The fight for survival

With almost two thirds of the Premiership season beyond us now the fight for survival is well and truly under way, and in typical premiership fashion it couldn't be any tighter.
No side in the bottom half of the table look safe, as we reach the point in the season where nails begin to be bitten, lucky charms are dusted off and wives and girlfriends run for the hills on matchdays.
Let's take a look at the 10 teams in question, starting with the current bottom three.

Portsmouth

Even the most hardened Pompey fan would find it hard to muster any belief they can survive this season. Currently sitting 6 points from safety the South Coast side have had the kind of season every football fan has nightmares about, with relegation currently the least of thier worries.
Financial difficulties have crippled the club, forcing them to sell off their only assets, with Glen Johnson, Sylvain Distin and Peter Crouch all departing at the start of the season, Younes Kaboul and Asmir Begovic followed soon after to help pave the way for Pompey to pay the remainder of the squads wages before the close of January's transfer window.
Even ongoin talks to secure the club's fifth owners this season alone, would surely be too little too late if they come to fruition, and would merely serve the sole purpouse of simply keeping Pompey from closing up shop completely.

Prediction - 20th.

Wolves

Although already enjoying more success than his previous attempts at Premiership management, Mick McCarthy will no doubt be feeling the pressure as his Wolves side currently sit second from bottom.
With only 2 points from their last six Premiership games, and Tottenham, Chelsea and champions Manchester United all to come within their next four fixtures, Wanderers could find themselves firmly planted in the bottom 3 if the sides around them start to pick up points.
If they are to have any chance of survival they need to start scoring goals. Hitting the net only 20 times, they find themselves with the lowest amount of goals scored in the league this season.
Despite impressive performances from Kevin Doyle in a lone role up front, Wolves just seem to lack that all important cutting edge in the final third, and could well be their undoing as they struggle to pick up enough points to pull themselves away from safety.

Prediction - 19th

West Ham

In typical East End fashion, West Ham have had yet another soap opera like season.
Currently sitting in 18th The Hammers have once again been plagued by off field troubles throughout the campaign.
The arrival of David's Gold and Sullivan in January brought some form of stability back to Upton Park, but with performances still below par it's hard to tell what twists the writers of the Premiership script have in store for West Ham fans.
That being said, the arrival of strikers Benni McCarthy, Brazilian Ilan, and Premiership mercenary Mido, to complement the ever improving Carlton Cole up front could well trigger a revival, with Zola's men looking at key home fixtures against fellow strugglers Bolton, Hull, Wolves and Wigan between now and the end of the season.
Goal difference could be vital aswell.
The Hammers currently hold a significant advantage over the teams around them with a GD of -9, and if they can keep key players like Carlton Cole, Scott Parker and Matthew Upson fit they should survive.
Just.

Prediction - 16th.