Manish’s Verdict on the Baggies – Wolves (A)

A Sweet Double for the Baggies.

For young and old West Bromwich Albion fans, Sunday 11th February 2012 will be remembered for many years to come. Winning 5-1 against your fiercest rivals: it doesn’t get any better than that.

To do the double over Wolves is always sweet. But to give your rivals a hammering in their own backyard is even sweeter.

The Black Country derby certainly lived up to its billing from start to finish with many talking points. There have been a lot of comments about how poor Wolves were on the day and about the sacking of Mick McCarthy. But give credit where it is due.

From the back line to the front line, The Baggies were solid in every department and overall it was a superb team effort. It was by far the best all round performance from Albion this season and what a place to do it.

Praise and Dominance

Albion may have the joint worst-home record in the Premier League. However away from The Hawthorns, West Brom have been terrific recording six wins on the road.

I believe The Baggies have the third best away record in the division behind both Manchester clubs. That is pretty impressive although Albion are yet to go to Anfield, The Etihad Stadium and Old Trafford.

It makes me think if they can play so well away, why can’t they replicate that at home? And although Roy Hodgson does like to play 4-4-2, is 4-5-1 the formation that makes Albion tick? It will be interesting to see whether Hodgson sticks with the same team and formation against Sunderland.

Based on what we saw throughout the 90 minutes on Sunday, Albion without question deserved the win and to be quite frank it could have been more. Wayne Hennessey pulled off a number of fine saves in the first half to deny Albion going into half-time with a comfortable lead. The Welsh goalkeeper has probably been one of the positives of the season for Wolves so far.

West Brom could have taken the lead as early as the first minute with Hennessey making a fine save from Jerome Thomas’s close range effort.

Peter Odemwingie gave Albion the lead with a deflected shot and it was no more than The Baggies deserved. Roy Hodgson’s side were creating numerous chances and when Steven Fletcher equalised out of nowhere for Wolves, you might have been thinking those missed chances in the first-half could come back to haunt Albion.

Wolves had started the second-half brightly and Fletcher’s early deflected shot just missed the left post by inches.

However once Albion took the lead through Jonas Olsson, the result was never in doubt. Wolves failed to deal with a corner and the Swedish defender was able to strike the ball home on the half-volley although Hennessey could and should have done better.

Ben Foster did not really have anything to do in the game although he was forced to pull off a great save to deny Fletcher. The resulting corner saw Roger Johnson’s header headed onto the underside of his own bar by Youssouf Mulumbu. Had that gone in, it could so easily have been a different game.

From that point onwards it was all Albion and once The Baggies scored their third goal it was game set and match. Liam Ridgewell had a solid debut for Albion and he was able to head the ball across the box, Olsson back heeled the ball towards goal and Odemwingie was able to apply the killer touch for Albion’s third goal.

To rub salt into the wounds for the home side, former Wolves player Keith Andrews made it 4-1 with a deflected effort from 20 yards out. No doubt the Albion fans will love him after that.

Peter Odemwingie completed his hat-trick and finished from close-range to make it 5-1 in the latter stages of the game. It was Odemwingie’s first hat-trick in the Premier League and to do it against Wolves is something he will fondly remember.

The Odemwingie we saw against Wolves at Molineux is the Odemwingie we saw last season and hopefully his hat-trick will rejuvenate him and his season.

We all slated him for missing a sitter against Swansea but scoring a hat-trick in the next game was the perfect way to silence his critics. Peter was simply brilliant on Sunday. However he was not the only one who had a fine game.

Ben Foster was assured and did what he had to without any problems. Once again Gareth McAuley and Jonas Olsson were commanding at the back along with Steven Reid and Liam Ridgewell. McAuley has been one of the unsung heroes for Albion this season.

The Albion midfield were able to dominate the Wolves midfield. Jerome Thomas’s pace caused the Wolves defence problems and it was great to see him taking on players and running at defenders.

Youssouf Mulumbu, Paul Scharner and James Morrison more than played their part in Albion’s thumping win. But the one player who stood out for me was Marc Antoine-Fortune.

He might not have scored on the day, but his hold up play was superb and his link up play was decent as well. Fortune did exactly what a lone-striker should do and I have been very impressed with the way he has performed ever since he has come back into the first-team. Perhaps his loan spell at Doncaster did him the world of good.

And if Fortune continues to play as well as he has done, maybe Shane Long does have a fight on his hands to regain his first-team starting place.

Sunderland

With the away form absolutely fine, it is now time for West Brom to improve their form at home. The Baggies fans have not had much to cheer about at home and Albion have only achieved two league wins this season at The Hawthorns.

Next up at home for Albion are Sunderland. Martin O’Neill has already adapted to life at Sunderland very well and his side are not doing too badly either. The Black Cats are one of the form teams in the division and there is no denying Sunderland will be a tough game.

Stephane Sessegnon has come on leaps and bounds and for me he has been one of standout players of the season. Olsson and Co will need to be wary of Sessegnon for sure.

James McClean will also need to be stopped if Albion are to get anything from the game. The first time I saw McClean in action was against Peterborough in the FA Cup. I was thoroughly impressed with McClean’s all-round game and the Irishman can be a real threat going forward.

If the result against Wolves does not give Albion confidence going into the Sunderland game, I don’t know what will. It is vital now that West Brom build on their excellent win at Molineux and start delivering results for The Hawthorns faithful at home.

Time for Albion to start looking up the Premier League table rather than down the bottom. They are capable of finishing mid-table: the question is can they finish in the Top-10? The higher you finish up the table, the more money the club get. No pressure then.

Survival Sunday – The Fight To Stay In The Barclays Premier League

The battle to survive in the Barclays Premier League has just been as intriguing as the title chase and any two of five teams can still be relegated on the final day of the season.

For the fans of Wigan Athletic, Blackpool, Birmingham City, Wolves and Blackburn Rovers, it promises to be a nail-biting day for those fans. I am probably not the only one who cannot call which two teams will join West Ham in the nPower Championship next season.

A couple of weeks ago, we had people writing off Wigan and Wolves. Yet Wigan find themselves in the relegation zone only on goal difference and Wolves have won their last two games which has seen them move out of the bottom three.

Birmingham appeared to be safe with three/four weeks of the season to go. But this years Carling Cup winners are only above 18th placed Blackpool on goal difference with one game of the season left.

Before I go onto preview Survival Sunday, I want to put forward my views on what proved to be a disastrous season for West Ham United.

The 3-2 defeat at the DW sent the Hammers down despite being 2-0 up at half-time. Two goals from Demba Ba in the first 45 put West Ham in cruise control.

But West Ham were the architects of their own downfall and their sloppiness in the second half cost them dearly. For me the Hammers only have themselves to blame for the way their season panned out. Avram Grant also has to take full responsibility for West Ham’s relegation to the second tier of English football.

It seemed Grant was set to be sacked after West Ham lost at home to Arsenal and we also saw him throw his scarf into the crowd at the end of the game. But for some reason, the Israeli remained manager until the Hammers relegation to the Championship was confirmed after the away game at Wigan.

You look at what West Bromwich Albion did in February. Roberto di Matteo was relieved of his duties after the club was in freefall. This decision shocked many people including myself. Roy Hodgson then came in and look at where West Brom are now.

Had West Ham sacked Grant in January/February, I reckon West Ham could have survived. And to be honest I do not see why Grant was sacked just after the Wigan game when he should have been sacked earlier in the season.

There will no doubt be a player exodus at Upton Park and the likes of Scott Parker, Robert Green and Carlton Cole will probably leave the club. You look at West Ham’s squad and on paper they should not have been anywhere near the relegation zone.

But at the end of the day, the players did not perform well enough on the pitch and West Ham were not able to close out enough games when they were in winning positions. Without Parker, the Hammers will have been relegated three/four weeks ago.

Football is a results business and West Ham were simply not good enough this season and the table does not lie.

So who will join West Ham in the nPower Championship? I really don’t know. The four main fixtures in the weekend will be Wolves v Blackburn, Man. Utd v Blackpool, Spurs v Birmingham and Stoke v Wigan.

All the teams who are involved in the relegation scrap will need to focus on what they have to do on Sunday. But then again at the back of the players minds they will want to know what is happening in the other games that will have an affect on their team.

Wolves

Two wins on the spin and Wolves have dragged themselves outside the bottom three. Mick McCarthy’s side looked dead and buried before the home game against local rivals West Bromwich Albion.

But by beating Albion and Sunderland, Wolves have given themselves a golden opportunity to survive. What a time to secure back to back victories. Wolves’ destiny is in their own hands and if they were to beat Blackburn on Sunday then their survival will be confirmed.

Steven Fletcher has stepped up to the plate in recent weeks and his goals may well be crucial come the end of the season. There is no denying Wolves have had many highs and lows.

The Molineux outfit have been able to beat the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Man. City but have struggled against the teams in and around them. That has been the one frustrating thing for Wolves and their fans.

If Wolves remain in the Barclays Premier League come 5pm on Sunday, then it will be a case of job well done and mission accomplished. But Wolves will then need to kick on and make sure their third season is not another relegation struggle.

The media and the fans have questioned Mick McCarthy’s decisions throughout the season but if McCarthy does keep Wolves up, then the fans will be happy and they cannot complain.

Blackburn

Blackburn are not out of the relegation picture either. They got a decent point at home against Champions Manchester United but Rovers like Wolves are only a point above the bottom three.

I still maintain getting rid of Sam Allardyce was the wrong decision and the Indian owners would rue that come the end of the season if they were to get relegated.

Big Sam’s brand of football is not a favourite with many football fans but Allardyce has had a habit of keeping clubs up. Look at what he did with Bolton.

Steve Kean and his side have struggled this year and fail to beat Wolves on Sunday; it could be Rovers who fall through the Premier League trap door.

Roque Santa Cruz has not set the world alight since his return to Ewood Park and Blackburn’s big players have not stepped up to the plate on most occasions in 2011. The first half of the season went well and Rovers were comfortably in mid-table. But since then things have gone downhill.

Chris Samba was immense against West Ham at Upton Park and all 11 players on Sunday will need to be at their very best if they are to avoid relegation. A point against Wolves could be enough to keep Blackburn up but they do need to try and win the game on Sunday if they can.

Blackpool

Well where do you start with Blackpool. Ian Holloway’s side have been a breath of fresh air to the Premier League and they certainly have entertained us this season. Many neutrals would love to see the Seasiders survive and I am one of them.

Defensively Blackpool have been at sixes and sevens but going forward they are a real threat. The likes of Charlie Adam, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, David Vaughan and DJ Campbell have all played a part in giving the Tangerines a chance of stopping up.

Even if Blackpool go down, the fans and Holloway should be proud of what his side have achieved this year. But if Blackpool were to survive, this would be one of the biggest ever shocks in Premier League history. Day one of the season they were written off and yet with only one game to go, the Tangerines are only in the bottom three on goal difference.

But they have a very tough game on Sunday as they travel to Old Trafford to take on this years Premier League Champions. With United set to name a reserve team for Sunday, this could play in Blackpool’s favour. It will be a tough game for Blackpool make no mistake but don’t underestimate Holloway’s side. They could still yet pull off the impossible.

Birmingham City

The one team I fear for is Birmingham City. I fancied the Blues to get at least one win from their last two home games that would have guaranteed their survival.

About four/five weeks ago we thought Birmingham would have no problems in staying up and they would not be dragged into a relegation dogfight. But Blues are currently 17th in the league and are only above Blackpool and Wigan on goal difference. It could be the case that it comes down to goal difference in deciding who will be relegated and who will survive.

I suspect Blues’ Carling Cup run has had an impact on the Birmingham players but scoring goals has been a major problem for Alex McLeish’s side this season. They have not got someone who can at least bag them 15-20 goals a season.

Losing Scott Dann was a major blow for Birmingham and they have a difficult game against Spurs on Sunday. Spurs themselves still have something to play for and they will be looking to finish 5th ahead of Liverpool.

From a West Midlands perspective, I want to see Birmingham and Wolves survive but at the minute I do fear for Birmingham more than I do for Wolves. Birmingham were simply shocking against Fulham and the performance against Spurs needs to be ten times better. Fate is still in Birmingham’s hands but Blues need to put in battling performance on Sunday and make sure they do not get beat.

Wigan

And finally we come onto Wigan. How big a win was that on 15th May 2011 for Wigan against West Ham? 2-0 down at half-time and it seemed to be curtains for Wigan and their Premier League future.

But they battled hard in the second half and scored three priceless second half goals. You could argue West Ham gifted Wigan all three of their goals and were the architects of their own downfall.

Charles N’Zogbia once again was instrumental and what a time for Connor Sammon to score his first goal for the club. Wigan for sure will head to Stoke with plenty of belief and believe they have a real shot at staying up.

Stoke will be hoping to end their season on a high after the disappointment of the FA Cup Final and of course losing 3-0 to Manchester City in the league on Tuesday. Stoke have had a terrific season and I’m sure they will want to win their final game of the season for the fans.

Going to the Britannia Stadium at any point of the season is a daunting prospect but Wigan will believe they can get a result at Stoke after their spirited second half performance against West Ham.

Two/three weeks ago, Wigan appeared to be dead certs to go down along with Wolves. But both sides have given themselves hope and the Latics like Blackpool are in the bottom three only on goal difference.

It promises to be an intriguing day on Sunday and the fans of those teams involved in the battle to survive will be biting their nails. I cannot call who will go down but come 5pm on Sunday we will. It is going to be a roller coaster of a day.

Any Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

All five West Midlands sides have had contrasting fortunes throughout the 2010/2011 season and there is still plenty to play for.

The West Midlands has certainly proven to be a hotbed for football this season as there are currently four teams from the patch in the Barclays Premier League.

Here are my thoughts on the season so far and what the future holds for each of our sides.

Aston Villa

It has not been the best of seasons at Villa Park and fans of Aston Villa will be hoping this season was just a blip. They will also be praying their side end up as the top dogs of the West Midlands this season.

Question marks were raised when Gerard Houllier was appointed as Martin O’ Neill’s successor. Now there are definitely question marks as to whether Houllier will remain manager after the Frenchman was admitted to hospital with chest pains earlier this month.

Health and family are more important than football and if it means Houllier has to stand down due to health issues, then this would be the right call in my view. But who would replace him?

It will no doubt be an interesting summer for Villa both on and off the field. It does seem inevitable Ashley Young will be on his way out of Villa Park but I’m sure he will not be the only one leaving Villa in the summer.

The 2010/2011 season has been a disappointing one for everyone associated with Villa and the team have flirted dangerously with relegation. But results have improved recently despite losing at The Hawthorns against West Brom.

Darren Bent’s goals have been crucial and the likes of Young, Stewart Downing and Nigel Reo Coker have improved as the season has gone on.

Mark Albrighton has been a revelation for Villa this season and he has a bright future ahead of him. I find it hard to believe why he has not been starting games in recent times.

Villa do need to start building a squad around the likes of Bent and Albrighton. If they can bring in at least four/six quality players in the summer, then they may find themselves challenging for a Europa League spot.  

Plenty of work to be done in the summer but there is no doubt Villa have the potential to go onto bigger and better things.

Birmingham City

If you said to any Blues fan at the beginning of the season they would win the Carling Cup and they would be four points above the relegation zone with three games to play, they will have taken it.

Birmingham need at least one more win to guarantee their survival and if they can win either up at Newcastle or at home to Fulham, then Blues will stay up.

The last two seasons have been nothing but remarkable for Alex McLeish and Birmingham. Next season will be a test for Blues since they will be in the Europa League and the Premier League provided they stay in the top flight.

Buying players is a must for the St. Andrews outfit this summer. If they are able to attract quality players, then Birmingham might just have a 2011/2012 season to remember.

Getting a striker is a must. Even though his work rate is superb Cameron Jerome has not scored enough goals, Kevin Phillips is not getting any younger, Matt Derbyshire has not been given enough opportunities and Obafemi Martins has been injury plagued since joining the Blues on-loan from Rubin Kazan.

Ideally Birmingham should go for someone who has had experience of playing in the Premier League and has scored goals on regular basis. But who do you get? Realistically who can Blues go for? I’d be interested to hear from Blues fans.

Scott Dann has been sorely missed and he will be like a new signing once he gets back to full fitness. Four/six good signings in the summer and I can see Birmingham having a decent 2011/2012 season.

West Bromwich Albion

The aim at the start of the season was to survive in the top flight. Three games to go and West Brom find themselves 11^th in the Premier League with 43 points.Mission accomplished.

It has been nothing but a roller coaster of a season for Albion.West Brom have had many highs and lows during the 2010/2011 season but at the end of the day they will be playing Premier League football next season.

At one point,West Bromwere as high as fourth in the league and everything seemed to be rosy at The Hawthorns. But one turning point of the season came at Bloomfield Road as the Baggies lost 2-1. Two men sent off and a defeat. That was the start of Albion being in freefall.

After suffering 13 defeats in 18 games in all competitions since the away game at Blackpool, Roberto di Matteo was sent packing his Baggies. It was a shock decision and I was one of those who thought Jeremy Peace made the wrong decision.

Roberto’s dismissal was a real surprise despite the club being in freefall. However the chairman could not have appointed a better successor to di Matteo in Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson failed to deliver at Liverpool but I was very pleased with the appointment of Hodgson being Albion’s new Head Coach. But no doubt Roywill have been tearing his hair out after the 3-3 home draw against West Ham.

The former Fulham manager nonetheless has turned West Brom into a tough nut to crack and Albion have only lost one game in the last nine.

Defensively, the Baggies have improved considerably and the team effort/spirit is nothing but sensational. A top half finish would be a fine achievement and everyone associated with West Brom will be hoping this is the time Albion can finally establish themselves as a Premier League club.

Peter Odemwingie has to be a contender for bargain of the season. 14 goals in his first season in the Premier League. Not bad at all and he might score more goals before the end of the season.

Wolves

Where do you start with Wolves? They have been able to beat the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United and yet Wolves have struggled to beat the teams in and around them.

Mick McCarthy’s side have struggled with their defence throughout the season and January was a perfect time to strengthen their defence. But it wasn’t to be and their defensive frailties came about again when Michael Mancienne was at fault for Birmingham’s equaliser in the weekend.

Losing Kevin Doyle was a blow and the fans have questioned McCarthy’s team selections in recent weeks. What has happened to Adam Hammill and why is Mancienne in the starting XI.

Wolves could have done with having more Premier League experienced players in their squad. Most of the players in the current squad have plied their trade in the Championship.

McCarthy has done a decent job at Molineux but I just feel he missed a golden opportunity in January to strengthen the squad. This may well come back to haunt him and Wolves come the end of the season.

It is getting to a point now where the games against West Brom, Sunderland and Blackburn are must-win games. If Wolves fail to get a minimum five points then it could be curtains to their Premier League status.

There is still hope but Wolves must start winning games.

Walsall

And finally we come onto Walsall. They may not be in the Premier League but they themselves have had a roller coaster season. But it is not over yet.

With one game to go, either Dagenham and Redbridge,Walsall or Notts County will be relegated to League 2 on Saturday.Walsall have a tough trip as they face Southampton. The Saints will be playing Championship football next season after they were promoted on Monday. So perhaps this could play into Walsall’s hands on Saturday.

The Saddlers seemed destined for League 2 after the sacking of Chris Hutchings in January of this year. But Dean Smith has done terrifically well and Walsall are now above the relegation zone by one point.

Every Walsall fan will have snatched your hand off in January if you said to them, they would be one place and one point above the relegation zone with one game to go.

Walsall can still pull off the Great Escape but they will need to be at their best if they are to get a result at St. Mary’s on Saturday.

It Really Is Squeaky Bum Time!

Its fair to say the 2010/2011 Barclays Premier League season has been proven to be a great advert for English football. With the smaller teams upsetting the big boys of the Premier League, this season has no doubt been unpredictable.

Manchester United look well on their way to claim a record 19^th league title but at the other end of the table it is still all to play for. Normally at this stage of the season we would be able to name at least one/two teams who will for sure be relegated.

But its still so tight in the relegation scrap and we still don’t know who will fall through the Premier League trap door.

As much as the title chase may be intriguing, so is the battle to avoid relegation. Below is my prediction as to how the bottom half of the table will look at the end of the season and my thoughts on those who are involved in the relegation scrap.

Position		Games played	Points	Goal Difference
11	Stoke	38	47	-2
12	Sunderland	38	46	-11
13	Birmingham	38	45	-12
14	Fulham	38	42	-2
15	Newcastle	38	42	-5
16	Wolves	38	38	-24
17	Wigan	38	38	-25
18	Blackburn	38	36	-21
19	West Ham	38	36	-25
20	Blackpool	38	34	-30

West Ham United

Considering the players they have got in their squad, West Ham should not be where they are. With the likes of Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker, Carlton Cole, Mark Noble and Frederic Piquionne, The Hammers should at least be in mid-table.

Once Thomas Hitzslsperger came back into the first-team fold after his long lay-off, West Ham’s form all of a sudden picked up and they looked as if they were recovering from their poor start to the season.

But since losing 4-2 at home to Manchester United, West Ham have been in dreadful form and I do not fancy their chances of getting anything from Manchester City. However the remaining three games after the City game are do or die.

Blackburn at home,Wigan away and Sunderland at home are games where West Ham should be looking to pick up points. Seven points from the last three fixtures should be the target and it could be just about enough.

The game against Blackburn is a must-win for Avram Grant’s side and The Hammers will see this game as an opportunity to grab three crucial points. Blackburn themselves are in free-fall and I cannot see where Rovers’ next win will come from.

Can West Ham stay up? On current from no but if they do pick up at least seven points from the last three games then they can just about survive.

Wolves

What is it about Wolves this season? They have beaten Manchester United and Chelsea at home and yet they have been unable to beat teams in and around them.

Had Mick McCarthy’s men beaten sides around them, Wolves would not find themselves in the relegation zone.

It was a case of two more dropped points for Wolves as Fulham equalised late on to earn a 1-1 draw. There have been instances where the Molineux side have dropped points and they cannot afford to drop more points from now till the end of the season.

Losing Kevin Doyle was a massive blow and the remaining four games could not be any bigger for Wolves.

Two Midlands derbies coming up against Birmingham and West Brom and Wolves need to be picking up points from those games.

Also the game against Blackburn on the final day of the season could prove to be a decider to see which of the two sides will be relegated.

Wolves have got winnable games coming up but if they are to stand a chance of surviving then they need to win at least two out of the remaining four games after Tuesday’s game against Stoke City.

Wigan Athletic

Similar to Wolves,Wiganare a Jekyll and Hyde team. Sometimes they can brilliant and sometimes they can be shocking.

Wigan’s latest defeat came on Saturday as they lost 4-2 away at Sunderland. Sunderland are in my view safe after that win.

Despite taking the lead through Mohammed Diame’s sizzler, the Latics failed to hang on and that result saw Wigan move back into the relegation zone.

If Wiganwere to get relegated, there will be clubs who will want to prize Charles N’Zogbia and Hugo Rodallega away from the DW. Survival is key forWiganif they want to keep hold of their big players.

Looking at Wigan’s last four games, the stand-out fixture is on May 15 as they are home to fellow relegation strugglers West Ham. Providing results go their way and Wigan beat West Ham, the Latics could send The Hammers down.

But Wigan themselves need to pick up points and they have got some tough games left. Home against Everton is no home gimme and Everton themselves are in fine form.

Aston Villa’s recent form has been encouraging and you are always in for a tough game at Stoke.  

Blackpool

Ian Holloway’s Blackpool have no doubt been a breath of fresh air to this years Premier League and many neutrals would love to see the Seasiders stay up.

Similarly to Hull and Burnley, Blackpool had a fantastic first half to the season. But the second half has seen Blackpool in freefall and they are only above the bottom three on goal difference.

The home games against Stoke and Bolton are must-win in my opinion as I cannot see them getting anything at Spurs and runaway leaders Manchester United. Blackpoolwill not want to be going to Old Trafford on the final day of the season knowing they need to get a result.

But if Blackpool do beat Stoke and Bolton, then they definitely stand a chance of surviving. The Tangerines have relied heavily on Charlie Adam this year and without him Blackpool would be relegated by now. You can say the same about West Ham and Scott Parker.

No one gave the Bloomfield Road outfit a prayer at the beginning of the season but Blackpool are still in contention to do the unthinkable.

Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn have been struggling for form in 2011 and I wonder whether that coincides with sacking of Sam Allardyce. His style of football might not be great to watch but had Sam been left in charge, I reckon Rovers would not be where they are right now.

If Blackburn do get relegated, then I feel the Indian owners do need to look at themselves and they may regret getting rid of Allardyce.

With the quality of players at the club, Blackburn should not be in relegation trouble. Their form however in the second half of the season has been shocking and the players only have themselves to blame for that.

Blackburn’s remaining away fixtures could not be any bigger as they face West Ham and Wolves. Fail to get anything from those games and Blackburn could be saying bye bye to the Premiership. 

The game at Upton Park on May 7 will be make or break for Blackburn and West Ham. Whoever wins that game may be the team who avoids the drop. But at the minute I do fear for Blackburn as I cannot see where their next win will come from.

Birmingham City

2011 Carling Cup winners Birmingham City only need one more win in my view to guarantee themselves Premier League football next season.

The Blues got a crucial home win against Sunderland before they suffered losses against Chelsea and Liverpool. It was always going to be a tall order for Alex McLeish’s side to get results at Stamford Bridge and Anfield but crucially Birmingham still find themselves four points above the relegation zone.

Birmingham have the chance to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three on Sunday as they take on Wolves in a Midlands derby. If they beat Wolves, Birmingham will go past the forty point mark and surely that will seal there survival.

Blues do have two winnable home games against Wolves and Fulham and I can see Birmingham getting points out of both of them.

The likes of West Ham, Wolves and Wigan would like to be in Birmingham’s position knowing they only need a couple of points to confirm their Premier League status. 

If Birmingham can get their survival confirmed by the time they travel to Spurs on the final day of the season, then it will have been another successful season for the St. Andrews outfit. And to put the icing on the cake they will be playing Europa League football next season.

Stoke City

If there is one team promoted sides can learn from in trying to establish yourself as a Premier League club then it is Stoke City.

Tony Pulis has done a terrific job at the Britannia and like Birmingham, Stoke only need one more win to guarantee their survival.

There are fans who still feel Stoke are a long ball team. With the height and threat of Kenwyne Jones you will see Stoke pumping long balls to the frontman.

But with Matthew Etherington, Jermaine Pennant and Jon Walters on board, Stoke do have flair players in their squad. They are playing some good football and they simply tore Bolton apart in the FA Cup Semi-Finals.

I firmly believe Stoke will not be dragged into the relegation battle even though they are 14^th in the league. They have winnable fixtures coming up and they should end up safe in mid-table.

Elsewhere

Had Bobby Zamora not suffered a long lay off as well as Moussa Dembele, Fulham would probably be in the top half of the table.

Mark Hughes has done a decent job at Fulham and I can see them staying up without any problems. Win against Bolton on Wednesday and Fulham will get past the forty point mark.

And if Hughes is backed in the summer, Fulham could be in for a decent 2011/2012 season and they may well be chasing a Europa League spot.

West Bromwich Albion have vastly improved under Roy Hodgson and have only suffered one defeat in their last eight games.

I was one of those who thought Roberto di Matteo should not have been relieved of his duties. But to be fair to Jeremy Peace he could not have chosen a better successor to di Matteo and since Hodgson has been in charge,West Brom have become more difficult to beat.

The Baggies are six points clear of the relegation zone and two/three more points will see Albion safe.

One team who are now safe are Aston Villa. About a month ago, Villa were down in the dumps and in relegation trouble but results have picked up in recent times.

Ashley Young seems to be re-discovering his best form, Stewart Downing appears to be a rejuvenated player and Darren Bent is scoring the goals.

Villa have had barren spells this season but despite this they can still finish in the top half of the table.

I wish Gerard Houllier a speedy recovery and hopefully he will be back in management asap. If the Frenchman is given the money in the summer and he spends it well, then Aston Villa could be in contention for a Europa League spot next season.

Sunderland are also safe after a much needed win against Wigan. The Black Cats were in total freefall prior to the game against the Latics and selling Darren Bent was a turning point in Sunderland’s season.

But beating Wigan was just what Steve Bruce and his side needed. Injuries have played a part in Sunderland’s recent rotten form and injuries to strikers have not helped either.

It promises to be an intriguing end to the Premier League relegation battle and it could go down to the final game of the season to decide who will be relegated.