AstonMartin82 Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Its between us and wigan - much as we wish it weren't - that's how I see it Sunderland don't concede many - but always seem to be able to rustle up a result - when they really need it - that's kept them out of the r-zone most of the season - and they will do so again We still look leaky at the back - which I feel will be our undoing - it will be a surprise to me if we are safe going into the wigan game Couldn't disagree more. I think Sunderland will drop. They have been on a really bad run, are playing really poorly, their fans are not behind the manager or players (terrible atmosphere today, total contrast to us yesterday) and they have a really tough run of fixtures. The next 5 are Manu Utd, Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton and us. Momentum is very important at this stage of the season we have it and Sunderland don't. I am confident we will stay up and convinced we will finish comfortably above Sunderland. I'd like to think so also, but the bookies still stating we are twice as likely to go down than Sunderland. Maybe that means the good money is on Sunderland given their run-in and the fact that their starting 11 are probably half dead having probably been played every single minute of every single game in exactly the same way with no plan B, however bookies probably haven't got it THAT wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 The odds are like that because we've been down here all season whereas Sunderland have only just been dragged into it properly. If current forms stay the same they'll be going down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyAnty Posted March 17, 2013 Share Posted March 17, 2013 Sunderland forums are a good read at the moment. The team is full of p1ss heads apparently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 If you think Sunderland, Soton, Norwich, or West Ham are safe, you are crazy. Even Stoke could be in trouble. All of them have rough run ins. Even Newcastle. At this stage of the season the table doesn't lie. Some run ins are marginally tougher than others, but you know how this game goes, especially as May rolls around. It's one from six IMO. We're in better form than all of them I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 It's hard to know where we are right now. In the last 5 games we've won 3 and lost 2. Won the 3 games you'd expect us to win (on paper) and lost the 2 games you'd expect us to lose. I guess being able to come from behind against relegation rivals and win twice in a row probably stands us in good stead for the rest of the season. I'd like to think we can get 2/3 more wins and a draw or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamdog Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 We no longer have that relegation smell about us any more. You know the one. Sunderland are whiffing of it now. We may regain it of course but I think the last 6 games have all been good performances (with the usual attendant disasters, they just don't seem to be destroying us like they used to). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyPowers Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I couldn't resist doing the predictions on the bbc website as well. I had us staying up on 37 points and I'm generally a pessimist so I feel okay right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodigan Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 our last two games have involved us coming from behind to win.... getting ahead and shutting out teams who desperately needed the win.... our last five games have us scoring more goals than we're conceding... saturday's fans were so vocal roaring the team on, i could hear it in hong kong.... could it be that we're starting to see some confidence pour into the team??? some feelgood factor back at villa park??? i'm actually feeling pretty good about where we are right now - i would love to put a few teams between us and the drop zone, because at the moment, we're still in it if wigan win their game in hand.... long way to go, but everything feels like we're heading in the right direction, and you can't say that for a lot of the other teams around us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnkarl Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 At this point I feel that it'll be QPR, Reading and Sunderland. It seems that we're able to scrape together wins from our most important matches, and so are Wigan. I hope we're safe together with Wigan come the last game of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa_shere Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 We needed to win both games and we did, unfortunately the teams around us won too, but we have dragged several teams above us back into the fight. If we truley want to get out the relegation fight its going to have to take some big result against a team who we dont expect to beat. Wigan seem incapble of being relegated so lets hope Soton or Sunderland drop, as close as they are cant really see Stoke, West Ham or Newcastle dropping as they will pick up points on their home games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongotastic Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Fearing Sunderland will get a result out of United a week on Saturday. Ominously, the semi final replay is on the Monday - 48 hours after. United are sure to rest one or two players with the league virtually in the bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Its between us and wigan - much as we wish it weren't - that's how I see it Sunderland don't concede many - but always seem to be able to rustle up a result - when they really need it - that's kept them out of the r-zone most of the season - and they will do so again We still look leaky at the back - which I feel will be our undoing - it will be a surprise to me if we are safe going into the wigan game That's not entirely true though is it, Sunderland desperately needed a win yesterday and they never got it.. even worse was the fact Norwich were down to 10 and a clear penalty was not awarded. They will/are in the mix for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstonMartin82 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 The odds are like that because we've been down here all season whereas Sunderland have only just been dragged into it properly. If current forms stay the same they'll be going down. hmmm... that's not the way it works... bookies are a hell of a lot more smarter than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SikhInTrinity Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 If people do not think Sunderland are in a relegation battle then they are deluded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstonMartin82 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 If people do not think Sunderland are in a relegation battle then they are deluded. Has anyone stated that??? I don't think so............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 If you think Sunderland, Soton, Norwich, or West Ham are safe, you are crazy. Even Stoke could be in trouble. All of them have rough run ins. It's one from six IMO. We're in better form than all of them I believe. An excellent point with confidence higher than at any point in the season and with Lambert playing the correct formation, hopefully we'll be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagicMushroom Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 If people do not think Sunderland are in a relegation battle then they are deluded. Has anyone stated that??? I don't think so............... Actually, it was mentioned on MoTD last night, though i it was a gaff rather than anything more. Sunderland ARE in deep trouble with a nightmare run of fixtures, with the easiest game being us, which in the situation they have drifted into, is definately not an easy game. Also, looking at the weekends games, im beginning to think we will need another 7 or 8 points to be certain. Luckilly, its all in our own hands now, and we should get another 2 wins and the draw from the fixtures against Sunderland, Fulham,Stoke, Norwich and Wigan. Bonus point willl come against either Liverpool or Chelsea imo. However, there will be a few more squeaky bum times to come within the remaining few weeks, and facing Wigan in a relegation cup final needing a draw or win, fills me with dread. Need these points on board before then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sun_never_sets Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 i think we'll need 39 because of our goal difference 1 out of sunderland, wigan, us or possibly stoke really. Norwich could be drawn in if we beat them away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 If people do not think Sunderland are in a relegation battle then they are deluded. Has anyone stated that??? I don't think so............... Actually, it was mentioned on MoTD last night, though i it was a gaff rather than anything more. Sunderland ARE in deep trouble with a nightmare run of fixtures, with the easiest game being us, which in the situation they have drifted into, is definately not an easy game. Also, looking at the weekends games, im beginning to think we will need another 7 or 8 points to be certain. Luckilly, its all in our own hands now, and we should get another 2 wins and the draw from the fixtures against Sunderland, Fulham,Stoke, Norwich and Wigan. Bonus point willl come against either Liverpool or Chelsea imo. However, there will be a few more squeaky bum times to come within the remaining few weeks, and facing Wigan in a relegation cup final needing a draw or win, fills me with dread. Need these points on board before then! I don't see Sunderland being relegated - last time they drifted into the zone on a similar run - they beat man city. am I right in thinking Norwich will be down to there 3rd choice keeper when then travel to Wigan ? (Ruddy Injured, Bunn suspended ) - Hope I am wrong ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SikhInTrinity Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Yeh Lee Camp, who actually isn't a bad keeper. Hughton does set up his teams well, organised though still see Wigan beating them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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