Sports Then and Now

West Ham is trying not to be the team relegated from the English Premier League this year.

The task of many of this year’s Premier League soccer clubs will be simple. Finish 17th and avoid a fast track to the Championship.

Newly promoted sides Southampton, Reading and West Ham have all invested hefty mounts in a bid to avoid an instant return to the country’s second tier of soccer.

I can’t remember too many seasons in Premier League history where the outcome of business at the bottom of the table has been so difficult for a punter to call, with so many managerial changes in key jobs at the bottom end of the table, the prospect is scary.

I mean lets face it how exciting would it be if we could go into a last day of the season with potentially four clubs able to win the title and at the bottom a potential seven could still go down. Can you tell I don’t follow a Premier League team yet? Sometimes, it might be better to spend time looking for the best online casinos, but soccer gets me going!

I am going to try and stick my neck on the line – and no doubt upset a few people in the process – and try and tip the bottom three in this years campaign, if my weekly betting tips are anything to go by I wouldn’t be too worried if you read this as a fan of my un-fancied clubs.

First of all I am going for Norwich City, the Canaries surpassed everyone’s expectations last year in securing a top half finish under the newly appointed Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert.

Norwich by any admission played some excellent soccer during last season and in the end were a comfortable mid-table side, but I just feel the change in manager has come at just the wrong time.

Chris Hughton has a magnificent record at Championship level and in respect was sacked a little prematurely by Newcastle during their first season back in the top flight, he is a likeable character however I can’t help but feel he is in for a long season in East Anglia.

The ex Leeds contingent of Jonny Howson, Bradley Johnson and new signing Robert Snodgrass will no doubt provide a mix of steel and flair but whether it will be a trio strong enough for the top level remains to be seen.

Next I am going to plump for one of the new boys in Southampton. After their first day performance against champions Manchester City in which the Saints went down to the odd goal in five, few would have expected a 2-0 reverse at home to notorious struggler’s Wigan.

Nigel Adkins is, like Hughton, a genuinely nice guy and I can’t help but want him to prove me wrong in keeping the Saints up, I just cannot see it happening with his current squad.

Jay Rodriguez was signed for £7 Million from Burnley in a signing that in truth left me wondering what on earth the football world coming to. Rodriguez has scored a fair few goals at Burnley dont get me wrong but £7 Million? Behave!

My third and final pick for the dreaded drop is going to be a toss up between either one of the other new boys in Reading or West Ham United.

Reading have gone about their business in a way I feel every club should these days attack their first season in the promised land, and that is signing players who are performing well in the Championship along with the odd proven top league player. That way if the club suffers and is inevitably relegated they are primed and ready for an instant return.

West Ham have gone the other way about their business and blown huge sums of cash left, right and centre in an effort to achieve instant success. Matt Jarvis has cost them in the region of £10 Million, seems an awful lot for a player relegated from the league last season.

Much will depend on who performs the best away from home out of these two teams as I am convinced they will both be tough to beat at home.

Reading were unfortunate in going down 4-2 to Chelsea, whilst West Ham were brushed aside 3-0 by an entertaining Swansea City side.

So there you have it, my predictions for the dreaded drop, but eh what do I know, one thing is for sure an exciting finale awaits the soccer world again come May.