Saint Fan CaM

Very little confidence we win. I suspect a goal from them on the counter as we try to push for the win. I would love us to turn in a huge performance and a big score...say 4-2.

No use looking back now...it's do or die. Personally I don't think we've got the players to pull it off. At best a draw. There's a reason why they are above us in the table don't forget.

3-0 Chelski. We might muster 1 or 2 shots on target if we’re lucky, but nothing of any substance or danger. Another detecting defeat for an already demoralised squad.

The Championship = the lower half of the Prem in terms of quality generally and we’ve been playing like a lower Championship team for two years. This is because we’ve packed out the squad with Championship/L1 quality players. So to get out of the Championship we will need a squad that collectively is better than lower half Prem (as we did with Adkins squad). It will be a very risky summer in terms of ins and outs and one I foresee Reed and Co getting horribly wrong.

I like the cut of this lads jib. He gives everything on the pitch and has an admirable care about the job he’s employed to do with the employer he’s contracted to. If he stays (i.e. Reed doesn’t sell him in panic) he will stand out in the Championship.

You lost me at 'win'. I'll eat my pants if we beat Chelski Sunday and then go on to beat Utd in the final. I'm am laughing uncontrollably as I write this at the sheer naivety thinking we'll win the cup.

Good analysis...that’s how I saw it too. Sometimes fans forget that players are given strict instructions to follow to deliver a game plan...in this case don’t lose. I will say however that I wonder whether having more attacking intent would have been a bad thing even if it did end in a loss. Providing it was not a heavy loss would it have made a difference? Is a point good enough when you’re desperate for three? Not sure.

Wouldn’t have a problem with Hughes staying, but doubt it will happen. It’s Reed I want out...he’s responsible for the mess we’re in through awful transfer business and managerial appointments. The squad we’ve been putting out is substandard...been saying for months...too many Championship/L1 level players.

It will be WBA, Stoke and us. Even if (and it’s a huge IF) we were to find some form, there’s too much to be done now to overcome an increasing gap. Need to face the facts...the Board (i.e. Les Reed) have turned a fabulous well designed project into a disaster in 1.5 seasons. Quite extraordinary really and a failure that should see heads roll, although I suspect it’ll not be top management that suffers.

We’ll lose. 2-0.

In what World does anyone think this squad - the one that has performed so terribly all season - will pull out of a terminal nose dive? Yes, I remember the great escape seasons, but there was more about the teams then. The very nature of the seasons performances lead me to believe we’re down already. Sure, it was better in the last two games...but we still lost, even when 2-0 up FFS. Games over...we’ve been found out...the Emperors clothes have been stripped from Les’ flabby back.

We will lose at Leicester unfortunately. There's just not enough in the tank with this squad. Les has assembled a disaster of a squad and it's a crying shame that he dallied around with sacking MP and appointing Hughes. I've expected us to be down for weeks now...actually months. And this based not on results, but mainly on watching the tactically inept poor performances over and over and over....

Yes. Needing some consistency now and he’s done a good job in a short time.

Hughes has made a difference, but we were down at Xmas when Reed didn’t act early to sack the clown. I am saving all my hope for better decisions in the Championship, starting with a new contract for Hughes...we need consistency now.

I like Sims, but defensively he has a lot to learn. Everyone berated Stephens and Cedric for Arsenal’s third, but if you watch Sims he is stood on the edge of the area ball watching...not the actions of a player that understands the predicament we’re in or the stature of a player that could make a difference defensively. Not entirely his fault...he’s not been near the first team consistently enough it could be argued to gain from that experience.

Surely it will depend on (a) whether there is a relegation clause in a given players contract and (b) whether the club is strong willed enough to ensure a given player sees out his contract? History tells us neither of these things will hold true, so if we go down there will be a significant overhaul of the squad, with many youngsters getting the call. I highly expect to see Targett or similar to be our LB next season.

Good bye game.

And that’s what happens if you lay back and invite pressure, don’t go for the 2nd and then switch off at the back.

Hughes has set the team up as perfectly as he could for this game. Ref looks like he might try to even things up for Arsenal.

Enjoyable read and shockingly accurate in the description of how sh1t we are now.

I like Austin and his attitude, but to be frank he's been part of the problem. Les relied too heavily on either sub-standard or crocked forwards, plus of course the tactics employed by two carp managers have led us to this point.

Look at our form. Look at how many goals we've scored. If there is anyone who honestly can say hand on heart that they think we'll beat Arsenal? It will take a miracle - 3-0 or possibly 4-0 to Arse.

When you see that list like that it really is quite shocking. You could add the debacles around Alderweild and Osveldo. You could add the purchase of lesser quality players in Redmond and Carrillo. You could add the sale of two keepers (above) to give way to a sub-standard keeper who now can't get a game. You could add the lack of addressing defensive frailties. You could add the complete lack of ambition which led to Koeman leaving and two (potentially three) sub-standard managerial changes. The list goes on and on...

Players look unfit, un-organised and resigned to failure. The Hughes effect has been the square root of naff all. We’re down but then I think we knew that 5 months ago.

Why do I feel less confident today than in the days leading up to today?! We’ve got the team to do this, but we’ve fallen short so many times this season when more was needed. Definitely a game that needs us to score first I would say and then go for the jugular. Fingers crossed.