 2023

Sheedy's right peg said:
It's going to take time to pull ourselves out of the bottom 3.

We all want to be out of the drop zone immediately but it's going to be probabpy 5 to 6 weeks before we pull ourselves clear.

There'll be setbacks but it is what it is - we've just got to keep supporting the players and avoid any panic.

We are 8 points away from 16th.

Settle in. We're in a relegation scrap for a long time.

Runub · November 25, 2023

The majority of our fixtures until end of December are tough. If we don’t get the points deduction reduced we will be in or around the bottom three for the foreseeable in my opinion

Bigduke1234 · November 25, 2023

Sheedy's right peg said:
It's going to take time to pull ourselves out of the bottom 3.

We all want to be out of the drop zone immediately but it's going to be probabpy 5 to 6 weeks before we pull ourselves clear.

There'll be setbacks but it is what it is - we've just got to keep supporting the players and avoid any panic.

Far too level headed a post for this thread, but fully agree. If the yard stick for staying in the league is to get 5 points more than Luton over 26 games, then that shouldn’t be bed wetting. In fact, if not for our crucifixion, the relegation places would have been all tied up by Easter.

lieneverton · November 25, 2023

Think the Luton win today increasing the gap has made a few realise we're in it for the long haul. Predictions of "we'll be clear by Christmas" way off the mark.

I'm cautiously optimistic we'll stay up even with the 10 points but if we do we'll still be in danger come spring time imo, barring top 7 standard form which we won't be able to maintain.

RomanReigns · November 25, 2023

all we can do is just beat man utd and take each game as it comes

lieneverton · November 25, 2023

RomanReigns said:
all we can do is just beat man utd and take each game as it comes

Yup. The challenge will be keeping up the fight over the long haul. We're in good form but the litmus test will be when a couple of defeats come along, and how we react to that.

knowing your history · November 25, 2023

Gilbert.. said:
Im not that bothered about sheff utd or burnley. Its luton and bournemouth that bother me. It shows how it can change as bournemouth looked terrible. But the two games they've lost in the last 5 have been against city and liverpool. And won the other 3. It could take 6 or 7 weeks to reel in bournemouth alone.

Looks like they've come out the other side under Iraola which I didn't think would be possible, were truly wretched at Goodison.

Need to be back on 14-15 points by new year imo just to be back in the mix so that means winning some home games and Burnley and possibly Forest away.

Ivo · November 25, 2023

kenada_blue said:
We go down it's the PL who wanted it.

If we win tomorrow we'd be 10th without the deduction.

But as with everything under Moshiri's reign. Good things always turn sour.

11th. Unless we won by six goals...

knowing your history · November 25, 2023

lieneverton said:
Yup. The challenge will be keeping up the fight over the long haul. We're in good form but the litmus test will be when a couple of defeats come along, and how we react to that.

Think injuries are going to be a big factor aswell. Of course everyone will focus on DCL after the last two years but Doucoure would be a critical miss aswell. I presume him not wanting to go to AFCON is mutual as Mali could ask for him to be banned from league games if they call him up and he refuses to go. If him and Gana are both away at same time then the midfield is very thin for the Villa home game in middle of January with Onana picking up knocks.

Then at the back one injury/suspension and Keane is straight back in.

The current 11 being put out is good enough to keep the club in the premier league. But you need them out week in week out and that's going to be a struggle when you hit the winter period.

knowing your history · November 25, 2023

Runub said:
The majority of our fixtures until end of December are tough. If we don’t get the points deduction reduced we will be in or around the bottom three for the foreseeable in my opinion

Appeal has gone in and it's a three month period so will know 100% by February which is important for the mentality of squad for last third of season. And only fair for the other teams aswell.

I was completely wrong on the points deduction so don't take much notice of my prediction but surely there's a good case to argue it down to the automatic -6 penalty given the compliance with premier league in last two years to reduce costs and outside factors like the War and Sigurdsson going off the radar for reasons beyond the club's control?

Gilbert.. · November 25, 2023

knowing your history said:
Looks like they've come out the other side under Iraola which I didn't think would be possible, were truly wretched at Goodison.

Need to be back on 14-15 points by new year imo just to be back in the mix so that means winning some home games and Burnley and possibly Forest away.

Yep. Im as guilty as anyone looking at them thinking they've gone under that manager. I really try and not do that as these things never pan out as smooth.

ToffeeTim · November 25, 2023

We don't know how this has impacted the players until we've seen us play a few games. It could easily have a negative effect because it's such an outrageous penalty and footballers are humans and can't not be affected. We do know though that it will have been an enormous boost for the three sides at the bottom who all had abysmal starts to the season. You can't underestimate that impact now that (pending appeal) one of them can easily stay up.

All that said, we need to not panic when others win. We need to not panic when we lose. We need to stay level headed when we have good results. This will go deep into the spring again and we need to accept that, even though I hate the thought of it.

We need to fight this appeal with everything we've got, but we can't just assume we will get a fair decision either considering how ridiculous the initial penalty of 10 points is.

Simon Buttle · November 25, 2023

ToffeeTim said:
We don't know how this has impacted the players until we've seen us play a few games. It could easily have a negative effect because it's such an outrageous penalty and footballers are humans and can't not be affected.

We need to not panic when others win. We need to not panic when we lose. We need to stay level headed when we have good results. This will go deep into the spring again and we need to accept that, even though I hate the thought of it.

We need to fight this appeal with everything we've got, but we can't just assume we will get a fair decision either considering how ridiculous the initial penalty of 10 points is.

I think they will have had a lot of meetings, possibly even with a sports psychologist and the players will be quite fired up for these next few games. The league is still fairly tight and all it takes is a couple of good games and we will be up and out of trouble and the players will know this.