It's always hard to condemn anyone this early in the season but Hull do look in all sorts of trouble. I heard Bradley say that he's expecting some decent funds in January, so we'll have to see how that one pans out. Anything can happen with Palace, Jekyll and Hyde boss managing a Jekyll and Hyde team, impossible to call. Sunderland are Sunderland, they're gonna struggle but they've got an ace striker who should see them safe.
Can't see Hull staying up. Despite having a decent start they're still in the relegation zone and their squad is way too thin to cope with the busy Christmas period and the inevitable injuries that'll come in the new year. I think Mike Phelan's doing a decent enough job with the squad he's been given to be fair, but it's a thankless task. If Swansea persist with Bob Bradley I think they'll be right down there as well. Sunderland, Boro and Burnley to battle it out for the remaining spot. I'm sure West Ham will start climbing the table soon enough, although seeing them play at the Olympic Stadium in the Championship would be piss funny.
We could be firmly in the mix in about 12 days time. Everton at home followed by City and then a rejuvenated Sunderland away. Kind of missing the Championship in all honesty.
If Defoe gets injured Sunderland will go down. It's that clear-cut for me - without him there just aren't any goals in that side.
Couldn't agree more, Adam. They're hopeless without him but will likely spend big in January regardless.
Have to spend to provide proper cover and a future beyond Defoe. Opposite problem to a side like Boro who don't concede many, but hardly ever score either. Rather have a guaranteed goalscorer ahead of everything else and its why I favour Sunderland to survive.
Sunderland have scored 2 goals more than us and conceded 9 more, having played a game more than us. If you'd rather have that you're mad.
We're talking about who stays up at the end of the season not who's in the best shape right this minute. I'm predicting that Defoe will keep scoring (he has 8 already) based upon his history in this division and that those goals will make up for the fact Sunderland concede a lot more than the likes of Boro.
Well it doesn't really matter too much where we are in the season, they're -7 goal difference down on us right now roughly one third of the way through the season. If you expect him to continue scoring as he is (which is fair) we can assume that we'll continue to concede very few. Therefore you'd expect them to have a goal difference -21 down on us by the end of the season, there is just absolutely no chance that translates to more points than us.
relegate us now, snodgrass to walk for free at end of season, along with a bunch of other saleable players, were going to implode like pompey with these spiteful ****s at running the club
Think your being harsh you nearly got something at the end tonight, just need a bit more quality in the final 3rd although I don't think Phelan is up to it personally should try and get Big Sam in.
They looked like a Sunday league team for over half the game, we dropped back and of course they came onto us but I'm convinced they didn't deserve anything.
Yeh fair enough. We should've put them away as for 60-65 minutes they really were awful. Need to work on both creating and finishing more chances, but provided we can put away the teams below us we should be fine.
starting to get a few back from injuries just in time for the christmas schedule, although watmore will be out for a while now. our defence has looked as if it is improving, i'm hoping it's the case of moyes beginning to get through to our basket case central defenders. whatever happens on the training ground, we'll need another good january window to save us again this season. but things look as if they may be on the mend (but of course i'd say that with our recent form)
Would you like some nuts with that bitter? Hows that big ****ing useless plank that went the other way for Defoe doing? Dozy Cannotscore Sunderland definitely got the best end of that deal.
