World Cup and European leagues

[Greek Tragedy]

Well, it's all level going into the last two games of the season.

Man. Utd. looked to have secured a draw until the PK in the 86th minutes give the hosts all three points.

It's going to be a tough two weeks.  Chelsea plays home to Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday and has a tricky away trip to St. James' Park (Newcastle is in 12th) the following Monday.  The Red Devils host West Ham (10th) 48 hours earlier on Saturday.  The Hammers surprised them earlier in the season, 2-1.  If Manchester United don't qualify for the Champions League Final on Tuesday, I think they won't win the league either.  They'll come out tight against West Ham on Saturday and earn a draw. 

In the last weekend, Chelsea should be guaranteed 3 pts. as they host Bolton (16th).   Bolton will be fighting for their lives to avoid the drop, so it might be a little more scrappy.  The Red Devils will try to get points and Wigan (14th).

It's going to be a battle.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Fulham and Birmingham play next with the winner having the best shot to avoid relegation.  With Fulham's clutch performance against Man City this week, I think they have the edge.  Then it is just a showdown with Bolton and Reading.


And what about Derby's one win performance.  Could 11 points be the worst first tier season ever?  It's going to be hard to top.

By the way, there's a very good chance we'll be treated to a team named "Stoke" in the Premiership next season.

[ScotsFan]

Just curious, but what happens in the event of a tie atop the standings?  Does it go to goal differential as the tie-breaker?

[Hoosier Titan]

Yes, goal differential, and Man U has a monster lead there--18, I think.  Probably why there is so much grumbling amongst Chelsea fans about their style of play being boring.

One of the highlights shows had a piece last week about Derby's points total being the lowest ever, and if they've scored any since then I've missed it.  So I think they are on track for that dubious distinction.

Has anyone caught the Mourinho/Ericsson/Rooney puppet show on Setanta?  It's really pretty funny.

[WLCALUM83]

That the same puppet show that appeared to be making fun of Willie Nelson?

[Hoosier Titan]

There was a quick reference to Willie Nelson in that Sven was wearing a bandanna and preparing to sing in a talent show.   I thought it was making fun of Sven, not Willie.  (And Rooney is a genius, doing Rubic's cubes blindfolded and singing Schubert's Ave Maria like a choirboy).  To me it seems in good fun.

[WLCALUM83]

Thanks for clearing that up. Didn't know the context. (Just as a side note, on Willie Nelson, a few months back he and Merle Haggard performed together in Milwaukee, and while they were doing "Okie from Muskogee" ("we don't let our hair grow long and shaggy," etc.) Merle took his hat off to reveal his baldness (and we all know how long Willie's hair is.)  From the review in the local paper, some of the attendees got a kick out of that.

[Hoosier Titan]

Given how long ago I remember seeing Merle Haggard sing that song on TV, I bet some of the attendees would like to have the option of letting their hair grow "long and shaggy" again!

The Sven puppet got the hook in the skit, by the way.  Guess he'd better not give up his day job.

Sounds like Everton-Aston Villa was a real barnburner--0-0 at the end of the first half, but it ended up 2-2.  There were three goals in the last 10 minutes or so.  Those two sides are still fighting for the last UEFA spot.  Currently Everton has 62 points to AV's 59; AV has a one-goal advantage in goal differential.  And Everton's only getting one point instead of three means that they are mathematically eliminated from contention for the fourth spot in the EPL, meaning that Liverpool are assured of Champions League qualification for next season.  Not that I took any notice of that, of course! 

[ScotsFan]

I think that was a very disappointing result for Everton.  They had a chance to put a stranglehold on that 5th position.  Instead they remain just 3 points clear of Villa and Everton's final two games aren't going to be easy.  They have Arsenal and Newcastle so it's going to be a fight to the end for that EUEFA Cup spot!

Fulham and Birmingham play next with the winner having the best shot to avoid relegation.  With Fulham's clutch performance against Man City this week, I think they have the edge.  Then it is just a showdown with Bolton and Reading.

I just watched the highlights of that match this morning and that was indeed clutch for Fulham!  Down 2-0 at the break to charge back and score 3 in the 2nd half to score their 2nd road win in a row after going how long without a road win?!  If the cottagers can somehow beat Birmingham this weekend, that would put all kinds of pressure squarely on both Bolton and Reading.  IMO, Reading seems to have the best shot at avoiding being caught as they get lowly Derby County in the last week of the season.  Reading, IMO, could very easily end the season stuck at 33 points as they host Sunderland who has really been in fine form recently and then they finish the season at Chelsea who is only fighting for the Premiership title! 

Could you imagine if the season came down to that game?  Reading fighting for their Premier League lives and Chelsea fighting for the Premier League Championship!  Didn't Boro avoid relegation by beating ManU at Old Trafford on the last weekend of the season last year?  Of course, ManU had already wrapped up the Premiership, but that was still an improbable win nonetheless which shows that anything can, and probably will happen.

[Greek Tragedy]

West Ham and Carlos Tevez beat Man. Utd. at Old Trafford on the last day.

Bolton plays at Stamford Bridge on the last day.

Derby hosts Reading on the same day.

Fulham is at Portsmouth.

[sac]

West Ham and Carlos Tevez beat Man. Utd. at Old Trafford on the last day.

And Sheffield Utd went to court the next day.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Arsenal beat Derby 6-2 today.  Arsenal didn't even field their first team.  They had half their starters on the bench.

[ScotsFan]

West Ham and Carlos Tevez beat Man. Utd. at Old Trafford on the last day.

So I got the team wrong.  West Ham still needed that 3 points to avoid relegation.

I also mixed up Reading and Bolton.  Thanks for clearing that up.


Who does everyong think will be moving on to Moscow today and tomorrow?

I'm hopeful of a ManU v. Liverpool final.  But Chelsea is just so tough to beat at the Bridge.  So, while I'm still going to predict an all-England final, I'm predicting ManU v. Chelsea.  One of these two will have some revenge for losing out to the other in the Premier League race...  8)

[sac]

ManU v Liverpool would be more intrigueing because of the rivalry, but ManU v Chelsea would probably be the better game. 

But honestly either is going to be a good final, at the very least interesting.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I didn't see the first ManU-Barcelona match, but after watching the second, I'm astounded that they combined for 1 goal total.  Today could have easily been about a 6-5 game.  Both offenses seemed much superior to either defense (the only goal came on a really bush-league defensive giveaway, and many other surprisingly easy shots missed by inches, or were barely blocked).

The reffing struck me as highly inconsistent.  I commented in the first half that he was really letting them play - many uncalled fouls.  Then in the second came a flurry of yellows (I believe 4 within about a ten-minute span) - perhaps he was afraid he was totally losing control of the game, and desperately tried to regain it?

And C. Ronaldo is still the #1 flopper in the world!