The Relegation Battle 2023

[Batard]

I see Rodgers is finally gone 

[Dan+]

5 hours ago, Batard said:

Maddison looked right off it yesterday, is it the system, carrying an injury or is he feeling the pressure of having to carry a team that ownership and manager has lost interest in?

Maddison was terrible but I think we are just a totally dysfunctional team in general, well, have been anyway. I can't speak for what'll happen now.

Maddison has been quite public in his defence of Rodgers and he's the one player who I can probably understand that being the case - but since a particularly stupid tweet he made a few weeks ago defending what was served up after we lost to bottom of the league Southampton he's not really pulled up any trees himself either.

I think we've just been totally dysfunctional and that'll claim victims one by one. I'm very intrigued to see what happens to players like Tete now for example.

[Stan]

After last night it's the first time this season I think we're fvcked. 

Too many silly mistakes and lapses in concentration for full 90 leads to late goals and defeats. Makers of our own downfall really. 

The only glimmer of hope there is is that it's still ridiculously close, but even Leeds are edging away from the bottom 3. Mind you, means fuck all if we can't win a game! 

[Dan+]

I really do think if we don't beat Bournemouth we're going.

[Lucas]

11 hours ago, Dan said:

I really do think if we don't beat Bournemouth we're going.

I feel like this is your crunch moment a bit like ours was a few weeks ago before we had Southampton at Elland Road.

I said then if we don't beat bottom of the league we don't deserve to stay up and we scraped a 1-0. It gave us a great boost.

I can see the same with you guys here and this game. Bournemouth aren't bottom but you'd consider nothing other than 3pts when at home to them. Definitely feels in must win territory.

I can see Bournemouth scoring but I do think you'll win. If you don't, it's probably fair to say you don't deserve to stay up isn't it.

Will personally be hoping for a draw for our own benefit but Bournemouth's away record is shocking.

It really is a massive weekend when you factor in Forest going to in form Villa, Saints home to City, Everton away at Old Trafford etc. If results go as expected, it feels like a pivitol weekend to make ground up.

[Stan]

18 minutes ago, Lucas said:

I said then if we don't beat bottom of the league we don't deserve to stay up and we scraped a 1-0. It gave us a great boost.

 

We lost to bottom of the league Southampton twice this season. We don't deserve to stay up  

[Dan+]

4 hours ago, Lucas said:

I feel like this is your crunch moment a bit like ours was a few weeks ago before we had Southampton at Elland Road.

I said then if we don't beat bottom of the league we don't deserve to stay up and we scraped a 1-0. It gave us a great boost.

I can see the same with you guys here and this game. Bournemouth aren't bottom but you'd consider nothing other than 3pts when at home to them. Definitely feels in must win territory.

I can see Bournemouth scoring but I do think you'll win. If you don't, it's probably fair to say you don't deserve to stay up isn't it.

Will personally be hoping for a draw for our own benefit but Bournemouth's away record is shocking.

It really is a massive weekend when you factor in Forest going to in form Villa, Saints home to City, Everton away at Old Trafford etc. If results go as expected, it feels like a pivitol weekend to make ground up.

We're so far on 3/3 defeats against Southampton/Bournemouth this season which is an absolute disgrace in itself.

This is an unprecedented relegation battle. I've never seen a situation where so many teams are involved yet nobody is out of it. Southampton only get written out of this because of their position - nobody would consider them 'down' if they focused on just a points tally.

That said I do think them and Forest are the best two bets to drop (I think I said Forest were worth some money in here). I think if we were to lose, or even draw tomorrow, we'd have to become favourite for the other.

Every single thing I fear about us turns out to be even worse than I feared and that's saying something.

[Stan]

Yeah we're 100% royally fucked. 

[Michael]

I know that there are still 8 games left for most teams, which is quite a lot of games, but I think that Southampton, Leicester City and Notts Forest will be the 3 teams to be relegated come the end of the season. Sure there still aren't a lot of points between the teams down at the bottom, but the 3 teams I mentioned are in terrible form and playing really poorly.

Everton lost today, but I still think that they can come up with some important performances in the upcoming games. Leeds also seem to have something about them, where you think that they should come out on top when they play the weaker sides in the division. Their 2-1 win over Forest a few days ago was an example of that, and it was a huge win for them. Bournemouth are on form, while fighting for their lives and they earned another crucial 3 points away to Leicester today. I can see the Cherries continuing to win more games against the lesser sides and as a result maintain their Premier League status for next season. As for Palace, West Ham and Wolves, I know it's not always wise to say teams are too good to go down, but I do just about feel that this is the case for these 3 teams.

I just think that things look very very dire for Southampton, Leicester City and Notts Forest, with where they are situated in the table and with how they are performing terribly on the pitch. You feel very little confidence when you watch any 3 of these teams play at the moment. 

[OrangeKhrush]

It is getting quite meaty at the bottom,  some teams are slipping into shocking form at the wrong time.   

[RandoEFC+]

Deep, deep shit for Leicester now. Left it too long with Rodgers and now they've sacked him giving a new manager 8-9 games to save them. Dyche would have been perfect for them as well probably, or Javi Gracia if they were willing.

Not particularly happy about Leicester's loss today as I wanted to see Saints, Bournemouth and Forest get buried but Bournemouth annoyingly keep refusing to lie down. Think Forest and Southampton are gone now but Bournemouth have clawed their way out to the point where its one of them, us or Leicester.

[Michael]

27 minutes ago, RandoEFC said:

Deep, deep shit for Leicester now. Left it too long with Rodgers and now they've sacked him giving a new manager 8-9 games to save them. Dyche would have been perfect for them as well probably, or Javi Gracia if they were willing.

Not particularly happy about Leicester's loss today as I wanted to see Saints, Bournemouth and Forest get buried but Bournemouth annoyingly keep refusing to lie down. Think Forest and Southampton are gone now but Bournemouth have clawed their way out to the point where its one of them, us or Leicester.

Yeah, Leicester City are in real trouble now. Bournemouth have some momentum on their side and their performances have been pretty decent for the most part in recent matches. Bournemouth have won 4 of their last 8 Premier League matches and they put in an impressive performance away to Arsenal a few games back, despite losing by a narrow margin of 3-2. Everton have also looked relatively decent since Dyche took control. I think that you guys will probably beat Fulham at home next week and you could also potentially get a point or more against Palace in the next game after that.

Leicester City on the other hand have been absolutely awful in recent games. Leicester have shockingly lost 7 of their last 8 Premier League matches and the 1 match they didn't lose during this spell was a draw against Brentford. Leicester City have just looked clueless when I've watched them recently, with little firepower in attack. Relying on 36 year old Vardy for their goals, is probably another reason why they've looked toothless upfront, as he is way past his best. From what I've seen, Leicester City for me, will be joining Notts Forest and Southampton in the Championship next season.

[Stan]

Yeah it's us, Southampton and one other. Probably Forest given their fixtures and woeful away form.

 

We're not winning again this season. The players' heads have gone, already looking for their next moves no doubt. Confidence is totally shot and they look physically fucked. Genuinely wouldn't surprise me if we get pumped 9-0 at Man City next Saturday.

[RandoEFC+]

Just remember Everton were 6 points from safety with 6 games remaining last season. Even Southampton aren't 6 points from safety and Wolves in 12th aren't 6 points from relegation. This season will go down to the wire. Which I'm not happy about as we have Bournemouth at Goodison on the last day and I can not be at all fucked with that being some sort of relegation shootout.

[Whiskey]

Everton Twitter really happy about the Marsch appointment which says it all - Leicester are going. 

Think Forest will get dragged into it too due to their inexperience at this level and bad form. 

We are by no means out of it, but I said at the time that Dyche will get us enough draws to stay up (just). I think we'll come 17th. That is, unless we get a points deduction which considering how tight things are would put us easily 20th.

Given the incoming sanctions and the past two seasons, I'd put good money on us going next year mind.

[Devil]

Everton could go based on today's performance for me, they were terrible.

 

[Dan+]

We are going without any shadow of a doubt. We are the single worst team in the division. Forest, Southampton, Bournemouth, Everton - all utter rubbish yet all better than us.

This is not a serious league if we somehow survive this.

[Michael]

58 minutes ago, Devil said:

Everton could go based on today's performance for me, they were terrible.

 

They may have been poor today, but Man Utd are one of the best teams in the country, so no real surprise if they were soundly beaten. In their last two Premier League matches however, Everton battled it out to draw against Champions League spot chasing Tottenham and mid-table Chelsea. They played very respectfully in these two games, against two sides much higher up the table. This is much more impressive in my opinion compared to the likes of Forest and Leicester City, who've been losing to fellow relegation battlers. There's a long way to go yet, but I have a gut feeling Everton will stay up. 

[Dan+]

Everton are shit but they've got some winnable home games, and unlike us, will actually win them - plus they still come here so that's another 3 points for them. That's the game that'll make it basically insurmountable for us.

This relegation battle is going to peter out into a huge anti-climax. Leicester, Forest and Southampton will all be relegated with at least a game to spare.

[Dan+]

11 hours ago, RandoEFC said:

Just remember Everton were 6 points from safety with 6 games remaining last season. Even Southampton aren't 6 points from safety and Wolves in 12th aren't 6 points from relegation. This season will go down to the wire. Which I'm not happy about as we have Bournemouth at Goodison on the last day and I can not be at all fucked with that being some sort of relegation shootout.

Everton had fight about them. For all your lows, you united towards the end. I could only dream of us turning out an away end like you had here a year ago. I fully expect a repeat of it from you.

We've never been more divided in my lifetime. I can barely process what's actually happening to us. I felt no sadness after Bournemouth. I wasn't frustrated. It would've been an absolute heist if we hadn't lost. Bournemouth should've won by at least 3 goals but were totally wasteful. We aren't going to cruelly fall short, we're mentally beaten already. The players aren't bothered. The fans have nothing to cling onto.

It's been a great ride but what an absolutely abject surrender from everybody involved. One of the most shameful years in our history. Every one of them's time here tainted, and what a shame.

[Stan]

I remember being heavily against Dyche earlier in the season, but I regret being so. 

We needed a change but I'm not sure Marsch is that change. It's the timing of it all that irks me so much more than anything else. Anyone coming in barely gets time to make a difference. And Man City is their first game

 

[Devil]

27 minutes ago, Dan said:

Everton had fight about them. For all your lows, you united towards the end. I could only dream of us turning out an away end like you had here a year ago. I fully expect a repeat of it from you.

We've never been more divided in my lifetime. I can barely process what's actually happening to us. I felt no sadness after Bournemouth. I wasn't frustrated. It would've been an absolute heist if we hadn't lost. Bournemouth should've won by at least 3 goals but were totally wasteful. We aren't going to cruelly fall short, we're mentally beaten already. The players aren't bothered. The fans have nothing to cling onto.

It's been a great ride but what an absolutely abject surrender from everybody involved. One of the most shameful years in our history. Every one of them's time here tainted, and what a shame.

 

21 minutes ago, Stan said:

I remember being heavily against Dyche earlier in the season, but I regret being so. 

We needed a change but I'm not sure Marsch is that change. It's the timing of it all that irks me so much more than anything else. Anyone coming in barely gets time to make a difference. And Man City is their first game

 

Lads you've got plenty of games left, you've got players capable of so much better.

You just need that spark, one win and you're back in the game. If Leicester go down with the likes of Vardy, Maddison and Barnes in their side I will be amazed. 

[Honey Honey]

It is difficult to see how Leicester and Southampton get 4 wins and 3 draws or 5 wins from their last 8 games.

I think Leicester don't survive now unless someone currently above the drop has a monumental collapse.

[Stan]

8 minutes ago, Devil said:

 

Lads you've got plenty of games left, you've got players capable of so much better.

You just need that spark, one win and you're back in the game. If Leicester go down with the likes of Vardy, Maddison and Barnes in their side I will be amazed. 

We haven't though, really. 

Vardy isn't what he used to be. Maddison is being over-relied on. Barnes is hot and cold. 

We've got players capable of so much better, but when will they show it? 

We've not won in 8 or 9 games. We've lost 4 out of 4 against Southampton and Bournemouth. 

This run of games should have been the time to kick on and really help us pull away. Palace, Villa, Bournemouth. We've lost all 3. And all with the faintest hint of a whimper. 

If you watch us play, we don't look like we have enough confidence or belief left in us. Like they've given up. The way they're set up is wrong. Then the way they're told to play is wrong. They're too cautious and nervous now. They can't handle the pressure and it shows. 

[The Palace Fan]

Yeah this is the first time I think Leicester may be in real trouble. To lose to Palace and Bournemouth in a short time period is quite frankly poor. 

For as poor as I think Brendan Rodgers was this season, he really should have resigned at the end of last season. He knew this squad was at the end of a cycle and suggested an overhaul was necessary in several press conferences. When it became clear the board couldn't fund one he should have walked.

Nevertheless that doesnt excuse that some of these players have underperformed significantly for two seasons now. Kasper Schmeichel covered a lot of cracks last season. Players like Pereira and Vardy look a shell of there former selves whilst Tielemans since not getting a big move has been an absolute disgrace.

It feels like under the current ownership/structure that sides like Leicester, Everton and Crystal Palace are just sleep walking towards relegation. If it doesn't happen this season, it will happen next season or the season after without significant change.