Half way mark

[Matt]

Failing to tread water.

[phoneticerror]

We’re one win away from leapfrogging Wolves. RvN has got us playing well now, admittedly later than required, but look what the guy had to work with!

 

I’m staying positive until the transfer window closes and we have a clear understanding of what we’re working with. 

[tickler28]

Probably going down but that's just simply because we are not good enough. Let's not pretend we wouldn't need to be a lot lot better to be in a Crystal Palace sort of position (2 wins more than us). We might have lost 2-1 to Brentford, 2 nil to Newcastle, beaten Bournemouth 2 nil and Southampton 5-2 but our points tally would still be the same all be it with a better goal difference. Gap between Prem Clubs and Championship is getting bigger and bigger which highlights just how damaging it was to drop down in 2022/23

[Nick]

I've not lost hope. Cold hard truth is that unless Man City get relegated as a punishment then we need to better than one of Wolves, West Ham, Palace or Everton (I don't think Man U come into it despite their current league position) and right now they are all better than us. We need the most magical window combined with our recent upturn in form which is to be fair considerable despite not seeing any points reward to date for it.

[Haywood_6]

Halfway through the season, RVN has really got us playing reasonably welland I’m grateful to have him, but we’re facing a huge dogfight to stay up. We've only really got Wolves and Everton who we could drag back into the shit. Unfortunately, we’re lacking quality in key areas, especially at right back and center back. The injuries to Ndidi, Ricardo, and Fatawu have hurt us as well. To be honest, we made to vital mistakes this summer. starting with hiring Steve Cooper and then spending £70 million, with only El Khannous actually making an impact. A lot of that money has been wasted. We’ll need a lot of luck and one of our best January transfer windows ever to avoid relegation but if you were a betting man you'd say the three promoted teams are going straight back down. If we do go down, we will look back on that Wolves game with Danny ward in goal with absolute horror. But I've not lost all hope... yet.

[jayfox26]

10 hours ago, Izzy said:

We concede far too many goals. 

 

Unless we start getting some clean sheets, I can't see us getting enough points to survive.

 

 

This. Everton are an appalling team but Dyche has got them defensively sound again which means they aren't easy to beat. They hardly score any goals but they will nick draws and win enough games to stay up because of their defensive game 

[Pita]

Poor choice of manager and players in the summer has done us we are down 

[whetstonefox]

Get a couple of decent signings defensively, we must be looking to win 3 out of the next 5 games. Those 2 home games against Palace and Fulham now fall under must win. Villa are no great shakes this season , Spurs , who knows and Everton is always a draw! 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

1 hour ago, phoneticerror said:

We’re one win away from leapfrogging Wolves. RvN has got us playing well now, admittedly later than required, but look what the guy had to work with!

 

I’m staying positive until the transfer window closes and we have a clear understanding of what we’re working with. 

Two games ago was the worst performance of the season? We may be slowly improving, but unfortunately there are other teams (Palace, Wolves, Everton), that seem to be improving quicker than we are.

[phoneticerror]

1 hour ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Two games ago was the worst performance of the season? We may be slowly improving, but unfortunately there are other teams (Palace, Wolves, Everton), that seem to be improving quicker than we are.

Yes it was, and yesterday was the best we’ve played as a team. Moving in the right direction.

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

Aside from Liverpool, there isn't an outstanding team in this year's PL. Every other team is beatable. So there are plenty of opportunities to pick up say 8 wins out of 19 remaining games. 

 

We did appear to have more shape at the back in last two games and there was more fluidity to our play going forward yesterday, albeit Man City played at almost unrecognisable lower pace for them. 

 

We still need to shore up our defence and cut stupid mistakes. I think Okoli offers more than Coady but a hard headed solid CB would be a welcome January addition as would a RB and/or LB too.

 

A good striker would help and another CM. But we are unlikely to get everything.

 

Still plenty to play for and I am a little more optimistic than before yesterday that we could go on a reasonable run with continued improvement and some judicious additions in the right positions. 

 

 

[peterborofox]

All depends on if we can recruit in January. A new full back either side is critical, possibly another striker too other than Daka to replace Vardy. 

 

Games at home to Palace, Brentford, Ipswich, Soton are all must win really. Also need points at Everton, West Ham and Wolves away, Utd at home needs to be something also.

 

We're also needing to beat a team or two who we arguably shouldn't. Say home to Newcastle or Fulham. 

 

I think we'd need probs 36/37 points. I'm not sure we're capable of that 

[Bilo]

One win away from leapfrogging Wolves, who have a nasty run of fixtures and should lose Cunha for a spell, and still only three points behind a genuinely honking Everton side who are really struggling at the moment.

 

Everyone keeps saying it, but the transfer window is huge. Three or four decent signings, especially at the back, are required. We're certainly getting more of an identity and the green shoots are beginning to show. 

 

I'd say we're probably favourites to go, but a lot can change.

[Wymsey]

Reckon they'll sign a decent defender next month; and then be ambitious and 'splurge' in the Summer.

 

It feels like make-or-break time for Rudkin and Top, now.

 

No more messing about with certain poor signings and sponsors now, as the club is clearly not where it should be.

[Bilo]

13 minutes ago, peterborofox said:

All depends on if we can recruit in January. A new full back either side is critical, possibly another striker too other than Daka to replace Vardy. 

 

Games at home to Palace, Brentford, Ipswich, Soton are all must win really. Also need points at Everton, West Ham and Wolves away, Utd at home needs to be something also.

 

We're also needing to beat a team or two who we arguably shouldn't. Say home to Newcastle or Fulham. 

 

I think we'd need probs 36/37 points. I'm not sure we're capable of that 

I'm not sure I agree.

 

The bottom five or six are absolutely crap and will be cut adrift from 14th and above by the end. I suspect that somewhere between 32 and 34 points is going to be enough, and 18 from 19 looks possible if we make the right signings.

[JimJams]

5 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

Reckon they'll sign a decent defender next month; and then be ambitious and 'splurge' in the Summer.

 

It feels like make-or-break time for Rudkin and Top, now.

 

No more messing about with certain poor signings and sponsors now, as the club is clearly not where it should be.

Likelihood is we can't splurge in the summer.

[phoneticerror]

14 minutes ago, Bilo said:

One win away from leapfrogging Wolves, who have a nasty run of fixtures and should lose Cunha for a spell, and still only three points behind a genuinely honking Everton side who are really struggling at the moment.

 

Everyone keeps saying it, but the transfer window is huge. Three or four decent signings, especially at the back, are required. We're certainly getting more of an identity and the green shoots are beginning to show. 

 

I'd say we're probably favourites to go, but a lot can change.

The sooner Wolves lose that c^nt the better

[RedSoxUK]

With a CB, RB and Mads returning.. Id feel confident we'll be in with a chance but realistically have to rely on either Everton/Wolves underperforming.

 

Think we'll just about do it with Wolves dropping.

[phoneticerror]

16 minutes ago, RedSoxUK said:

With a CB, RB and Mads returning.. Id feel confident we'll be in with a chance but realistically have to rely on either Everton/Wolves underperforming.

 

Think we'll just about do it with Wolves dropping.

It’d be vile to end on equal points to Wolves but go down on GD 🤮

[Sol thewall Bamba]

1 hour ago, phoneticerror said:

Yes it was, and yesterday was the best we’ve played as a team. Moving in the right direction.

Yeah fair enough, but what I'm saying is that we're still very likely to put in an absolute stinker at any moment.

[phoneticerror]

4 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Yeah fair enough, but what I'm saying is that we're still very likely to put in an absolute stinker at any moment.

Yeah that’s fair. Hoping you’re wrong, but fair.

[sm1]

I think 36 points would see us safe, that means we need 22 from 19 games, including 2 home games against Southampton and Ipswich. Win those and its 16pts from 17 games. It's more them doable, but we need existing players like Mavs and Daka to step up, as well as getting a decent RB.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

14 hours ago, Izzy said:

We concede far too many goals. 

 

Unless we start getting some clean sheets, I can't see us getting enough points to survive.

 

 

Hit the nail on the head buddy. We can't win games as we never get clean sheets. We have to tighten up

[Bilo]

2 minutes ago, Bob Weasel Fox said:

Hit the nail on the head buddy. We can't win games as we never get clean sheets. We have to tighten up

The problem we have is that we're going into games knowing that, in effect, we have to score at least twice to avoid defeat because we can't defend. 

[SK3Blue]

Recruitment is crucial, Defence and someone to put the ball in the net. 
 

Rudkin out.