Points from our Remaining Fixures

[Colly]

How long has it been since there was 4 points separating 14th and 20th in February?

Goal difference could prove vital this year more than any other and maybe the man paid millions by the club to manage the team understands that. If we'd went hell for leather against City and lost 5-0 you'd have been the first to criticise.

At no point have I suggested going hell for leather, simply just not to approach a game with damage limitation in mind from the first minute. If you go 2-0 down then absolutely, preserve the goal difference, but not from kickoff.

[Remember Colo]

Not really sure why we all get so hung up on the fixture list, because as Swansea and Bournemouth proved yesterday, nothing is a sure thing. That said, when we concede wins against the goods teams before a ball is even kicked (with tactics and line-up) - makes it a lot harder to get a 3 point upset.

[Donkey Toon]

Not really sure why we all get so hung up on the fixture list, because as Swansea and Bournemouth proved yesterday, nothing is a sure thing. That said, when we concede wins against the goods teams before a ball is even kicked (with tactics and line-up) - makes it a lot harder to get a 3 point upset.

Yep that point last night was only our second against a team that was in the top half at time of playing. Rafa has been surrendering before the game even starts.

[Bruuuuuuuuce ()]

Swansea (H) - D
Man City (A) - L
Burnley (H) - D
Palace (A) - D
Man Utd (H) - L
Bournemouth (A) - W
Liverpool (A) - L
Southampton (H) - W
Spurs (A) - D
Huddersfield (H) - W
Leicester (A) - L
Arsenal (H) - L
Everton (A) - D
WBA (H) - W
Watford (A) - D
Chelsea (H) - L

18 Points.

Let's say I started with £1.
Total = £1
Swansea - D = 27/10
Total = £3.70
Man City - L = 3/25
Total = £4.14
Burnley - D = 21/10
Total = £12.83
Palace - D = 11/5
Total = £41.06

Will continue this until I'm wrong... probably this Saturday when Slimani bangs three in.

[UlversToon]

If we are assuming 40 points will be sufficient to stay up we have 13 games to reach that target and, as we are unlikely to get anything from the games against Man U, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool, then we have 8 games to get the 16 points required (4 wins and 4 draws) so we can't afford anymore slip ups like last night.

On saying that 36 points might do it but it is going to be very close with so many teams still involved and goal difference may well prove the deciding factor in which case we need to avoid drubbings in the games against the top 6 sides.

Or you know we could just actually gain the single point that would render that level of goal difference pointless? It's been a decade since anyone was relegated on goal difference, it's not a common occurrence, and we we do go down that way I wouldn't be cursing our inability to concede less goals against Man City, I'd be looking at the games we've thrown away panicking about goal difference. Swansea just beat Arsenal. Bournemouth just beat Chelsea. We shipped 3 against Watford. We need points not goal difference.

Hell, if goal difference is that important maybe we should stop shutting up shop when we go 1-0 up?

Don't get me wrong but I know it's a few years since anyone was relegated on goal difference but, there again, it's a few years since the relegation dogfight was/is as close as it is at the moment and it's not that long ago that the title itself was decided by this method.

Believe me I do not want to see us shutting up shop when we go 1-0 up, or even 1-0 down to preserve our GD, I want to see us press on to improve our points total and boost our goals for column, it's just that as things stand at the moment goal difference may come in to play and, if it does, I would rather have -12 than -13.

I'm not a season ticket holder because I can't get to every game but I am a member and have managed to get a ticket for the Man Utd match, a game from which I think it is unlikely we will get anything from, however, like all Toon fans I go with hope that we will come away with a victory rather than a defeat by a score no worse than our rivals in the relegation battle.

[TBC]

Not really sure why we all get so hung up on the fixture list, because as Swansea and Bournemouth proved yesterday, nothing is a sure thing. That said, when we concede wins against the goods teams before a ball is even kicked (with tactics and line-up) - makes it a lot harder to get a 3 point upset.

Yep that point last night was only our second against a team that was in the top half at time of playing. Rafa has been surrendering before the game even starts.

But we had the chances/should have beaten Burnley?

[Colly]

I think that'll be the interesting thing though, for the Burnley game he found a really strong central midfield performance and Kenedy had a great debut. Joselu was Joselu (if Slimani isn't fit he probably stays in...), and Atsu was a waste of time on the right. Will Rafa learn from that, or will he do the usual shuffle ("we only played 5 days ago") and lose any positives gained from Wednesday?

[TBC]

I think that'll be the interesting thing though, for the Burnley game he found a really strong central midfield performance and Kenedy had a great debut. Joselu was Joselu (if Slimani isn't fit he probably stays in...), and Atsu was a waste of time on the right. Will Rafa learn from that, or will he do the usual shuffle ("we only played 5 days ago") and lose any positives gained from Wednesday?

I don’t think Atsu was a waste of time purely because he was on the right, he’s been struggling for a while. But agree with the sentiment, same team other than Murphy in for Atsu.

[Colly]

Oh yeah, I don't rate him massively in general but he was extra useless on the right...

I'd have Ritchie back in to be honest, I know he's not performing either but maybe with a bit more happening on the left the pressure might be off him a bit. Plus for all the Kenedy's corner for the goal was fantastic some of his others were terrible, and watching having to do the Laurent Robert trudge from corner to corner was depressing.

[TBC]

I’m still one of the Ritchie fans on this forum, but I was just thinking Murphys pace for the counter as I’d imagine we’ll have very little of the ball.

Anything as long as we stop doing short corners, and how many free kicks have we wasted this season trying things that will only ever work on the training ground!

[Bruuuuuuuuce ()]

I’m still one of the Ritchie fans on this forum, but I was just thinking Murphys pace for the counter as I’d imagine we’ll have very little of the ball.

Anything as long as we stop doing short corners, and how many free kicks have we wasted this season trying things that will only ever work on the training ground!

Ritchie's a grafter. Got some ability but I feel he's wasted on the wing. Should have been tried as a number 10 well over a year ago... like... when he first joined he should've been used there.

[Colly]

I’m still one of the Ritchie fans on this forum, but I was just thinking Murphys pace for the counter as I’d imagine we’ll have very little of the ball.

Anything as long as we stop doing short corners, and how many free kicks have we wasted this season trying things that will only ever work on the training ground!

I doubt they'd even work on the training ground. Honestly, what was the one Wednesday where it was short to Atsu, then back to Dummett who had to play a cross from near enough our half? What's the point in battling to the goal line, then sending your centre halfs up for that?

[Remember Colo]

I’m still one of the Ritchie fans on this forum, but I was just thinking Murphys pace for the counter as I’d imagine we’ll have very little of the ball.

Anything as long as we stop doing short corners, and how many free kicks have we wasted this season trying things that will only ever work on the training ground!

Ritchie's a grafter. Got some ability but I feel he's wasted on the wing. Should have been tried as a number 10 well over a year ago... like... when he first joined he should've been used there.

Agree to disagree. I think his best ability is his crossing, more so than playing and creating in close quarters, so I think if he's not on the wing it nullfilies his best skill, even if we'd normally want someone with more pace out there - kinda reminds me of the Joey Barton situation actually. The unfortunate reality is our forwards are pretty useless with crosses, so his skill has mostly only benefited us on corners where the CBs get involved.

[Remember Colo]

I’m still one of the Ritchie fans on this forum, but I was just thinking Murphys pace for the counter as I’d imagine we’ll have very little of the ball.

Anything as long as we stop doing short corners, and how many free kicks have we wasted this season trying things that will only ever work on the training ground!

I doubt they'd even work on the training ground. Honestly, what was the one Wednesday where it was short to Atsu, then back to Dummett who had to play a cross from near enough our half? What's the point in battling to the goal line, then sending your centre halfs up for that?

And after my previous post complimented Ritchie's crossing ability, that's definitely not Dummett's best skill.

[Colly]

He's not terrible mind, if he's running onto one rather than it being a dead ball he can whip a decent one in, Gayle should've buried the one against Swansea. He (and Ritchie, and everyone else) isn't helped by the fact our forwards are terrible at attacking the penalty area, so a cross into a good area can go nowhere near anyone. Wednesday night Dummett drilled one low towards the six yard box, as usual no one has got anywhere near, and he got moaned at. One attacker with a vague instinct for goal and it's an assist.

[Heisen]

Anybody else enjoy football in general more in the Championship (and not just because we won the thing)?

I feel like the Premier League has almost become a parody of itself. Sky Sports are almost insufferable these days, fuelling any minor story into something outrageous, pumping millions and millions into the game in the vague notion that it's more entertaining. It might be for City and United fans but when even Chelsea are struggling to compete it says a lot.

Defeats for the top sides are seemingly becoming rarer and rarer and rather than make the league more competitive it seems to have killed it. I'm sure for a neutral it's very entertaining seeing 10 sides in with a chance of relegation but it's not much fun being in it!

[Colly]

Nah not for me, we didn't play particularly well last season even when winning so the fact we spent loads and still only scraped the title on the last few minutes of the season wasn't the most enjoyable of all time. Feels a bit hypocritical too to whinge about the top 4 having too much money but only enjoying the Championship when we're the ones spending.

Plus there's no guarantee that a relegated club knocks about at the top of the table.

[Remember Colo]

Nah not for me, we didn't play particularly well last season even when winning so the fact we spent loads and still only scraped the title on the last few minutes of the season wasn't the most enjoyable of all time. Feels a bit hypocritical too to whinge about the top 4 having too much money but only enjoying the Championship when we're the ones spending.

Plus there's no guarantee that a relegated club knocks about at the top of the table.

This. Most Championship games can't be watched on television, most teams are painfully mediocre and the football reflects it, and the whole reason it's exciting fighting at the top of that table is for the hope of being promoted. If you're not being promoted, you probably don't have nearly the positive feelings our fans do about it. In fact, you probably just feel the same way we do in the PL, except you're resenting clubs like Newcastle rather than those from Manchester.

[Alfie]

Incidentally Hell for leather is one of my favourite brothels. Pricey but great.

[bodacious benny]

Staying up this season is pretty pointless unless we get a change of owner. Otherwise it'll be the same rubbish next season and struggling against relegation.