World Cup and European leagues

[Joe Wally]

If Nani, Hernandez, and Park are on top of their games, they could make it interesting against Barca.

[sac]

QPR decision put on hold....which makes no one happy

Mourinho receives 5 match European ban

ManU v Chelsea, Sunday still important.

[Joe Wally]

QPR decision put on hold....which makes no one happy

How on earth can the FA justify that?  There's only one regular match left in the season?

Are they an automatic?  Are they in the playoffs?  Why would you leave all of these issues hanging?  Is there more information that they expect to learn?

ABSURD!

[sac]

It's official, QPR is promoted as Champions

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13318784.stm


It'll be Swansea vs Nottingham Forrest and Cardiff vs Reading in the playoffs.



Blackpool nearly beat Tottenham, a win might have kept them up, the draw is probably more than most thought they'd get.

[Joe Wally]

Hope Blackpool stays up.  Like the way they play.

[Joe Wally]

Stoke 3 - Arsenal 1   

[Joe Wally]

ManU 2 - Chelsea 1, but it never seemed close.

As a Gunner fan this was the less horrendous of the two options.

[sac]

With yesterday's result:  Liverpool 5 Fulham 2
and today's result:  Man City 1 Tottenham 0 

Liverpool are now in a position to qualify for the EuroLeague, being 2 points ahead of Tottenham.   Back in October that seemed unrealistic.

.....and of course

Tottenham at Liverpool this Sunday.

[sac]

both Championship semi-finals end up 0-0 .......how exciting.

Fortunately someone has to win, hopefully not because of PK's.


Interesting weekend coming up, all the relegation fighters have pretty tough games with Wigan also playing West Ham in a relegation death match.  If West Ham win, things might get really interesting with the right set of results.

Blackpool need to beat Bolton and hope Blackburn, Birmingham or Wolves stumble.

[sac]

poor West Ham, 2-0 lead and let it slip from their grasp.....off to the Championship they go.

[Joe Wally]

Beginning with the horrible collision in the last minutes of the Carling Final, the Gunners have been on a slow, painful, infuriating, descent.  From where they were at the moment that Szczesny and Koscielny came together they will likely only fall to fourth on the table, but I suspect that is only because there are no more games to play.

Thanks for the memories, Arsene.  It is time to move on.

[sac]

It happened again........only this time its a little more funny and less tragic. (of course it was pretty funny when it happened to Real).    Quit dropping trophies guys.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13418295.stm

[Hoosier Titan]

It happened again........only this time its a little more funny and less tragic. (of course it was pretty funny when it happened to Real).    Quit dropping trophies guys.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/13418295.stm

And a goalkeeper, at that! 

Actually, this whole dropping trophies thing is something of a metaphor for the EPL season. Lowest points total for a winner since when? 98, 99?  At times it has seemed that no one wanted it.

Interesting that Ajax won their league.   That makes Liverpool's Luis Suarez a medal winner, the first in a long time for the Reds.

Fascinating debate on Liverpool sites:  is the Europa League desirable or not?  Given that it necessitates playing Thursday-Sunday and stretches some squads which are already thin, do we want it?  Harry Redknapp was suggesting in the press last week that perhaps he, for Spurs, did not.  The discussion goes on, as will the competition until next weekend.  Also, given that around New Year's Liverpool were flirting with relegation, everyone is happy even to be in competition for Europe.  Next year will bring that golden dawn, and the song of the lark!

[sac]

It's a trophy mishap epidemic........only not restricted to soccer players this time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s40NJr9fLA&feature=player_embedded


That was Pasi Nurminen the goaltender coach for Finland who won the Hockey World Championship this weekend.  By his attire, his 'escort' and the lunge into the trophy, I'm guessing there may have been an open bar on the plane ride home.

[Joe Wally]

Wow!  That looks like it might have required stitches!