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Relegation battle: The three teams that deserve to be relegated

By Christopher Godfrey

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - MARCH 18: David Moyes, Manager of Sunderland looks on prior to the Premier League match between Sunderland and Burnley at Stadium of Light on March 18, 2017 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - MARCH 18: David Moyes, Manager of Sunderland looks on prior to the Premier League match between Sunderland and Burnley at Stadium of Light on March 18, 2017 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images) /
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MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Aitor Karanka, Manager of Middlesbrough (L) England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Aitor Karanka, Manager of Middlesbrough (L) England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

Number Two: Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough have sacked their manager Aitor Karanka who in all fairness was doing a god job for Boro defensively.

They are currently second to last in the league and will have a relegation battle with the likes of Sunderland, Hull, Swansea and Crystal Palace.

However, they don’t score goals. They have the least amount of goals in the league. They have scored a whopping 20 goals this season. Yep 20 goals. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has scored more goals than the entire Boro team.

But, as said, Boro have managed to only concede 33 goals which is actually pretty good. They have in fact conceded less goals than Arsenal (34), Liverpool (36), West Brom (38), and 11 other teams in the league. That is an outstanding defensive record for a team that’s likely going to be relegated.

In fact, I feel in some ways they don’t deserve to be relegated because of this. But, there’s a reason for this. Boro simply do not know how to attack. They don’t score goals and their main tactic seems to be getting the ball to Downing to cross it in to Negredo with the hopes of him heading the ball in.

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Another reason they deserve to be relegated is the fact that some players had a falling out with Karanka including Stewart Downing which ultimately led to the sacking of their manager.

It’s a rather shady and greasy practice that’s been emerging in the last few seasons whereby players have decided the fate of the manager rather than the board. This goes back to when Chelsea players downed tools to get Villas Boas sacked and then last season they got their hero Mourinho sacked.

Players have figured out in recent years that they don’t have to play for their manager. If they don’t like them then they have the power to get their manager sacked.  This is a sad reality of modern day football whereby loyalty is governed by the amount of numbers on the paycheck and popularity rules over tactical astuteness.

Which then leads on to the number one team.. which you can probably guess.

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