Premier League 2017/18 relegation battle

Robbie Boy

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It's looking like it could be a tasty battle between who goes down this season. No one team stands out as completely shite like the Sunderland's and Derby's of recent times. I would say any team up to Huddersfield and even Watford (if they don't get their act together soon) are in danger of being sucked in. The thing is, over recent weeks the teams who previously occupied the relegation places have picked up points (Palace and West Ham) meaning WBA and Newcastle have been dragged in with Stoke now perilously close.

Swansea appear the worst of the bunch on current form, but even they are capable of picking up points. Should be interesting, for sure.
 
10th placed team and 18th are seperated by just 7 points.

12th and 18th by just 3 points. Newcastle form is so poor, any other manager would have been sacked twice by now.
 
roonster09 said:
10th placed team and 18th are seperated by just 7 points.

12th and 18th by just 3 points. Newcastle form is so poor, any other manager would have been sacked twice by now.
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The amount of leeway he gets is incredible, to be honest. I guess he wasn't properly backed to some extent but he has to start taking some of the blame.
 
I can't see Swansea getting out of it.

If I had to pick three now, i'd say Swansea, Huddersfield, Brighton
 
Robbie Boy said:
The amount of leeway he gets is incredible, to be honest. I guess he wasn't properly backed to some extent but he has to start taking some of the blame.
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Last 9 games just 1 point, that's very poor record.
 
Swansea
Brighton
Bournemouth
 
roonster09 said:
Last 9 games just 1 point, that's very poor record.
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It's bloody horrendous, especially given there were some games in that run that they should have won, or at least drawn. On a plus point, that 1 point was against the scousers :)

Their game against Brighton this weekend is huge.
 
Think I would have chosen Huddersfield and Brighton to go down at the start of the season. Huddersfield look like they could stay up but I haven't seen much to make me change my mind on Brighton. West Ham, Palace, West Brom and Stoke should be alright, although for Stoke it might depend on if they get their Hughes replacement right. Could easily see Bournemouth, Newcastle and Swansea going down. Reckon Swansea will replace Clement with Pulis but I've no idea how that will work out... I'll go with Huddersfield, Newcastle and Brighton.

Makes you realise just how poor the quality is in the second half of the table, right now nine teams are on course to finish with fewer than 40 points.
 
Giggsy92 said:
Think I would have chosen Huddersfield and Brighton to go down at the start of the season. Huddersfield look like they could stay up but I haven't seen much to make me change my mind on Brighton. West Ham, Palace, West Brom and Stoke should be alright, although for Stoke it might depend on if they get their Hughes replacement right. Could easily see Bournemouth, Newcastle and Swansea going down. Reckon Swansea will replace Clement with Pulis but I've no idea how that will work out... I'll go with Huddersfield, Newcastle and Brighton.

Makes you realise just how poor the quality is in the second half of the table, right now nine teams are on course to finish with fewer than 40 points.
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Yeah I think realistically the teams from Huddersfield down are all in contention for going down. I think with Swansea its pretty cut and dry, they are very poor. Couldn't pick between the other 9.
 
Five points between tenth and eighteenth after this round of fixtures. Completely mental and it should be an exciting relegation battle this season. Watford looked safe as houses a few weeks back and now they're five points off of Stoke who sit eighteenth. Expect plenty of managerial changes too.
 
Robbie Boy said:
It's looking like it could be a tasty battle between who goes down this season. No one team stands out as completely shite like the Sunderland's and Derby's of recent times. I would say any team up to Huddersfield and even Watford (if they don't get their act together soon) are in danger of being sucked in. The thing is, over recent weeks the teams who previously occupied the relegation places have picked up points (Palace and West Ham) meaning WBA and Newcastle have been dragged in with Stoke now perilously close.

Swansea appear the worst of the bunch on current form, but even they are capable of picking up points. Should be interesting, for sure.
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Nothing to choose in the quality (or lack of) between 13 first teams. Transfer difficulties just see half the clubs shoring up their squads to replace injured players.

I reckon it will down to the wire with three from five on the last weekend with three others (to make eight) under threat until the penultimate fixtures. Burnley might already have got it down to 12 teams with more points on board. Can't blame any of the clubs playing the reserves in the FA Cup as an extra injury could make the £ multi-million difference.

Prediction, I had Swansea not lasting to the last weekend and then pen two out of four: Brighton, Southampton, WBA, Stoke, with Huddersfield and Palace justa point away.
 
Swansea, West Brom and Newcastle, most likely.
 
robinamicrowave said:
Swansea, West Brom and Newcastle, most likely.
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It could all go down to the strength of the squad and luck with injuries. Overall strength rather than current form. Dropping home points against rival teams can take a club down. WBA v Brighton is a "must win" for WBA. Newcastle v Swansea as well.
 
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Everton are basically safe now, IMO. They'll probably do enough to even stay in the top half, so I'd disregard them (and in turn, everyone currently above them, obviously). While Burnley have hit a bit of a wall, there's no chance they don't pick up six more points in 14 games - they'll stay in the top 10 as well. I also just have a feeling that West Ham will do OK, they're on a good run of form right now, undefeated in their last five league games. Albeit with three draws, but I think one more little spell of decent results like this will see them safe. It's going to take quite a big slump for them to go down. Up until getting thumped by Arsenal, I thought Palace were going to go on a nice little run of form as well. I do expect they have enough to get a few more wins soon and be out of it though. Watford need a couple of results, if they can just find a win from somewhere I think they'll get a bit of confidence back and be fine. Bournemouth have hit some form, so I think they might get out of it as well, so it probably won't be out of 12~ teams like some suggest, it's more like seven IMO:

Huddersfield, Newcastle, Brighton, Stoke, Southampton, West Brom, and Swansea. At least one of the latter three, the current bottom three, will go down. I'd be absolutely amazed if all three escaped at this stage of the season. None of them seem able to find more than one win in six at the moment, and with 14 games to go, they have to improve upon that. Anyone who can manage to sneak 4-5 wins will probably end up staying up.
 
Havak said:
Everton are basically safe now, IMO. They'll probably do enough to even stay in the top half, so I'd disregard them (and in turn, everyone currently above them, obviously). While Burnley have hit a bit of a wall, there's no chance they don't pick up six more points in 14 games - they'll stay in the top 10 as well. I also just have a feeling that West Ham will do OK, they're on a good run of form right now, undefeated in their last five league games. Albeit with three draws, but I think one more little spell of decent results like this will see them safe. It's going to take quite a big slump for them to go down. Up until getting thumped by Arsenal, I thought Palace were going to go on a nice little run of form as well. I do expect they have enough to get a few more wins soon and be out of it though. Watford need a couple of results, if they can just find a win from somewhere I think they'll get a bit of confidence back and be fine. Bournemouth have hit some form, so I think they might get out of it as well, so it probably won't be out of 12~ teams like some suggest, it's more like seven IMO:

Huddersfield, Newcastle, Brighton, Stoke, Southampton, West Brom, and Swansea. At least one of the latter three, the current bottom three, will go down. I'd be absolutely amazed if all three escaped at this stage of the season. None of them seem able to find more than one win in six at the moment, and with 14 games to go, they have to improve upon that. Anyone who can manage to sneak 4-5 wins will probably end up staying up.
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Agree. Not looking at momentum but the fixture list. Brighton, Huddersfield and Southampton have the least enviable fixtures. Southampton vs Brighton (next) is a real 6 pointer already.

SUNDAY 13TH MAY
  • Burnley15:00AFC Bournemouth
  • Crystal Palace15:00West Bromwich Albion
  • Huddersfield Town15:00Arsenal
  • Liverpool15:00Brighton & Hove Albion
  • Manchester United15:00Watford
  • Newcastle United15:00Chelsea
  • Southampton15:00Manchester City
  • Swansea City15:00Stoke City
  • Tottenham Hotspur15:00Leicester City
  • West Ham United15:00Everton
 
Looks like another miraculous recovery from Swansea. They are the new Wigan/Villa/Sunderland/Coventry/Southampton.

Looks like the season is really catching up with Huddersfield now. Brighton can't score either.

Genuinely no idea though. West Brom are improving game by game. Stoke have winnable games coming up and Southampton will surely get some wins soon with the quality in their team even if the manager isn't the best.

Most exciting relegation fight for many a season.
 
Players the same as the fans:

"I heard the first mutterings from my team-mates about how many points are going to be necessary for us to be safe from relegation.
What struck me was the change in words and mentality to those in the conversations we had exactly this time last year. Statements such as “we need to win eight of our last 12 games for promotion” have been replaced with lines such as: “We need 10 points from our last 11 games to stay up.” (extract)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/feb/22/brighton-12-months-survival-premier-league
 
West Brom are surely doomed. Five points adrift; in disarray off the field; player discipline issues; not good.

Six points separate the next 10 teams. Lots of people are going to be very nervous.
 
West Brom
Brighton
Huddersfield

But In reality anyone from Bournemouth in 10th are in danger of going down
 
WBA losing has upped the probable points total for safety from 38 to 39 and possibly 40 or even 41. They were expected to beat Huddersfield. Everton are not quite safe yet.
 
The way it is going it could be the highest points total since West ham were relegated with 42 points in 2002-03.
 
My current best guess for the drop is WBA, Stoke and Crystal Palace.
 
Even Burnley who are sitting in 7th are only 10 points off being in the bottom 3 with 10 games still to play. Absolutely mental

West Brom and Stoke are sure to go beyond them who knows
 
charlenefan said:
Even Burnley who are sitting in 7th are only 10 points off being in the bottom 3 with 10 games still to play. Absolutely mental

West Brom and Stoke are sure to go beyond them who knows
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Fans and players are all looking at their fixtures and trying to work out how many points are needed and where they are going to get them. 38 or 39 points is seen as reasonable target. Position in the table and current form (momentum) does not count for so much. Looking for winnable and the nervous "must win" games against relegation rivals. One club will probably be too good to go down! The club finishing 17th won't get more than 42 pts.

Burnley (37) and Leicester (36) surely must be safe.

Watford (33) v WBA (20) will be the first fixture to look for as this looks like it could take Watford out of contention. It is a must win for WBA and just the type of thing that could happen. Might be worth a bet in an accumulator?

  • Southampton vs Stoke City
  • Swansea City vs West Ham United are "must win" home games but it is only each about a 50% chance. 30% draw and 20% away win.
  • Burnley 12:30 Everton (boring)
  • Leicester City vs AFC Bournemouth both look like draws as all four clubs gradually accumulate the points needed for safety.
Liverpool vs Newcastle and could Rafa mount a rearguard action for the TV. Good choice.
Brighton vs Arsenal might make a good TV game as well Arsenal may be short on confidence after Thursday. Spotlight on Wenger for the pundits. This looks like a banana skin to me. Even a workman-like win will not satisfy some Arsenal fans.

Tottenham v Huddersfield looks like a home banker.

Monday spotlight turns to Mourinho, because Palace are not really any better than the other sides down at the bottom.
 
i doubt if WBA will make it to the last day after losing to Watford.

The other big losers are Southampton, Swansea did very well 4-1 v West Ham.
 
Robbie Boy said:
I think WBA are goners now. No idea how they have found themselves in this mess.
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They have done nothing thats why (is the short answer).

Not signed anyone, not invested significantly, and changed one manager who had his tied to another.

Rather than actively try and stay in the league or progress as a club they have relied on there being at least three worse teams than them each season and opted for death by a thousand cuts.
 
I still hope that the final three will include Stoke and West Ham - they’re not bringing anything to the league at all - but with such a lot of candidates then I fear they’ll yet weasel-out of relegation. West Ham at least should be strong enough to survive, but hopefully today’s result will be start of something that will see them go down.
 
West Brom are down, no way they can come back from today's defeat. Southampton's fixtures in April and May are rough, they'll do well to stay up.
 
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Amazing that they are in 10th place. He should manage Hamburg. Match made in hell.
 
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