Relegation

[Nymzee]

Away from home yes, totally agree.

But home games, whether under Fat Arse or Frank are must win. The gap needs to be as wide as possible entering into a very dubious run of games

That’s what she said.

 

[davek]

Our best hope is Watford. Their home form is woeful (as bad as our away form) and they will likely be down at that point and well on the beach. Wouldn't be surprised if Hodgson has gone by that point. Whether can get a surprise result on top of that will be interesting. If we can get safe, playing without pressure, you wouldn't rule it out.

Yes, they've lost 12 of their 15 home games.

There or Leicester away. Leicester have drawn or lost as many home games this season as won them.

 

[Brennan]

I would be interested to know how the Burnley players will feel about Dyche going also. Watching bits of the Norwich game I couldn’t see any signs of lack of application, they weren’t playing for a sacking.

Can’t imagine it will be good for morale, especially if they get beaten again before the new manager comes in.

 

[davek]

Away from home yes, totally agree.

But home games, whether under Fat Arse or Frank are must win. The gap needs to be as wide as possible entering into a very dubious run of games

They're not must win.

We need to keep a distance of 4/5 points on Burnley. If each week goes by with us maintaing that or stretching it by one point that's the key.

 

[catcherintherye]

Yes, they've lost 12 of their 15 home games.

There or Leicester away. Leicester have drawn or lost as many home games this season as won them.

I honestly think Arsenal away, seeing them recently could be a surprise result. The key for us, the fans, the players and probably the manager needs us to be playing without this enormous weight of pressure. I think it holds the players back, who are a bunch who look best playing on the front foot and expressing themselves.

I'm not a huge Lampard fan, but I think he's done his best, and he's done well not to go too overboard with negativity here. He's always tried to be positive.

 

[4737carlin]

Yes, but winning games by the odd goal OR capitulating to a big loss is not the way forward.

If we'd have been senisible in a few games under Lampard and played more conservatively at key points in games we'd have picked up 2 or 3 points up, for sure.

A draw against Leicester - as long as West Ham beat Burnley - is good news.

See i would be disapointed with a draw vs Leicester, at Goodison, there third game in a week while we have had a rest and got a few players fit, esp considering the next game i expect a bad result.

 

[davek]

I honestly think Arsenal away, seeing them recently could be a surprise result. The key for us, the fans, the players and probably the manager needs us to be playing without this enormous weight of pressure. I think it holds the players back, who are a bunch who look best playing on the front foot and expressing themselves.

I'm not a huge Lampard fan, but I think he's done his best, and he's done well not to go too overboard with negativity here. He's always tried to be positive.

I think any team at home last day of the season wants to sign off with a win.

I'd expect Arsenal to be up for that game.

 

[davek]

See i would be disapointed with a draw vs Leicester, at Goodison, there third game in a week while we have had a rest and got a few players fit, esp considering the next game i expect a bad result.

I think they have players coming back: Vardy, Perez.

It's a good time to meet them, but they are dangerous.

 

[Zatara]

I think that if Burnley lose Sunday to West Ham, we beat a tired Leicester and then Burnley fail to win their game on Friday we would be in a very strong position of probably of only needing 2 wins from 7 games. However, this could still go horribly wrong. If they win one of these 2 games and we fail to beat Leicester we could easily lose the next 3 games and find ourselves right in the brown stuff.

Worth noting if we beat Leicester I think it makes us favourites to over take Leeds if they lose to Crystal Place as their next 3 games are City, Chelsea and Arsenal away.

Yeah if we beat Leicester were 2pts behind Leeds and I could see them losing their next 4 games.

 

[nsno-chris]

They're not must win.

We need to keep a distance of 4/5 points on Burnley. If each week goes by with us maintaing that or stretching it by one point that's the key.

So if Burnley beat West Ham does it then become must win?

 

[brieverton]

Not being able to dig in and get draws has been the hallmark of our season and it's got us into this mess.

If we end up 5 points ahead of Burnley after each playing 31 games how can that be seen as anything other than job done for that round of matches?

In fact, draws all the way to the end of the season will get us safe.

Perhaps we would be safe, but it's on a knife edge then potentially.

I'm assuming two things, however negative that makes my outlook;

1. We lose the derby.

2. If, and yes it's a big if, we needed to beat Arsenal on the final day to stay up, we are not getting that win. I wouldn't back us to take a point in that scenario. Their fans would be baying to send us down.

So that's two games I'm writing off. Hopefully the last won't be relevant.

And we have Chelsea.

It will all be much easier if Burnley go further downhill from here. We just don't know really, other than we have the points on them currently. They have on paper a better run-in, bar their trip to Spurs.

 

[Predictorchamp]

Hopefully Davey still has a blue streak and will fire up the hammers to beat Burnley ?
Tbh I can’t make my mind up if the Dyche sacking is a positive for us or not ?

 

[Brennan]

Hopefully Davey still has a blue streak and will fire up the hammers to beat Burnley ?
Tbh I can’t make my mind up if the Dyche sacking is a positive for us or not ?

The whole reason for Burnley apparently having a chance was their experience in relegation fights, the core of which was Dyche.

Nothing is certain but the odds have to be that they won’t get a better manager for their current predicament.

I don’t even think the players wanted him gone.

 

[brieverton]

Hopefully Davey still has a blue streak and will fire up the hammers to beat Burnley ?
Tbh I can’t make my mind up if the Dyche sacking is a positive for us or not ?

Whatever about Dyche, it seems they've looked at it and think it's worth a go to make a change.

They'll have factored their fixtures vs. ours into that I think, amongst other things.

I can understand such thinking on their part even if it seems extremely harsh on Dyche.

 

[MisterJ]

No, we don’t.

Is this the right place for an argument?