The calendar is turning to March, and we enter the final third of the season, where the teams in the top half of the table begin to focus on European positions and the top 3-4 teams still chase title dreams. For the bottom half of the table, the focus turns to survival, avoiding the last three positions and the dreaded drop out of the Premier League and into the football league. We have a very tight race this year, and unlike the prior few years we don't have any one team that is well off the pace, so out of the bottom 7-8 clubs literally any of them could go down the Championship or find safety.
All of the clubs in the relegation battle have played 24 matches, meaning everyone has 14 matches to go, or a total of 42 points available to them. With West Ham, Everton, Leicester and Leeds all involved in the relegation fight this season, you know there will be a high level of anxiety in the large supporter's groups all those clubs have.
Current Standings
Place Club Games Played Points
13. Nottingham Forest 24 25
14. Leicester City 24 24
15. Wolves 24 24
16. West Ham 24 23
17. Leeds United 24 22
18. Everton 24 21
19. Bournemouth 24 21
20. Southampton 24 18
Just Seven points separate 13th from 20th, so expect a lot of ups and downs in this battle over the next 14 matchdays. Given the rate teams are collecting points, where a point a game keeps a club out of the relegation zone, it looks like the general rule of 40 points assuring a club safety will hold true this season as well.
Nottingham Forest. Forest have been on a good run since the turn of the year, claiming 12 points out of their last 8 matches. That run of form has seen Forest go from bottom of the table to just on the top fringe of the relegation battle. Forest have four remaining matches with other relegation battlers, and four remaining matches with the top 6, so the schedule is favorable for Steve Cooper's side to avoid the immediate drop back to the Championship after their long awaited return to the EPL.
Leicester City. We all anticipated the Foxes falling a bit this season, given all the offseason departures without much returning in the way of players. Brendon Rogers club has claimed just seven points since the beginning of the year (8 matches), and this drop in form has put the Foxes in the relegation battle. Leicester's schedule is very favorable, however, as they have a relegation high six matches remaining with other relegation battling clubs, and only two matches remaining against the top 6. So Leicester should be fine, if they can beat the other clubs in the relegation battle.
Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves looked to be in serious trouble of relegation prior to the hiring of current manager Julen Lopetegui. Since the beginning of the year, Wolves have claimed 11 points from their last 8 matches, second best among the relegation battlers over that time period (Forest being first). This run of form has seen Wolves climb from bottom of the table to 15th. Wolves remaining schedule provides only four more matches against other relegation clubs, but it also only requires they play the top 6 clubs only four more times as well.
West Ham. To call the Hammers' season a disappointment would be a huge understatement. This team was battling for Champion League positions last season, a club that spent a large amount of money last summer in hopes of continuing that push for Champions League. Instead, here they sit, right in the middle of a relegation battle. Somehow David Moyes has kept his job throughout this poor season, and you hope he can get the club motivated and playing together for a strong run to end the season. The Hammers have claimed 9 points in their last 8 matches, which is a number that has kept them out of the bottom three…barely. Of their 14 remaining matches four are against other relegation clubs and four are against the top 6 teams, so the schedule is manageable and if their talent will come together you would have to like their chances of avoiding the drop.
Leeds United. What a roller coaster of emotion this club has been on. Since last year's firing of Bielsa, the hiring of Jesse Marsch who led the club to safety last season, to a team who just cannot seem to find ways to score this season, the firing of Jesse Marsch and eventual hiring of Javi Gracia, it has been a wild year for the Whites. The club should not be in this spot, but they have seemingly found ways to drop points from winning positions nearly every week. They have only claimed 6 points in their last eight matches, which puts them in the predicament they are in…right outside the bottom three. The club has five matches remaining with the other relegation clubs and four remaining with the top 6, so their fate is really in their own hands.
Everton. Well here they are again, one year after surviving a long, hard fought relegation battle, the Toffees find themselves in another fight to avoid dropping off to the Championship for the first time in the history of the EPL. Sean Dyche has been brought in to right the ship of Evertonian despair, and he has had some initial success. The club has only claimed seven points since the New Year (eight games) and need to find a way score goals if they want to stay up, having scored a league worst 17 goals in their first 24 matches. Everton have five matches remaining against the top 6 clubs and only four matches remaining against the other relegation battlers, so the path will not be easy.
Bournemouth. We all had our concerns about the Cherries staying up in the EPL this season after making it back up to the EPL. They did not seem to make much of a financial commitment to staying in the EPL, and they are very much in real danger of dropping straight back down. Five points from their last eight matches sees them placed in 19th, level on points with Everton. Of all the teams in the relegation battle the Cherries have the best fixture list, playing against other relegation battlers five times and only playing the top 6 clubs three times. The path is there, but is this club good enough to find their way out?
Southampton. The Saints have fallen off the pace a bit, and find themselves in the dreaded 20th position, but only four points away from 17th. Ruben Selles is now in charge at St. Mary's and will try and do what the prior two managers this season could not, claim points from matches. The Saints have only claimed 6 points since the New Year, and have a difficult finishing schedule, playing the top 6 clubs five more times and only facing other relegation battlers four times. The numbers do not look good, so the South Coast fans will need a miracle from Selles to find safety.
Mid-Week Matches
We have a couple very important Relegation matches today, as two of our relegation battlers hit the road looking to claim vital away points.
Arsenal v. Everton (1:45pm, USA Network, Emirates Stadium). Arsenal will host the Toffees, looking for some revenge for a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park in Sean Dyche's first match in charge. The Gunners are holding on to their top spot in the league, and will be looking to extend their lead to five points with a win over Everton. Everton have struggled away from home this season and at the Emirates in general. Everton head to Emirates Stadium, not only with a poor record at Arsenal they have won only once in 26 matches and lost 21 times but having struggled on the road this season. The Toffees have only tasted victory in one of their last 13 Premier League away matches, a 2-1 victory at Southampton in October, drawing five and losing seven.
Liverpool v. Wolverhampton Wanderers (2:00pm, Peacock, Anfield). Wolves travel up north to Liverpool to visit a struggling Liverpool club, still trying to find their way back into European positions at the top of the EPL, while Wolves are looking to solidify their spot outside the relegation zone. These two clubs met at the Molineaux in early February, and Wolves came away with an unforgettable 3-0 victory, so to say they would like a repeat performance would be an understatement. Liverpool have not allowed a goal in the EPL since that match, so things could be a bit tougher for the Wolves tonight.
Enjoy the Games!!!
All of the clubs in the relegation battle have played 24 matches, meaning everyone has 14 matches to go, or a total of 42 points available to them. With West Ham, Everton, Leicester and Leeds all involved in the relegation fight this season, you know there will be a high level of anxiety in the large supporter's groups all those clubs have.
Current Standings
Place Club Games Played Points
13. Nottingham Forest 24 25
14. Leicester City 24 24
15. Wolves 24 24
16. West Ham 24 23
17. Leeds United 24 22
18. Everton 24 21
19. Bournemouth 24 21
20. Southampton 24 18
Just Seven points separate 13th from 20th, so expect a lot of ups and downs in this battle over the next 14 matchdays. Given the rate teams are collecting points, where a point a game keeps a club out of the relegation zone, it looks like the general rule of 40 points assuring a club safety will hold true this season as well.
Nottingham Forest. Forest have been on a good run since the turn of the year, claiming 12 points out of their last 8 matches. That run of form has seen Forest go from bottom of the table to just on the top fringe of the relegation battle. Forest have four remaining matches with other relegation battlers, and four remaining matches with the top 6, so the schedule is favorable for Steve Cooper's side to avoid the immediate drop back to the Championship after their long awaited return to the EPL.
Leicester City. We all anticipated the Foxes falling a bit this season, given all the offseason departures without much returning in the way of players. Brendon Rogers club has claimed just seven points since the beginning of the year (8 matches), and this drop in form has put the Foxes in the relegation battle. Leicester's schedule is very favorable, however, as they have a relegation high six matches remaining with other relegation battling clubs, and only two matches remaining against the top 6. So Leicester should be fine, if they can beat the other clubs in the relegation battle.
Wolverhampton Wanderers. Wolves looked to be in serious trouble of relegation prior to the hiring of current manager Julen Lopetegui. Since the beginning of the year, Wolves have claimed 11 points from their last 8 matches, second best among the relegation battlers over that time period (Forest being first). This run of form has seen Wolves climb from bottom of the table to 15th. Wolves remaining schedule provides only four more matches against other relegation clubs, but it also only requires they play the top 6 clubs only four more times as well.
West Ham. To call the Hammers' season a disappointment would be a huge understatement. This team was battling for Champion League positions last season, a club that spent a large amount of money last summer in hopes of continuing that push for Champions League. Instead, here they sit, right in the middle of a relegation battle. Somehow David Moyes has kept his job throughout this poor season, and you hope he can get the club motivated and playing together for a strong run to end the season. The Hammers have claimed 9 points in their last 8 matches, which is a number that has kept them out of the bottom three…barely. Of their 14 remaining matches four are against other relegation clubs and four are against the top 6 teams, so the schedule is manageable and if their talent will come together you would have to like their chances of avoiding the drop.
Leeds United. What a roller coaster of emotion this club has been on. Since last year's firing of Bielsa, the hiring of Jesse Marsch who led the club to safety last season, to a team who just cannot seem to find ways to score this season, the firing of Jesse Marsch and eventual hiring of Javi Gracia, it has been a wild year for the Whites. The club should not be in this spot, but they have seemingly found ways to drop points from winning positions nearly every week. They have only claimed 6 points in their last eight matches, which puts them in the predicament they are in…right outside the bottom three. The club has five matches remaining with the other relegation clubs and four remaining with the top 6, so their fate is really in their own hands.
Everton. Well here they are again, one year after surviving a long, hard fought relegation battle, the Toffees find themselves in another fight to avoid dropping off to the Championship for the first time in the history of the EPL. Sean Dyche has been brought in to right the ship of Evertonian despair, and he has had some initial success. The club has only claimed seven points since the New Year (eight games) and need to find a way score goals if they want to stay up, having scored a league worst 17 goals in their first 24 matches. Everton have five matches remaining against the top 6 clubs and only four matches remaining against the other relegation battlers, so the path will not be easy.
Bournemouth. We all had our concerns about the Cherries staying up in the EPL this season after making it back up to the EPL. They did not seem to make much of a financial commitment to staying in the EPL, and they are very much in real danger of dropping straight back down. Five points from their last eight matches sees them placed in 19th, level on points with Everton. Of all the teams in the relegation battle the Cherries have the best fixture list, playing against other relegation battlers five times and only playing the top 6 clubs three times. The path is there, but is this club good enough to find their way out?
Southampton. The Saints have fallen off the pace a bit, and find themselves in the dreaded 20th position, but only four points away from 17th. Ruben Selles is now in charge at St. Mary's and will try and do what the prior two managers this season could not, claim points from matches. The Saints have only claimed 6 points since the New Year, and have a difficult finishing schedule, playing the top 6 clubs five more times and only facing other relegation battlers four times. The numbers do not look good, so the South Coast fans will need a miracle from Selles to find safety.
Mid-Week Matches
We have a couple very important Relegation matches today, as two of our relegation battlers hit the road looking to claim vital away points.
Arsenal v. Everton (1:45pm, USA Network, Emirates Stadium). Arsenal will host the Toffees, looking for some revenge for a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park in Sean Dyche's first match in charge. The Gunners are holding on to their top spot in the league, and will be looking to extend their lead to five points with a win over Everton. Everton have struggled away from home this season and at the Emirates in general. Everton head to Emirates Stadium, not only with a poor record at Arsenal they have won only once in 26 matches and lost 21 times but having struggled on the road this season. The Toffees have only tasted victory in one of their last 13 Premier League away matches, a 2-1 victory at Southampton in October, drawing five and losing seven.
Liverpool v. Wolverhampton Wanderers (2:00pm, Peacock, Anfield). Wolves travel up north to Liverpool to visit a struggling Liverpool club, still trying to find their way back into European positions at the top of the EPL, while Wolves are looking to solidify their spot outside the relegation zone. These two clubs met at the Molineaux in early February, and Wolves came away with an unforgettable 3-0 victory, so to say they would like a repeat performance would be an understatement. Liverpool have not allowed a goal in the EPL since that match, so things could be a bit tougher for the Wolves tonight.
Enjoy the Games!!!
