True!

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

perhaps the shift in odds is timed to coincide with the next international break, often a favoured time for clubs to change managers as they have a few more days to get a new guy in.

Unless the powers-to-be are in talks with an immediate successor, and I can't think of anyone qualified, available, desperate or foolhardy enough, then Vieira is safe until the end of the season.

But if the said powers react in panic to the possible two upcoming defeats by doing a FdeB then I fear things will get worse, if that is possible.

The manager's performance lately is puzzling - surely we have enough good players to see this through? It seems he is incapable of motivating them or worse, picking a sensible team or formation.

He is now his own worse enemy now the press are onto him.

I’m flitting between Vieira In and Vieira Out.
I find him a likeable , engaging character with good intentions and in many ways a good fit for the club so my heart say In.
The ruthless part of me which is more analytical says Out if we lose the next three games.
Apologies for bearing my soul!

I have a feeling in my bones that the Brighton game might be the deciding factor in the majority of the board's mind. If he goes with the same line up (Doucouré in) and therefore the same game approach and a set up not to get a spanking, then its game over I suspect. It demonstrates he hasn't got what it takes in all aspects of team selection, coaching, direction, tactics and motivation.

That doesn't mean that Parish and Co. will act straight away and there might very well be a line of dissension drawn down that boardroom table, especially if Steve has staked his own reputation on seeing it out with PV. Who knows? Then of course we have Brighty whispering in Steve's ear - perhaps he is our problem LOL!

With all the pressure on PV, it would be mindless, naive and incompetent for him to go in on Wednesday with same set up and a similar game plan as Saturday. Or maybe he just has an ego that cannot deal with the "brutal facts". My money is on a variation of a "stay as we are" course, which most likely will lead to another horrible set of stats and a loss to our dreaded rivals. If Ayew starts, I will personally have a serious fit.

Even worse perhaps, we might come away with a point, using the same dross set up, and then we are in for just a horrendous time for the rest of the season......

The way I see it is that we have a manager that fits with the programme . He has bought into the academy and the promotion of youth to the first team squad which will bare fruit in the years to come .
Thats where we are , thats how we survive in a premier league where the richest clubs have become practically unbeatable with the 5 subs rule where they can change half their side with internationals even if we do occasionally get the tactics right to cause an upset

We have to accept we will forever be in a mini league of the relegation battle ,its the results against the bottom half of the table teams that count not the top half

Our record this season against teams in and around us (villa down) is decent W6 D1 L3 with a batch of games against these teams to come .
No need to press the panic button , we are doing as well as can be expected in this division . Those who want to see free flowing football every game will have to accept relegation because its not going to happen playing against sides with uncountable recources at their disposal whoever our manager is .