With 8 games to go to the end of the premiership season, everyone has their eyes fixed on the top of the table as Arsenal and Chelsea attempt to stop Man United claiming their 19th and record breaking title.
We, however, should not forget about the foot of the table. This year's relegation battle is the most exciting in history (or to my recent memory). Only 6 points separates 20th place - Wigan Athletic and 11th place - Newcastle United. That is unbelievable, and only means that inconsistency is the thorn in every team's side when it comes to their aspirations for the season. Keep an eye on the bottom of the table as "big" teams like Newcastle (Alan Pardew is terrible) and Aston Villa (I would imagine they wishing they gave Martin O'Neil the funds he wanted) could be sucked into this year's relegation battle (I would love it if Newcastle went down again, Mike Ashley is a complete w****r for the way Chris Hughton was treated).
Lets have a look at each team from 15th position to 20th.
Blackpool - 15th
Ian Holloway's team (and Ian Holloway himself) have been a breathe of fresh air to the Premier League with their attacking football. he said at the beginning of the season that if his team go straight back down, at least they would go down playing good attacking football - and he has not lied. In my opinion they have been the most exciting team to watch this year. Ian Holloway's press conferences alone have been more entertaining than Arsenal's big match temperament (a joke).
Blackpool also have possibly one of the players of the season in their captain Charlie Adam. He has been fantastic and even compared to the legend Paul Scholes (I don't think he is THAT good, but he is a very good player). Blackpool started with a bang and were the league's leading scorers at one stage. Ian Holloway has relied on home form to keep his team out of the relegation zone, and even got them in to a European place (maybe for one week) until they started to leak too many and not scoring enough. This is largely because of injuries to key players and not having a squad to deal with it. If Blackpool do carry on with their free fall and do get relegated, I thank Ian Holloway for the exciting football, on and off the pitch. I am a fan of his, and his football philosophy. Their remaining fixtures could see Blackpool and Ian Holloway in the Premier league next season. They start with Fulham away, then have 4 homes games n a row against Arsenal, Wigan, Newcastle and Stoke. Their home form that was so impressive has let them down recently, but I do get the feeling that there is 6 or 7 points in April for them.
May will be tough as they only play 1 home game and start the month with Spurs away, then Bolton at home then then a nightmare final Trip to Old Trafford to play Man United (hopefully already crowned champions).
Classic Holloway quotes:
1. “I don’t see the problem with footballers taking their shirts off after scoring a goal? They enjoy it and the young ladies enjoy it too. I suppose that's one of the main reasons women come to football games, to see the young men take their shirts off. Of course they’d have to go and watch another game because my lads are as ugly as sin.”
2. “He’s six foot something, fit as a flea, good looking – he’s got to have something wrong with him. Hopefully he’s hung like a hamster – That would make us all feel better. Having said that, me missus has got a pet hamster at home, and his c***’s massive.” - Speaking about Cristiano Ronaldo
3.
West Bromwich Albion - 16th
Up until the point Roy Hodgen took over from Roberto Di Matteo, they were one of my favourites to get relegated, even when they were sitting pretty after 5 or 6 games. Roy Hodgson is a manager with a lot of experience, and a "Know How" when it comes to a relegation fight, and has done it recently with Fulham, and spent a little time in the bottom three with Liverpool. He is a good manager, but of small teams. He handles the pressure well and has his teams playing whichever way it takes to get points. He has already turned things around slightly. I am not quite sure they will stay up just yet, but if they do, they will have Roy to thank because before he came in they looked awful and certain for relegation.
They do lack quality all over the pitch and look like they could concede at any moment. Their Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie and the Mexican and Arsenal Loanee, Carlos Vela could score vital goals for them in the dogged relegation battle. But can they score more than what they concede?
April could prove to be a tough month for Roy and his relegation battlers as they face Liverpool next, followed by Sunderland, Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa. I think if they get 3 points (possibly from the Villa game at home) from those 5 games they would have done well. Personally, i cannot see them getting more than 1 point out of 5 games in April.
May is slightly kinder to them, with Wolves, Everton (only home game in May) and Newcastle.
West Ham United - 17th
Carrick Glen Johnson (average.... just saying) and Jermaine Defoe to name a few. They still have a large amount of players that have been promoted through the youth system today namely James Tomkins, Jack Collison, Mark Noble, Junior Stanislas, Zavon Hines, Marek Stech, Anthony Edgar and Jordan Spenc.
Avram Grant has taken a lot of flack from the fans and the media in recent times when his team were holding up the league table in 20th spot. Since the January transfer window has come and gone, Grant has done well to inspire his team with quality signings, like Demba Ba, Wayne Bridge, Robbie Keane and Gary O'Neil. Their signing seem to have worked as they have moved out of the bottom three and started to play with passion and determination. They have goal scorers up front now and are starting to look like a tough team to beat. (Hopefully they wont be be this weekend when Man United play them at Upton park). It has to said though that if they are going to stay up, their captain, Scott Parker has to stay fit he showed his quality on the international level this weekend passed, being named Man of the Match. I believe they have turned their season around and could even climb to 14th/15th with a little luck and continued determination. They play 4 games in April, and 2 of them at home, starting with the mighty Man United this weekend, followed by a trip to the Reebok to face Bolton (wonderfully improved under Owen Coyle), then Villa at home which is followed by an extremely tough trip to Stanford Bridge. I can see the Hammers picking up 4 points in April. Possibly a draw against Bolton and a win at home against Villa.
Their May fixtures see them play moneybags City, Blackburn (Home), Wigan (Away, Must Win) and Sunderland at home to finish the season.
With their improved form I can see them picking up 8 or 9 points in their remaining games and staying up to fight the premier league relegation battle next season.
Wolves - 18th
Wolves have shown a lot of determination this season, but that's it. They have been able to perform against the "big" teams in the league and have beaten them all at least once, baring Arsenal. They have shown some enormous character at times, but not shown enough because they are 18th, and although they have beaten the top teams in the league, they have not won consistently enough to find themselves safe.
Personally, i don't like Mick McCarthy, so i hope they do go back to the Championship. They do have some fairly decent players though. Matt Jarvis, the left winder is a good player and has just been called up to the England squad for the recent internationals. They also have Jamie O'Hara on loan from Spurs and Kevin Doyle (not prolific, but is Wolves' answer for Dirk Kuyt).
Wolves find themselves with a half decent final 8 games, avoiding the top 7 teams in their run in. They start with Newcastle (Away), Everton (Home), Fulham (Home) and end April with Stoke away at the Brittania. I can see them possibly getting points at home, but Everton will be tough and their trip to the Brittania Will be extremely tough. don't expect to see free flowing football in that game! Both teams are as boring as ....
May sees Wolves play 2 "Must-Win" games in a row against Birmingham (Away), and West Brom at home. Should they have any hope of staying up, those games will prove to be vital over their relegation rivals. They then find themselves in a tricky match at Sunderland. Steve Bruce's team are difficult to beat, but are struggling for goals since Darren Bent left for Aston Villa. They do have the Asamoah Gyan (overrated, but has a goal in him)and young Man United loanee and recent England squad member Danny Welbeck up front. Welbeck looks like a decent player at the age of 20. I don't see Wolves getting anything out of this game. They end the season at home to Blackburn - Both those teams bore me to tears to be honest, so i would rather feed myself to pigs than watch that.
Birmingham - 19th
The Carling Cup Champions find themselves in a little trouble. They relied heavily on the home form last season and were incredibly difficult to beat at home. They do not have that confidence at home this season, and as a result, find themselves 19th. They always try hard, and put the effort in, but maybe that is not enough in a premier league season where consistency and that something extra or special is what is needed. It would be strange if confidence was low considering they beat Arsenal to a win the Carling Cup.
i just feel that teams have the measure of them and they do not offer anything exciting or unpredictable. They even bought the giant Zigic (who, lets be honest, doesn't belong on a football field, but in the Colosseum or on a ship trying to conquer Greece) for an extra dimension to their game. They might get a little "something" from their January signing and Carling cup hero Obefembi Martins. I have always felt that he could score goals should he get service.... so i guess he is going to struggle then.
They Start their April fixtures against a tough Bolton at home, followed by
Blackburn (Away), and Sunderland (Home) before playing Chelsea and Liverpool away respectively. I feel that they could be in trouble at this point because Sunderland are a tough team to beat too.
May is slightly easier on them, but they play the "Must-Win" game against Wolves at home before playing Newcastle (Away), Fulham (Home) and Spurs (Away). Depending on Fulham's progress (or lack there of), that game could also be an important game because it is so tight at the bottom that Fulham could be roped into the fight. I think they will struggle to stay up. They only have 4 of their final 8 games at home, and that is no guarantee for points with their recent form. I must admit i think i think they are in trouble.
Wigan Athletic - 20th
Poor Wigan, poor old Wigan. I feel sorry Roberto Martinez. He is one of the genuinely nice guys in football, and his football philosophy is to play attractive football. They remind me of Arsenal to be honest. They play good football. They play to try entertain and survive, when they should be playing to survive. It seems as though Roberto has made silly decisions when it comes to buying players. He has attracted players that do not suite the English game. Players from Italy and some from Spain. He needed players like Jamie O'Hara (fringe player at spurs, but great determination to win and fighting spirit) or possibly even Kevin Doyle (no flair, just a pure work horse that chips in with the odd goal). Its actually unbelievable how much they remind me of Arsenal. No hard men able to do the business and grind it out when it counts, and the type of football is more important than getting the results (obviously there they are a million miles apart in terms of quality). Wigan are struggling for quality in midfield. I don't see Charles N'Zogbia and Tom Clerverly (The man United youngser on load, man of the match last week) keeping them up on their own. Martinez does not have the quality at the back and that is evident by the -22 goal difference they have so far this season this season. .
Why not go into the market to loan a defender or midfielder from Spurs who have 8 centre midfielders, and 6 or 7 centre backs (OK, fair, only 2 fit ones?).or a player that has experience in the Premier League like Sol Campbell or a fringe player at another top 5 club that has some experience. Wigan look like they have about as much fight left in them as a pet hamster.
There final fixtures will be devastating to look at for Roberto as his team play 5 teams in the top half of the table, a resurgent Hammers, and the unpredictable Aston Villa and Blackpool. I do not see them getting 4 points from their remaining 8 games. Its all Doom and Gloom if you ask me. The good news for Roberto is that the Chairman at the DW has faith in him and said he will stick by his man. I guess that is nice. The same thing was said to Mark Hughs and Chris Hughton before they got the sack though....so here is to hoping that the nice guy can keep his job when they go down.
Personally, after considering the teams' form and remaining fixtures, i think it will be Wigan, Birmingham and West Brom that go down. I feel that Wolves will have too much fight and possibly grind their way into 17th spot, and Blackpool will have a couple hick ups, but their attacking mentality and home form will keep them up. I feel that West ham will find there way into 16th or 15th spot as they mixing it up and their win against Liverpool a couple weeks ago proved that they have fight left. They also have some depth now, and i think that could help them in the run in.
Blackpool - 15th 
No comments:
Post a Comment