From experience not every room at the back of the hotel has a full view of the pitch.From my room you could see the goal and about a 1/3 of the pitch.I was seated in the Jarrold Stand.

For my money Newcastle are really a 14th/15th place team...better than Sunderland...but McLaren has taken them down. Just an awful manager. Bad hire and he gave them plenty of opportunities to get rid but they didn't grasp the nettle until too late. Relegation is their own fault.

Norwich have, I think, a decent manager they've sold down the river by not investing. That said, Steven Naismith? A perennial journeyman who never has nor ever will score goals at the required rate. If that's the basket you put your eggs in, you're finished. Sad situation...they are the architects of their own downfall.

Sunderland I thought, briefly last week, might go and we'd finally be rid of Big Sam. But like Pulis and as has already been said, the combination of Defoe and a coach who knows how to get a team to defend is the magic formula in a relegation battle.

There have been some astonishingly inept managers this year. McLaren and Martinez have been simply awful. Both their teams have punched miles below their weights. Remi Garde couldn't even get his team fighting, let alone winning. It was more disinterested surrender than relegation battle. Pellegrini, who I like personally, has made a real dog's bollocks of Man City's season considering their investment and talent. A League Cup win and nothing else is a poor return for that squad and the Madrid game was little short of embarrassing. Although he gets away with it because he's a nice guy, Hiddink has really got very little out of Chelsea since he took over. Their performance vs. Tottenham showed us how far below par they've been all year, not just under Mourinho. The silver lining is that we've got rid of the King Bulls*** Merchant Brendan Rogers who never was and never will be anything other than a bluffer.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

No, Villa have practically been 20th all season. Newcastle were 19th when Benitez took over.

Yannick Bolasie - Glenn Murray - Wilfried Zaha

Most exciting attacking trio at Selhurst Park in years.

Newcastle were s**t long before McClaren got there. I think he improved them on Carvers reign. But like Benitez is demonstrating, a manager can only do so much with what they have. I think maybe Pardew realised this, and got out before it all went to s**t.

McClaren improved them, but not enough - but realistically you can only make so many changes. If Carver had still been in charge, they be making Villa look good.

The fans seem to have very unusual expectations, the board don't seem to care about the fans or the manager, and the squad seem to be broken in spirit under three managers now.

That's toxic for any manager and squad. Its telling that only recent additions seem to have commitment. I think a lot of their squad really want out and have just been going through the motions.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

Is McLaren a good manager, no. Is he useless, not really; He's an average one. I think he suits a team in which he can be very hands on, more of a coach. Oddly I think he's been promoted beyond his ability.

He was a very good assistant manager, and coach. But I don't think he can really manage people and players.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

I think its tricky when you're essentially in a position where the fans are demanding unreasonable results and a style of play, and the owner is pushing you in that direction.

I think McClaren was always the wrong man, but he has some form - but it does surprise me how often he's considered 'among the top choices'. What they needed was a manager who either was 'very good' or capable of sorting out their defence.

They got neither. But they only got Benitez because he was sacked in January.

Average Championship manager and good coach, maybe about his level. Personally, I think Warnock would have been a better choice for them, than McClaren. At least they'd have had some fight and defensive steel.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]