Cock-eyed optimism?

[Southcoastffc]

16 games down, 22 to go.  We are (only) 6 points behind Villa who are currently in 11th place and I think we have a better squad than them.  Making up those 6 points between now and the season end is, imo, not difficult.  Between Villa and us are Norwich, Stoke, Hull, Cardiff, W Ham and WBA and I think we will overhaul all of them.   049:gif

[Northern Cottager]

You're probably not wrong but still, after so many years in the top league and with what looks like a good squad on paper I'm depressed we're even considering relegation. Massive steps backwards rather than forwards. I think we'll stay up providing the next 4 games see 3 wins. The longer we wait to put a run together, the further adrift we become.

[The Rock]

With the current squad I think we'd survive, barely. 65% chance we survive, 35% we go down.

With 10m to spend on an LB and player of your choice (and another striker on top of that if Berbs leaves) I would agree we can and should finish 12th-13th ish. 90% chance we survive.

I can see Berbs leaving, Demps coming back for 2 months. If Demps were a Berbs replacement that isn't good enough as come March he goes back to Seattle though.

[Twig]

With the current squad I think we'd survive, barely. 65% chance we survive, 35% we go down.

With 10m to spend on an LB and player of your choice (and another striker on top of that if Berbs leaves) I would agree we can and should finish 12th-13th ish. 90% chance we survive.

I can see Berbs leaving, Demps coming back for 2 months. If Demps were a Berbs replacement that isn't good enough as come March he goes back to Seattle though.

I don't see Demps as a natural Berbs replacement, Demps was always best playing wider and cutting in.  He did sometimes lead the line but never seemed as effective in that role.

[Southcoastffc]

And of course there is no guarantee that Demps, much as I admire him, would come back immediately in the kind of form that did so well by us.  Rene seems shrewd enough to know what we need so let's hope he can attract what he wants - left back is obvious, but who? If Berba leaves and Bent is not the answer - who?  Man U may have some attractive offerings (Zaha? Nani? Anderson?) but where do they they fit?  Glad I'm not a manager!

[Victor Meldrew]

Our biggest achilles heel will be Berbatov. Lose him in the January transfer window and our odds on staying up will be a lot, lot slimmer. As much as many people on here see him as lazy, with a bad attitude, he is still far enough capable of pulling anther 15 goals out of the hat from here to the end of the season, including some match winners.    

[filham]

With the current squad I think we'd survive, barely. 65% chance we survive, 35% we go down.

With 10m to spend on an LB and player of your choice (and another striker on top of that if Berbs leaves) I would agree we can and should finish 12th-13th ish. 90% chance we survive.

I can see Berbs leaving, Demps coming back for 2 months. If Demps were a Berbs replacement that isn't good enough as come March he goes back to Seattle though.

I don't see Demps as a natural Berbs replacement, Demps was always best playing wider and cutting in.  He did sometimes lead the line but never seemed as effective in that role.

So right, surely RM will not look upon Demps as a main striker.

[grandad]

If you can understand the stats on the Seattle Sounders site Dempsey has not exactly done much.