Premier League Relegation/Championship Promotion Thread

[future admin]

It's that end of the season where fans are worried/excited about what the season 2013/14 holds for their teams. We already have Cardiff City in the Premier League next season, but with one more automatic promotion vacancy, and 4 teams playing for the play-off promotion cup, things are definitely heating up in the championship.

Automatic Promotion

With two games to play, as stated, we already have Cradiff City promoted, but a long with that, Hull City are 4 points clear in the remaining automatic promotion place, 3 points is all that is needed for automatic promotion to be sealed. Which brings that last place, that place that four teams all fight for,

The Play-Offs

Four teams play for it, positions 3-6 qualify, teams on the outside are still looking in. Leicister City and Nottingham Forest are still in the running, but a big 2 games would be needed for both teams.

The teams currently in contention for the play offs are

3.Watford
4.Brighton
5.Crystal Palace
6.Bolton

Bolton, who we all know were in the Premier League last season, had a slow start to the season but they've had quite a lot of momentum heading into the latter stages. Crystal Palace were pushing for the automatic promotion places, but dropped out recently. Brighton tend to be the team that is always in the play offs or up there but can never quite make that final leap of faith, so it will be interesting to see if they make it this time. Finally, Watford, managed by Gianfranco Zola, their is Premier League managing experience in that side, although, it can also be said for Crystal Palace's Ian Holloway. It will be interesting to see who is promoted, but on form my pick is Bolton Wanderers, possibly going into the play offs with only one loss in their last 15.

Premier League Relegation

3 teams go down, 2 are all but relegated (QPR and Reading), Wigan look to stage their trademark fight for survival, with a game in hand and better goal difference than Aston Villa, who sit one spot above. Newcastle, Stoke City and Sunderland are all sitting on 37 points, 6 above the relegation zone. Out of the three teams, Sunderland are in the best form at the moment, coming off of back to back wins. I think Aston Villa may be destined for relegation a long with QPR and Reading because of the lack of experience in their team, not many players would know what it feels like to be relegated.

Next Season Predictions

With my predictions of QPR, Reading, and Aston Villa going down, and Cardiff City, Hull City and Bolton going up, the team pool for next season is shaping up to look like this.

Arsenal
Bolton Wanderers
Cardiff City
Chelsea
Everton
Fulham
Hull City
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Norwich City
Southampton
Stoke City
Sunderland
Swansea City
Tottenham Hotspur
West Bromwich Albion
West Ham United
Wigan Athletic

 

[MCMG]

The Watford/Leicester was very good - surprisingly so. I thought Watford played terrific and I would love if Zola was in the premiership next season. I can definitely see them getting to the final. As for Palace/Brighton it will be another tight game but Palace will go through with Watford winning the final and be a great asset in the premiership.

Wigan are in a worrying position in the league but defeating Villa on the last day is not impossible. With Newcastle playing Arsenal and Norwich away to Man City is vital they win their game this weekend. QPR/Newcastle is just who is the least shit. Norwich/West Brom will be a draw, maybe a West Brom win. I cannot see Norwich winning. Therefore, Wigan, granting the beat Villa, will stay up.

Watford up and Norwich down.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I did the BBC League predictor a few weeks ago and I had Norwich to go down. Personally I'd like to see The Barcodes drop down. Pardew is a smug cunt and I always like to see Newcastle fans weeping about Mike Ashley or whatever is worrying them on that particular week.

Though now I think Wigan are down. They lost at home to Swansea who haven't exactly been ripping it up for the past coupe of months.

Stoke are down next year, I can feel it. At least I'll get more matches for my season ticket.

 

[Барбоса]

I also had Norwich going down on the predictor but with Wigan losing to Swansea, and looking all at sea in the process, I think they are now the favourites to go down.

Having said that, I would not put it passed Wigan to beat Villa on the last day and Norwich could easily fall at home to West Brom. That would essentially see it come down to how many goals Norwich concede to Man City and how many Wigan concede to Arsenal (assuming that they both lose).

As Wigan are currently on -23 GD and Norwich are -22, we could see a real shootout on the last day. And that is even before we look at Newcastle, who also have -22 GD after their two maulings at St James' recently.

Or as usually happens when a decent final day is in the offing, Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland will all grab a point in their next game and Wigan then lose to Arsenal, meaning that it is all done and dusted.

 

[Blade]

As an Arsenal fan, I'm confident in our ability to qualify for the Champion's League. Which, in turn, means beating Wigan and condemning them to the Championship. Their final match of the season with Villa screams draw to me. 0-0 or 1-1.

Wigan have been running on borrowed time for several seasons now. The final quarter of each of their last few seasons have been great to watch, and more power to them, but they haven't found that late run of form this time. So, I think their time is up this season. Admittedly, Wigan seem to want to stay up more than Newcastle, who just seem to have self-destructed this season. But I still think Wigan will be unlucky and go down.

It's going to be a strange season for Wigan after the summer, likely being relegated and possibly losing Martinez to Everton. But I they should bounce back. They're a team that have grown to belong in the top tier.

But hey, maybe they'll beat the odds and avoid relegation. It could certainly happen. That's why we love the Premier League.

 

[Dan Severn's Moustache]

It's a shame QPR flopped so hard, they looked really good in the Championship 2 seasons ago, struggled last season and now they're going down. They weren't Derby bad, but 4 wins is very poor in my opinion.

Reading weren't a bad team about 5 years ago, but now they're pretty poor. In my opinion, I think they should stay in the Championship, I can see them hovering around the mid-zone.

It's almost certain that Wigan are going down too, which is a shame, as Martinez is a good manager, helping them avoid relegation 3 seasons in a row and he didn't do a bad job at Swansea either. It's just that Wigan really aren't an outstanding team, especially this year, out of all years.

As for the promotions, Cardiff's promotion is certainly interesting. I can see them hanging in the league for about 2 seasons at least, unless they screw things up like they always do. Swansea vs Cardiff games are always fun to watch too.

I think Hull are beginning to get their touch back. Their previous Premier League run was very lukewarm, but their performance in the Championship was very strong. I don't have an idea where Hull will finish next season, but I think they'll survive one season.

As for the play-offs, things seem to point at either Watford or Bolton, both sloppy teams. If you forced me to choose, I'd say Watford, but I can't see them surviving a season in the Premier League.