Downsouth 6,175 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 The period before New Years Day eased my concerns that although we had only an outside chance of getting into the play-off positions, we had escaped and would no longer be involved with a relegation battle. Too many teams below us and with a healthy points gap to boot. Our continuing winless run has undone all of that not picking up sufficient points and a contiuing erosion of the points gap. It was mentioned last night that if results go against us we could very well drop down 2 places and that is concerning. So simple question for every member to consider, are we now in a relegation battle? Are we kidding ourselves that Woody and the team can overturn this? Can we beat both Luton and Barnsley to ensure that we have another cushion? Plenty of games to go for a swing either way any comfort in that? Boro are not in a good place and I think things are going pear shaped in tactical awareness leaving me to believe we are fully in a relegation battle once again Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,052 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 We will be fine .. I see this as a long warm up and training for next season. But we need to find some sort of formation that suits our players best and then stick with it and improve it. My bet would be some kinda formation with wing backs and 2 strikers Link to post Share on other sites
Duvel 2,446 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 We are a really poor team which in my opinion is largely due to a really bad manager. However, I don't think we'll slip into a relegation battle. I think despite our manager we'll have enough good players on the pitch to beat Luton. We are desperate for the points and I think we'll scrape the 3 points. That will likely put us 10 points above the drop zone and unless we fall off a cliff I think we can probably scrape another 10 points before May which should be enough. Link to post Share on other sites
DevKWat 2,365 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 It’s very clear that he wants to play 4-3-3 Link to post Share on other sites
TeaCider24 12,394 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 We're absolutely in a relegation battle, we need to beat Luton just to keep our heads above water. 14 games left, 42 points to play for, and only 7 points above the drop. I think we'll stay up, but it's going to be far closer than it ought to be at this rate. Link to post Share on other sites
SmogDane 4,052 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Alves car salesman 152 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 I can’t see us going to Barnsley and getting 3 points... Link to post Share on other sites
wilsoncgp 9,228 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 (edited) Teams below us will absolutely have to show more if we are to end up back in a proper relegation dogfight. But the reality of it is that we are definitely closer to that than we are to anything significantly positive and 7 points isn't an insurmountable challenge for those teams to beat. Or, at least Wigan anyway. That's 12 points to Barnsley and 13 points to Luton. As it is right now, we are not in the midst of a real relegation battle. We aren't even the closest competitors that teams in the bottom 3 will be aiming to climb atop of. But it would be wrong to suggest that we aren't capable of dropping into it too. There's nothing to overturn right now, we are where we are and every win we can muster in the final slog of the season will make us look safer and safer. Even just picking up points here and there has been enough to keep us significantly above ground. We're 7 points from the top half of the table too and we can definitely get there with wins but we need to perform better to do that. Luton and Barnsley as they are right now aren't 6-pointers in my opinion. Those 2 look pretty far-gone at this moment in time. But outside the idea of a relegation battle, should we be winning them? Absolutely, no doubt about it, we should be getting 6 points from those games as we should have got 3 points last night. Link to post Share on other sites
RiseAgainst 3,776 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 (edited) Two of the teams below us have a game in hand. If they both win that game, we drop to 20th in mid-February. I'd say that's pretty much the definition of being in a relegation battle when you're two thirds of the way through a season. And while we're falling down the table, teams like Charlton and Stoke are improving (in their last five games, they've managed two wins and three wins respectively, where we've managed none). We aren't likely to be relegated, but it's naive to dismiss the prospect entirely. And for a team that until this season was consistently battling at the other end of the table, with most of the same players, that's absolutely unacceptable. I didn't see any cohesion or good interplay last night, and that performance certainly wasn't the product of a united dressing room happy with their manager and coaching methods. Every good thing that happened last night was individual - there was no collective endeavour at all. Badly prepared and badly organised teams circle the relegation plughole, and if corrective action isn't taken, they eventually succumb. It was ever thus. Link to post Share on other sites
Duvel 2,446 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 The players haven't downed tools, but Woodgate isn't getting the best out of the squad either. Link to post Share on other sites
smogsterking the Inspirati 2,452 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 I'm not too concerned as yet. If we are winless in the next 4 this may change. We have a decent squad and next month will have the likes of Ayala and Roberts back in contention. I think there is definitely at least 4 teams worse than us at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites
BillyWoofs_shinpad 1,884 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 1 minute ago, smogsterking the Inspirati said: I'm not too concerned as yet. If we are winless in the next 4 this may change. We have a decent squad and next month will have the likes of Ayala and Roberts back in contention. I think there is definitely at least 4 teams worse than us at the moment. Ah the old “too good to go down” argument. I’ve heard that one a few times before. if we don’t pick up enough points, we’ll be in trouble regardless of how good or bad, we or any other team are. Link to post Share on other sites
smogsterking the Inspirati 2,452 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 1 minute ago, BillyWoofs_shinpad said: Ah the old “too good to go down” argument. I’ve heard that one a few times before. if we don’t pick up enough points, we’ll be in trouble regardless of how good or bad, we or any other team are. We arent in the bottom 3 yet. At this part of the season you tend to be in the position you deserve to be in. Link to post Share on other sites
Alves car salesman 152 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 Would the club move to sack Woodgate if we lose the next two games? Link to post Share on other sites
sanddancer 1,964 Posted February 12, 2020 Share Posted February 12, 2020 (edited) I have made it clear I don't rate Woody and I do believe the team is better than what he gets out of them, so I am staying with a mid table finish. I think the players are experienced enough to win games, should they wish and without Woody. We could see games won unexpectedly and more utter tosh so I think we are gong to witness a trend of yo-yoing but still gain enough points. I hope I'm right because if we get dragged into the bottom three it could be, good night! Link to post Share on other sites
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