The Fight Against Relegation

As it enters a crucial stage of the season, I thought I would look at the relegation candidates and look at each one's chances of staying up.

West Brom: As much as I would like West Brom to stay up because they, at least, try to play football, I can't help but feel the fight against the drop is a losing battle. The main reason they will go down is the fact that they don't have a goalscorer up front. Their top goalscorer is Roman Bednar. They also needed a win yesterday with Stoke and Portsmouth picking up three points. As for their remaining fixtures, they have some crucial six pointers left against Stoke(h), Portsmouth(a), Sunderland(h), and Blackburn(a). They also have some tough games left against Man City(a), Spurs(a), Wigan(h), and Liverpool(h).

Middlesbrough: Currently lying 19th in the Premiership and are in absolutle terrible form. I personally hope they will be relegated, as I hate Gareth Southgate. Like West Bromthere, problem seems to be not being able to score and when you look at their forwards your not filled with confidence. They have Afonso Alves, Jeremie Aliadiere, Marvin Emnes, Marlon King and Jonathan Franks. None of these forwards will fire in enough goals to keep them up. There fixtures don't look the easiest either, with home games against Hull, Fulham, United, and Villa and away games against Bolton, Arsenal, Newcastle, and West Ham.

Newcastle:At the moment they are occuping the 18th posistion in the Premiership, but are only two points behind Blacburn for 17th. For Newcastle, to get relegated, would be an absolute disaster. The club would go into financial ruins. This could happen because I wouldn't have thought that they would have written into players contracts, that they have to take a wage cut if the club goes down. When you look at there players you say, there to could to go down with no permanent manager things aren't looking good. Fixture wise, they have home games against Chelsea, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, and Fulham and away games against Stoke, Spurs, Liverpool, and Villa.

Blackburn: In 16th posistion at the moment, but in good form under Sam Allerdyce, Blackburn will stay up. They have good players, a good manager, and never should have been in this position in the first place. They have home games against Spurs, Wigan, Portsmouth, and West Brom and away games against Liverpool, Stoke, Man City, and Chelsea. They should pick up at least nine pionts, which will put them on fourty, which should see them safe.

Stoke: They are three points ahead of the drop zone and currently lie in 16th. They have great home form and  are capable of scoring a few goals from Fuller and Beattie. Add in Delap's throws and Stoke should just about have enough to stay up. Games against Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham, and Wigan at home and West Brom, Fulham, Hull, and Arsenal away from home remaining.

Portsmouth: They picked up three crucial points at home to Everton yesterday, which leaves them in 15th, three pionts ahead of the relegation zone. They have a game in hand, but it is against Man United. Should be good enough to stay up this season, but will be in serious trouble next year if they don't streghten. Their remaining games are West Brom, Arsenal, Bolton, and Sunderlandat at home, with Hull, Man United, Newcastle, Blackburn, and wigan away.

Sunderland: Like Portsmouth, Sunderland lies three points above the drop zone. My main problem with Sunderland is, I don't rate Ricky Sbragia. He wasn't helped by the team he inherited from Roy Keane. I think Sunderland is in serious trouble of being relegated this year. Remaining fixtures are Man United, Hull, Everton, and Chelsea at home and West Ham, West Brom, Bolton, and Portsmouth away.

Hull: Their form, since the turn of the year, has been disgraceful and even though they are currently in 13th, they have to be one of the favorites for relegation this season. Even though Phil Brown has done a good job and their doing better then I thought they would be doing I still want them to go down. There remaining fixtures are Portsmouth, Liverpool, Stoke, and Man United at home and Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Villa, and Bolton away.

Who I Want To Go Down

18th Hull

19th Sunderland

20th Middlesbrough

Who I Think Will Go Down

18th Sunderland

19th Middlesbrough

20th West Brom