11th May 2005: At the turn of
the year, many would have looked at you with incredulity had you suggested
that Albion would still be in with a shout of staying up on the last
day of the season, but thanks to a remarkable turnaround engineered
by Bryan Robson, that is indeed the case.
At 4.45pm on Saturday, it didn't look very likely, but thanks to Danny
Higginbotham's injury time equaliser at Selhurst Park, it does go
down to the last day. Moreover, a hard-earned, if somewhat fortuitous,
point at Old Trafford means that the Baggies do not have to rely on
any of their relegation rivals losing - we just have to hope that
all three do no better than a draw.
The bookies have taken the safe ground as always and made the highest-placed
club, Norwich, favourites to stay up, but there are arguments to support
every possible scenario, such is the nature of the final day fixture
list.
So let's take each game in turn, starting with Albion. The Baggies
have what is probably the easiest fixture on paper facing Portsmouth
at the Hawthorns. Pompey are the lowest placed club without relegation
worries and have not won away from Fratton Park in 2005. With arch
rivals Southampton in danger of the drop, their fans are unlikely
to be too upset should Albion take the three points, but one has to
assume that the players will be more professional - many will still
be friendly with Harry Redknapp despite his defection along the coast
and may be motivated to help him out, but others will already be mentally
"on the beach" with little to play for in the last game. They could
move up one place, but only if they win and Fulham don't. Most pundits
suggest that Albion's motivation will be enough to win the day, but
it's never quite as easy as that.
Norwich are in the driving seat. They have their destiny in their
own hands knowing that a win at Craven Cottage will secure Premiership
football at Carrow Road for another season. However, Norwich are the
only Premiership side not to have won away this season, and Fulham
have Premiership places to play for. It may not sound much, but with
£500,000 prize money per place and three clubs within reach, there
should be some motivation to finish the season on a high. Moreover,
Chris Coleman has friends at Crystal Palace and he will be hoping
to give them a boost by beating the Canaries. The danger from a Baggies
viewpoint is that Fulham are notoriously inconsistent - they pulled
off a fantastic 3-1 win at Blackburn on Saturday and beat Everton
at the Cottage the previous week, but lost at home to an out-of-form
Newcastle side in between. Norwich will obviously be up for it and
have won four home games on the trot, but there is the hope that their
away form in picking up just one point from a possible twenty-one
will continue.
Southampton face a home game against Manchester United. With the best
goal difference of the four clubs, they know that if they win by at
least as many as Palace and Norwich fail to win, they will be safe.
Also, they will survive should Norwich lose and Palace and West Brom
do no more than draw. Third bottom playing third top should be a formality,
but as Albion proved at Old Trafford on Saturday, it is not always
the case. Having seemingly recovered their form with a 4-0 win at
Charlton, United have taken just one point from their last two home
games. With an FA Cup final six days after their visit to St Mary's
and nothing else to play for, there is a fear that Sir Alex will rest
key players, but the converse argument is that United will want to
go into that final with some semblance of confidence and a good win
at Southampton could be just the ticket. Van Nistelrooy is short of
games and all their strikers have been misfiring and, with Arsenal
having smashed seven past Everton on Wednesday evening, they'll want
to show that they can score goals. The other major factor is the absence
of Peter Crouch. He has been one of the main reasons behind Saints'
recovery and a petulant act on Saturday means that he is suspended
for this crucial game - that alone will leave Saints fans wondering
where the goals will come from.
In my opinion, the team with the best chance of sending Albion down
are Palace. A trip to Charlton at the end of the season does not strike
fear into many hearts these days and the Addicks are without a win
in eight games, having picked up just two points in that time, a run
kicked off by Albion's 4-1 win at the Valley. But as Curbishley has
pointed out, there are players that should be playing for their contracts
and their display at Stamford Bridge on last weekend did much to suggest
that they are putting the effort in. Furthermore, let's not forget
that this is a South London derby and the fans, at least, should be
well motivated. Palace will need to pick themselves up after losing
two precious points in injury time last week, but Dowie has been able
to do that time and time again. But the Eagles have managed just one
win away from Selhurst Park this season, at St Andrew's in October,
and should Albion win, they'll need three points to have a chance
of survival.
There are arguments on all sides in this most remarkable of last day
relegation battles, and there can be only one true winner. Robson
has asked that Albion fans concentrate on the game at the Hawthorns
so that any anxieties will not be transferred to the players, but
I suspect that it is a forlorn hope. Whatever happens elsewhere, Albion
have to win, if only to try and not finish bottom, but whatever the
outcome, we have to say a big "Well Done" to Robbo for getting us
this close.
One more step would be nothing short of miraculous.
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