Let's think about this logically.

[Phyxius 0]

Arsenal have a gap of 10 days between the QPR and Wigan game and finishing 3rd is still a real possibility.

Wigan have a gap of just three days after they''ve played the biggest game of their season.

If arsenal beat Wigan, then just one point in our last two games would make us mathematically safe.

Granted we play WBA first. But Swansea did us a massive favor last night.

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

There''s the rub. We had to rely on Swansea last night to put in a battling performance rather than give up when rthey were twice behind

Win on Sunday and our destiny is in our own hands

Draw or lose and we have to rely on arsenal beating Wigan so another anxious night relying on another team

Problem is that arsenal can lose to anyone as they did to Wigan at home late last season. And that would leave us probably needing to win at the etihad otherwise we''d be at the mercy of the final day results

Sunday really is must-win

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

As tempting as the Diamond might be, it would leave us at the mercy of Lukaku and Long surging forward. I would go with a 4-4-2. Am I right in thinking that Johnson will be suspended after receiving his 10th yellow?

Bunn/Ruddy

Martin, R.Bennett, Bassong, Whittaker/Garrido

E.Bennett, Howson, Tettey, Snodgrass

Holt, Becchio

E. Bennett for his crossing and pacey tracking-back ability. Wes, Pilks and Jackson as impact subs as their players tire after the mid-week match. OTBC!

[pete 318]

Believe 10 bookings do not apply after date in April therefore BJ available Sunday

[BOO 0]

[quote user="Phyxius"]Arsenal have a gap of 10 days between the QPR and Wigan game and finishing 3rd is still a real possibility.

Wigan have a gap of just three days after they''ve played the biggest game of their season.

If arsenal beat Wigan, then just one point in our last two games would make us mathematically safe.

Swansea have saved us, we won''t need anymore points

Granted we play WBA first. But Swansea did us a massive favor last night.[/quote]

[York Canary 28]

Getting the point against WBA is the hard bit though isn''t it. We''re on the back of some frustrating losses and the last game of the season could well be a spanking so it''s ALL on this. As for Wigan..I did a whole piece on how they''d potentially struggle against Swansea and they also now have Stam out with a potential broken leg. Their defence is falling to pieces. Figueroa out for season, Ramis out for season, Alcaraz not back yet and Beausejour still outIt''s the last game of the season I''m worried about against Villa. If we win our game against WBA then it''s all rosey, draw and we''re still in good shape, but lose and it''s c*ap your pants time

[York Canary 28]

Unless of course, Newcastle somehow lose against QPR...then it''s much more interesting

[Beefy is a legend 224]

I agree with Vanwink in that I think when all is said and done, 38pts will prove to be enough to stay up.

Having said that, no one wants it to go to the final day worrying about Villa doing us a favour. I think a draw against WBA will probably prevent that. With Wigan in a cup final, Arsenal with their feet up and the game at the Emirates on Tuesday, I might be wrong but I think the gooners will take all 3 points and we will be safe before the final day. We do need to get something against The Albion though...

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

[quote user="Its Character Forming"]There''s the rub. We had to rely on Swansea last night to put in a battling performance rather than give up when rthey were twice behind Win on Sunday and our destiny is in our own hands Draw or lose and we have to rely on arsenal beating Wigan so another anxious night relying on another team Problem is that arsenal can lose to anyone as they did to Wigan at home late last season. And that would leave us probably needing to win at the etihad otherwise we''d be at the mercy of the final day results Sunday really is must-win[/quote]

 

You mean like Wigan, Newcastle, Sunderland and perhaps others are all relying on us to slip up?[:^)]

 

I also wouldn''t say that Swansea put in a battling performance.  I don''t actually think Swansea were that good, it seemed to me that Wigan imploded.  On both occasions when Wigan took the lead, they looked lost, they didn''t then know how to approach the game once they had the lead.  I mentioned this last night and several Wigan fans thought the same too.

 

 

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

[quote user="norfolkbroadslim"]

[quote user="Its Character Forming"]There''s the rub. We had to rely on Swansea last night to put in a battling performance rather than give up when rthey were twice behind Win on Sunday and our destiny is in our own hands Draw or lose and we have to rely on arsenal beating Wigan so another anxious night relying on another team Problem is that arsenal can lose to anyone as they did to Wigan at home late last season. And that would leave us probably needing to win at the etihad otherwise we''d be at the mercy of the final day results Sunday really is must-win[/quote]

You mean like Wigan, Newcastle, Sunderland and perhaps others are all relying on us to slip up?[:^)]

 

I also wouldn''t say that Swansea put in a battling performance.  I don''t actually think Swansea were that good, it seemed to me that Wigan imploded.  On both occasions when Wigan took the lead, they looked lost, they didn''t then know how to approach the game once they had the lead.  I mentioned this last night and several Wigan fans thought the same too.

[/quote]

 

Well I''d saying coming back from a goal down twice would normally qualify as a "battling" performance, but if you think Wigan self-destructed, fair enough - fact is we still had to rely on another team last night.

 

So that leaves it with Wigan back as prime candidates for relegation and they''re now the ones who have to rely on others to slip up - which could be us (or Newcastle or Sunderland etc).

As for Newcastle/Sunderland - obviously they''re in a very similar position to us.  They have a "winnable" game and a tough game to come.  If they get a win out of their final two, they are pretty much safe.  Otherwise they''ll be exposed if Wigan do the (slightly) unexpected and win at the Emirates, in which case they''ll be at the mercy of results on the final day.

 

I can''t believe the general level of complacency on here !  Just because there are other teams who could also get sucked into a battle on the final day doesn''t mean we can rely on just one point vs WBA people !

[budgiebird 0]

To be honest, I think I would have preferred Wigan getting a draw last night.

If they had got a point, then Hughton would have been forced to have gone for the win on Sunday. As it is, he will probably send out a team with the main aim of holding out for a 0-0 draw.. and we all know how THAT ended against Wigan and Stoke.

[Chunky Norwich 0]

Never in a million years can I imagine Hughton ''going'' for a win

[birchfest 397]

[quote user="budgiebird"]

To be honest, I think I would have preferred Wigan getting a draw last night.

If they had got a point, then Hughton would have been forced to have gone for the win on Sunday. As it is, he will probably send out a team with the main aim of holding out for a 0-0 draw.. and we all know how THAT ended against Wigan and Stoke.

[/quote]But here is the thing, if they had a point and then we lost anyway and then they beat Villa we would go down. That is completely plausable and the exact reason I dont like the ''could motivate'' or ''drag other teams into it'' ideas, Id rather just have the mathmatical foothold we now have.

[Sussexyellow 55]

Agree ICF. We should be chasing getting our own points and keeping it in our own hands.

If we can not get them then I like everybody else will be delighted if we are given the hand we need by other results.

I think it is testament to our own fragile form that there has been discussion on what are the right results for us from other games for since the turn of the year. Given that we had just been on our best ever top flight unbeaten run a few defeats in tough matches should not have reduced matters to that so quickly. 

Trouble is when you are looking at other results from such a long way out you really do not know which in the end will be the right result for your own purposes. No doubt Newcastle winning at Villa received a cheer on this forum. What would we give for that result to have been reversed now?

So yes please lets cheer on the lads top three points on Sunday.

OTBC

[ABC (A Basingstoke Canary) 26]

[quote user="Chunky Norwich"]Never in a million years can I imagine Hughton ''going'' for a win[/quote]

 

Do you really believe that? Do you honestly believe that CH will put his entire reputation on the line by not going for a win? Unbelievable!

 

However, no matter how he sets his team up, it will be  up to the players on the pitch to perform. I think that a number of them realise that their efforts this season have not been up to the mark, and that in order to secure their futures - either in the PL or Championship - they will have to "extractum digitum" in their final winnable home game of the season. Anything other than a herculean performance and all the memories they will have will be about regrets!

 

This is about the players "manning up" to their responsibilities. It''s more than "putting a shift in" it''s about putting the performance of their lives in. I sincerely hope that the captain is expressing this to the rest of his team mates in words no greater than one syllable!

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

Absolutely

Against Reading there''s no doubt we went for the win

Actually against Everton the players went for it at the end, witness Basso staying up after the corner.

We can''t control the outcome on Saturday but the players can go for it on the pitch and that''s what was missing against Wigan or stoke and that''s what is needed on Sunday

[Chunky Norwich 0]

Do you really believe that? Do you honestly believe that CH will put his entire reputation on the line by not going for a win? Unbelievable!I said what I said with tongue slightly in cheek but, yes, I cannot imagine Hughton going flat-out for an all guns blazing kind of approach which is what the poster before me was hinting at (I believe).

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

ICF, the fact is we did NOT have to rely on another team last night!

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

[quote user="norfolkbroadslim"]

ICF, the fact is we did NOT have to rely on another team last night!

[/quote]

So if Wigan had won where would that leave us? Above the drop zone by a goal difference of 1. That''s what I mean that we had to rely on another team for a result that''s been a huge help but if Wigan had won we''d be right in it.

Which is what I want us to avoid by going for a win Sunday. Not going mad but a sensible attacking approach like we showed against Reading or Sunderland, with some real desire to get forwards