The Fight for Survival – Albion Verdict
Thursday 26th March 2009, 1:54PM GMT.
Albion correspondent Steve Madeley weighs up whether the Baggies survival bid is a bridge too far for the Hawthorns club.
They’ve done it before -and still they can do it again.
But, let’s be honest, hopes of a second Albion Great Escape are vanishing by the week.
The Baggies can stay up. The points gap to the Premier League safety line remains well in single figures and, of their eight remaining matches, at least six are ‘winnable.’
The next two fixtures, at home to Stoke and away against Portsmouth, both provide realistic opportunities for Tony Mowbray’s men to collect three points.
Having 30 points on the board as they head into the final six games would give the Hawthorns men an outside chance of defying pundits and fans alike to retain their top-flight status.
But we have been here before – more than once.
‘Winnable game’ has become one of the most oft-used phrases in the Baggies’ fourth Premier League campaign.
Yet, more often than not, it has been followed a few hours later with other old favourites like ‘missed opportunity’, ‘unlucky’ or ‘one that got away’.
Starting with Everton at home back in August and continuing on to Bolton at the Hawthorns just five days ago, Albion have allowed great chances to slip through their fingers with frightening regularity.
There was Bolton away, Blackburn, Portsmouth and Newcastle at home, not to mention that most frustrating of all – the late giveaway at Wigan.
Once is unfortunate, twice is careless. In Albion’s case squandering points has become endemic.
The table suggests Albion are the side most in need of priceless victories – and the team least likely to get them.
If Baggies fans are sweating on their team’s future, they are not doing so alone. The likeable Gareth Southgate will have to turn the proverbial oil tanker to halt Middlesbrough’s slide towards the Championship, while even the fanatical Toon Army would struggle to argue that Newcastle are too good to go down right now.
Stoke’s fans are confident but their dismal away form will keep them in trouble until the bitter end, while Hull are the hare to Blackburn’s tortoise – and neither Phil Brown nor his mate Sam Allardyce will be sleeping too well.
Sunderland and Bolton will still be nervous -but both should be okay.
The seven teams immediately above Albion remain in trouble. Yet probably only Portsmouth, Blackburn and Stoke (because they have them still to play) along with Boro and Newcastle are catchable for the Baggies.
Mowbray’s players are talking a good game – some through genuine belief and others out of a sense of duty. But they must know the task ahead is enormous. They are 1-33 to beat the drop, and the bookies don’t often get it wrong.
Dreaming up a means of escape is the easy part. Believing in it is almost impossible.
Remaining games: Stoke (H), Portsmouth (A), Man City (A), Sunderland (H), Tottenham (A), Wigan (H), Liverpool (H), Blackburn (A).
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You know what, even though a Wolves fan, I’d genuinely like to see albion stop up. I want Black Country games next year. I’d love nothing more than to see, any three from, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Bolton, Blackburn etc go down. The more “big clubs” that go next year, surely the better chance Wolves have of stopping up if we get promoted and midlands teams being able to consolidate in the Premiership.
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Onenight your a Oneoff cheers and good luck, Boing Boing
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No 1 i couldn’t agree with you more come on the BLACK COUNTRY teams.Boing Boing.
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Well said Onenight, we want to play the Baggies in the Prem. Keep the faith my friends!
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I would love another great escape, but while the current group of players are far better technically than the last lot they don`t have the heart or the bottle of players like Kevin Campbell, Geoff Horsefield or even loanee Keiran Richardson. I fear it will definitely be over after Stoke who will bully us off the pitch.
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I think the baggies will be going some to get 9 pts from their remaining matches. Sunderland and Wigan being the most likely to fall victim. Stokes style of play will rock the baggies. I hope I’m wrong though and you do stay up even if I do dislike you Tesco’s the banter is always good when we meet!
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Yep, fierce rivals but how good would it be to have Wolves, Albion, Villa and Blues in the top flight? How long since that last happened?
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am i the only wolves fan on this site that wants to see the albion go down!?!?
i mean, COME ON! get a grip ;]
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I think we’ll pick up 9 more points this season….but obviously that won’t be enough to keep us up unfortunately.
Best of luck in the Premier League next season Wulfies.
It’d be brilliant if we had Albion, Wolves, Villa and Blues in the top flight……just us lot who seem determined to not let it happen next season!!
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1, yow aint in the black country yow aint in prem either aye boing boing donk
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Aad u aint in west bromwich Terry,great escape lol,more like lucky escape like the last 1.
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6. Funny!! Think they’ve got a good chance of being in the Premiership, but Black Country they will never be!! Staffordshire eh they!!?
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6 Funny!!
Think they have got a good chance of making the Premiership, but Black Country they will never be!!! Staffordshire eh they!!?
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The premiership is the place for Wolves,baggies and the villa – not so sure about the blues. i definitely want to be meeting up in the top flight its where we all belong.
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number 10 name the one city and three towns that make up the black country you moron. aye boing boing donk
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i hate the albion, cant wait not to see you in The Championship next season!
Up the Wolves!
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11,i am when west brom are playing aye boing boing STAYING UP THE MOWBURY WAY IN STYLE OH YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
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Steve –
Are you sure you’ve got those odds right?
33 to 1 ON???
We’re odds on to beat the drop????
Surely not.
But aside from that little technicality, this is a great piece – dare I say it, one of the best articles I’ve read on the E&S site for more than a few seasons.
But I still can’t work out your conclusion, considering the title is “Albion Verdict”.
Will we stay, or will we go, in your opinion? Stick your neck on the line and give your “Verdict”.
My opinion changes almost by the hour! Saturday I was convinced we were down.
Sunday, not so sure.
Tuesday it’s all doom and gloom again.
But Wednesday and yesterday I’m convinced we’ve got a chance.
Today? I still believe.
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8,bruce fullofit,seems like you are,but we alwiz knew you wolfies have a soft spot for the super baggiz aye boing boing we love you albion we do o albion we love you
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Albion aren’t Black country, they’re Brummies, check the post code of our second city friends.
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Albion aren’t Black Country, they’re Brummies, chech out the post code of our second city friends.
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Sandwell Town are Brummies, check out their post code.
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we are from the black country cuz we sing it at the away games,aye boing boing WE ARE THE BOYS FROM THE BLACK COUNTRY, SO THERE
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21,22 Not that old rubbish again yawn.
I live in hill top yet have a b71 postcode the same as WBA
I did live in wednesbury yet had a Walsall postcode
I work in the Ockerhill area of Tipton yet that has a post code for dudley do you wish for me to continue
come on boys if you want to argue about geographical issues using post codes to determine area you lose the debate within seconds
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the dingles sing,WHING WHING WHERE EVER WE MAY BE,WE ARE THE WHINGERS FROM SLUM CITY,WE WHING ALL DAY NO MATTER WHERE WE BE WE ARE THE WHINGERS FROM SLUM CITY AYE BOING BOING ITS A CRACKER
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Face it Wolverhampton has never been in the Black Country – The council pretends that it is because somehow being in the Black Country has a certain kudos over being in Staffordshire.
The traditional Black Country towns are Dudley, Cradley, Netherton, Oldbury, Tipton, Smethwick etc. Do a google search for yourselves.
West Bromwich is border-line Black Country, but Wolverhampton never has been and never will be.
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Check out the postcodes?!?!?!
Geek!!
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I personally thought THAT horrendous defensive display against Newcastle led the Baggies to the sign post reading… “Straight ahead for Relegation”.
Hope to be proved wrong BUT consider this.
Being 8 points behind (including goal difference)means Albion have to win, and draw, TWO of the remaining games JUST to draw level with the team in 17th spot.
And even that would require teams above failing to pick up any points! Highly unlikely i suggest?!
Looking at the remaining fixtures i simply CANNOT see the Baggies winning enough games to survive.
Of course while there’s life there’s hope, but i sadly think the time to switch off the life support machine gets closer after every game.
But whatever the outcome ‘true’ Baggies fans will still be there next season ‘cheering and backing’ them as they make a determined effort to achieve another promotion.
(Providing my dismal forecast is sadly proved correct!?)
“Come on you Baggies”
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hope u got ur map ready 4 donny,peterbrgh,mk dons lol,2nd tier of english football,where u deserve 2 be,enjoy.
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Is this a football or geography forum? I mean is it relevant who is in the “Black Country” and who isn’t? Albion fans have got to pull together and keep believing, we aren’t fickle like the Blues et al.If we go down (and i mean if) we will be well placed to come straight back. I hope one day to play the Wolves in the premier, both great clubs will grace it.
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29,we can just ask you cant we,youv bin guin to them places for years,aye boing boing mick out
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I see the steptoes are clutching at straws again and terry ur song should be aimed at you steptoe’s and you call us fickle ha ha what a bunch of happy clappers you are when things are going well, now its all gone wrong you soon show ya true colours. bong bong we are fickle.
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I always did wonder why when you come off the M54 onto the A449 Stafford road it said ‘Welcome to Wolverhampton in the Black Country’ .. But now the geographical so called ‘facts’ have been laid out by some spotty Herbert on the Albion blog saying ‘Do check the post codes’ .. Do get a life, who really cares? Albion and Wolves have the best Derbys in the BLACK COUNTY, and will do for years to come when we get the chance.
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15pmt,city west brom,towns,oldbury,stone cross,smethwick,aye boing boing east stand
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33,they would be even better if yow could sell ya tickets when we play ya,aye boing boing we tuk the soufbank
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32 JWOLF.. You care you obviously feel very strong about it resorting to calling adults
” spotty herbert”
as for the sign off the motorway “it used to say india on the bus tyres” but the bus never went there.
29.. For gods sake grow up use real English instead of that childish text rubbish .
Malver Wolf once again you post sense ok we all have the banter but at the end of day would it not be great to have us,you,blues,villa,cov,leicester,derby even Walsall (ok i’m pushing it a bit know) in the top flight.
For too long has the top flight of English football been based around the same old “big four” and then comes the rest of the london teams.
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We can still stay up but – as was the case last time – we need a run of WINS!! There have been a couple of falso dawns lately with West Ham (should have won) and Bolton (could have won) and although we were not beaten, draws are not going to be enough. As each game slips by without that win we slip closer to relegation, but there IS still time, but anything less than a win against Stoke (and we really do owe them one) will probably be the end.
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May I, as probably the oldest-old-git on here point out to you lot, all youngsters except Terry Wills, that when I was kid the workers in the foundries and collieries had ONE WEEK UNPAID holiday the first week in August. The sky was JUST beginning to show the slightest signs of blue by the end of that week but the furnaces could not be turned down as they took for ever to get up to strength again. THAT was the Black Country in West Bromwich, (Great Bridge) that I was born into. Same went for Smethwick, Oldbury, Tipton, Wednesbury, Ocker Bonk. Dudley and er, well I don’t recall Wolverhampton ever claimed to be in the Black Country back then. Neither did Walsall. In fact Walsall folk would scream blue murder if you dared suggest it and there were plenty of Walsall people working at Walsall Conduits in Dial Lane, West Bromwich. It was beneath their dignity, poor deluded sods. So, if we in the Black Country decide to let you Wulfies into this elite area of England, it’ll be cuz yow spake proper un keep thee fode swep every mornin’ afower yow goo t’ werk.
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36) You’re going way off topic, how does India on bus tires relate to a welcome sign that evidently tells you where you are? Keep up.
And Terry, I doubt you will have a chance to fill the ‘soufbank’ for atleast another season considering we will be in two totally different leagues again ;)
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Another nice post Cyril, can Malvern be in the Black Country please?
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No.40 Malvern Wolf. My good friend, Malvern had that honour bestowed upon it back in late 1952, early 1953 when I was posted there for several months to No.1 Training Regt. Royal Engineers. I couldn’t believe the beauty of the area and my army mate who came from er, er, Wolverhampton, loved it too. I well remember looking up at the hills imagining that other Wulfie, Sir Edward Elgar, composing his Introduction and Allegro For Strings sat up there in the sunshine. That’s what always keeps The Wulfies on course if Sir Teddy was willing to bike-ride miles to watch them, then they can’t be all bad!
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