by Greg Seltzer for Soccer365

This week, our jog through the league news in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain shines a light on the clubs going through dark times.

Flipping the customary method on its ear, we'll rank these by the likelihood the local misery will continue.

#5 - Golden Goals

Sure, Inter Milan could climb as high as seventh with a win in their Serie A game in hand and they've won their Champions League group with a game to spare, but one would need cataracts not to notice that the Nerazzurri are showing sign of creak.

It is rather odd to see Inter in 15th place near the 1/3 pole of the Scudetto race, but perhaps no more so than them having seven field regulars 31 or over (and that doesn't count 30-year old star Maicon or 32-year-old bench striker Diego Forlan).

It seems to be having the obvious effect. Inter have given up 13 second half goals this season, including five in the final quarter hour of matches. Meanwhile, the Black-and-Blue have just four goals in the final 15 minutes thus far, with two of them last minute consolations in losses.

One more unnerving stat? Inter have suddenly dropped three of the last five at home. Prior to that, it had taken 81 home games for them to accrue three defeats.

#4 - Aux-ygen Mask

If you are an Auxerre supporter, you may be experiencing a steep drop in cabin pressure. The team has dropped three straight Ligue 1 matches and six of seven.

With the points not flowing like Burgundy wine, Auxerre find themselves in a foreign place. In the 31 seasons since first reaching the top flight, the club has reached Europe 18 times and finished lower than 10th just twice.

Despite being tied for seventh in goals scored, Auxerre are down to 16th place, a mere point above the relegation zone. In the last seven, they've leaked 15 goals, with their opponents ringing up a three-spot in four of those games.

Of those 15, an amazing 10 have come after the hour mark. Exacerbating this issue is the fact that Auxerre have managed to score just six first half goals in 16 games. They've been chasing games that run away from them.

If it doesn't get any better, Auxerre fans, here's a tip: Chew gum to prevent your ears from popping.

#3 - "My, how dull your teeth are... "

League champs just three season back, Wolfsburg have definitely lost their bite. They flirted with the drop last season and are tempting another scrape this time around.

Down in 13th, the Wolves have won just once in six - but that's only part of the story. These poor results have been both confounding and wholly aggravating at the Volkswagen.

This past weekend, they gave up a pair of late goals to strugglers Mainz 05 in settling for a 2-2 draw. The week before they lost to lowly Augsburg. A few weeks prior, a 5-1 thrashing behind Borussia Dortmund's woodshed and a late home defeat to risers Hertha Berlin.

Other than new striker Mario Mandzukic, the squad is having a rough time, especially at the back. Wolfsburg have allowed 16 second half goals in 15 matches, including eight during the final half hour of their last five games.

#2 - The Ol' Mill

You've kinda got to hand it to FC Utrecht. Perpetually lost in the shadow of Amsterdam ArenA (a mere 15-minute drive away), the club have done well to finish top 10 in the Eredivisie for the last dozen seasons.

The club has managed to do so, in part, by growing some young players worthy of purchase to bigger clubs with a sell-on clause, such as Dirk Kuyt and Erik Pieters.

Well, what's good for the bean counters is often not good for the team, as FC Utrecht can attest to this season. Having been stripped of Dries Mertens, Kevin Strootman, Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Michel Vorm (not to mention free agent escapee Michael Silberbauer) this past summer, the local boys have looked like spare parts.

Aside from an astounding carnival-like 6-4 grudge win over Ajax, FC Utrecht have not won a league game since the 1st of October. Setting that win to the side, the other six games since that day have seen them outscored 18-6. Continuing the overall theme of the week, 10 of these conceded goals came after the 60-minute mark.

#1 - Getafe Pull

The much younger, third brother in the Madrid family of soccer is experiencing some growing pains, to be sure. They've managed to now stay eight straight seasons in La Liga, but the drain seems to be calling their name.

It can't be easy to live in the shadow of Atletico and Real, but Getafe puffed their chest up to a sixth place finish in 2009. They flirted with relegation last season, and are doing so again - this time, with feeling.

Their problem is rather obvious (and has nothing to do with the hour mark). At home, Getafe are unbeaten in five and rather respectable, despite currently standing near the bottom of the league in both offense and defense.

Away from Coliseum Alfonso Perez, however, they fall to pieces like a crumble cookie. Getafe have yet to win on the road this season, grabbing just one point from seven trips while allowing 16 goals against.

In fact, they have not won away since before last Christmas, with 13 losses in 17 league games during that span. Their last shot at such an early gift from Santa comes at Mallorca on the 17th. The catch: Getafe have never won a La Liga game there.