Relegation - A real prospect?

[dww]

Cole was just an example off the top of my head but for a guy with 50 career goals at 27 and only scored 2 goals in a premiership game once (this season) no thanks.

You're right though it'd be 3 or 4 players who will be well versed in hoofball, come in on expensive long contracts and offer nothing to whoever comes in

I didn't mean to imply that Cole was anything other than an example. It's more that he is clearly not what we need long term and pretty much everyone agrees which is why I used him as an example of a 'bad signing' that I would take if it was enough to see us through to a decent finish in the league.

The thing that got me particularly about the Wolves game was the way that Roy abandoned the central axis of Mereiles and Lucas, and Maxi from the team altogether even though they had been performing pretty well for him. He clearly doesn't trust anyone but the big name players and Konchesky. It was that 'revelation' that has me convinced he must go now.

[Beastie]

Just a thought. If we were to be relegated, who would go and at what price, and what cost to make us competitive in the championship?

[RichC]

I didn't mean to imply that Cole was anything other than an example. It's more that he is clearly not what we need long term and pretty much everyone agrees which is why I used him as an example of a 'bad signing' that I would take if it was enough to see us through to a decent finish in the league.

The thing that got me particularly about the Wolves game was the way that Roy abandoned the central axis of Mereiles and Lucas and Maxi from the team altogether even though they had been performing pretty well for him. He clearly doesn't trust anyone but the big name players and Konchesky. It was that 'revelation' that has me convinced he must go now.

he would get us through to the end of the season, chip in with a couple of goals but short term and expensive, but understand your reasoning.

That was just crazy, those 3 had worked really well together and I thought Maxi had been our best player of late - as you've just said it seems you're a name then it's back in the team regardless of form from others, terrible management ethos - essentially hoping that the big performance these names could produce happens

[Gray]

Jesus wept, I cant read this anymore.

[malg]

Yes relegation can really happen now. Well done bodge this is how low we have gone.

[Rich]

The thing that got me particularly about the Wolves game was the way that Roy abandoned the central axis of Mereiles and Lucas, and Maxi from the team altogether even though they had been performing pretty well for him. He clearly doesn't trust anyone but the big name players and Konchesky. It was that 'revelation' that has me convinced he must go now.

Spot on.

He broke up the Meireles/Lucas partnership which had been a pretty decent basis for our home performances of late. Pushing Raul out to the right screams of incompetence and I'll go back to what Roy's said in the past about Gerrard playing all over midfield so why can't Meireles?! A statement of pure stupidity.

IF Roy is sticking around until the summer then the best option for the long term health of the club would be to bring in players to fit this horrific 4-4-2 formation but only on loan.

[Shanks]

Just a thought. If we were to be relegated, who would go and at what price, and what cost to make us competitive in the championship?

I wouldn't even bother discussing it mate.. It'll never happen..
There will always be three worse teams in this league..

Some people are getting a bit carried away with all this owner issue and relegation crap..

[Arn]

Cole was just an example off the top of my head but for a guy with 50 career goals at 27 and only scored 2 goals in a premiership game once (this season) no thanks.

You're right though it'd be 3 or 4 players who will be well versed in hoofball, come in on expensive long contracts and offer nothing to whoever comes in

and then the next manager would be in the same position as Rafa when he took over after Houllier. He would need to change almost the whole squad and you don't do that in a year or two.

[RichC]

and then the next manager would be in the same position as Rafa when he took over after Houllier. He would need to change almost the whole squad and you don't do that in a year or two.

re-read my post - it doesn't say that's what we should do, it's what will happen if Roy is still with us.

[badpiggy]

It wasn't like I hadn't made up my mind already, but I had it in my head that playing SG as a CM would be the deal-breaker for me. I didn't expect him to break up a promising - if not world-beating realistically - CM partnership to accommodate a player who at worst is past it, totally deluded about his own abilities and a negative influence at the club and at best and player who needs to be put back in his clearly proven best position and told to **** off if he doesn't like it.

Either way, on this one issue alone Roy proves both tactical and managerial incompetence. We can most certainly get caught up in a relegation battle as we continue to lose away games and our home games become more and more an opportunity for teams to have a good go at us and win. I never ever imagined that Roy would be as bad as this.

[vlahka]

Had my UTD friend today telling me it wasnt Hodgsons fault we were so crap but the teams. I pointed out 4 of the players, almost half the team, were hodgsons buys who are also seriously magically crap. Just on that premise alone, ignoring his **** tactics, how can it not be his fault? He looked confused.

[DannyMan2006]

Prior to yesterdays game I'd have said no chance of relegation. But we got beat at home by the team who are bottom of the league and have the worst away record in all England.

Are recent form is also relegation form. Our Away form is relegation form. If we start messing up at home, as we did yesterday, we probably WILL go down. Also consider that every club down there has a chance of changing the manager and getting a new spring in the step. We don't have that possibility. So a slump in form will be almost impossible to get out off.

[Zapater]

6 months of Roy, and a transfer window where he could potentially be backed. Definitely more than enough ammunition for the Hodge man to get us down.

[Drago]

6 months of Roy, and a transfer window where he could potentially be backed. Definitely more than enough ammunition for the Hodge man to get us down.

Strange as it seems, I reckon the results would be much better if Roy got in his **** players for his woeful tactics.

Can't see us getting relegated at all but think we'll be closer to the bottom three then the top four.

[DannyMan2006]

If we brought in a target man we would be better off under Roy, no doubt about it.

It's up to the owners really. Back him or sack him. I hope it's the latter.