Written by blandford_cherry
Who else has shared a similar thought process to this?
I looked forward to the Crystal Palace game for weeks, as soon as I knew the majority of scenarios they could end the season would mean we go down I was desperate for the restart to play our way out of trouble. We had a fully fit squad apart from Charlie Daniels, David Brooks back and I really thought we would breeze out of trouble, after the season had been hampered by injuries with a fully fit squad I didn’t see any problems, we were the first-ever Premier League game on The BBC to add to the excitement and we were playing at home, so much build-up on the socials. The lack of crowd didn’t dampen my experience at all and the fake noise soon became normal.
The game turned out to be an absolute sickener and a complete crash back down to earth – weeks of excitement dashed but Wolves and Newcastle next – on paper the two ‘easier’ games compared to the 4 that would follow that. Perhaps we just weren’t fit enough going into Palace and we could turn it around, I was sceptical that we hadn’t played any ‘competitive friendlies’ and I think I was right.
After the Newcastle and Wolves, losses I gave up 99% hope we could stay up but I still watched Villa, West Ham and Watford’s games avidly hoping for a positive result for us to reduce the 99% into something a little more hopeful.
I didn’t expect anything from our next 4 games V Man Utd, Tottenham, Leicester or Man City and those 4 games literally were a rollercoaster, 1-0 up at Old Trafford and the hope reignites itself, we lost 5-2. Tottenham we got a point and played well and I thought great if we beat Leicester we could still be in with a chance which we comfortably and emphatically did with the goal difference taking a positive hit the 99% quickly turned to ‘we can stay up’ if we avoid a heavy defeat at Man City – mission complete and an excellent and most attacking performance at The Ethiad in Pep’s 4 years.
The Great escape mark 2 was back on and other results were also going In our favour and goal difference within touching distance all we need to do is beat Southampton at home back to ‘easier games on paper’ that we should win and take it to the last day of the season, added with Watford and Villa’s games being tough but bang – back down to square one of how I felt after Palace, Wolves and Newcastle except now I have 100% come around to the fact we won’t be staying up, In fact so much so I’d prefer the season to end now to avoid another 6 days of pain and people saying until it’s mathematically possible etc.
It’s the hope throughout being built up and then dashed that has been the hardest thing (hence it feeling like a rollercoaster).
We aren’t good enough without hoping Watford pick up 0 from 6 and Villa not doing better than us with a game in hand and then is having to beat Everton.
BUT a day of reflection I’m actually really looking forward to The Championship. They famously said ‘you don’t win anything with kids’. Well, I think we will give it a bloody good go with a side built around Lloyd Kelly, Jack Stacey, Chris Mepham, Dominic Solanke, Sam Surridge, Danjuma, Gavin Kilkenny, Nnamdi Oforborh and hopefully Aaron Ramsdale and Lewis Cook, added with Steve Cook, Philip Billing, Dan Gosling, Adam Smith and that’s without the small chance of holding onto one of our better players or two, not to mention a couple of loan signings from a Premier League club what is there not to be excited about?
Your say…
Toronto John wrote…
I was absolutely with you until the final paragraph. Am I the only loonie bin candidate that still thinks that we will wriggle our way through?
For me, the big thing has been the unrealized expectations. I could barely sleep Saturday night and was up at 6:30 a.m. for the 9:00 a.m. start v Southampton. Not crushed by the result, just “blah”. – Join the conversation, click here.
