Long Shots: A Season with the Struggling Clubs of Europe’s Big-Five Leagues

I’m spending the 2020/2021 season following the five teams that were favourites to be relegated on the opening day of the season in England, Spain, Germany, France and Italy, and writing about their journey.

The below are the distant observer’s week-by-week take on a footballing year that was meant to go wrong for FC Metz (1/6 on to be relegated), Fulham (evens), Spezia Calcio (1/4 on), Elche (8/15 on). Will any of the supposedly doomed underdogs survive?

An introduction

Week 1: Unlucky FC Metz lose to Monaco.

Week 2: Adding Fulham, Spezia Calcio and Elche to the plan

Week 3: First win, first points

Week 4: win, win, win!

Week 5: Metz hit form

Week 6: Battling Points

Week 7: Top half Challengers

Week 8: a Fulham win, finally!

Week 9: a mixed bag before the break.

Week 10: A dull-ish week

Week 11: Breaking a losing streak

Weeks 12-14: Elche Christmas round up

Week 12-14: Fulham Christmas round up

Weeks 12-14: Arminia Bielefeld Christmas round up

Weeks 12-14: FC Metz Christmas round up

Weeks 12-14: Spezia Christmas round up

Week 15: Fulham love to draw

Week 16: 100 goals scored

Week 17: Patterns emerge

Week 18: Metz stand out again

Week 19: points, yes, but prizes?

Week 20: Big wins at the bottom

Week 21: Three pictures of the dregs…