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Whilst everyone focuses on the title, there is a battle going on with just as much intensity at the opposite end of the table, where the prize is not to be champions, but just to fight for your life and remain in the top tier of English football.
The promoted clubs have made starts to life in the Premier League with varying levels of success, yet none currently occupy a place in the bottom three. Norwich currently sit highest up the table in 8th, and under Paul Lambert they have made the transition well. A club more notorious for Delia Smith and her ‘let’s be having you’ rant during their last spell in the premier league than anything, they will be hoping that this time they can make a better impact and avoid the drop.
Likewise under Mourinho protégé Brendan Rodgers, Swansea have made a better start than anyone could have hoped for after their opening day demolition by Manchester City. They have done what is vital to all promoted sides – taken points from the teams around them, and do have a couple of star players in their team. Not to mention a manager who has learnt from the very best and looks more than capable of managing in the top tier of English football. Despite this, Swansea are still most people’s favourites for relegation. Teams that currently sit below them such as Everton and Fulham will climb up the table, and in order to survive, their away from simply has to improve.
Most people would have expected money boys QPR to make the best start of the promoted boys, and whilst not the case, I still think they will finish the highest of the three and have the best chance of avoiding the drop. The victory over Chelsea will have been a great boost in morale for the players, and their form at Loftus Road is something that must be kept up and improved if possible. A Britannia like atmosphere needs to be created, and this along with a slight improvement on the road may well see QPR stay in the big boys league next season – don’t forget they also have what the other clubs threatened by relegation do not – the potential to spend in January and this could make all the difference come the end of the season.
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Things are looking particularly dire for the Lancashire clubs this season, and none more so than Wigan. After escaping relegation ever since arriving in the Premier League, the club look more susceptible than ever to face the drop this season. Martinez plays an attacking style of football, and whilst commendable and easy on the eye, it is questionable if this is the approach Wigan should take. Their defensive frailty and naivety has cost them on more than one occasion, and are currently favourites for the drop. Based on their performances and results, this is not something that will surprise most people.
Another club that have battled relegation whenever they have been in the Premier League is Wolves, and after literally being the last day survival story last time round, Wolves look like letting it go to the wire again. The players have that extra year of experience in the league now, as does Mick McCarthy, yet the fans seem to expect more than a fight for relegation from the team, and expressed exactly how they felt when the team were 2 – 0 down at home after 45 minutes against Swansea, and even though the team managed a draw, it was a game they should be looking to win. Times are tough at Wolves, and if they do escape the bottom three, don’t expect them to place much higher than 16th in the table.
Blackburn are a club that in days gone by, teams would fear the trip to home ground Ewood Park, yet under the hapless Steve Kean, this is not the case anymore. Despite a good win over at the time a flailing Arsenal, Rovers have looked tactically clueless and disappointing this season. It is not due to a lack of quality players – in Samba, Robinson and Salgado they have quality seasoned professionals, not to mention the youth and talent of the likes of Hoilet, yet they sit 18th in the league.
Under Sam Allardyce Rovers would look for a middle of the table finish, yet under Kean, will be lucky to avoid the drop. Normally, I resist in saying that the manager should face the chop so early into the season, but for Rovers, it is something that has to be done in order to secure Premier League status, and with quality managers like Martin O’Neil out of work and possibly tempted to take on the club on a temporary basis until a more permanent solution is found, the Venky’s must act now to avoid the situation becoming any more dire.
Lancashire rivals Bolton are a club that you expect to see in the Premier League, and under former manager Sam Allardyce they were a top six club. Being taken apart by Chelsea is one thing, but losing to Swansea and Sunderland is something than Bolton simply cannot afford to do, and with little hope of beating the bigger sides in the division, they must start beating the teams around them if they wish to have any chance of surviving.
Whilst West Brom may linger at the bottom half of the table, Roy Hodgson is an astute manager who, although it may not have clicked for him at Liverpool, is able to bring the best out of players of medium quality, and keep a club that may flirt with relegation in the premier league. Yes, things may look worrying but the baggies are able to beat the sides in and around them and it is this that will see them safe this season. The game against Bolton in two weeks’ time is a must win, as either side of that they play both North London teams, and will be lucky to pick up points against either of them.
Sunderland are another club that may consider themselves too big or good to go down, yet under Steve Bruce since the latter half of last season they have been in free fall and have struggled to put together a winning streak since. With the signings of Peter Crouch and what seemed to be most of the Manchester United rejects, Bruce brought quality in, and there is a spirit in the team and a will to win – displayed by coming back from behind twice against Villa, and this coupled with the board and manager should see Sunderland climb the table towards the second half of this season.
If any club are ‘too big’ to go down, it would be Everton, who are having their customary slow start to the season, which was not helped by the loss of Arteta to Arsenal, yet Moyes still has quality in the squad and always manages to do great things with the pittance he is given at the club. In no way would I be surprised if Everton pushed for a UEFA cup spot this season – with the money and resources other clubs in the league have, a top four place seems beyond Everton.
This early on in the season it is hard to conclusively say who will be in a relegation fight, one thing is certain, no club is too big for the drop – who do you think will go down? Comment or follow me on twitter @RebeccaKnight01
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