My guide to relegation battle (Clubs in General)

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Product:	Clubs in General
Date:	23/02/01 (3 review reads)
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Advantages: Thrilling

Disadvantages: Sad

The relegation battle- my guide to

So approaching the end of another great season. We have seen why the English Premiership is the best in the world. The likes of Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbank and Thierry Henry have graced our top league. I think the best thing about the Premiership is that somehow some of the teams at the bottom of the league seem to get a victory against the likes of Man U and Arsenal. The difference in quality never seems to bother the likes of Southampton who have superb self-belief.

With Man U running away with the league things at the top aren’t all that interesting any more. There is no chance that they will be caught, which is disappointing. I thought with the quality Arsenal have got that it could have been closer this season. So with the top of the table pretty much decided all of the focus is going to the bottom of the table. The relegation battle is always great. Maybe a few surprises happen and most of the time it goes down to the last day of the season. Some huge teams go down, for example Blackburn. How they went down I will never down. Not to worry though because they have played superb this season and I predict a return to the top flight for Souness and his team. Along with Fulham and another team I’m not sure about next year should be even better than this season.

Now lets focus on which teams may go down to the tough 1st division. Below I have focused on the teams below that have a chance in my eyes and many others of going down. As a Barnet supporter I can assure you there will be no bias opinions.

Everton
Manager- Walter Smith
Now if Everton went down that would be a turn up for the books. They are a huge club with a great history and it would be disastrous if they went down to the 1st division. Not many players were bought in last summer. One that was has been one of their best performers this season by far. Thomas Graveson has been inspirational fo
r the toffees so Smith has brought a class act there. It isn’t Graveson that Everton should be bothered about though. 8 points ahead of the relegation crisis they should have some little concern however there is no need for them to buy Neil Redfearn quite yet. I think Smith and his team are safe but with some tough games left they need to be careful. I personally can’t see Everton in the 1st division next year but with the attack they have it isn’t looking great. Kevin Campbell hasn’t scored enough goals this year and Duncan Ferguson is always injured. However the attack is looking brighter with the little wonder kid Francis Jeffers back from injury. Scoring on his return he looks sharp to me, but it will take more than Jeffers to get some good results for Everton. If Everton win the games they should and keep Jeffers and Graveson away from injury then there is no reason why Everton should go down. So don’t lose hair over it Graveson. I don’t think you will go down.
Key player(s)- Francis Jeffers, Thomas Graveson.
My verdict: Stay up

Derby
Manager- Jim Smith
At the start of the season I have to admit that I thought Derby would go down. I’m not saying they are out of trouble because they far from are. However they have surprised me and shown me some quality moves which make Derby look like the Premiership team they deserve to be. November things were not looking good. Derby had one of the worst defences in the league and they looked doomed for relegation. Then a certain Nigerian going by the name of Taribo West decided to join the rams. He is truly impressed me. He is quick, cool under pressure and is strong. He has been their best player this season and if Derby stay up they can thank Taribo. Why on earth West joined the rams I don’t know, but he did and I’m sure Jim Smith isn’t complaining. Derby are 5 points away from the relegation area which is too close but that is not bad fo
r Derby. They have a poor squad in quality but it is the individuals doing the job for Derby. Derby County have been lucky with some of the players they have. I never new Craig Burley was any good. Some of the performances from him lately have said to me that he is a very good player. Kinkladze always has a spring in his step and he has done Derby no harm this year. Horacio Carbonari is one of the most under rated players around. This Argentine is really a quality player. Good luck Derby! It’s a tough choice to decide where Derby will be next season but the likes of West and Burley will do the club no harm.
Key Players: Taribo West, Craig Burley, Horacio Carbonari
Verdict: Stay up

Middlesboro
Manager: Terry Venables/ Brian Robson
Since the ex England an Aussie boss has joined the teesiders they have vastly improved their form. Even though they are only 4 points above relegation I don’t think Middlesboro need to worry about their premiership status. The quality at the club is too good so they won’t be returning to the 1st division. Alen Boksic, Christian Karembau and Hamilton Ricard. They are all class players and all of the other players are also of a high standard. It has been the same as all seasons for Middlesboro. Talented players but they can’t perform well as a team. Since Tel has arrived I think he has recognised this and stopped the flow of misfits that Robson loved to bring in. The chairman at this club has been superb. I only wish he was Barnet’s chairman. He spends a lot of money on the club and by bringing in Terry Venables means I think his money will be spent more wisely. Even though it is Robson who is said to be in charge of transfers Terry surely has an input. So I really don’t think we will see Middlesboro away from the top division for a long time yet.
Key players: Christian Karumbau, Alen Boksic
Verdict: Stay up

Man City
Manager: Joe Royle
This was a tough c
all for me. I think Man City have a chance of staying up but it’s up to them. Kanchelskis has added the pace and flair Man City needed in their attack and Darren Huckerby also looks a useful addition. If there was a chance City could stay up I think it would be Derby who would drop down instead but I don’t think that will happen. As I said it was a tough choice. Man City have scored a lot more goals recently but they are still letting too many goals in. I do think it will be tight for City at the end of the season but it looks to me like City will miss out by the odd point or two. Nicky Weaver has been disappointing this season as well as Steve Howey. Haaland has had some inspiring performances but apart from the few players I’ve mentioned I can’t see enough quality at this under achieving team. A player I have not mentioned and should be put into the top quality player’s list is Danny Tiatto. For me he hasn’t been consistent enough. When he is on form he is one of City’s best players by far. So Man city in my opinion are facing the drop. They need to turn around and play what they get payed for. And better than they usually play aswell.
Key Players: Danny Tiatto, Darren Huckerby, Andrei Kanchelskis.
Verdict: Down they go

Coventry
Manager: Gordon Strachan
With only 22 points things are not looking good for the sky blues. Mustapha Hadji hasn’t shown us the quality he showed us last season and the quality he is capable of. I can’t see Gordon keeping his team up. I don’t think they are good enough for the top division and don’t deserve to stay up. Last year they did well because they had Robbie Keane and Gary McAllister. They have lost two of their best players from last season and not brought anyone good enough in. Hadji and Chippo need to get back into top gear. It will be sad to see Coventry go at the end of the season. Maybe John Hartson could save this team. But then maybe n
ot. Craig Bellamy is not good enough. He’s scored about 6 goals and played nearly every game. That is not good enough but he hasn’t had the greatest of service. David Thompson has been Coventrys best performer this season but has been injures to often. So lets all say bye bye to the sky blues. Bye Bye Coventry.
Key players: David Thompson, Mustapha Hadji, John Hartson.
Verdict: Down

Bradford
Manager: Jim Jefferies
With just 16 points Bradford are doomed. There is absolutely no chance Bradford will get out of this one. I can’t help put it down to Jim Jefferies. Bradford did wonders to stay up last season. Paul Jewell left and is struggling with a Sheffield Wednesday team who should be at the top of their division. When Jim arrived at the club I think he destroyed any chance of Bradford staying up. Bradford need a character at the club. The likes of Benito Carbone and Stan Collymore were definitely needed in this relegation battle. Jefferies comes in. He goes, “ right so who are our best 3 players. Oh yes that would be, Benito Carbone, Stan Collymore and Dan Pertrscu. I’ll sell them then.” What is he playing at. If I was a Bradford supporter I would be fuming. Carbone was a class act and Collymore could get the goals. Pertrescu was their only player performing at a reasonable standard. Now Bradford are left with absolutely nobody who can save Bradford. Bradford City, RIP. Murdered by Jim Jefferies.
Key Players: All gone
Verdict: 1st division football next year. 2nd the year after that.

So confirmation of the 3 teams I think will go down.

1. Man City
2. Coventry
3. Bradford

I know I have sat on the fence and thrown in no surprises but this is who I think will go down.

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