realistically going down or staying up ?????????

[Rogers]

It's not over till the final whistle at the palace game.

lets see what Alan has left in his locker

Unless we lose against United and Cardiff and Sflaphorpe, Watford and Palace all pick up 6 points

[ReadingOwl]

Has AI got the ability and charisma to do that?

What does anyone else think of this am I missing something here... I think AI is a good manager for us in the longer term but I worry that in these circumstances the inspirational qualities aren't there...

Good post, and it raises some interesting points.

Normally, managers only get appointed to a club, when it is already in the mire. Very few have the option of going when they are currently successful and have a good squad.

Thus, in the first instance, you need a good short term firefighter, someone who can make a 'silk purse out of a sow's ear'. A Warnock for instance. Being objective, if we get relegated then AI will have failed in this objective, although he did well at PNE in a similar situation. Hence his justifiable appointment IMO.

The next thing you need, notwithstanding success or failure with the first objective, is a manager who can then develop a team, from possibly limited funding, to take the team forward again. All we have to go on is AI's track record a PNE following his success with his first objective. Being objective, it doesn't seem that he did very well with that or psent his money wisely, hence he got dismissed.

So all in all, I am beginning to worry that AI's appointment will turn out not have been have very good one afterall.

I am not overly optimistic, let's put it that way.

But from a practical point of view we have to hope that I am wrong and that he/the club were right. There is no other alternative but to give him time IMO.

[Depeche]

don't know... doesn't look at the moment but it is still in our own hands. The derby is a massive game. A must win game I'll even say.

[Guest pompyowl]

got to win against the pigs - they are poo away so its easily achievable ( then again its us so who knows). then we will have a chance.

lose and thats it.. we are going down- deeper then whale poo poo

[Baldrick]

We are in the bottom 3, have played a game more than a few of the other teams down there and have the 2nd worst goal difference

Even assuming Plymouth aren't going to catch us (which is not impossible as you would expect them to beat Peterborough on the last game and then would only need another point), if you look at it logically, I'm afraid we've got to be one of the favourites to go down

We've just to got to hope that Palace dont get anything on Saturday and then we can go into the derby game knowing it is back in our hands

Easier said than done though, as others have quite rightly pointed out, we've let ourselves down in the must win games so far this season and time is quickly running out

[Paul..]

Down.

Had £17 in two Bet365 accounts I opened to watch us play matches so I just bet that on us going down and I'll win a whole £3 if we go down from a £17 stake so even the booked are convinced!

[mark77]

Just keep within 2 points of Palace (match their results over the next two games basically) and i believe we will stay up by beating them on the final game. A full Hillsborough and partisan crowd will see us through.

Sheff Utd & Palace are two very winnable home games imo.

[RobHowe]

Just keep within 2 points of Palace (match their results over the next two games basically) and i believe we will stay up by beating them on the final game. A full Hillsborough and partisan crowd will see us through.

It's worth remembering that Palace are in a false position in the league.

Of their last 7 away games in the league they've won 2, drawn 5 and lost 1.

Sheff Utd & Palace are two very winnable home games imo.

So were Ipswich, Derby and Bristol City when the pressure wasn't as intense as it is now.

[mark77]

It's worth remembering that Palace are in a false position in the league.

Of their last 7 away games in the league they've won 2, drawn 5 and lost 1.

So were Ipswich, Derby and Bristol City when the pressure wasn't as intense as it is now.

But they've recently lost at home to Cardiff and QPR, they're in a relegation battle and their form reflects that, since being docked the points their league placing has hardly improved (one place i think). Their games, on paper, are just as tough as our two, plus with regards to us we've also picked up home results when not expected, Leicester, Newcastle etc.......swings and roundabouts.

All im saying is that its not beyond reality to suggest we'll match Palace's points total over the next two games (personally i think we'll do more than that)

Have some positivity!!!!!

[RobHowe]

But they've recently lost at home to Cardiff and QPR, they're in a relegation battle and their form reflects that, since being docked the points their league placing has hardly improved (one place i think). Their games, on paper, are just as tough as our two, plus with regards to us we've also picked up home results when not expected, Leicester, Newcastle etc.......swings and roundabouts.

My point was that when we’ve needed to win, we haven’t been able to.

Now we really, really have to win.

All im saying is that its not beyond reality to suggest we'll match Palace's points total over the next two games (personally i think we'll do more than that)

Have some positivity!!!!!

I was more than positive a couple of weeks ago when we had some winnable home games still to play.

I felt that our final 4 games were always going to be tough in terms of picking up points and that by picking up points from those ‘easier’ home games we’d be ok – albeit just.

Losing valuable points to Derby, Bristol City and Ipswich – possibly even Donny too – has, and I fear will, cost us dearly.

Whilst we’re quite capable of winning our last three games, the harsh reality is that we face two very tough games followed by a potential last day decider. Our form is poor, we are struggling to score, the player’s confidence is low and we’ve got the luck going against us.

Sadly we have relegation written all over us.

[Blue and white]

I just have a feeling that we will escape it by the skin of our knacker sacks.I honestly think (looking at the run in) that Sflaphorpe have it all to do and will be the ones to drop.At least i hope.