Norwich, Sunderland, Villa and Wigan.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

These are the sides fighting to avoid the third relegation place.

Wigan are perennial survivors and have the quality, do not be fooled by their current position, like Sunderland and other sides we are becoming identified as their ''must win'' match - it''s about time Hughton adopted the same mentality.

Villa are on a run, have impetus and their supporters have belief. Crucially, they have goals in them. They are staying up with Wigan.

This leaves two of the poorest sides in the EPL in a crucial relegation match tomorrow. Yes, ironically a win propels one of them to a lofty position but that is deceptive because a loss puts either right in the mire.

It is still in Norwich''s hands to sort this all out. A draw once again prolongs the situation rather than resolves it.

Hughton has steadily built pressure on his players by stultifying their game. We would stay up in spite of him but would go down because of him and his negativity.

I''m backing our players to go out and get a result tomorrow. This is a watershed match.

[Herman 11,136]

....and Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Stoke, Southampton...

[ricardo 8,034]

[quote user="Herman "]....and Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Stoke, Southampton...[/quote]None of these will go downNor will City.

[Not Nigel 0]

... and QPR and Reading

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

i know our  goal diff puts us at a disadvantage but arent we level on points with about 3 other teams!?

[Not Nigel 0]

"None of these will go down Nor will City"

I think we will stay up, but you can''t be THAT certain.

A defeat tomorrow and Sunderland join the ''33 club'', Southampton can get to 34 next week, Villa can get to 33 next week.

If Wigan can beat Newcastle at home tomorrow then the entire landscape looks very different in my opinion.

Especially as their next game is against us, at home.

Come 30th March, two weeks, we could be level on points with Wigan.

The harsh reality is that we could be in seriously trouble if we don''t either beat wigan away (easier said than done), or at least avoid defeat at Wigan and then beat Swansea (which we actually seem pretty good at doing).

[Branston Pickle 4,149]

I don''t agree with you about Wigan (or us) - there comes a time when taking it to the brink doesn''t come off and this season may just be the time.

I''m not sure what it is in Wigan''s form that makes you 100% sure they will gain 9pts on us in 9 games, but recent form doesn''t suggest it will happen: while not playing that well, in the last 6 we have taken 7pts losing just once to the champions-elect, they''ve lost 3 and taken only 5pts (and also lost 3-2 at home to one of your ''poorest sides in the division'' in Sunderland).

[Herman 11,136]

ricardo Herman ...and Newcastle, West Ham, Fulham, Stoke, Southampton...

None of these will go down Nor will City.

I agree. Just pointing out that there are a few teams in a similar position and a similar form.

[Carrow_Road_Canary 0]

I''m seeing alot of ''ifs'' and ''can''s in this thread.

As usual people are out to talk the team down.

[Not Nigel 0]

Well the biggest worry Branston Pickle, is that their next two games are at home, against Newcastle and Norwich.

They will see both of those games as winnable, especially because in two weeks time there is potential for them to be just three points behind us, and indeed Newcastle.

We must avoid defeat at Wigan. That''s a huge game for us.

They beat Everton 3-0 at Goodison park in the cup last week, and have 9 points in their last 4 away games.

Their next two home games are against two teams that could be ''sucked in'', including us.

If they don''t win tomorrow, and we can get a point, and we are undeafeated at Wigan, then in my opinion staying up is a formality.

But if they win tomorrow and then beat us, then there may be just cause for worrying.

[Branston Pickle 4,149]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, CRC, but I agree that some people do seem to be rather keen to talk the team down. Looking at the league table, recent form and respective run-ins, I do find it odd the certainty that some have in putting us in the relegation frame.

[Not Nigel 0]

"I''m seeing alot of ''ifs'' and ''can''s in this thread. As usual people are out to talk the team down"

Since when has football been anything other than "ifs" and "buts".

The fact remains that if Wigan win tomorrow, and then win again against us, we could be 17th and within 3 points of Wigan.

That is hardly an impossibility, especially with them playing at home against two teams that they will consider winnable.

[Not Nigel 0]

Nobody would be worrying about Wigan if we weren''t going into the last 9 games having scored only 3 goals in our last 9 games.

Because if you don''t score goals you don''t win games, and I''d argue that we need at least one more win, possibly two. Especially because Wigan are scoring goals, plenty of goals in fact, and we have to play them away.

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

Too. Much. Negativity!

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

I just cannot see us going down.  We would have to be absolutely dreadful for the rest of the season.  We look like we will pick up a few draws before the end of the season, and probably one more win. That will be more than enough.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Whilst being critical of the management in general ( on and off pitch) I am backing the players and this is the game to nail the season by beating Sunderland and I pray we do.

This is a thread about the last relegation place as the others are spoken for IMO. I see all the ''other sides'' as being too strong and of he remaining three we play two in succession away and have that PL return to FCR.

It is a key game tomorrow but marginally more so for Sunderland which might give them a mental edge.

[Icecream Snow 777]

Hard to say really. We''ve got such a small squad (in terms of players who actually play) and don''t really have a plan B. Certainly after the Everton win I thought we were safe, but we''re getting sucked back into it.Not sure if Wigan''s cup run will help or hinder them. I''d expect them to beat Millwall and get to the final, but it means they''ll be playing a couple of re-arranged mid-week matches to catch up, so their fixture list will be very crowded during the run-in. I''m hoping Newcastle turn up tomorrow, and aren''t fatigued after their Europa League exploits. Certainly it''s a match Wigan need to win if they want to stay up. Given they got 22 points from their last 10 games last year, I wouldn''t put anything past them.

[Highland Canary 78]

Lack of momentum and our inability to score are the key concerns. I don''t think Wigan will beat Newcastle at least I hope not - the Southampton victory was a blow.

[Not Nigel 0]

How can people EXPECT us all to be optimistic, when we have 1 win in 11 games.

If anybody wants to know what would make me much less negative, it would be a Norwich win, and I don''t think it will come tomorrow.

A win at the JJB would be the perfect way to end my negativity and to bring out a bit of optimism, but I can''t really see that happening either.

But I do think we might be able to steal 3 points against Swansea. Grant Holt may not score many these days, but he always grabs one against those lot.

[HazzaJet 267]

We''re 9 points clear of the drop and I''m confident that we will stay up, though you can''t said it for certain yet. Looking at our remaining fixtures we still have Wigan (a), Reading and Villa (H). These are all teams below us in the league, though Villa are starting to improve and beat us 4-1 in the cup at Carrow Road. Reading though are in very poor form and I''m confident of a win against them.

[Highland Canary 78]

The worry about the Swansea match is the freedom that Swansea have with safety, as cup winners and looking forward to European football. Reports suggest that they looked jaded today, hopefully that tiredness will remain with them. And Holt does seem to enjoy playing Swansea...

[Branston Pickle 4,149]

I guess it is ''glass half full or empty'' time: our run is both one win in 11 games, but also only one defeat in 6 (at Man U). We aren''t scoring much, but have taken 7pts in the last six games which as it stands isn''t ''certainties-for-relegation'' form. Not that it won''t happen, I just think it rather unlikely.

[Not Nigel 0]

Hazzajet,

"We''re 9 points clear of the drop and I''m confident that we will stay up"

Tomorrow we could be 6 points clear of the drop, having to go away and play the team in 17th who will still have a game in hand on us. Yes there are lots of "ifs" and "buts", all I am saying is that if Wigan win tomorrow, and we lose tomorrow, I will start to get worried. On 30th March we could be 3 points about Wigan, with them having a game in hand. Of course, all we need to do is avoid defeat at Wigan, it is a must not lose game.

"Looking at our remaining fixtures we still have Wigan (a), Reading and Villa (H)"

Is that a good thing? Or a bad thing? I''d rather NOT be playing Wigan now to be honest. Yes Reading is a winnable game, but Villa? They have well and truly turned the corner and will probably finish above us in the league, even if we managed 14th or 15th.

"Villa are starting to improve"

I think this is a bit of an understatement. Two defeats in their last six games, those two defeats against Man City and Arsenal, one that they were very unlucky to get anything from, 9 points from their last 5 games.

"Reading though are in very poor form and I''m confident of a win against them"

New manager, anything can happen. I''m feeling more confident of three points against Swansea, I think that''s where we will find our urgent win.

[Highland Canary 78]

The per-today games predictions from that other thread.

Already looking optimistic with Southampton''s win today. Will put them on 35 points

***

Norwich to lose both away games, lose at home to a free from pressure Swansea team, and then away at Araenal.

P 33, Pts 33

Reading to lose vs Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool, draw vs Soton

P 33, Pts 24

Villa to lose to Liverpool, draw vs Stoke, beat QPR and Fulham at home.

P 33, Pts 34

Soton to lose to Liverpool and Chelsea, draw vs Reading, beat west ham

P 33, Pts 32

Wigan to lose to QPR, draw vs Newcastle, beat us.

P31, Pts 28 (two games in hand)

QPR to lose to Villa, beat Fulham, Wigan, draw vs Everton,

P 33, Pts 30

So the bottom six in four games time:

Villa 33 34

Norwich 33 33

Soton 33 32

QPR 33 30

Wigan 31 28

Reading 33 24

[Ha ya got a loight boy? 0]

I don''t think we can look to any particular game to look for points.   The points  have to come from somewhere and they may be tomorrow or maybe the last day of the season!  We are not safe yet and people that pretend we are, are not being realistic.    As has been said, its all ifs and buts.   We have to get points from somewhere as 33  is not enough.   In that situation there are eleven clubs who are in danger and we are just another club in the mix. Its not over till the fat lady sings and we could end up bottom and we could end up in the top ten.     Anything is still possible and everything else is just guesswork.    But one thing is certain - finding a goal or two from somewhere would help!

[Not Nigel 0]

"The points have to come from somewhere and they may be tomorrow or maybe the last day of the season!"

Well we had better hope that it doesn''t go down to having to win the last game of the season, because me might as well all top ourselves before kick off.

[GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary 2,035]

you can currently still get odds of 16/1 with Ladbrokes (see attachment) on our relegation.......may not be quite so high this time tomorrow?!

http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/relegation

maybe worth putting £20+ on?.....if the worst happens you''ll at least get a holiday out of them!!!

[Not Nigel 0]

I may be a cynical, pessimistic, overly-negative masturbator, but I would never bet against my team, that''s really low.

Those are generous odds mind.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]We would stay up in spite of him but would go down because of him and his negativity.[/quote]Seriously now, please shut up with your nonsense.

[Not Nigel 0]

If Hughton keeps us up, Hughton keeps us up.

If Hughton sends us down, Hughton sends us down.

His objective is to keep us up, I think he will meet his objective.

I''d like to know what his objective will be next season, because if it is "keep us up" again, then I''ll take a break from football.

Hopefully his next objective will be "top half", then he will have to try and win games.