So who do we think is for the drop then?

Assuming most teams above us will be safe due to needing an appauling run not to be I reckon it is three from 10 ie

Plymouth
Us
Blackpool
Norwich
Watford
Forest
Derby
Donny
Soton
Charlton

Out of these I honestly think both Derby and Forest will be well clear at the end - new manager syndrome (and decent ones at that) and Forest in particular are on a charge at the moment. As for the rest -:

Plymouth - only really included them as they are on a bad run and were awful the other week. Could well be close to the bottom come May

Norwich - assuming they don't get Lita back could well struggle. Massive game there next week now

Watford - crap against us but watched their match last night and looked very purposeful without any end product (remind you of anyone). Also Tommy Smith may well go before the end of Jan.

Blackpool - right in it I reckon - no manager, small resources and small squad. And the defeat to Torquay last week could haunt them for a few weeks yet. Best bet of going down apart from the current bottom 3.

I think we will be OK - I reckon we have got 1.5 points per game over the last 18 games which is decent form by anyones standards despite the odd blip. After viewing todays match I would be a lot more worried as a Soton fan. Get a decent striker in and we will be OK when injured players return.

This leaves the current bottom 3 who I think, on balance will drop. Charlton need playoff form to get to 50 points, Donny don't have the strikers or resources. And Soton were terrible today and won't come up against such ***** strikers very often. And having seen him a few times this season can't belive their keeper will still be there at the end of the month.

Overall then Donny, Soton and Charlton to drop with Blackpool running them close. We will finish 18th about 6 points clear.

Thoughts anyone?

 

donny,blacky n

r'lass's knickers!

 

RE: donny,blacky n

Barnsley. we are only heading one way - DOWN!

 

RE: donny,blacky n

Wind up alert

Are you by any chance a Leeds fan?

 

RE: donny,blacky n

Reds thru and thru. Just realistic. We are not good enough!

 

tiz true

r'lass dont wear em!

 

RE: donny,blacky n

nob

 

RE: Fairly good analysis

hope so - used to work in Watford around the time of their promotion from League 1 and their fans were unbearable.

After yesterdays results Charlton must be goners and as I said Soton would get beat 9 times out of 10 playing like that.

having said all that if we lose at Carrow Road next week we are right back in it.

 

barnsley, not bothered about other 2.

i think the result yesterday will haunt us. a win would have kept southampton well down, but to lose is a right kick in the teeth. lose at norwich as well and we are well in trouble. norwich and forest will pull away no problem, as will derby.

 

I'd pretty much go along with that, I reckon we'll finish 18th/19th about 5/6 points clear.
Question we need to ask is, are we making progress towards being a solid mid table side?
In my opinion no.

 

If we could have kept Hume fit we would be comfortable. I think we have made progress...

 

We have has some bad luck with injuries to be fair.
But that's why you need a decent squad. At the end of the day Hume could just have easily suffered a serious injury in a genuine challenge the following week, as could any player.
The problem wasn't so much losing Hume, but the total lack of quality players to come into the side when he's out.

 

I don't think we'll go down, but we'll make hard work of it.

We dropped points big time yesterday, and also against Forrest away, we'll carry on doing that and when they add up, it's the difference between a frustrating arse clenching end to a season, and an easy going feet up kind of experience.

For the record, I'm not sure who will go down, but as with every season, so long as it's not us, I'll not care.

 

RE: I don't think we'll go down, but we'll make hard work of it.

We always make hard work of it. When will fans realize there are no push over teams in this division. We all would like to win every game, and when we play the lower teams we always seem to trip up. Southampton are a poor side but we are not that much better, with players coming back from injury we should improve, but this is Barnsley so anything can happen. A big clear out is needed this month, El Hamouir, Rigters Odejayi , Macken, and Cureton should be replaced by a couple of young quick forwards, an attacking midfielder and a left back. Only then will we be able to sleep peacefully at night instead of the relegation nightmares that haunt us since we have been back in the championship. Just my thoughts.