11th May is a big day all round…..Villa host Chelsea……who could be preparing for Europa League final……and you know how Benitez likes to rest players…..
If Chelsea could do us a favour whilst we are busy at Wembley, it would be good.
Right now I would take being 3 points behind Villa with a 1 goal worse off goal difference. That should be within our reach, and only a fool would bet against Wigan in a must win relegation decider.
Effectively, we just have to match Villa’s points gained from their next 3 games. And we have 4 games to do it.
You claimed that “Spanish Clown” was useless and was taking us down only a few weeks ago
Get over it.
I have. Time you did, instead of trying to use it to create factions on here at a time the club needs unity among its support.
Its at times like this we all need to be pushing in the same direction. Our manager is one that has probably divided the support like no other, with his insistence that we play a la Barcelona. However, Barca style or not, we currently lie third off bottom, with five games left to play. Yes, we are in the FA Cup final, but in all honesty, our manager is walking a knife edge.
The next four weeks or so, could potentially be the most successful in our history. Or they could potentially be the most disasterous. Ok, maybe not disasterous, but certainly costly.
Yes, I’ve criticized our manager. He’s on the pedestal that he is on, to be criticized. The FA Cup has kind of acted like a smokescreen to what has, in all honesty, been another poor season. We’ve never found consistency and have never managed to break away from the relegation places. Had we done either of these things, or both, then I wouldn’t have had cause to criticize our manager, would I? (Maybe playing the ‘Barca way’ has become old hat? I would bet I would have a lot ot people in Bavaria agreeing with me saying that, tonight.)
But for the greater scheme of things, I chose to be positive and support rather than be negative and complain. I noticed the knives were out after Saturday at West Ham. But what’s the use of people moaning and criticizing individuals ar this stage of the season?
A united front. Remain positive and hope. Its about all we can do.
If you seriously think we will pick up another 10 points then you are SERIOUSLY deluded!
Beat West Brom, Swansea, Villa and then draw against Arsenal or Tottenham.
Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? Not at all.[/quote]
When I did the predictor, as I posted above, I didn’t keep looking at the table as I updated each lot of scores, so I had no idea where we would end up.
Im not convinced either, that we will get 10 more points, I just predicted results as I see them. Basically its between us and Villa. The advantage we have is that we will have TWO games left when they’re down to one, and that’s against us on the last day. The downside is, our extra game is Arsenal away in midweek after the final, and either way we could be very fatigued.
Best case scenario would be to win our next 3. Worst case scenario would be losing a couple of them and Villa widening the gap. No room for cock Ups now.
I have us 3 points clear of Villa – and I’ve put us for a draw against them.
Draws v Spurs and Villa, wins against WBA and Swansea, lose to Arsenal = 39 points.
Villa – draws with Sunderland and Wigan, lose Chelsea and Norwich = 36 points.
Looking at it, our season could be defined by the Norwich v Villa result. A win for Villa would put the pressure on – a loss would give us the advantage.
I have us 3 points clear of Villa – and I’ve put us for a draw against them.
Draws v Spurs and Villa, wins against WBA and Swansea, lose to Arsenal = 39 points.
Villa – draws with Sunderland and Wigan, lose Chelsea and Norwich = 36 points.
Looking at it, our season could be defined by the Norwich v Villa result. A win for Villa would put the pressure on – a loss would give us the advantage.
Most people do seem to err on the side of caution when predicting our results but expect our relegation rivals to be suddenly become world-beaters in the vinegar strokes of the season and start winning every match in sight. They won’t. That’s why they are down there with us.
I have us 3 points clear of Villa – and I’ve put us for a draw against them.
Draws v Spurs and Villa, wins against WBA and Swansea, lose to Arsenal = 39 points.
Villa – draws with Sunderland and Wigan, lose Chelsea and Norwich = 36 points.
Looking at it, our season could be defined by the Norwich v Villa result. A win for Villa would put the pressure on – a loss would give us the advantage.
What worries me is that Villa v Chelsea game, the same weekend as the final. Chelsea could at that point be preparing for the Europa League final the week after, and Benitez is notorious for his resting players policy. It would look well if this happened, and Villa won.