The relegation battle

[TFF]

Now the transfer window has closed who, of the bottom four, is most likely to get themselves out of trouble by May?

It looks from Watford's buys that they're getting ready for a season of Championship football.

Pardew has got new faces in and perhaps crucially hung on to Darren Bent. Charlton look like the form team.

West Ham have spent silly money and will soon see the return of Dean Ashton.

Wigan played some nice football against us on Tuesday. Do they have it in them?

Personally I'm hoping Pards can keep Charlton up. It'd be sweet to see him relegate West Ham after they treated him so shabbily and of course good fun to face him next season.

[Dirk Gently]

My favourite's Charlton - or maybe West Ham but that depends on when Ashton gets back - but there's no way I can see Wigan surviving.

They're on too much of a slide to reverse it now, with no significant purchases this January.

[Ginger Ninjas]

I think Wigan's slide is looking alarmingly worrying for them, and there's an interesting article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/6310107.stm about losing streaks and how Wigan can recover. As always, it's probably going to come down to whcih of the strikers performs the best for their respective clubs (as none of the teams have a defence worthy of the name - but perhaps Upson may change this). Injuries to Bent, Ashton and Camara have obviously caused major difficulties, and whoever returns the strongest might just propel their team to safety.

From a personal and Reading perspective, I'd like to see West Ham go down. I think we would be able to finish above the other three next season again, whereas West Ham are spending massively at the moment, and will do so again in july if they stay up. Plus, it would be funny to see them relgated again, even though they won the world cup in 66.

[TBM]

I hope either Charlton or West Ham do personally....Wigan deserve to be relegated simply cos of their stay-away fans. Watford i dont think have it in them to stay up, they dont seem ready yet IMHO

[Silver Fox]

Of those I'd probably prefer Watford to stay up but we all know that aint happening. I think Pards will keep Charlton up though, I can't see the me me me culture at West Ham being changed by the arrival of a bunch of players being paid much much more than they're worth. As for Wigan, well they may have given us a game on Tuesday but that was more down to us playing badly I thought, against anyone who wants to keep possession they will struggle and as Sunderland found out a couple of years ago and as Peter Cetera once sang losing is a very hard habit to break.

[Hoop Blah]

I also think Charlton look the most likely to beat the drop (without looking into the remaining fixtures that is) and in Pardew they have a manager who is well suited to get the best out of lesser players and reverse the trend.

I agree West Ham going down would be the best result for Reading and fingers crossed they do. I'm sure there would be a lot of egg on faces and finger pointing going on, not to mention a few potential bargins over the summer.

[Wax Jacket]

I also think Charlton look the most likely to beat the drop (without looking into the remaining fixtures that is) and in Pardew they have a manager who is well suited to get the best out of lesser players and reverse the trend.

I agree West Ham going down would be the best result for Reading and fingers crossed they do. I'm sure there would be a lot of egg on faces and finger pointing going on, not to mention a few potential bargins over the summer.

agree with this. although charlton have made a stuff-up of their managerial situation this year it must've been quite hard for their board having not had to appoint a new manager for 15 years. West Ham though seem to have gone about things in a properly odd manner - bet Pards would love ot get one over them.

[blade 1]

watford west ham and wigan idealy

watford because i think they are down already

wigan because its a hole and they have pathetic support

and west ham because of mr magnusen (i hate him so much, they way he starts shrugging shaking his head and crying every time someone has the tenacity to stick it too his bunch of over paid murcenaries) Plus it would be so funny to see pardew keep charlton up at thier expence after the didn't back him at all.

Although i dont think united or fulham are out of it yet

[Jackson Corner]

watford west ham and wigan idealy

watford because i think they are down already

wigan because its a hole and they have pathetic support

and west ham because of mr magnusen (i hate him so much, they way he starts shrugging shaking his head and crying every time someone has the tenacity to stick it too his bunch of over paid murcenaries) Plus it would be so funny to see pardew keep charlton up at thier expence after the didn't back him at all.

Although i dont think united or fulham are out of it yet

Couldn't have put it better Blade. Sadly I think West Ham we be able to buy there way out. I think you lot should just have enough to stay up. So it's goodbye Watford, Charlton and Wigan.

[floyd__streete]

I hope either Charlton or West Ham do personally....Wigan deserve to be relegated simply cos of their stay-away fans.

Nonsense. Your league status is determined on performances on the playing field alone, anything else is just snobbery. Otherwise calculate the average attendances from last season, compile a league table thus and save me several hundred quid a season.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

I'd prefer Wigan to go down solely for the fact that its bloody miles away whereas Charlton & West Ham are extremely easy to get to (with a cheeky stop off at a pub in London on the way home).

[Victor Meldrew]

I'd prefer Wigan to go down solely for the fact that its bloody miles away whereas Charlton & West Ham are extremely easy to get to (with a cheeky stop off at a pub in London on the way home).

Agree with that.
Also Birmingham,WBA and Saints are the ones I prefer to be promoted.
I expect Wigan to survive-despite recent results they seem to have the togetherness which helps in a relegation battle .

[Uke]

watford west ham and wigan idealy

watford because i think they are down already

wigan because its a hole and they have pathetic support

and west ham because of mr magnusen (i hate him so much, they way he starts shrugging shaking his head and crying every time someone has the tenacity to stick it too his bunch of over paid murcenaries) Plus it would be so funny to see pardew keep charlton up at thier expence after the didn't back him at all.

Although i dont think united or fulham are out of it yet

and wouldn't it be great if all three relegated teams started with the same letter!

What are the chances of that happening again???

[weybridgewanderer]

this year is looking like it may be "W"elegation

[Chaney]

think west ham will survive solely because they got Mat Upson in now, he can steady the ship, but it will be close between them and Charlton

[Hoop Blah]

think west ham will survive solely because they got Mat Upson in now, he can steady the ship, but it will be close between them and Charlton

How steady was Birminghams ship with him in it last season?

I am worried that they're expensive additions will hit it off and they'll sneak out of it though.

[papereyes]

think west ham will survive solely because they got Mat Upson in now, he can steady the ship, but it will be close between them and Charlton

How steady was Birminghams ship with him in it last season?

I am worried that they're expensive additions will hit it off and they'll sneak out of it though.

Wasn't Upson a bit injured last season?

[Stranded]

West Ham are doomed - they have Nigel "Mr Relegation" Quashie after all.

They have to stay up though otherwise financially they could be in big problems. They've signed a few players on inflated wages and in some cases for inflated prices most of whom probably have clauses in their contract letting them go for a fraction of the price if relegated.

[weybridgewanderer]

West ham have failed relegation dogfight experience in both Quasie and Upson now!!

[Coppelled Streets]

Sadly, I think West Ham will stay up, but I hope not!