10 points clear

[Dkc]

We are now masters of our own destiny and are good enought for the premiership, there are teams that are poor compared to us.

Yep. Wigan and West Ham for starters

 

[Roygbiv]

Our run in that season was pretty horrendous. We still had the top 6 to play away from home and, as we know, Warnock didn't bother with those sort of games so we basically had 5 games to pick up 10 points.

 

[Brownieblade]

Our run in that season was pretty horrendous. We still had the top 6 to play away from home and, as we know, Warnock didn't bother with those sort of games so we basically had 5 games to pick up 10 points.

Villa away still boils my blood, the one game I thought he might just go for it and no, was almost like we had lost before leaving the dressing room

 

[Brian Deane]

Some great predictions at the beginning I wonder if this is what Lawro uses for his guesstimates

 

[Isar]

It's not really comparable. There were only 3 teams between us and the relegation zone at that point, which isn't the case now.
Teams have to play each other, and they can't all win.

This above.
This is the crucial difference when comparing 2020 to 2007.

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

I think we'll be guaranteed safety by the end of February!

 

[1973Blade]

Well that cheered me up...

 

[ATL Recs]

10 points clear at this stage is great!

Come on you Blades!

Means nothing 10 points last time we were 10 points clear Warnock screwed it up
Each game as it comes no further

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

I think we'll be guaranteed safety by the end of February!

The best of times; the worst of times. 9 points off safety for the season and 10 points off 19th, with games against 11th, 15th, 16th and 18th.

It’s a strange one, by the end of February we could either be home & hosed and enjoying a rub down from a busty stable girl or on the edge of things, 4 points off 18th, with our arses twitching and regretting dropping points.

I hope not, but I still have a feeling in my water that this season will throw up a few more twists and turns. Up to now it’s all been relatively straight forward..........

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

A curse on the person who bumped this thread! I opened it expecting to find the 10 points were a reflection of our success so far, only to find that it was a nightmare reminder of one of our glorious failures. All the horrors of the 13-year curse came flooding back. I was determined to be away for the last game this season - and have just realised that Mrs HBT has booked us a lovely B&B about 10 miles along the coast from Southampton that weekend. Memories of listening on the car radio in Cornwall to Simonssen's penalty at Wembley are flooding back. What could possibly go wrong...?

 

[VictoryBlade]

No come on Nicolaus this is a different regime in CWAK, we will secure enough points soon then its game on for fifth! UTB

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

No come on Nicolaus this is a different regime in CWAK, we will secure enough points soon then its game on for fifth! UTB

It has been one of the things that CW has stressed. He & we make our own future, we’re not affected by the past. UTB.

 

[BushBlade]

How many of our players then went on to have PL careers? Jags. CKR did ok, Geary was unlucky with injury, as was Armstrong but really we were a championship side trying to battle our way to safety and we ran out of steam.
This time, we’ve got quite a few players other PL clubs would buy if they were available. And our manager and coach are more tactically astute.
I won’t say we’re safe until we’re safe but a lot would have to go wrong this time.

 

[Carlton Blade]

We still haven't got a signature win. The first Liverpool/City games were the chances. Man Utd away is a chance I suppose?

8 points from the next 6 and it's relax time

 

[Upton_Blade]

Villa away still boils my blood, the one game I thought he might just go for it and no, was almost like we had lost before leaving the dressing room

That game pissed me off more than any other in over 35 years of following The Blades, and we've had some shockers over the years.

We literally should have just stayed in the dressing room and we'd probably competed more than we did out on the pitch.

Utterly, Utterly pathetic from Colin

 

[VictoryBlade]

Right funk off na, we will be fine ….my (dead) mystic dog has told me! UTB

 

[Dkc]

Take your pick...

Liverpool v. Blades
Blades v. Everton
Chelsea v. Blades
Bolton v. Blades
Blades v. Newcastle
Man Utd v. Blades
Blades v. West Ham
Charlton v. Blades
Blades v. Watford
Aston Villa v. Blades
Blades v. Wigan

The ones in red are games I can see us getting some points from.

Liverpool v. Blades 0-4
Blades v. Everton 1-1
Chelsea v. Blades 0-3
Bolton v. Blades 0-1
Blades v. Newcastle 1-2
Man Utd v. Blades 0-2
Blades v. West Ham 3-0
Charlton v. Blades 1-1
Blades v. Watford 1-0
Aston Villa v. Blades 0-3
Blades v. Wigan 1-2

 

[Dkc]

Only picked up 5 points from our final 11 games, which means that West Ham and Wigan must have picked up 15 points from their final 11 games

 

[Edinblade]

This above.
This is the crucial difference when comparing 2020 to 2007.

There’s an even bigger difference.
Chris Wilder doesn’t do relegation, where as Warnock has it off to a fine art.

 

[scouseblade]

We still haven't got a signature win. The first Liverpool/City games were the chances. Man Utd away is a chance I suppose?

8 points from the next 6 and it's relax time

Beat Arsenal. Might not be "the" Arsenal of old but you cannot say its the Man Utd of old. So there you go!!

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Show that to some of the man city fans in the view from. They won't remember it, they'll have been happy sat in 1st

Show it to some Bolton fans too if you want to see them blub into their beer

 

[BushBlade]

Only picked up 5 points from our final 11 games, which means that West Ham and Wigan must have picked up 15 points from their final 11 games

Wigan had some good players that had underperformed earlier in the season. When they realised they were in a proper relegation battle and likely to lose their bonuses and potentially their PL status they pulled their fingers out. I fully expect a couple of the teams in the bottom five to do similar.
I don’t want to talk about the other club. Fuck ‘em. But they got a lucky break when Fat Sam quit Bolton just before playing them.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Our run in that season was pretty horrendous. We still had the top 6 to play away from home and, as we know, Warnock didn't bother with those sort of games so we basically had 5 games to pick up 10 points.

I think too much focus when going back and looking at these is placed on Villa & Wigan, which is understandable given they were the last two games. But that Newcastle game was the big missed opportunity in my view. The Everton draw we played well in, were worth a win, and it was just a calamitous error by Davis and then Kenny that led to the penalty that got them a draw. But the Newcastle game, against a team that weren’t in great form, we simply didn’t turn up. It was the first home game after the Hulse leg break, and I think we either went with 4-5-1 or went with CKR off Stead. Whichever it was, we never looked in control of it, and it was a prelude to the Wigan game with a weird lineup. When Nade was introduced we finally looked a threat going forward, he equalised with a rare Monty assist, and then we almost immediately conceded again. A point from that would have kept us up. I came away from that game wondering if we’d win another game that season – the absence of Hulse was clear for all to see. Yet a week later we select a much more balanced team and put in one of our best performances vs West Ham. Optimism then restored...

 

[Dkc]

Here's another big difference to the 2007 situation. Then, we were ten points clear with eleven to play. Now, there's 14 left to play.

Not going to happen, but even if we only took five points from our final 14 games we'd probably be safe on 38.

 

[BushBlade]

I think too much focus when going back and looking at these is placed on Villa & Wigan, which is understandable given they were the last two games. But that Newcastle game was the big missed opportunity in my view. The Everton draw we played well in, were worth a win, and it was just a calamitous error by Davis and then Kenny that led to the penalty that got them a draw. But the Newcastle game, against a team that weren’t in great form, we simply didn’t turn up. It was the first home game after the Hulse leg break, and I think we either went with 4-5-1 or went with CKR off Stead. Whichever it was, we never looked in control of it, and it was a prelude to the Wigan game with a weird lineup. When Nade was introduced we finally looked a threat going forward, he equalised with a rare Monty assist, and then we almost immediately conceded again. A point from that would have kept us up. I came away from that game wondering if we’d win another game that season – the absence of Hulse was clear for all to see. Yet a week later we select a much more balanced team and put in one of our best performances vs West Ham. Optimism then restored...

I agree with that, the two games immediately after Hulse, Bolton and Newcastle should have given us two points, as a minimum. My prediction when Hulse broke his leg still haunts me. Like everyone I get a lot wrong but I just turned to my mate and said ‘we’re fucking relegated’. His reply ‘don’t talk shit’.

 

[Harry's Game]

Yet a week later we select a much more balanced team and put in one of our best performances vs West Ham. Optimism then restored...

I will never understand to my dying day why Warnock never again selected the same starting 11 that thrashed West Ham for the rest of the season. Instead he tried to crowbar Killgallon and the out of form Quinn into line ups, both being played out of position.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

That season still hurts.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I will never understand to my dying day why Warnock never again selected the same starting 11 that thrashed West Ham for the rest of the season. Instead he tried to crowbar Killgallon and the out of form Quinn into line ups, both being played out of position.

Completely agree – Hulse aside we had I think the best performer that season for each position. Had we tried to select that XI as much as possible for the run-in I think we’d have ended up a few points safe, let alone the one single point more we needed.

 

[Harry's Game]

Completely agree – Hulse aside we had I think the best performer that season for each position. Had we tried to select that XI as much as possible for the run-in I think we’d have ended up a few points safe, let alone the one single point more we needed.

In fact just the one goal we needed.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

In fact just the one goal we needed.

2 if you’re talking from the games other than Wigan. 1 goal and we’d have been level with them on goal difference, but we were a few more behind on goals scored, so had we lost 3-1 at Villa rather than 3-0 that wouldn’t have been enough.