Managers across the league are under severe pressure. (Picture: AP/PA/Getty)
Take a quick look up and down the Premier League table and you’ll do well to find many people who are having fun.
More managers than ever are at risk of getting the sack, some for the second time this season, and every club is dealing with their own set of existential challenges.
For example, since winning the FA Cup and qualifying for Europe for the first time, the mood around Crystal Palace has soured – they lost a legal battle and were demoted from the Europa League, sold their best player in Eberechi Eze, Oliver Glasner is likely to leave at the end of the season and captain Marc Guehi could be out the door sooner.
Welcome back to In The Mixer
You’re reading an extract from Metro’s weekly football newsletter, which is filled with punchy analysis, transfer talk and a lot more. Sign up here for your football fix.
Bournemouth have won once since October, Nottingham Forest have had three managers, West Ham are sleepwalking to relegation, Brighton have hit a glass ceiling, Everton are wildly inconsistent, Liverpool have lost their identity, Manchester City have an injury crisis that threatens to derail their title challenge and as for Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham? We don’t have time to get into it.
Of course, there are exceptions to the rule. Sunderland and Leeds look set to buck the trend of newly-promoted clubs going straight back down. Aston Villa have dragged themselves into a title conversation, if not a race with Arsenal, while Brentford and Newcastle have sparked their seasons into life with a few wins in recent weeks.
It says a lot that the current mood at Wolves is among the more positive – that’s bottom-placed Wolves. One win all season Wolves.
The bleakness of their situation has eased the pressure and Rob Edwards has them playing well and, maybe more importantly, enjoying themselves again.
So… why are people not having fun?
Well, a lot of the football isn’t exactly inspiring – it’s slow, methodical and systematic. Players aren’t given much freedom to express themselves and spend more and more of their limited training time on deadball situations.
FBL-ENG-PR-BRENTFORD-LIVERPOOL
Brentford’s Irish head coach Keith Andrews has defied expectations this season and has improved the mood of fans who were unsure about his appointment last summer. (Picture: Getty)
With just seven points between Bournemouth in 15th and Brentford in 5th (and a potential Champions League spot) fans of so many teams can see success on the horizon, if only their team could put together a winning run.
But as most teams can beat most other teams on any given day, putting together that kind of run is more difficult than ever.
Are you enjoying this Premier League season?
Yes, it's been entertaining
It's been ok, no better or worse than usual
I'm not enjoying watching the football
Sign up to In The Mixer, your guide to the week in football. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk – sign up, it’s an open goal.
If there are winners here it’s the neutrals.
This week’s round of games gave us loads of goals and brought a controversial winning penalty at West Ham, late, great winners at Bournemouth and Newcastle, a feisty derby between Fulham and Chelsea, more Manchester United drama and a Michael Keane red card for pulling an opponent’s hair.
So, they may not be enjoying themselves, but they’re still compelling.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.
MORE: Ian Wright questions Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal signing after Liverpool draw
MORE: Barcelona legend ‘open’ to replacing Ruben Amorim but top manager rejects Manchester United
MORE: Mikel Arteta makes Viktor Gyokeres claim after Arsenal’s draw with Liverpool
Football Newsletter – In The Mixer
Punchy analysis, transfer talk and more from Metro's football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.