EPL: Are rock-bottom Blackburn doomed to perish?

About 15 years ago, in 1994/95, Blackburn Rovers were celebrating their third league title. To this day, they remain the only team besides Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea to win the Premier League title. A few years later a disappointing season sent them to the second division but then once they got back, they’ve been a permanent fixture in the big league. But things change fast in English football, and they change the most during Christmas. Manchester City are rejoicing their top position in Christmas because if you go by the record books, most teams who are leading the title race come the end of the year, usually end up winning the title. But when you look down the table, Blackburn Rovers are bearing the brunt of the rest of the teams. Sitting down there, looking up at the rest of the sides from a position which is best described as rock-bottom, they are worried that Christmas will not be a good time to party this season. [caption id=“attachment_163301” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Steve Kean is under tremendous pressure. Reuters”]  [/caption] When Sam Allardyce took over the club, things were as bright as the golden star which sits atop Christmas trees… a nine-game unbeaten run gave them a solid foundation and Big Sam as Allardyce is fondly called, quickly became the fans’ favourite. Next season was even better as they went unbeaten against the so-called ‘Big Four’ in the EPL – drawing 0–0 with Liverpool and Manchester United, 1–1 with Chelsea and a 2–1 victory over Arsenal. In his first full season in charge, Rovers finished 10th with a final day victory away from home. Then came and ownership change. Venky’s, the poultry-farm giants from India bought the club, saw them sitting in 13th place and sacked Allardyce. That could be the beginning of a long journey down a tunnel from which even the best clubs find it hard to come back. Best example would be Leeds United, who went down and never stood up. The statistics of Christmas time make Blackburn’s position look even more ominous, not that it can actually do that, because Rovers are in a place as worse as could get. But when you see the relegation battles that have ensued over the years in the top flight of England’s football, then one would be mad to raise their eyebrows when they go down come May 2012. In the history of the Premier League, only once have the bottom team at Christmas managed to avoid relegation. Only West Bromwich Albion beat the drop after what is remembered in history as ‘The Great Escape’ when they stayed in the EPL at the cost of Norwich City, who went down. The total points that West Brom had gathered- 34, is the lowest ever for a club who survived the cruel final day of English football. Considering that, even if Blackburn win each of the nine home games that remain, their points tally would be 37 and they would need to be fourth from bottom to survive. Since 2004/05, every team to survive has garnered at least 34 points at the end of the season. To round it up, Blackburn need to win every home game they have and at least one match away from home out of their 10 visits remaining. When you see the relegation records, which is a roller coaster in itself, sometimes teams have needed between 38-40 points (Wolves needed 40 last season) to survive. With the increasing competition between teams, not even a powerhouse like Manchester United can pin-point a fixture and guarantee a victory. Gone are those days. The only way Rovers can survive is to make the most of every match and grind out the draws and wins. They have just two victories at Ewood Park, the rest of the seven being losses. On the road, they have four draws and four losses. The record is dismal and it looks all the more glaring because it is Blackburn Rovers, a mid-table club which would play attractive football and trouble teams. But with their current condition, all they can do is treat every gameweek as if it is their last in the Premier League.