Predictions - who's going down.

sixpoints · Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Location: Lulie Street

Crystal ball time. Seen enough yet to tell who will suffer the dreaded drop into the oblivion of the Championship??
Here goes - QPR for sure. Not even Harry can save them (they should have gone last year). Reading just lack the class, so sorry you're gone too. The last one is tricky. I reckon between Villa, Newcastle, Wigan & Norwich.
Wigan will do another Houdini and survive, Sunderland have too strong a squad & a smart manager, Villa's kids will eventually lift ( I rate Paul Lambert too) so my final 3 are...
QPR, Reading & Newcastle.

Jezza · 2023 PREMIERS! Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End

I tend to agree with you in regards to QPR and Reading.

If Reading produces more performances like it did against West Brom, it's possible that they could survive.

Even with Harry Redknapp as manager, QPR will struggle, but they aren't short of money and they're looking to splash more cash in the January transfer window to avoid relegation.

Newcastle is a big surprise nomination. I think they have enough quality to stay up. Aston Villa is the team that I don't have a lot of confidence in at the moment. Lambert's a decent manager, but he doesn't have the players to produce the results he wants.

The Prototype · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:28 am

Newcastle's recent signings I would reckon will keep us up, we've got players coming back from injury.

I'm going to go QPR, Reading and Aston Villa.

Villa haven't made many if any signings and probably won't, QPR can be a quality team, but they're not working together. They're a bunch of egos collecting a money.

I think Wigan are a good chance as well, seem to have been hanging on for years trying not to go down, will probably be in the fight come the end of the season.

Jezza · 2023 PREMIERS! Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End

After the sacking of Nigel Adkins last Friday, I'm not as confident about Southampton staying up now, but they have been better than the teams you've nominated Dave.

London Dave · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:02 am

2 outta the current bottom 3 (QPR, Wigan, Reading) will stay up...Villa, West Ham and Newcastle appear to be their replacements, though any team in the bottom half isn't out of the woods yet.

The Prototype · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:32 pm

I'd put money on Villa going down, Newcastle are a chance, but I reckon with players coming back from injury would help Newcastle.I mean they haven't exactly been playing badly, just a few minutes of horrible play has cost us dearly.

I am just surprised Villa wouldn't try and grab some loanees or transfers to help out.

sixpoints · Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Location: Lulie Street

So Reading & QPR are gone. My other original tip for the drop was Newcastle, but somehow they will manage to survive, even though losing at home 6-0 is worthy of relegation.
Wigan stuffed up badly v Spurs blowing 2 points with a last minute own goal. It may come down to the very last round...Wigan v Villa.

In the Championship, barring a mathematical miracle, Wolves will suffer double relegation. They just spent �18 million on a massive new stand hoping for an immediate return to the EPL. They have no relegation clauses on their player payment contracts. They just never thought relegation was possible again!
They won't be able to afford current player wages when in the third tier. Expected revenue from season tickets & the media will plummet. They will have to sell players to cut costs. No wonder their fans staged a pitch invasion & tore up the coaches box after their latest home loss. What a disaster.

Jezza · 2023 PREMIERS! Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End

Reading and QPR have now both been relegated after playing each other last night and getting a 0-0 between each other. You wouldn't have seen a more sadder place than the Madejski Stadium last night.

I think the 3rd relegation team will be out of Wigan or Aston Villa. Personally I think Wigan's going to go down. After so much luck in the past few seasons to avoid relegation, I think they're gone this time.

Jezza · 2023 PREMIERS! Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End

Newcastle's slipped to 17th now, after Aston Villa's massive 6-1 win against Sunderland last night. Newcastle lost 6-0 at home on Saturday against Liverpool and that's dramatically affected their goal difference as well.

Newcastle, Aston Villa and Sunderland are now all on 37 points each, and are 5 points clear of 18th placed Wigan, however Wigan has an extra game to play and therefore if they win this extra game, the gap will be back to 2 points.

The Ladder:
15. Sunderland 37 = Played 35, Goal difference of -12
16. Aston Villa 37 = Played 35, Goal difference of -22
17. Newcastle 37 = Played 35, Goal difference of -23
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18. Wigan 32 = Played 34, Goal difference of -23