ACCORDING to mathematicians at Castrol Football, league cup winners Birmingham City, Blackpool and Wigan Athletic will all fall through the Premier League trapdoor this season.
The latest predicted table from Castrol Rankings, which is based on statistics only and not opinion and covers a rolling 12 month period, says that on current form the trio will be relegated, that Manchester United will win the league and that Manchester City will squeeze into the Champions League placings at Tottenham’s expense.
However take the rankings with a pinch of salt – last year the site ranked Marcus Hahnemann as the greatest goalkeeper in the world.
relegation
Keane gets frosty treatment
RELEGATION battlers West Ham are hoping their hot new property can be chilled back to fitness.
Robbie Keane has been a glimmer of hope since moving to West Ham, netting on his debut before picking up a knock last week.
Now, in a bid to get the January signing back to health, The Hammers are using an ice chamber to try and speed up his recovery from injury.
The icy treatment should help blood flow to heal his calf injury ahead of the Premier League run-in.
Stoke boss Pulis wants to open the trapdoor for officials
THE referee’s a relegation contender, the referee’s a relegation contender…
A string of criticisms for match officials by Tony Pulis has culminated with this weekend’s handball by Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole not spotted by the referee that denied the Potters a goal.
And as a result, the Stoke manager is calling for a league table for referees as well as clubs.
He said: “Every club should have one vote annually and mark referees after every game.
“Then they have a chance of being relegated to the Championship. It would be a great system.
“If the top three in the Championship got the opportunity to work at the top level, I think it would certainly clear a few referees’ minds.”
Great plan, Pulis, I for one look forward to cheering on my favourite match officials when saturday comes – go on Andre Marriner, go on my son, blow that whistle etc.
Premiership predictions – Wigan, West Brom and Blackpool to be relegated
THE general consensus among pundits is that this year will see a majority of Midlands teams falling through the trapdoor.
West Brom, Wolves, Birmingham and Stoke have all been bandied around as strugglers, with Blackpool the only other hot favourite for relegation.
But while the aforementioned are unlikely to climb above mid-table, I would like to beg to differ.
As far as I can see it only yo-yo club West Bromwich Albion don’t have the skills to pay the bills this term from the Midlands sides.
Blackpool, for all the romance of their unlikely ascent to the top flight, will also struggle against an increasingly-tough Premiership line-up, with a lack of proven Premiership performers likely to show a gulf in class.
And joining them? I feel the patchy Wigan Athletic will miss out this season and rejoin the Championship – as far as I can see their only hope is that new signing, South American striker Mauro Boselli, turns out to be the next Carlos Tevez rather than a right Walter Pandiani.
Tomorrow I’ll stick my neck out on the top four…
Goaltastic 