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How does the season unfold from here?

asheshammer's picture
Submitted by asheshammer on Sun, 01/04/2018 - 22:01

Can Chelsea lose 2 in a row at home? They must be deflated after seeing their CL hopes go up in smoke on Easter Sunday. Not much for them to play for now, although Arsenal are not too far behind them. We, on the other hand, could have Lanzini back and with Super Mario and Arnautovic we could be dangerous on the counterattack. Can we do the double over the flappers of the blue flag? Or ... do you predict a reaction from Chelsea? Then we also have Arsenal away. They've been playing well again recently, but we held them 0-0 at home. Man City or Manure at home? -- well, no matter how claret and blue your glasses are you shouldn't put much stock in even a draw there. For myself, I'd love to see us nick a point from either Chelsea or Arsenal, but that's only 1 point in four big matches.

That leaves Stoke (H), Leicester (A), and Everton (H) for us to pick up points, which we still desperately need. None of these are "in the bag", but Stoke is the most likely chance of victory. They have to play Spurs next (albeit at home) in a must win encounter. But Spurs are still pushing for 3rd, with perhaps "in your dreams" visions of 2nd -- they won't easily drop points even at the Potteries. So when we face Stoke at home, they will be most likely just about over the edge. Three points there, I hope.

Leicester away: much as I'd love to address last season's NYE despair, I think a point would be a good result. And that leaves Everton at home. Much as you might dislike Allardici, he can organise a team, and the Toffies have some talent in their side. But I think we will need the points to make sure of our fate (they won't). Edgy encounter, but the Irons will take it.

So I see 7-8 points in the run in. Not much, but it would see us safe. Four points could be enough, but I wouldn't want to risk it!

Your predictions?

I think it depends on Moyes, he has a habit unfortunately of changing a winning system which his what started off a our recent poor form. Alot depends on Kouyate aswell. If he plays like he did yesterday and actually tracks back and defends aswell as bursting forward hes an asset but if he reverts back to how hes been before then we're gonna be back to square one basically playing with ten men. Hate to say it aswell but I think Collins time has come, to injury prone and not mobile enough anymore, Rice needs to be first name on the team sheet currently, but he will be dropped for chelsea unfortunately.

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asheshammer's picture

Two things about our clean sheet Saturday: (1) Southampton were toothless; teams we are about to face won't be, and (2) Our counterattacking worked because we had outlets and passed to them.

Collins will be good enough as a human battering ram, putting his body in the way of shots and marauders. Against Chelsea I think this could even work. Probably not against Arsenal or Man City. But Collins is not deft at finding the outlet. He boots it or heads it or blocks it away, often enough we're thankful for that.

I don't recall if Rice was involved in any of the movements that started our goals. Can anyone give an assessment of that?

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195 users have voted.

Rice drove forward at times extremely well. I also dont completely get all this how poor were Southampton. We made them look a lot worse then they were because we attacked with pace and we pressed them all over the pitch. In fact id go as far to say that Burnley werent much better and we played just as well then them a few weeks back the only difference was this time we took our chances and against burnley we fluffed our lines and paid for it

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201 users have voted.

I think Chelsea are there for the taking ,some plain stupid signings, Giroud ,Drinkwater and Barkley to name three ,although i dont think Conti is to blame ,think like us they have some one in charge of signings that hasn't got a clue ,he seems to have lost interest and i think its his last season ,their another one man team bit like totalscum and Kane take out the Belgian magician and their nothing our biggest problem is going to be Hart he wasn't tested at all on Saturday ,Elbows just keeps on inproving he give the impression he loves his football now and he loves it here ,super dooper Mario to is showing huge signs hes adapting to the prem .
Fingers crossed

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203 users have voted.

Burkie 1

Deluded Hammer's picture

As any sort of yardstick. They were woeful. I thought at the start, the team Moyes put out was terrible and think he was lucky he got away with it. Think we're good for 3 possibly 4 more points.
Southampton pretty much play the same teams as us in the run out, West Brom as good as buried and the other drop place will be between Stoke and Huddersfield. I reckon we will stay up. Only because there are, unbelievably, worse teams than us.

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205 users have voted.

I don't think we could have run into Chelsea at The Bridge at a worse possible time. After losing at home to Tottenham then the sudden passing of Chelsea legend Ray Wilkins they are not going to want to lose to us.

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202 users have voted.
North Bank Hammer's picture

but with today's results that won't be a total disaster although we need the Arse to not slip up against Southampton tomorrow.

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169 users have voted.
moore 6 legend's picture

I'm optimistic we can get something tomorrow,but then again I always bloody am,after all this chelski side ain't nowhere near what they were,if we go positive and gives it a go,we could be on to a winner here trigg.double win over em,since 2003,"and stay up lol "and also moyes first ever win at the bridge,it's just got to happen ;)COYI

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155 users have voted.
North Bank Hammer's picture

Frankly (no not fat boy) I'd be very happy with a draw and incoherent with a win. Maybe we've already won.

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205 users have voted.
North Bank Hammer's picture

Defend but not deep and break at speed. Good to have Fernandes and Masuaku back because this becomes possible.

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204 users have voted.
mcbikeman's picture

Arsenal have drawn ath Madrid and play them on the 26th april 4 days after we play them so I am thinking a much more weaker gooners side will play us giving us an excellent chance for a win.

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251 users have voted.
asheshammer's picture

It hasn't exactly unfolded according to plan. We picked up a point against Chelsea, but dropped 2 to Stoke. The heavy defeats against Arsenal and City have deflated us badly and we will limp into the King Power Stadium on Saturday. I feel there is very little prospect of a point there, but Leicester are not exactly in good form at the moment and they don't exactly have much to play for. Then it's two home games. Manure will clinch second spot with a win over Brighton, who are safe, but don't think that will cause them to take it easy on us! And Everton: well we all know what BFS would like to see happen, and we can count on Wayne Rooney dusting off his shooting boots against us. Sad to say: I predict ZERO points from our last three games.

The good news (if it is good news) is that, having done the predictor at http://www.worldfootball.net/table_calculator/eng-premier-league/ even with us getting no points, we end up in 16th, above Huddersfield on goal difference and a point above Swansea and the relegation places. I just think Swansea's run in is too tough. Swansea, Stoke and WBA to go down. But don't think this can't change ...

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154 users have voted.
mcbikeman's picture

Will get a point in the last game against the gooners because they wont give a toss after a disastrous season by there standards meanwhile moyes the master tactician will play hart and ten defenders looking for the key to winning a game! he will not risk forwards as putting on to many of those cost us against the gooners!.sadly I think we will end up relegated and that's what the players/board deserve...as a fan its no big deal we may win a few more next season because in the prem we are just a joke.

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179 users have voted.
asheshammer's picture

Not Arnautovic, Chicha, Lanzini, Cresswell, Carroll, Ogbonna, Rice or Adrian. The ones who will stay will be Championship level players or players who are now past it: Hugill, Kouyate, Noble, Ginge, Cullen, Fernandes ... Even those established players (whether you think they contribute or not) like Zabaleta, Evra and Hart won't be around. Try filling the Ironic London Stadium with a bunch of no-name second division players. It will be an unmitigated disaster.

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181 users have voted.

I posted elsewhere relegation never used to really bother me at upton park,but "if" & its a big possibility we go down i can only see us going into freefall,look at the survey (cant believe some fans on other sites think that it was rigged!!) it shows that the vast majority of fans are unhappy with the stadium,board etc...
We go down the resentment will really kick in,i reckon we will be lucky to get 40,000 in this stadium & the atmosphere will be even more toxic...it will affect the players (bless em) & i can see us doing a sunderland...only hope is sugo f*ck off & some one takes over but i cant see that!!

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