The team who has almost no chance of survival have 21 points to play for, is West Brom. What’s the next step for a team whose fate stares them in the eyes.
There’s no battle like a top-four battle but there is a battle almost as important, if not more important than fighting it out for a Champions League spot. That battle is the fight for survival from being eliminated from the Premier League.
The only time this becomes an upstream swim is when you sit in the danger zone, with little possibility to no chance of coming above water before the season concludes. What will come of this side who’s fought so well to stay up in England’s top league for so many seasons on one?
Where are We?
Sitting in last place, ten points from safety, West Brom is headed for relegation for the first time since the 2008/2009 season.
The Baggies have been a mainstay in the Premier League for the majority of this decade.
They earned a 10th placed finish in 2012 with Roy Hodgson, an eighth placed finish with Steven Clark in 2013, and two straight 10th placed finishes with Tony Pulis last year and the year before.
West Brom was the ideal mediocre club. Not bad enough to get relegated, while not being good enough for Europe.
They played a very conservative British style of defensive football and they would pick up big wins against Top 6 teams, such as Arsenal on a special day.
What happened to this model of mediocrity?