Looking at the table, Sunderland now onto 38 points from 30 are almost safe.
That means there are 3 teams to go down from 9.
Arsenal will not close the gap on Man U, and even the Champions League/Europa league places are starting to look cut and dried.
This means that the axis forces of Sky Sports, TalkSport, National newspapers, and other various enemies from the media will be focussing all their attentions on 'The Battle for Survival'.
Look at the 9 teams still presently embroiled and work out which ones can shift most papers and bring in listeners on a national scale. Ask yourself, how the various hacks and semi illiterate pundits all based in London will be approaching this ?
Wigan- A small lancashire mill town of Rugby league supporters.
Wolves- A club who pays occasional visits to the top league.
West Ham- Sort of ranked around 5th most important club in their town. Located where the poor people live.
Blackpool- We dont even need to visit there. Just phone up 'rent a quote' and print what he says.
Birmingham- Hardly big news them going down, anyway bigger news with whats going on just a couple of mile away.
Blackburn- A far away place about which we know very little.
Fulham- Sort of make up the numbers of clubs in town. Nice people but if they go down, nobody going to get particularly passionate or upset
WBA- Remember Yo-Yos ? If they dont go this time, they will go next time, then they will come back, then they will go again.
Aston Villa- Regular crowds of 35,000-40,000. Former European champions who have never been outside the Premier League and until recently spent a number years just behind the 'The Big Four'.
Well bring it on. It's us against the world, and they can stir up all the crap they like. They can try and goad us, they can try and provoke us. Talk about all the player unrest you like, real or imagined. Talk all you like about disillusioned supporters who are giving up hope , approx 1,000 real, 35,000 imagined. But all we care about is getting behind our team because your not going to get your story, we are not going down, we are going to stay right where we usually are. Continuing to dine at the top table.
We are the Villa and we are the best.
We are the Villa, so f**k all the rest.