SNSUN

Are we supposed to be overhauling the squad in the summer? I'm sure I read that. In which case you would think the out of contract players like Stephens, Long and Fraser would be released, as well as flogging off a few, in order to release quite a bit from the wage bill and help bring new players in. We need quality over quantity next season as we don't have an awful lot of it at present. I quite like Stephens for his passion and the ability to look as if he's about to punch someone but he's probably a good Championship quality CB at best. He did well to make the leap from League One to Premier League squad player with us but we need better. Hopefully he'll go back to Middlesbrough once we buy Djed Spence and Dael Fry... 😀

There are a few decent frees I'd like to see us pursue. Lingard showed at West Ham he has something and we need to improve our AMs but I think he's go to bigger than us - maybe back to the Hammers. Also, I don't think trying to get Tarkowski on a free is beyond the realms of possibility. He would instantly improve our CBs. Yes there is competition for him but I'd be surprised if we weren't looking at him. Other Prem frees as a possible: Nketiah, Origi, Saiss, Schlupp, Elneny, Gross, Longstaff, Amartey, Ayew. (Source TransferMrkt, which also has Stephens and McCarthy still listed as out of contract this summer, so maybe it isn't reliable)

Cos I hate Liverpool. 😒 (Is that allowed? 😜)

Looks good. I guess Liverpool have a sell on clause though so that would be annoying!

Yes with good management. We'd lose a few players, JWP, KWP, Salisu, Tino, SArmstrong, possibly Bednarek as he's an international, but we'd still have a strong squad with what's left, plus the money to strengthen. When we went down in 2005 we had a terrible squad, a lot of old players and chaff that Redknapp had panic bought - but even then we probably should have gone back up. If we went down this season we have good quality Championship players (and better) so I'd expect us to challenge for promotion. McCarthy Valery/New Stephens/Simeu Lyanco Perraud/Small Romeu Diallo Redmond Tella Armstrong Adams or something like that.

Well I guess I'll have to avoid Talksport on my commute in the morning... #liverpoollovefest

I’d take Bompey winning if Liverpool lost tonight. Then City win the league (after Saints miraculously beat them) and Chelsea win the cup.

I'd love Forest to beat Bournemouth, principally as I started supporting football when Forest were in the top flight and they had players like Jason Lee etc. Plus I don't think Forest are ready made for the Prem yet unlike Bournemouth so that would help with our inevitable relegation battle (that'll get some backs up) next season. Also it would make the last day interesting.

It's getting so bad I'm starting to wish we'd give Dom Ballard or someone a shot.

His first Prem season with Fulham he scored 11, not great but more than any of our strikers this season. He’s now at his peak so maybe next season will be better. But like Toney this season, and Armstrong etc, not many strikers make the jump successfully.

Pellegrino for me. I genuinely don't know how we stayed up that season. We were awful.

Yes and no. Yes as I liked him but without investment he wouldn't achieve what he did last time.

You're Schmidt and you know you are... I can hear it now.

He's not done a bad job at Derby but we need experience and new ideas. I wouldn't be against Nuno Espirito Santo although apparently there are questions over his man management skills. Whilst I do fancy fresh ideas this summer with a new manager, I still expect us to have Ralph next season. I just hope we bring in players that can improve us.

To get relegated Everton need 8 points from 5 games, Burnley 6 points from 4 games and Leeds need 7 (due to crappier GD than us) from 4 games. It's not beyond the realms of belief that Everton and Burnley could achieve that (though still highly unlikely), but Leeds need 2 wins and a draw from their fixtures, Arsenal, Chelsea, Brighton and Brentford and for us to get 0. It's 250-1 for a reason. Personally I think we'll finish above both Leeds and Everton (especially if they lose Richarlison) but Burnley could finish above us if we don't pick up at least a point. I just wrote the above then saw your post highlighting the same! Leeds are definitely the whipping boys right now. Wouldn't be the first American manager to be rubbish in the Prem...

I smell a "next manager" thread. Rooney for me. (Not really)

Waste of money... but an "insurance" bet on Brentford is tempting...

That's how annoying the late Zaha goal was. One point on Saturday and we'd be clear of this.

Richarlison could be suspended for 3 games for flinging that flare into the crowd after his goal. Massive loss for them. Prick.

What I'm saying is that hypothetically without our 4 most recent points we'd be on 36 with a rubbish GD and perhaps be being talked about as favourites for the drop. Thankfully we did get them so it's moot. I see what you're saying though, that any points we achieved are as important as any other. Over the course of the season our most important result IMO probably goes to the Spurs win, as we rarely come back from behind and Spurs were in good form.

Can we get mathematically relegated yes. It's possible but it involves a huge set of unlikely results, not least of which is us getting zero points more. Even if zero points is possible/probable you only have to look at Leeds fixtures to see they aren't getting enough to overtake us. Not to mention Everton who have only won 18 points since October and suddenly people think they'll get 9. (Not impossible, see Burnley's resurgence I guess, but unlikely.) Ergo, will we get relegated? Most likely no. But that doesn't mean this season hasn't been good. It hasn't. The weird thing is we are looking over our shoulders... but if we beat Brentford and Leicester somehow we could finish top 12 still. Crazy league this year.

Yes as our most recent points during a shocking run of form. Very few people saw the Arsenal result coming so that was a pleasant surprise.

This. We aren't going down this season but we could well finish 17th as I fail to see where another point is coming from for us. Leeds now look most likely for the drop. One thing to say... if we were in the relegation battle proper, with say 34 points, I'd tip us for relegation. I agree with others that the Arsenal win and the Brighton draw have saved our bacon... 36 points and a poor goal difference may not have been enough.

FFS. But I had a few quid on Everton so it's not all bad.

With Lukaku on the bench. I feel he's been mismanaged this season.