West Bromwich Albion have been the representatives of the gulf between the Premier League and the second tier in recent seasons. Albion were relegated from the top flight in 2003, 2007 and 2009. In the interceding years, and including last season they were promoted back to the upper tier in 2005, 2008 and 2010. The record clearly sends the message that the club are too good for the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League.

The teams relegated from the Prem last season were Hull City, Burnley and Portsmouth. Hull spent only two seasons in the EPL and Burnley just one. What are the hopes for the new boys this term? It appears that the established top flight teams are able to become more and more established through their bigger incomes, and increasing reputations. Portsmouth themselves are an excellent example of the reputation factor. They have never been one of the big clubs in the Prem, but once they established themselves in the early part of the last decade, they were able to attract a better quality of player. Burnley and Hull were never able to do this. Whilst West Ham were down there with those two at the end of last season, the Hammers have been back in the EPL for five years now and can still attract relatively big players.

Despite the title of my article, I do have a good feeling for West Brom this year. Manager Roberto Di Matteo, has brought in some experience at the back in Pablo Ibanez, and is fighting off the attentions on his star player Graham Dorrans. He is currently being rumoured to be close to capturing former Baggie, Jason Roberts from Blackburn. Having someone who can potentially give you twenty goals a season up top is a must for any team to survive. Blackpool will fight and fight this year, but they won’t survive. They aren’t equipped to make it in the top flight, and the fact that I can say that with such confidence shows how hard it has become to stay up. What is interesting this season is that we may see a side who have been a round a while come down, as Newcastle too may hold their own on their return. Along with Blackpool, I expect to see Wolves get relegated in their second season, leaving any one from eighteen to bid farewell to the big time.

This season will be a defining season as to how viable promotion from the second tier has become, If West Brom and Newcastle can make their presence felt to stay another year, then the format is still thriving. But if two of the three that went up, come down, and are joined by Wolves or Birmingham, questions need to be asked about the inequality of the current regime. Nobody has a divine right to stay in the Premier League, but they may effectively be being given one, with the access to finances that the Championship clubs do not have.

photo credit: joncandy

Wednesday’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg between Manchester City and Manchester United at Eastlands has been postponed because of snow.

The pitch was playable, but Greater Manchester police advised that conditions were too treacherous for supporters travelling to the game.

The first leg will now take place on Tuesday, 19 January. The second leg, which was originally scheduled for that date, will now take place on Wednesday, 27 January.

United’s home Premier League game against Hull and City’s trip to Stoke, due to be played on Tuesday, 26 January and Wednesday, 27 January respectively have been postponed as a result of the semi-final dates moving.

Normally, the Cup tie would have been rearranged for next Wednesday, but City are due to play Blackburn in a televised Premier League game on Monday.

The other semi-final first leg between Blackburn and Aston Villa, at Ewood Park on Tuesday, has also been postponed.

Ok, so Chelsea scored 5 goals today in a shutout of Blackburn, and Tottenham lost to Stoke City.  Plus, Aston Villa drew with Wolverhampton.  I don’t get it…

This is the kind of league that should be easy to peg.  Honestly.  How hard is it for Chelsea to pick a direction?  If they beat Blackburn 5-0 how come they can’t beat Aston Villa or Liverpool (other teams that aren’t as good as them)?  What if you look at Tottenham?  They come out of nowhere to stand at 3rd on the Premier League table and they lost to a so-so Stoke City team?  Aston Villa puts themselves in very good position (tied with Man City for 5th on the table) but they draw with a, ugh, bad Wolverhampton squad.

This proves two things:  1)  The level of talent is pretty doggone equal in the Premier League.  2)  Some of these “elite” teams are mentally inconsistent.  Highly mentally inconsistent.

I propose a method mental gameplay that the better teams in the League should use in order to make sure they have the psychological advantage in heir matches against inferior teams.  Write them letters…

If the better teams are inconsistent mentally imagine what the bad teams are like.  So, every manager of a contending club should assign a “pen pal” of sorts for each player on his team.  The art of writing letters is lost anyways, so it won’t hurt to revive it.  The letters should read like this:

To the player on Team X,

Greetings and salutations!  I wanted to take some time to write to you and remind you of something that your manager and teammates have tried to make you forget…we’re better than you.  I don’t mean that we’re better than you as in, we have more talent.  No, I mean, we’re going to destroy you when we play each other.  The destruction may be to much for someone of your weak constitution to handle.  You don’t want a piece of us…in fact, if you knew what was best for you you wouldn’t come near me with the ball and you CERTAINLY wouldn’t come near me when I have the ball.  Am I understood?  You don’t want me…you want your mommy!

Kindest Regards,

Player Y

This could be a great team building exercise.  The teams could write their letters in a circle to make sure everyone’s on the same “we’ll destroy you” page.  It’s just a thought, but this might help the teams who are playing better buck up and get their killer instinct tuned up.

Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz claims he has told the Ewood Park strugglers that he wants to leave the club at the end of the season.The 27-year-old, currently recuperating after undergoing a surgical procedure on his troublesome right knee last week, told Paraguayan radio he has informed Rovers he wants to move on in the summer.

“I have already told them (Blackburn) and they know that before the transfer window closes I would like to continue my career at a bigger, more ambitious team,” he told Radio Nanduti. Even though I haven’t heard anything, I haven’t changed my mind. I think it will be very difficult for me to play again this season because of the recovery. Our last league match is on May 24 and I also need a couple of days for my knee to physically recover.”

The former Bayern Munich frontman could, therefore, have played his last match for Blackburn, as he does not intend to take to the field again before he is 100% fit.

Santa Cruz last week underwent an arthroscopy in Germany, which showed “a minor degree of wear and tear”. He had the joint washed out but did not require any active surgical procedure.

“I had to clean the zone of the cruciate ligament operation I had three or four years ago because there was some liquid there,” he said. ”When I had the tendonitis in the left knee, it made the other leg overwork. That’s why it got worse and I needed the surgery. Now, it is up to the knee. The recovery time is between four and six weeks and I will not hurry. The most important thing is to play without any problems. I will wait for my knee to be perfect, no matter how long it takes.”

Sounds like Santa Cruz is refusing to play again for Blackburn. Rovers have really missed his presence in front of goal as they have been pulled into the relegation battle.

Blackburn Rovers moved out of the Premier League bottom three after they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Clint Dempsey put the hosts ahead in the first minute but second-half goals from El-Hadji Diouf and Jason Roberts gave Rovers a vital win and continued Fulham’s late-season slump that has seen them lose three consecutive home games since their creditable draw at Arsenal.

There was a big hint of controversy about Blackburn”s 68th-minute equaliser as Diouf was around three yards offside when Tugay headed the ball high into the box. It was then played to Diouf by the onside Christopher Samba and, while Fulham’s defenders had got back to play Diouf onside from Samba’s pass, the flag still should have been raised as it was the same, uninterrupted phase of play and the Ivorian gained an advantage by his positioning, which allowed him to roll the ball in at the far post.

In truth, though, Blackburn deserved the win.

Fulham barely made Rovers keeper Paul Robinson work other than to pick the ball out of the net in the opening minute, and to get down low to save from super-sub Erik Nevland with the last kick of the game. Rovers, on the other hand, worked hard both in attack and defence and after Fulham shaded the first half, Sam Allardyce’s men were powerful in their dominance of the second 45 minutes.

Fulham took a very early lead when Samba’s defensive header was nodded back towards the Rovers box by Danny Murphy. Samba failed to clear and Dempsey flicked the ball past Ryan Nelsen and bundled it under Robinson.

Roy Hodgson opted to use the American as a striker alongside Andrew Johnson and it worked for the most part, with his movement and touch good throughout. His strike partner, however, was less impressive and missed good chances in the second half after excellent deliveries from Paul Konchesky on the left, failing to get a shot away on both occasions.

While Robinson barely broke sweat, Fulham shot-stopper Mark Schwarzer made some spectacular saves to keep his side in contention. Two were from Stephen Warnock, who excelled in a midfield role that combined both defence and attack. The former Liverpool utility man had already hit the woodwork, with a brilliant 16th-minute curler that beat Schwarzer and came off the inside of the post but stayed the wrong side of the goal-line for Rovers.

Just before the hour mark Warnock took a high ball on the chest and unleashed a spectacular volley that was matched by the Australian’s acrobatics.

Diouf’s highly-contentious leveller knocked the stuffing out of Fulham, who seemed to crumble under Rovers’ incessant pressure and determination to jump out of the drop zone. The former Middlesbrough keeper repeated his earlier heroics just after Blackburn’s equaliser, with a 70th-minute stop from another Warnock volley after what would ordinarily been a good defensive header from Brede Hangeland.

Rovers were camped in Fulham’s half and got a deserved and legitimate winner with five minutes remaining when Morten-Gamst Pedersen lofted a hopeful ball into the Fulham area. Roberts controlled the ball and used his famous upper-body strength to ditch Kallio to the floor and lash the ball in off the angle of post and bar. Kallio had been brought on as a substitute for Aaron Hughes, who one could only assume had picked up a knock – it is doubtful that Hughes would have been turned so easily.

Fulham tried in vain to get a leveller, with Nevland’s low drive after Johnson flicked on a throw-in probably the hosts’ best chance of the game.

The win moves Blackburn up to 15th with Portsmouth now in the drop zone, while Fulham stay 10th.

Fulham will be aiming to take a massive stride towards safety as they host Blackburn Rovers in a re-arranged Barclays Premier League match. The fixture, orginally postponed in January because of a frozen pitch, could have a major impact on the campaign for both teams.

The Cottagers currently hold a seven-point advantage over Rovers who are currently third from bottom. Victory would almost certainly put Roy Hodgson’s men out of reach of their northern rivals who in turn will be aiming to cut the gap to just four points.

A draw from their match in hand would be enough to lift Rovers out of the relegation zone at the expense of Portsmouth.

Fulham are determined to bounce back from two successive home defeats. They were beaten 4-0 by Manchester United in the FA Cup on Saturday and previously went down 1-0 to a last-minute goal from Hull City.

That was Fulham’s first reverse in 10 league matches at Craven Cottage. Blackburn’s most recent away fixture was also against Hull City, their 2-1 win was their first maximum return in 10 fixtures on the road.

Fulham have won and scored in only one of their last six Barclays Premier League outings and have failed to find the net in six of the last 10. But they remain strong at Craven Cottage and only Manchester United and Liverpool have taken more points at home.

Blackburn, up against their former manager, have won one of their last six league encounters and have drawn five out of 10 under Sam Allardyce.

Big Sam is the new Blackburn Rovers manager. Allardyce, who was in the running for the vacant Sunderland opening, signed a 3-year contract and will be at the helm for Saturday’s home game against Stoke.

Allardyce who has been looking for a job since Newcastle left him go almost a year ago, is well versed in fighting a relegation battle after his years at Bolton.

Blackburn sit second bottom of the Premier League and have some winnable games coming up over the Christmas period against Stoke, Sunderland and Manchester City.

Nickname(s): Rovers, Blue & Whites

2008/2009 Position: 19th

2007/2008 Finish: 7th

Coach: Paul Ince (England)

Stadium: Ewood Park (31,367 capacity)

Key Players: Paul Robinson, Matt Derbyshire, Brett Emerton

History:

Blackburn Rovers were established in 1875 and were founding members of the Football League and the Premier League. However, they have had trouble staying in those divisions. After being relegated in 1966, Blackburn did not return to the top division until 1992. A 1999 player sell-off also resulted in relegation, but Blackburn has now been back in the EPL since 2001.

Jack Walker bought the team in 1991 and immediately spent his millions on trying to win a title. The money fueled a historic turnaround for Blackburn, who quickly won the league title in 1994/1995 after Kenny Dalglish brought in (or shall I say “bought in”) Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton. The team faltered though the very next season, and by 1999 was relegated.

After the elder Walker’s death in 2001, Rovers made an emotional run to return to the top division and have not been back down since. While their attendance numbers have been low, they play in a city with a population of only 100,000, and it is estimated that nearly one in every five people who live nearby attend games. If that happened in NYC, they would need a stadium of around 2.5 million capacity.

Legends: Alan Shearer, Brad Friedel, Tim Sherwood

American Sports Doppelganger: The Green Bay Packers

2008/2009 Prediction: 16th