Four defeats but...

[S10 Canary 0]

Those in and around the bottom haven''t really been winning too many during our slump. Obviously there is still a long way to go and it''s evident we need to buy but it''s a real blessing the likes of Reading, Wigan, Villa haven''t capitalised and closed the gap on us.

If Southampton lose to Arsenal then we''ve certainly got away with the poor run to some degree with a chance to recoup during the week and into next. Looking ahead to the cup, it is probably a good idea to play a second string and focus on getting the first team squad freshened up for Newcastle.

We''re only four points off 8th so although there are issues that need addressing, it could be a hell of a lot worse. Personally I think a total of less than 40pts will be enough for survival this season, maybe even as low as 35.

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

... and we''ll never see Harry Kane again. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that.

[Baldyboy 0]

why is that Mungo? thought he was here all season?

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Non-specific training ground injury. Quietly shipped back to Spurs for treatment. End of a rather disappointing episode. Or that''s my guess of how things will pan out over the next week or so.

[Baldyboy 0]

really? I bet it doesnt!!

[splutcho 173]

Just shows how important that run was that we can lose 4 in a row and still be well clear.

Bumgo Trumpkin hasn''t got a clue.

[Baldyboy 0]

thankfully you are right splutchko but we cannot afford to lose to Newcastle!

[S10 Canary 0]

Newcastle will be very important especially when you look at other fixtures that weekend. Hopefully Ba will be in the process of moving on by 12th Jan! Which players are Newcastle likely to lose to the ACON?

[Sussexyellow 55]

I do not think the op intended this to be an anti Kane thread! So getting back to the original topic!

We have built ourselves a bit of a cushion and we are resting on it to an extent now. Indeed as the op suggests much of that cushion still remains. So no need to reach for the panic button yet.

At the start of the season I expected the run if fixtures from Chelsea home to Everton home to be tough. However there would still be lots of points for the taking in the last 3 months of the season.

However we do need to be careful that the good position we remain in now, does not become our Achilles heel. Whilst we still have plenty of cushion to use, we really do not want to go into the last 3 months on the back of a long run without a win. It''s a bit like being a couple of breaks up in a set of tennis, lose one and you still have the advantage but you need to group and get the job done. Lose them both and although the scoreboard shows parity the momentum can be terminally against you.

So time now to regroup and deliver a win or two, and I would expect Hoots to be very aware of the need to do so.

[ZLF 271]

we still have a comfortable cushion and 4 defeats was predictable.

Get players fit and we have pointable games to come - a little squad strengthening and all will be fine again, although the squad will remain thin and stretched.

A busy 11 days until the toon match. Time for McNally to earn this years bonus and give us some new year feel good factor I think :-)

[S10 Canary 0]

I certainly didn''t mean this to be an anti-Kane thread. We may have lost all our games over the festive period but looking at the bigger picture, our survival prospects haven''t been dented too much.

Sussex makes good points though, in the sense that we don''t want our cushion to become a cross to bear and it ends up eroding away.

Squad strengthening and a bit of rest will do us the world of good.

[paul moy 235]

Well, I said that if we lost to West Ham I''d worry.

0 points from 4 games is awful, although the loss of Holt is a mitigating factor. Newcastle can score goals so that will not be an easy game at all and one we could easily lose.

Yes, I am worried that we will slip into the relegation mire while others appear to think we are safe.   

 

 

 

 

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Kane is useless though isn''t he? Just admit it and you''ll feel much better.

[Yellowbeagle 0]

Every game we play is a close call at this level i dont feel we have the right to expect a win against anyone, no team is going to roll over and give us a win unless they have a very off day. I''m disappointed that we didnt get any points from the last four games but not shocked, but 2 home games against two of the best sides in the league and just two away games against anyone can easily result in no points for anyone outside the top six.

As for Kane, he''s a kid with talent and had we been in the championship I''m sure he would have been a good signing, however expecting him to fill the main strikers boots at this level feels abit more like hope than an actual plan.

[paul moy 235]

We''ve lost to two out of form sides though, in WBA and West Ham. Villa almost won at Swansea and Southampton just drew with Arsenal. We''re going to be in deep trouble soon as losing becomes a habit.

[Yellowbeagle 0]

[quote user="paul moy"]We''ve lost to two out of form sides though, in WBA and West Ham. Villa almost won at Swansea and Southampton just drew with Arsenal. We''re going to be in deep trouble soon as losing becomes a habit.[/quote]

We have and had they been home games i would feel differently, both of those teams would have fancied their chances at home against us especially if you remove Holt and Ruddy, not to mention we seem to go abit negative away. Game against Newcastle is a big game to stop any worry though, dont panic yet it wont do any good.

[Highland Canary 76]

We are already in deep trouble but many of this board fail to acknowledge it. After a fantastic run where we rode our luck, we have to face the second half of the season with a team (1) tired because of Hughton''s unwillingness to rotate (2) missing our two best places in Ruddy and Holt (3) lacking confidence after four defeats in a row (5) with a tiny transfer pot compared to our competitors if CMS represents the limit of our ambition and (6) complacency everywhere with the unwillingness to accept that we are back in the 94/95 desperate situation.

Newcastle is an absolute 6 pointer. I hope Hughton risks non of the first team squad against Posh.

[Mungo Bumpkin 0]

Och aye the noo!

[Gingerpele 0]

Highland Canary you are so delusional it''s unreal. Get some perspective pleas, you are talking pretty much complete rubbish.

[S10 Canary 0]

I have no idea how some people get on in life. Yes it''s not great but looking at the overall season so far, we''re doing ok. Newcastle will be tough and important but won''t be season defining.

I''m sure with time to regroup and recover, we''ll start kicking on again. Some people should stop instantly s*itting the bed when we have a wobble.

[King Klose 0]

Why feed him hes the most obvious scummer.

[paul moy 235]

Highland has a point. Lose to Newcastle and things will get very nervy indeed.  

[Graham Humphrey 13]

[quote user="Highland Canary"]We are already in deep trouble but many of this board fail to acknowledge it. After a fantastic run where we rode our luck, we have to face the second half of the season with a team (1) tired because of Hughton''s unwillingness to rotate (2) missing our two best places in Ruddy and Holt (3) lacking confidence after four defeats in a row (5) with a tiny transfer pot compared to our competitors if CMS represents the limit of our ambition and (6) complacency everywhere with the unwillingness to accept that we are back in the 94/95 desperate situation.

Newcastle is an absolute 6 pointer. I hope Hughton risks non of the first team squad against Posh.[/quote]Why not just slit your wrists?

[CambridgeCanary 0]

The slash our wrists brigade are being misled by the anomaly of our results. Had the four defeats been randomly sprinkled in the ten games where we got points then we would be looking at 25 points after 21 games and feeling reasonably on target.

The four defeats coming together is as unrepresentative of our league ability as the ten unbeaten. City are a mid table team and our overall form is mid table. Of the last four games we have been away to the third best home side in the league and a difficult physical team. Neither loss is a surprise. Obviously, losing at home to two top teams is no surprise either.

The situation seems worse because of the way results have come and if you take a season long view then we are very much on target.

Does anyone seriously not think we will win five games out of the next eighteen? Really? Seriously?

[flying high up in the sky! 1]

We lost to wba away. Any team that goes there thinking its an easy win is crazy.

We lost 1-0 to the champions of Europe!

4-3 against the current English champions.

2-1 today away to w.ham with a very under strength side.

Hardly a massive slump is it.

Qpr and reading are clearly going down. That leaves 1 spot. And with us finishing around 10th this season we will have no concerns come the end of 12/13.

[Baracouda 47]

In the month of January there are some interesting fixtures, for many of the sides at the bottom, and the picture could either be more muddled or a lot clearer.

By the time we play Newcastle in a week and a half. We may well have a few people back, maybe a signing or two. Along with Demba Ba could be at Chelsea or another.

Whilst we all are disappointed with losing a game, there needs to be a little more realist expectations to what is a shocking result. I don''t think losing away to any team is truly devastating, it''s normal course of action for mid-table teams.

For some to comment that we in deep trouble, 7pts above relegation zone and in 12th... 4 defeats on trot WBA away, Chelsea, Man City, and away to West Ham. Doesn''t make you a bad team, we could be a team that just lost 3-0 to Wigan in our last home game.