Once again, its a last day of the season relegation battle for Blues only this time its hard mode; starting from the bottom three. A draw with Huddersfield all but condemned the Terriers to relegation but also means that even a win might not be enough for Blues next weekend if the results dont go ri
[almajir.net]
Yes, Dan that’s all correct IMO, thanks. At the start of the Eason, the hope - for me, at any rate - was a restoration of pride in the club off the pitch (top marks for that) and consolidation and steady progress on the pitch to provide a launchpad for future growth. Obviously the second part hasn’t quite worked!
And yet, we could have repaired that if TM hadn’t had to step back. I think we’d have been comfortably a few points above the drop zone, with plenty to look forward to in the Championship next season. So yes, bad decisions, but a horrible dollop of bad luck as well.
Still, we carry on and launch from wherever we find ourselves in a few days time.
Great article Mayor. I for one can’t wait for this season to end Saturday, wherever we end up, just so I haven’t got to worry or moan about blues until next August. (I do know though that within a few weeks ill be wishing blues were playing again, as the euros under boregate doesn’t interest me)
I’ve more come to terms with being relegated now so not as tense as last weekend, although I was disappointed on Saturday.
As many have mentioned, I think the owners will get us back up and probably just pushes the project back a couple years. Hoping for a Wolves situation
Anyone know what happened to Donavon btw? Haven’t seen him play since WR and looked sharp
You're bang right dan.
It is what it is. We are where we deserve to be. We've saved ourself before we might do so again. However we could be looking at repeat of Tranmere.
They've done me in this season. Hey ho. I'll be shoehorning a couple of pints in The Ruin pre match and what will be will be.
And if we go down I'll look forward to the clearing of the decks.
Consistency or lack of has been our downfall. I don't necessarily subscribe the fact that it would have been rosy if Eustace had been with us all year, I am more confident that we would have picked up something extra, even just 3-4 more points should TM been in charge throughout and we hadn't lost all that ground under Venus.
But consistency among our players has been at an all time low. Possibly because of the manager merry-go-round and think more probably because we have really struggled to recruit well again. Many of our players this season have had good spells - James, Dembele, Laird, Sunjic, Paik, Buchanan but conversely much longer spells of rank awfulness. Bacuna is one of our best players but it seems to be a throw of the dice whether he is on his game or not week in week out. Only four players I think you can consistently expect a certain level most matches, that is not to say they haven't all had their weaknesses exposed but at least you know what they are and can plan for them. Ruddy, Belik, Miyoshi and Stansfield.
The key to winning on Saturday, if picked is Dembele and Laird finding their Eustace form, James finding his Rooney patch, Pritchard his Sunderland form, Bacuna waking up on the right side of the bed and Tyler Roberts, well, finding his form from Coventry. I feel hugely confident that our players finding their A game will blow Norwich away because as much as there is talk of them cementing their play-off place I have no doubt no one in Yellow wants to be injured or suspended for their big games to come.
GasmanDongI’ve more come to terms with being relegated now so not as tense as last weekend, although I was disappointed on Saturday.
As many have mentioned, I think the owners will get us back up and probably just pushes the project back a couple years. Hoping for a Wolves situation
Anyone know what happened to Donavon btw? Haven’t seen him play since WR and looked sharp
He’s not been getting in the u21 team of late, was only on the bench last week
Interesting - nice one Dan!
Hope he’s not lost his motivation to play, must be very hard mentally for young lads to be given first team football and then taken away so quickly
Might need him in League one
Good article Dan, agree with all that. Although
to face the would-be Championship winners Leicester who will collect the trophy at the end of their game.
Leicester still have to win tonight to make them definite champions. Unless Ipswich fail to win tomorrow.
I do think a win will be enough, and a with a rest to a couple of Norwich’s key players- Sara, Sargent especially, I think we’ll do it. We can’t be relying on them to take their foot of the gas though. I’m going to have nightmares of that Miyoshi miss and Stansfield disallowed goal all summer if we do go down.
Good article as usual 👍🏻 Whether we stay up or go down this season has been one hell of a learning curve for the owners, which they can hopefully turn into positives in the future and not fall into the same traps, for example, not changing manager when winning games, thinking that a BIG name manager is the way forward and vetting players properly in the sense of, professionalism, hunger and ability.
In case anyone is interested. Taking the average odds on oddschecker this is how it's looking.
Chance of being relegated:
Birmingham 62%
Plymouth 26%
Blackburn 6%
Sheff Weds 6%
I think Blackburn's definitely in more trouble than that.
Edit. Just changed as I ballsed up the calc.
Depends on the 2 results this week I think. If Leicester fail to win tonight and Ipswich beat Cov tomorrow then Leicester still need a result to win the league against Blackburn.
That's our absolute ideal scenario to ensure that Leicester aren't on the beach vs Blackburn.
Leicester will want 100 points too, they’ll go for it even if they win later on
Yep. They’ve got proper players used to success and winning things, Maresca won’t allow them to be out on the pop all week, Vardy will want to potentially sign off with a win and a goal… I have no faith in Sunderland, but I’d back one of Hull or Leicester to do what we need of them.