i reckon that 50 points keeps you up in this division. therefore we only need 32 more which could be 11 games and a total of 21 games. i reckon after such a good start we should finish top half.
We've been here before and it all went pear shaped in the 2nd half of the season. A couple of injuries and we'll be struggling.
I agree with hornmeister, although we have undoubtedly had a brilliant start to the season we will struggle later in the year when players get tired, we get suspensions or some injuries. At this point in the season, surviving still has to be our primary aim. Lets get to the 52 points we need and see where things stand. There is still a lot of football to be played, and though the players and malky are currently doing an outstanding job of showing up the pundits, everyone needs to keep their heads screwed on and remain calm. COYH!!!
I hate this kind of talk about where we should be aiming to finish after just 10 games. The aim should be out of the bottom 3 - that's all that really matters to be honest. There's a reason why everyone thought we would be relegated this season, and that's due to the youth and the small squad size. Once you get into December/January, and the second half of the season, injuries will occur and fatigue with our tempo of play could hit pretty hard. 52 points is safety, the sooner we get there, the better obviously. When we get that, then we can guage with how many games left what we can aim for. It's been a great start, but I can't see it continuing over the course of 46 games. Lets just keep our feet on the ground. :badge:
I find it interesting keeping tabs on the odds as the bookies are more often right than wrong. At the start of the campaign we were favourites for the drop and Skybet had us as at 200/1 to win the Championship. We our currently joint 8th favourite on 25/1. I know this can all change with a few loses but right now we are 8th favourite which sounds a lot better than 22nd, 23rd or 24th.
at this exact stage in 2005 when we went up we had 18 points and it took us another 4 games to reach 20 points. So were r msot likely to ahve more points than we had in 2005 at some stage over the month. Thus were are certs to go up^^ tongue in cheek... i still think we will struggle. I dont like to be picky but out home performances havent been inspiring and i think eventually our away results will catch up. At the same time we do have goal scorers and confidence hard to say i guess im jsut enjoying our run - been a long time since i can really smile as a watford fan
Take note of what I said earlier for my opinion, but not being picky or anything... in 05/06, we had 17 points after 10 games - so we're actually better off this season.
The teamhave done a fantastic job so far and are playing some good football. We do need to strengthen the squad however for when cards and injuries kick in. Anything is possible.
I am confident at least that we will survive. Without doubt we are going to dip, but we are certainly better than enough teams to survive comfortably. And moreover we are beginning to look assured in the transfer market - we may survive the injuries well enough for a decent finish.
I'm surprised you feel that way. We're ten games into the season. There's another 108 points to play for and we have 18. There is another 34 points to perceived safety. We may survive injuries and we may not. Take Eustace and/or Graham out of the equation (or Loach, Mariappa or Taylor) and we'll find it hard to win. Imagine three injuries to key players - we'll line up like this: Gilmartin Hodson - Mariappa - Bennett - Doyley Cowie - Jenkins - Mutch - Buckley Sordell - Deeney With these options from the bench: Bond, Bryan, Mingoia, McGinn, Massey, Murray, Oshodi. Not really a confidence boost. I know it is unlikely we'll lose three key players to injury at the same time - but it could happen. Furthermore we only have Mutch and Taylor until January though I truly hope we can keep them - but if the Ginger midget gets the sack Boro'll probably bring Taylor back. And please do not forget that a young side will experience higher highs and lower lows that an experienced side. We're on a high at the moment. It'll change if we hit a run of poor results. We saw how performances trailed off last season. It CAN happen again. I don't think it will - but it can. Let's take it match by match, hope to win more than we lose and learn from the losses we get. And pray we avoid too many serious injuries and too many suspensions. Let's enjoy what we have now rather than speculating about what this can or cannot become. COYH
No I agree Kris that if we lose more than one of Graham Eustace M Taylor its already a crisis. I just think that we will cover it sufficiently (unlike last season's short arsed centre back fiasco) and make the moves we need to in January. I think we'll have Mutch for the season and probably buy Taylor outright. A lot will depend on how the young players are managed to keep their form. The break has come at a good time for us I feel. BTW When I say 'decent finish' though I'm thinking around 12th to 9th rather than higher.
injuries will happen but after a good start i cant see it going so wrong that relgation is on the cards
We may survive injuries and we may not. Take Eustace and/or Graham out of the equation (or Loach, Mariappa or Taylor) and we'll find it hard to win. Imagine three injuries to key players - we'll line up like this: Gilmartin Hodson - Mariappa - Bennett - Doyley Cowie - Jenkins - Mutch - Buckley Sordell - Deeney With these options from the bench: Bond, Bryan, Mingoia, McGinn, Massey, Murray, Oshodi. Not really a confidence boost. that would be really unlucky and atm we also have taylor and walker which does help. if we had all of them injuries anyway i would fancy sordell to shine
I hope you are right. I don't know what we have in terms of finances for January. Not much I'd expect. lower top-half is better than decent imho. But there's very little difference between 9 and 19th in this league in terms of quality (or lack there-of).
well said.....last season when we played qpr on tv and beat them all the talk was the play offs and look what happen all we can do is get to 52pts and then push on from there
Yes, that is pretty much my only objection, although even just one player like Walker can make your squad seem quite a bit stronger. I find it quite encouraging that even if those players did get injured our team still looks alright, maybe not top-half championship but I believe that side could still manage to keep us up.
Its a fair point giving our resources. Its up to Malky to keep the squad on its toes. Joking aside, I would advocate that whenever either Graham or Sordell scores Malky runs onto the pitch and punches the other one in the face. He can take this advice, or lose face with the fans. Its his choice really.
Good idea, although I think he should wait until after the match. Keep the squad discipline procedures in private and give the other striker the chance to score and attone for not being the first to score. That or the dread of knowing there is a punch with a crunch waiting for them after the match will motivate them to pick up their game.
You should lay off Malky. At this rate we will be playing Champions League football in 2 seasons time. Mark my words.
Its not the first time that a similar technique has been used at the Vic and explains the rash of dislocated shoulders in the Lewington era. One bad game by either Hameur or Danny Webber and it was 'Long Good Friday' and Bob Hoskins all over again.
We should get rid now, so that we are ready to appoint Roy Hodgson as soon as he gets the boot from Liverpool.
Until you get to 52 points, anything is still on the cards. Judging by how teams have started the season down at the bottom end, averaging less than a point a game... I can see this seasons points tally for safety being slightly lower. But then again, every team down there seems to put a run together around february/march time - so it could change.
Id rather see Hodgson stop at Liverpool so they get relegated. I still think with Malky we'll be challenging for a Champions League spot in a few years time. Malky is the bestest.
i reckon even this early on in the year you have to say that 50 points is the target despite other teams form. i dont know a watford fan that wouldnt be happy with that total
I think that our 3-0 fight back against Swansea, which could have been 3-3 indicates that this side has more going for it than we dare dream. I suspect previous incarnations would have crumbled and thought about their wages to soften the blow. Thats the beauty of a young, hungry squad. No complacency.
