3rd spot relegation ?

Omackeral

Neil3030 wrote: »

Given, Dunne and Ireland won't be at Villa next year.

And it's a Given that Ireland is Dunne with Ireland, so no need to include him.

user2011

Xavi6 wrote: »

Stoke

I don't mind a team being physical and playing to their strengths but right now they're just utter shit. Pulis has spent a relative fortune over the past few season on a load of donkeys for no return.

At least Villa are giving some young lads a go and it'd be a great confidence boost for them to stay up.

Nothing to do with the fact Man City have dropped points at Stoke since 08 :pac:

kensutz

Winston Payne wrote: »

Hopefully Norwich. Totally bloodless, no character about them, they won't grow much bigger than they are now. Stoke provide a hate figure and I'd like to see how Lambert and Villa progress if they stay up. Norwich don't bring anything to the party.

And how many Norwich games have you ever watched? :rolleyes:

Dubliner28

1st pick - Stoke
2nd pick - Newcastle (just because Pardew is a ****)

roanoke

I'd say it's a toss-up between Stoke and Norwich. Wigan and Villa seem to be getting it right just in time. Sunderland might have that early energy that often comes with a new manager and Newcastle have enough about them to stay just ahead of the pack.

Stoke and Norwich have to play each other on 27/4 (round 35) which could be a genuine battle. I think I'll watch that game anyway.

kensutz

We (Norwich) have Reading on Saturday. Beat them and then it's a case of just getting a draw or 2 to guarantee safety. We have Stoke away, Villa at home which are beatable. They won't allow Villa to turn them over as easily as they did in the League Cup earlier this season.

aidan24326

Sunderland

Going on form it might well be Stoke who go down. They've been in freefall for the last couple of months.

QPR are the big disaster of the season. A lot of money spent on over-paid and overrated players. They're paying some of their players champions league wages and for what? To get them relegated. They will be paying guys top notch salaries to beat Burnley and Huddersfield. So for their stupidity alone they deserve to go down.

Kirby

Sunderland

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'll preface this by noting that Wigan are where they are on merit - they've won the games to get them to the top level and keep them there which is more than fair.

However, in so many respects they don't belong in the Premiership. Their attendence levels have been poor for a very long time, and the empty seats on Saturday for a cup final were a little sad. Tremendous achievement to last as long as they have done given their fanbase and budgeting, but they absolutely would not be a loss to the top flight.

Seriously?

Wigan are a team that try to play football the right way. The same cannot be said for some other teams. They don't just show up.....or play hoof ball.....or stick 11 men behind the ball and hope for the best. They always try to win and always have a go meaning they are entertaining to watch. It's no coincidence that they have been involved in many high scoring games in the past few years.

They have some very good players in their team and I've long been convinced that if they actually had a decent back 4 that they would be well clear of relegation.

And most importantly, they play Gladiator music when the players come out of the tunnel at the DW stadium. If that's not reason enough to keep them up, nothing is.

Xavi6

user2011 wrote: »

Nothing to do with the fact Man City have dropped points at Stoke since 08 :pac:

Thought hadn't even crossed my mind but now that you mention it then yeah, add it to the list of reasons!

sReq | uTeK

Cant stand stoke, but wigan and villa try and play good ball, villa will be a good team if lambart gets time.

Hope it's stoke, just so I don't see players getting injured at the britania week in week out. (Hyperbole)

FatherTed

Aston Villa

Sunderland please - mainly because of my dislike for Di Canio.

secman

Sunderland

As to who would not be missed from a football point of view- STOKE
and on the form at the moment you would also say STOKE
Hard to see where their goals will come from, not one of their forwards are any way prolific or indeed in form. Everyone of them are journey men of sorts:
Waters
Jones
Jerome
Owen
Crouch

So reading beween the lines probably STOKE

Secman

eagle eye

All the Stoke haters annoy me. They don't like physical football, they want fancy pants stuff and the big teams to get easy points imo. I always like to see a couple of tough teams and different types of tactics in the division because it makes the league a truer test.

Gbear

eagle eye wrote: »

All the Stoke haters annoy me. They don't like physical football, they want fancy pants stuff and the big teams to get easy points imo. I always like to see a couple of tough teams and different types of tactics in the division because it makes the league a truer test.

There's nothing wrong with being physical.

I think Stoke take it too far to the point of bad sportsmanship.
Far worse than diving or time wasting (although they do that sort of stuff too) because people can get injured. And they have.

artanevilla

Sunderland

Just out of interest, why do people say Villa? Stoke play crap football, and despite their age, are not really a club with a rich history in the top flight. Wigan are the same, no history, lower division club.

I am biased, but Villa on the other hand are founder members of the Football League, ever present in the Premier League, European Cup winners, and statistically the 4th most successful team in English football history. It would be a shame to see them in a lower division.

Kirby

Sunderland

artanevilla wrote: »

Just out of interest, why do people say Villa? Stoke play crap football, and despite their age, are not really a club with a rich history in the top flight. Wigan are the same, no history, lower division club.

I am biased, but Villa on the other hand are founder members of the Football League, ever present in the Premier League, European Cup winners, and statistically the 4th most successful team in English football history. It would be a shame to see them in a lower division.

Because the history of a club means absolutely nothing to everyone else. It only means something to the fans of said club.

If Stoke were 5 times European champions and had won the league a dozen times.....would people care? No, because right now they play awful hoofball and are overly physical. Now, I'm not saying I agree with that thinking but that is the rationale behind it.

And if quality of football is your barometer on survival, it might be worth remembering that under Big Eck, Villa played the worst brand of football ever seen in the premier league.

artanevilla

Sunderland

I just think that it would be a better league if you had traditionally strong clubs like Villa instead of Wigan, the same as I'd have Leed instead of Stoke or Wednesday ahead of Fulham.

AdamD

eagle eye wrote: »

All the Stoke haters annoy me. They don't like physical football, they want fancy pants stuff and the big teams to get easy points imo. I always like to see a couple of tough teams and different types of tactics in the division because it makes the league a truer test.

There's a difference between physical football and thuggery.

efb

I love this thread! Really stokes up the debate!

Zeek12

Sunderland

artanevilla wrote: »

Just out of interest, why do people say Villa? Stoke play crap football, and despite their age, are not really a club with a rich history in the top flight. Wigan are the same, no history, lower division club.

I am biased, but Villa on the other hand are founder members of the Football League, ever present in the Premier League, European Cup winners, and statistically the 4th most successful team in English football history. It would be a shame to see them in a lower division.

Notts. Forest had a great tradition and history, with a legendary manager, two European Cup wins, a league title, two league cups,the first million pound signing, etc. Still didn't make a damn bit of difference though when they went down in 93, just 13 years after being European champions. That stuff counts for very little when you get sucked into a relegation dogfight.

Villa are where they are largely because of their inability to defend. They give away too many soft goals. If they survive - and personally I hope they do- Lambert needs to address this problem. Its all well and good blooding youngsters and playing attractive football but you can't ignore the basic principles of the game either.

Chancer3001

Villa, Stoke and Wigan. probably couldnt make a successful team from the best of all 3 teams.

All Stokes defence

All Wigans midfield

Benteke up front!

artanevilla

Sunderland

Zeek12 wrote: »

Notts. Forest had a great tradition and history, with a legendary manager, two European Cup wins, a league title, two league cups,the first million pound signing, etc. Still didn't make a damn bit of difference though when they went down in 93, just 13 years after being European champions. That stuff counts for very little when you get sucked into a relegation dogfight.

Villa are where they are largely because of their inability to defend. They give away too many soft goals. If they survive - and personally I hope they do- Lambert needs to address this problem. Its all well and good blooding youngsters and playing attractive football but you can't ignore the basic principles of the game either.

I'm not saying any club is too big to go down, I just think it's a shame when it does happen and want to know the reason why people want Villa to go. Fairly inoffensive team I would have thought.

Zeek12

Sunderland

artanevilla wrote: »

I'm not saying any club is too big to go down, I just think it's a shame when it does happen and want to know the reason why people want Villa to go. Fairly inoffensive team I would have thought.

I know what you're saying but I think you're missing the point.
A lot of people are predicting they'll go down based on their fairly poor performances this year - not out of any hatred of the club.

Though for any Birmingham or West Brom fans, there may just be a dislike of Villa involved!!

Hammer Archer

I'd hope either Stoke or Wigan. Stoke for the reasons already mentioned by pretty much everyone. Wigan simply because I really dislike Dave Whelan and the fact that Wigan almost always manage to beat us.

Neil3030

Stoke

It's interesting that so many people want to see Stoke relegated, rather than Pulis sacked.

madcabbage

Stoke

Wigan third time lucky please!

HazDanz

Norwich

The stoke ogres need to be slain.

greendom

Sunderland

artanevilla wrote: »

I just think that it would be a better league if you had traditionally strong clubs like Villa instead of Wigan, the same as I'd have Leed instead of Stoke or Wednesday ahead of Fulham.

I think you need a time machine to head back to the 1950s. Or are you proposing that the league table should be based on history or attendances ?

artanevilla

Sunderland

greendom wrote: »

I think you need a time machine to head back to the 1950s. Or are you proposing that the league table should be based on history or attendances ?

80's would do.

major bill

Id rather Wigan stay up than Villa purely cos they dont annoy me as much

I like Stoke, they just need to oust Pulis

greendom

Sunderland

artanevilla wrote: »

80's would do.

fair enough - my point was that football doesn't stand still, it evolves - ask Huddersfield, Blackpool, Leeds, Notts Forest and County.

jdooley28

COYVB wrote: »

I don't think it'll matter to either side

I think it'll be big, was playing around with preditor on the BBC website, I have Wigan one point off Villa in 17th and 18th place on the last day. I think stoke will be fine, Sunderland just about. Norwich to get sucked into the mix for me also . . .I think ill finally have to admit defeat on qpr staying up:)

aramush

Stoke need to go down, a shower of boo boys at the Britania and the football isn't much better. Atleast Wigan try to play a bit of football.

celtictiger32

Sunderland

have to say stoke, mainly because my mates a huge stoke fan and his reactions every week are getting more comical. he's ****ting himself:D

RayCon

Stoke

Would love to see Stoke go down only because Pulis is a very unlikeable character but I think it'll be Wigan ...... which I have no problem with either as Dave Whelan is a rent-a-gob.

mike65

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056829791&page=5

Zeek12

Sunderland

Time for an updated poll in fairness.
That's gotta be very old. Over 30% saying Southampton will go down? No chance...

The Davestator

I can't understand how people think Martinez is such a great manager despite nearly getting relegated every year. Too many people believing the rubbish out of Dave Whelans mout obviously.

Hopefully, we'll be rid of Wigan this year.

greendom

Sunderland

The Davestator wrote: »

I can't understand how people think Martinez is such a great manager despite nearly getting relegated every year. Too many people believing the rubbish out of Dave Whelans mout obviously.

Hopefully, we'll be rid of Wigan this year.

You think with a different manager, Wigan could move to mid-table or even above ?

The Davestator

greendom wrote: »

You think with a different manager, Wigan could move to mid-table or even above ?

I think, that after 4 years in charge, he should be making some progress in terms of league psotion!

Neil3030

Stoke

greendom wrote: »

You think with a different manager, Wigan could move to mid-table or even above ?

Another way to look at it -

Do you think that if Martinez was at another club, where he wasn't constantly lauded in public by his gobby chairmen, and where he couldn't hide behind the smokescreen of being the plucky smalltown underdogs, and flirted with relegation 4 years on the spin, he would be considered a good manager?

Zeek12

Sunderland

The Davestator wrote: »

I think, that after 4 years in charge, he should be making some progress in terms of league psotion!

For some clubs with a modest budget and very small fan base, progress is really just not going backwards and not getting relegated! It gets harder to stay up in the Premiership season after season as teams get more and more used to your players and tactics. They're doing very well imo to punch above their weight and stay in the Prem. league for 7 or 8 consecutive seasons.
Plenty of so called "bigger" clubs in the Championship that would love to have Wigan's consistency. Birmingham and Wolves are two that spring to mind. Look where they are right now...Wolves especially

Zeek12

Sunderland

Plus, won't they be playing in Europe next season?

I'd say that's definitely progress!!

greendom

Sunderland

Neil3030 wrote: »

Another way to look at it -

Do you think that if Martinez was at another club, where he wasn't constantly lauded in public by his gobby chairmen, and where he couldn't hide behind the smokescreen of being the plucky smalltown underdogs, and flirted with relegation 4 years on the spin, he would be considered a good manager?

Time will tell I suppose - I think he'll prove himself to be an excellent manager

Rekop dog

I like Roberto's temperament, he always seems to stay calm no matter how perilous a situation they're in. He also as so much faith in his ideology that even when they're on a rotten run of form that he believes their approach will reap rewards especially when others around them get more desperate in an effort to avoid the drop. They'll go down eventually, could be this year but its no fluke that they've managed to stay on the right side of the bottom 3 against the odds for so many years now.

Kirby

Sunderland

Exactly. Apart from his positive attitude, it's his ability to tell the truth in post match interviews that I like. And he never gets angry at the interviewer if they ask a tough or stupid question.

A few managers the past few years could take a lesson from him in how to conduct themselves. Harry Redknapp storming off in one, Dalglish nearly decking the interviewer in another, pulling a "I didn't see it" like Wenger.......Martinez is much classier than any of them.

noodler

dreamers75 wrote: »

Whoever has the least amount of irish internationals.

Its honestly the only thing I ever worry about.

astonaidan

Aston Villa

noodler wrote: »

Its honestly the only thing I ever worry about.

Same as sometimes I cant sleep, with the thought that we may have to use"shudder" players in the championship.

G.K.

No particular desire for any side to go down. Could be the end of the line for Wigan but Stoke's run of form is dismal.

Reckon Norwich are safe.

PurpleSt4in

Sunderland

I hope and believe Stoke. Don't think anyone would be sad to see them go back to where they came from. Offer nothing entertainment-wise!