A long way away........

Well after the weekend's turmoil both on and off the pitch

Burnley are now 4/9 to stay up which is now the same as leeds

Burnley are 6/4 to be relegated

Leeds are now 17/10

Brentford are 23/10

A few short weeks back Newcastle were doomed but today they are now 9/1 to be relegated, so if only the new manager coming in could find a win or two with a few draws thrown in for good measure, survival is very much still in our own hands.

I just checked Paddy Power odds today after last nights games

Burnley are now 8/15 to stay up

Brentford are now 3/1 to go down

while leeds are 5/2 to drop and 1/3 to stay up

Hope paddy has it right because my hope is gone!!!!

The way things are panning out M'Lud this final game could be a dead rubber regardless of the result.

I'm officially on the we are going to be relegated side of the camp now lads so over to ye boys on the other side to change my mind / rekindle my optimism

If we need anything at Brentford then I will be papping myself. I might not go, went to the old ground 4 times, lost 3 drew 1 scored 1. Hopefully the new ground will bring us some luck.

I'm not wetting the bed yet though I think we will be OK by then, just!.

Jezz TC10 i gotta love your optimism.

Last year you told us all we were safe in Feb and you were proven right (mainly) due to the way we finished the season.

This year however circumstances are different, we are struggling to survive 90 mins (fitness wise) never mind find a goal that proves to be a winner.

Saw last night Cooper saying he is back in TA on the grass training (welcome news) so hopefully 2-3 games he is back and by then maybe just maybe Kalvin might re-emerge that game too fingers crossed.

Those two warriors will drive the other lads and a lift that could give them that extra yard of pace which hopefully will turn out to be the difference in the Villa game.

I'm completely lost as to why Bamford hasn't returned. Scored on his return (was he coming back too quick?) i dont know but to be out since early december after scoring the equalizer against Brentford, celebrating that goal, is bizarre to say the least. It's not as if something was thrown at him. But one thing i am convinced of tho is Bamford's pressing and closing down is a major factor in how opposing teams are getting into our backline far more than they used to be.

Maybe because MB sets up the same all the time and other managers have found the "spaces" in our "system" i dont know. We were never rock solid and always relied on players tracking back for cover or to block a cross which eased some of the pressure on our CB's but now teams are carving us open with balls being played, down the middle, all on the floor taking 3-4 leeds players out of the game. So i ask why if this is a tactic some teams do to us what have we changed to prevent that killer ball? Its the main reason why i fear for us tomorrow night as liverpool have numerous players in their team that ball finding any of their front 3 through on goal.

I take your point about "if" we win two games Burnley, Watford, must win 5 but i honestly think Dyche will find a way for weghorst to get on the end of things and even if he dosent it that play might lead to a corner so Mee and Tarkowski can come up for a chance of a goal.

I just looked there

Burnley are even money to stay up

and

Brentford are 16/5 to go down

Thats very tempting tbh

Brentfords next three games

Newcastle (h), Norwich (a) and Burnley (h)

Three 6 pointers in a row

Weghorst won't get enough chances created to knock enough goals in.... same as the other dross teams down there who won't suddenly win at least 2 more games than us.

If we win, say, 3 more games then other teams HAVE to win at least 5 games....they haven't won 5 games all season so how are they suddenly going to win 5 games in 12 odd games!?

Newcastle will get out of it and I have a double with them to stay up and Bournemouth to be promoted 👍💵

Chillax all.... we're staying up

I think we may need 37/38 points this year. So another 14/15 points

We can wins v Saints, Watford (A), Norwich and Villa = 12 points

We can get draws v Spurs, BHA, Palace (A) and Brentford (A) = 4 points

So that is 16 points which should be just about enough.

Sadly not the only point we threw away this season

Chelski (stupid free kick - Roberts)

Barcodes (poor finishing and poor decisions cost us all 3 points in this game but definitely threw away a point)

i think back at the Leicester game (1-1) but Harrison & Rodders both missed decent chances to seal it, Jack in particular on the line virtually he was, to bag all 3 points so 2 points dropped in that one for sure

Close shop when you peg Manure back after being 2 goals down, another point gone.

Add those up = 5 points, at least, we would be sitting above Leicester this morning in 11th spot with no hint of pressure on the manager or the players as if someone has a twinge they can sit out the next game and recover proper.

I know games in hand isn't guaranteed points on the board but i think signing Burnley signing Weghorst will be a game changer for them and as Hawothwhite says EH looks to have turned things around for Newcastle, any sort of momentum shift at this stage in the season proves vital in the quest to avoid relegation. If teams can pull away from the drop zone in Feb/Mar then the frantic scramble for points in Apr/May to secure safety is eased immensely.

Like most i believe Norwich will be the 1st team to go and i honestly believe we can finish above Brentford, despite all of our injury woes, that leave one more spot to fill, hopefully it will be Watford but they are capable of keeping a clean sheet something that we haven't done since November.

A clean sheet = 1 point minimum

We keep 10 clean sheets we are safe as i think 32-33 points will be needed to survive this season

Not maybe players back from injury but points on board are important.

At least Norwich lost, Everton lost, Barcodes only got a point and a few above us like BHA, Villa and Palace lost.

A win tomorrow brings others into the mix.

Watford & Bumley picking up points today puts more pressure on.

We badly need to get a few players back from injury soon

..

Well, I just watched Barcodes at WH and am pretty sure that they will escape the drop, when they were almost dead certs a month ago! Eddie Howe has got them playing good stuff, and with some confidence too. The three points Meslier gifted them could be the kiss of death for us in the PL.

We, of course, are in Bielsa' hands and who he picks tomorrow, and how winds up the team. I expect that we'll be taken to the cleaners, as MB is just plain clueless when it comes to defending in any circumstance, whether it be corners, free kicks or long throws. Quality tells everytime and MU have the razor precision to slice through us. I'll not predict the score.

Sorry to be so negative.

However there are some interesting and games this afternoon that could help us. Fingers crossed that the scores go our way.

We'll be well out of trouble by the Brentwood game and will have Kalvin and Hattrick back and Raphinha back to form well before then....

I am sure we will get the 15 points to survive but only just..............

Glass half full?