What the Hull!? Relegation Looms Large!

By Brian Lofrumento | 24th February 2009

What the Hull!? Relegation Looms Large! | read this item

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5914428 Let me preface this article by saying that as an English Premier League fan I’ve been extremely ecstatic about Hull’s form this season. As newcomers to the world’s greatest league, not much was expected out of Phil Brown’s inexpensive squad. In fact, many members of the media – myself included – had written them off as a definite relegation side. Since then, though, the Tigers have gone from strength to strength. Until now.

In their last six matches Hull have picked up a mere two points. Two points out of eighteen! This is in stark contrast to their form in the beginning of the season where they stood atop the table at one point. Seemingly stuck on 29 points, Hull’s survival in the Premiership has come under huge threat. Still eleven points away from that magic 40 point mark, Phil Brown is now beginning to feel the Premier League pressure.

Looking at the table, one can’t help but wonder whether they’ll have enough to stay above the bottom three. If you look ahead of Hull in the table, it’s hard to say that they’ll pass their competition. Sunderland have only been improving lately, and their seventh placed position in the form table proves it. Manchester City, West Ham, and Fulham are all also playing well lately, so Hull will want to ensure the gap doesn’t widen there.

In addition to that, below Hull sits Tottenham, Newcastle, Portsmouth, and the still-dangerous Blackburn Rovers. While these four sides have all been vastly underperforming of late, I firmly believe that they’ll all begin to pick up the pace. Having been there before, these clubs and managers know exactly what the run-in is like, and that experience could prove vital from now until May.

Tottenham will surely overcome Hull. Harry Redknapp is taking a bit of time to settle his side down after January, but the Spurs should be firing on all cylinders following the Carling Cup final. Newcastle, depending on injuries, should also have enough to overpower Hull for Premiership safety. Portsmouth’s starting eleven is largely unrivalled in the bottom half of the Prem, but players like Sylvain Distin, Sol Campbell, Niko Kranjcar, and Peter Crouch should have far too much for a depleted Hull side. Blackburn, while they’ve been miserable all season, do have the raw talent in place to propel out of the bottom three.

If you look at these teams, the most obvious question is “if all of these teams overtake Hull, then where does Hull go?” As simple as it sounds, there’s only one way for Hull to go: down. It pains me to say it, but Hull have been riding a slippery slope down the table since the turn of the new year. With no end to their bad form in sight, I must admit for the second time this season, that I can see Hull going down. I don’t think it’ll happen, but you never know in the Barclays Premier League.

Is Hull simply too good to go down? Have your say in the comments section below, or head on over to the Premiership Talk Forum!

Taylor Fisher says:

February 24, 2009 at 1:12 am

It’s disappointing, but definitely a possibility at this point. I think they may continue the slide all the way back into the Championship next season. It’s too bad because they were so much fun to watch during the first half of the season.

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