Are we going down?

[Dirk Gently]

I don't think we'll go down, but I am disappointed at the acceptance of a mid-table finish when we spent most of last season pushing for automatic promotion.

Its a cliché (but probably because it's true) that sometimes you have to take a step backwards to go forwards again.

This is definitely one of those situations - the "PL players" stayed on for one season out of loyalty, because they were challenged to get us back into the the PL, and they were promised a release at the end of that year if it worked.

It didn't, so we are where we are and it's going to take some time. Last years was a one-season challenge and now we need to rebuild, simple as that!

[Seal]

How does win, draw, loss as a sequence show signs of improvement?

Were you at the game last night?

Yep. Remind me again of all those clear cut chances we had...

Listen, I'm not saying we will be relegated, I just think for the more vocal positive posters to laugh it off as ridiculous is incredibly naive (reminds me of circa Jan 08).

We are really are ticking a lot of the textbook prerequisites.

Can't win at home
Play neat tidy football in midfield with no end product
Can't score
Out of form (1 win in 7)
Inexperienced players
New manager who doesn't know his best side / formation
Financial pressures from above

Better sides than us have been dragged into a relegation fight with that list of problems.

I hope as much as anyone we don't, and I always look for the promising signs and desperately want us to do well. When I'm at a game I imagine I'm in the top 5% for getting behind the team. However, in the cold light of day, this doesn't mean that I can't see there are problems, and I'm amused by the sheer blind arrogance of posters who appear to be oblivious to the idea that a relegation battle could even be considered.

[jollyjiminy]

I think we'll be around the relegation zone. If we can't pick up results like Donny at home/Forest at home, its going to be difficult to pick up points - we haven't got the muscle, guile or confidence to break through solid professional teams. If they're defensively minded, they'll beat us.

I reckon it will all depend on:
1. What strikers we can bring in on loan in January
2. When we've got those strikers, to masively raise the number of crosses from wide areas.

About the wide delivery, we've got to remember that Shorey had one of the highest rates of crosses in the Premier League, and this was on top of Little/Convey/Seol/Oster a wee bit from Hunt/Murty, and Doyle and Kitson could both cross the ball. Now we've got virtually nothing. We only use one winger - Kebe - who's crosses aren't brilliant, and he gets no service from our current right back. I'm not sure how we expect to get anywhere - we're totally dependent on threading the ball through the middle, which is fine if you've got Michael Carrick. Marek looks like he should be good at this but it hasn't worked out in practice. Nor are we brilliant at dribbling it through. We've either got to develop our existing wide players (Howard, Tabb and Kebe can all play wide left, Kebe and HRK play wide right), or get someone in. Otherwise its going to be pretty difficult to score.

[ZacNaloen]

How does win, draw, loss as a sequence show signs of improvement?

Were you at the game last night?

Yep. Remind me again of all those clear cut chances we had...
]/quote]

I was responding to your suggestion that last night didn't show an improvement on all our other homes games. Because that is complete and utter bollocks.

I couldn't care less what you think of our chances of getting relegated.

[Dirk Gently]

Maybe, but that's the current situation and I'm sure BR and everyone is just as aware of that as we are and will be working to change it.

Above all, we have time - and plenty of it. If things are still the same at Christma I might start getting worried but i believe things will have improved long before then. We won't be promotion contenders, but we'll be winning freqently enough to be comfortably mid-table, I'm sure.

Having said that, at Xmas 2006 Palace were in the bottom three and they went up that year. Because the CCC is so competitive it's easy to rise quickly (and to fall just as quickly, of course).

[Seal]

I was responding to your suggestion that last night didn't show an improvement on all our other homes games. Because that is complete and utter bollocks.

I couldn't care less what you think of our chances of getting relegated.

Nice composed, well thought through response.

[ZacNaloen]

Not wrong though.

[Vision]

We'll be fine as long as Rodgers brings a little more stability and consistency to the team selection and actually give the players a chance to forge understanding in a system that suits their abilities.

There were good signs of this last night but as I've said elsewhere 24 players used in 7 League games is never going to help.

[Ark Royal]

I have said right from the start that we are going down and that was before we sold off the family silver. Even more convinced with this shower of shit. 87/88 and 97/98 all over again. The club has been ripped apart and for what? If we finish 21st I will be delighted.

[Terminal Boardom]

The longer we go without putting together a half decent run the harder it will be to avoid. This feels more like 82/3. The only thing that kept us in with any hope was Kerry Dixon. Who can we rely upon for 20+ goals this season?

[Wimb]

This season feels like... well 09/10

We've had 2 games with what the manager considers 'his squad' and we were unlucky not to get 4-6 points. Hardly feels like relegation form. Getting thumped 6-1 at home or getting outclassed week in week out feels like relegation form. Can anybody honestly name a game where we were outclassed? Even at Newcastle we were very much in the game for 35 minutes at least.

Some people just relish in misery and panic, love to jump on the bandwagon because it's easy to and because they want to claim 'they said it first' We're only 2 games removed from a 3-1 win at Barnsley ffs

We've conceded a grand total of 8 goals so far this season, and 2 in 5 if you don't include United and Newcastle. We have a £2 million defender on the bench and another who's played in the Premier League and at International level.

Add to this the fact that McAnuff is to come back and the fact we have the wage budget to presumably spend money if we need too so calm down.

Not that this will resonate at all with those who continue to panic. Perhaps some people are pannicing so that if we go down it'll hurt less, who knows.

[roberto_11]

I think we'll be around the relegation zone. If we can't pick up results like Donny at home/Forest at home, its going to be difficult to pick up points - we haven't got the muscle, guile or confidence to break through solid professional teams. If they're defensively minded, they'll beat us.

I reckon it will all depend on:
1. What strikers we can bring in on loan in January
2. When we've got those strikers, to masively raise the number of crosses from wide areas.

About the wide delivery, we've got to remember that Shorey had one of the highest rates of crosses in the Premier League, and this was on top of Little/Convey/Seol/Oster a wee bit from Hunt/Murty, and Doyle and Kitson could both cross the ball. Now we've got virtually nothing. We only use one winger - Kebe - who's crosses aren't brilliant, and he gets no service from our current right back. I'm not sure how we expect to get anywhere - we're totally dependent on threading the ball through the middle, which is fine if you've got Michael Carrick. Marek looks like he should be good at this but it hasn't worked out in practice. Nor are we brilliant at dribbling it through. We've either got to develop our existing wide players (Howard, Tabb and Kebe can all play wide left, Kebe and HRK play wide right), or get someone in. Otherwise its going to be pretty difficult to score.

Completely agree

Remember Leeds were relegated from the Championship the year after they played Watford in the playoff final. Its not out of the question, but we need to start scoring goals.

[Maguire]

I think we'll make the play-offs

[Ark Royal]

The longer we go without putting together a half decent run the harder it will be to avoid. This feels more like 82/3. The only thing that kept us in with any hope was Kerry Dixon. Who can we rely upon for 20+ goals this season?

Shane LOLong

...and when Dixon got injured and missed about fifteen games, we were doomed. He also scored 26 goals despite that. I cannot see anyone in the current setup capable of even getting into double figures.

Do not mention Shlong again on a football-related thread or forum. He is not a professional footballer, just someone masquerading as one.

[AthleticoSpizz]

lol at the perrenially rational Ark Royals account being hacked into this season

Whats buggin' you Ark?

[Terminal Boardom]

Sometimes, it is easier to see the shit when you stand back a bit.

[Royalee]

Like the other guy said, RTG = Rodgers Talks Garbage.
and we are going dowwwwwwwwwwn if we leave that clown in charge until after Christmas.

IDEAL - Idiotic, Deluded, Exiled, Agitating, Lacking - in all departments.

[AthleticoSpizz]

he sure has a bee in his bonnet this season (he sounds like you Royalee, last season)

No we are not going down.


You heard it here first

[Terminal Boardom]

he sure has a bee in his bonnet this season (he sounds like you Royalee, last season)

No we are not going down.


You heard it here first

POTD

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

he sure has a bee in his bonnet this season (he sounds like you Royalee, last season)

No we are not going down.


You heard it here first

I think a few have said that already mate.