With just over a month to go until the football season comes to a close, there are issues to be sorted at the top of the table with the title and European slots to fight for, but it is at the bottom of the division where I focus my blog this week.
It is billed as possibly the tightest relegation battle in Premier League history with several teams still looking nervously over their shoulder at the impending, financially-destroying drop down to the Championship. Realistically, as many as eight teams could lose their status in the top division. I aim to give my verdict on the teams that will fare best when it comes to the crunch clashes in the final few weeks.
West Brom - The Baggies have enjoyed somewhat of a revival of late. Roy Hodgson was appointed manager in February and has lead his team three draws and two wins in his short spell in charge and looks to have lifted the gloom that for so long hung over the Hawthorns. Despite some tricky games against Chelsea and Tottenham to come, I think they will just have enough in the tank to remain in the Premier League.
VERDICT: Survival.
Blackburn - Rovers have been the epitome of a Jekyll and Hyde team this season with great performances one week, and terrible ones the next. Wins against Liverpool and at Newcastle have been coupled with thrashings at Sunderland, Aston Villa and, most notably, Manchester United. Their results against the bottom teams of late have also been a cause for concern, with a rather fortuitous draw against Blackpool and a loss to Wigan rather summing up their form of late. I feel that Blackburn have got too much quality to go down. It may be a dangerous cliché but they have players that can win matches single-handedly against lower opposition.
VERDICT: Survival.
Birmingham - The Blues' relegation troubles have brought them crashing back down to earth after their famous Carling Cup victory over Arsenal. They have picked up only four points from their last five matches and sit in a rather precarious position with tough upcoming fixtures. Before the end of the season they must travel to Stamford Bridge and Anfield, before a daunting last-day trip to Tottenham, who could still have Champions League aspirations at this point. I sense that the Midlands' outfit may have to pick up at least one win on the road before the end of the season, in order to avoid a third relegation in five years from the top tier of English football.
VERDICT: RELEGATION
Aston Villa - a side that should never be associated with relegation. To use that 'dangerous cliché' again, Villa really are too big a team to go down. Then, saying that, we all thought that about Newcastle too. I personally think Villa will be fine. They were unlucky not to win at Bolton in a unfortunate 3-2 defeat before leaving Goodison Park with only a point on Saturday, after conceding in the 84th minute. With players of the calibre of Bent, Downing and Young, I cannot see them not picking up points. Players with experience such as Robert Pires and Richard Dunne as well, will be able to guide the youngsters through this poor run of form. They have only won one of their last seven in the league, but have an arguably easier run-in than some of the other relegation candidates.
VERDICT: Survival
Blackpool - seen as the probable whipping boys when they secured promotion to the top flight last season, the Seasiders have upset a few on the way. They achieved the double over Liverpool and also gave Manchester United a scare as they surrendered a two-goal lead to eventually lose 3-2. Their performances, and most importantly, their form during the opening months left a lot of people wondering whether they would upset the pre-season odds. The second half of their seasons has been far from convincing though and has highlighted several weaknesses they possess at the highest level. The Tangerines' fixture list does provide a few tests such as Arsenal and United, but perhaps importantly, they have five games remaining at home.
VERDICT: RELEGATION
West Ham - Had you asked me prior to Thomas Hitzlsperger's introduction, I would have put my house on West Ham to go down. Their collapse against Man United at the weekend aside, the Hammers' form has been brilliant of late. The new 4-3-3 formation is working wonders for Avram Grant's men, with Noble, O'Neil and Parker all pulling the strings in midfield alongside the, now seemingly talismanic, German. With 7 points from 10 and key fixtures against mid-bottom table teams to come, it is in their hands..
Verdict: Survival
Wolves - Another team, who I would have previously backed to go down before a recent resurgence. That said though, they are still leaking goals as Newcastle's 4-1 destruction of them proved. Mick McCarthy's men have secured famous victories against Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea AND Manchester United but have struggled against their fellow relegation rivals. With the ammunition of Matt Jarvis, and players like Kevin Doyle up front; Wolves will score goals. It just depends if they can keep it out of their own net..
VERDICT: Survival
Wigan - The Latics' stay in the Premier League looks to be over. After narrowly avoiding relegation in the past few years, they have finally found themselves to be just a bit out of their depth. They play lovely football at times and have some quality players in the ilk of N'Zogbia and Rodallega, but they do not have the players to have that resilience to drag them out of the mire. Players like Hendry Thomas and Ronnie Stam symbolise just how desperate a situation it has got at the DW. Farcical goals conceded, a lack of creativity summed up by their lowest tally of goals in the division (29) and no leadership will cost Wigan dear and will surely put an end to their six year stint in the top flight.
VERDICT: RELEGATION
So there goes, and if you were curious, I think it'll end up looking something like come the end of the season...
16th: West Ham
17th: Wolves
18th: Birmingham
19th: Blackpool
20th: Wigan
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