Re: The Relegation Thread

[smetro]

The only think that would make me think we weren't nailed on for relegation is if we very quickly started picking up points (lightbulb moment eh !) - 2 points from the next 2 games and I would be a lot more hopeful - beat Watford at home - and we are right back on track.

What I can't stomach is being fobbed off with improved performances, but still poor results - whilst Garde has inherited a a crock of shite - somehow (and I know it won't be easy ) weve just got to get points on the board. You can stick your improved performances where the sun don't shine - Clean Sheets, Goals, Points - nothing less will suffice...

[Trotters]

Great posts, DK.

A few things that are on the positive side:
1.We've got New Manager Bounce on our side.
2. I'm not sure that we'll need 35 points to survive. The teams at the bottom are really shit. 
3. I'm absolutely sure (with nothing whatsoever to back up my position) that Randy would have been properly twitched at the thought of relegation and, as part of the new manager deal, has agreed to free up a not-inconsiderable amount for transfers in a couple of months.
4. The other teams will start to waver under the pressure once we get a couple of wins under our belt. 

On the downside, I have a genuine concern that Gabby has a clause in his contract that prevents him from being dropped for more than x number of games. I'm also concerned that he always seems to be the ringleader to go against the manager/coaches so if he takes a disliking to Remi, there'll be trouble. Quite how someone with no brain has the ability to win friends and influence people is beyond me. 

I have a concern than Remi has not landed his preferred coaches but instead is going to have to put up with whatever he's been given....which given our current plight, I have severe reservations about. 

The performance against Spurs was SO bad that it would have given the teams around us some hope.

[Synopsis]

I think we are gone, I think that even spending another 50m in january will not be enough to save us. I await to be proven wrong and will be glad if I am

[KMitch]

You'd think we're already relegated with some of the comments on here. We're only 4 points off safety with 27 matches to go. We don't need to get to 40 points, we only need to pick up more points than 3 teams. That's it, and I think any manager with half a brain can get this squad playing well enough to get us to 9-9-9 before the end of the season. Personally, I think Lambert left us in bigger trouble last season than what we're in right now.

[danclare82]

You'd think we're already relegated with some of the comments on here. We're only 4 points off safety with 27 matches to go. We don't need to get to 40 points, we only need to pick up more points than 3 teams. That's it, and I think any manager with half a brain can get this squad playing well enough to get us to 9-9-9 before the end of the season. Personally, I think Lambert left us in bigger trouble last season than what we're in right now.

Exactly! Yes we wasn't bottom when Sherwood took over but we were in bottom 3 and yes we had Benteke, Delph, Cleverley but like you say i'm confident Garde will pick the RIGHT team and get them playing better football than we are and we only need to out score 3 teams which we will!!!

[smetro]

what save us is if Remi can get these f***** to keep clean sheets - Hutton, Lescot, Richards, are all very experienced players - I still think despite his poor start Lescott can do a job for us short term - pick an other from Amavi, richardson, clark, bacuna - sure it won't have europes finest quaking in there boots - but there should be more than enough to stop us leaking goals in the manner we have.

Ive lambasted the quality of the current squad - but rightly or wrongly Remi has to get them winning. Pullis or Allardyce would be able to do it - thats the marker .....

[Trotters]

All the other teams around us did us a huge favour by losing this week. No further ground lost.

[Guest]

Sunderland really are bad at football. Can't believe we drew that shower of shite

[Trotters]

And the only team Chelsea have beaten in a long time is...

If Garde saves us then he deserves a statue outside the ground somewhere. It's that big a deal in this day and age; because I just don't see us coming back in a long long time if we go down.

[Trotters]

I said at the start of the season that I believed that this was a top half team. And I  still believe that, under a manager who has a clue, we have a side that should expect to finish around 10th.

So if I stick to my guns and have faith in this team - especially as I'm sure Garde will have negotiated a decent transfer kitty - then let's look at the points that would normally be required to finish mid table.

Going back after the last 4 years, it appears that you'd need an average of about 1.25 points per game. So if we work on that figure, it'll give us 33.75 points (let's call it 33 and write off any chance of points from Man City. 33 plus the 4 we already have in the bank means - I believe - we'll be safe.

So there's no need for stupid comments like KMac's that we need Champions League performances from here in (I believe this was mentioned earlier in one of the threads). That puts too much pressure on the lads.

What we need are consistent midtable performances from now. Nothing too special. Just something that we'd normally regard as enough to secure mid table mediocrity. It'll be squeaky bum time from game 35 on but if the teams around us keep fucking up I think we've got the side to do it.

Now it's down to the manager.

[mefromhere]

2 wins and we're out the zone. Throw a couple of draws and another couple of wins before Christmas and we're looking up just as much as down.

Garde comes with a reputation of changing tactics depending on the opposition so expect to see plenty of ideas and ability on the pitch.

It all starts with points tomorrow

[Guest]

Good post trot.

I just hope we start picking points now. A draw here and a win there. Get it going.

[Trotters]

Ta. Edited for early morning, non-spectacles wearing, ipad adjusting shittiness.

[VillaBill]

Without being too negative, I read an article yesterday that stated of the four teams that have been on 4pts after 11 games, three went down & the other Crystal Palace had the manager of the year under Pullis , the task Garde faces in realistic terms is huge.

[FoxyAV]

Garde comes with a reputation of changing tactics depending on the opposition so expect to see plenty of ideas and ability on the pitch.

For me the basics of managing a football game (ignoring for now managing training, players, press etc) involve key points:

Evaluating the opposition in advance and knowing where are their weak points for us to exploit, where are their strong points for us to counter and where are they likely to be exploiting our weak points, and how will they counter our strong points. Under Lambert this involved double-marking Benteke and closing down Guzan ASAP. This includes taking a manager's preferred formation and players and accounting for any changes you think they might make based on your preferred formation and players.

Chosing the best tactic(s) and formation(s) and formulating a few backup plans in case we go ahead, or they overrun us in midfield, or a key player in our plans gets taken out.

Selecting the best team to get one over our opposition, and the best subs to cover all eventualities.

Being ready and able to react to what the opposition players and manager do, including subs, as the game progresses, and to pre-empt them by making a tactical change before the opposition manager does.

You also need to have people in the stands watching the game - one on the opposition, one on the home team and one on the game as a whole and I'm sure the data you see after each match (touches per player and where etc) is available during the match itself, so someone collating all of this and making sure the manager is aware.

Lambert and Sherwood (and their staff) appeared to be poor on a lot of these. Garde can only be an improvement (althuogh a lot of us said that about Sherwood!).

[Trotters]

Excellent post and quite how Lambert and (especially) Sherwood managed to get job in the bestest league in the world baffles me.

[NARLA24]

Team selection today is going to surprise a lot of people

[Jae1411]

Team selection today is going to surprise a lot of people

Care to elaborate?

[Guest]

He's probably just basing it on the report that listed the team at a workout we had a few days ago, which included Lescott and Sinclair.

Unless it's the same ITK-informants that told him the assistants from Lyon was coming, then it's probably ok.

[Guest]

Team selection today is going to surprise a lot of people

Care to elaborate?

It was awful wasn't :-))

[The Utterer]

That was such a huge point on Sunday on so many levels. Very impressed with the first signs of work from Garde although clearly he's barely had chance to say hello yet!

Much better shape and it seemed like the players were clearer on what their individual roles were.

A great point which although a tad lucky and gained against a much weakened City front line minus Aguero, Silva and of course part way through Bony, was earned through sticking to a game plan mostly and hard work.

This result will surely start the process of improving confidence although clearly a long way to go.

Overall though a marked improvement and if nothing else the season just got a bit more interesting.

My rating on the performance was about 7/10 but considering the rest of the season has been around 3 to 6 out of 10 that's a marked improvement.

It will be interesting to see how and if he uses Gabby once he's back fit

[féliré]

It will be interesting to see how and if he uses Gabby once he's back fit

I think Gabby is the kind of forward who needs a team behind him. Gabby become better when the team is one and the players play in the same way.
I'm really curious how he can play with Remi Garde.

He's only 29, I don't think he's done.

[achilles]

With our very limited attacking options I think Gabby might be played in the Ayew role up front with Ayew replacing Sinclair.

[Guest]

I think he's done. Only way he will play a lot more is if we're relegated.

[achilles]

At the moment I think it is all hands to the pump, even Gabby!

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