The Race for the Championship
We've entered the last quarter of the Premiership season with Manchester United leading the charge. However, Fergie's men have the distraction of the Carling Cup Final this weekend, allowing their rivals to gain ground.
At the bottom, there are still a dozen clubs who are worrying about relegation. Join me for all the action this morning.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 7:29 AM
125 Comments:
Here are my predictions for this morning:
Everton 2 WBA 0
Arsenal 1 Fulham 1
Chelsea 2 Wigan 0
Boro 1 Liverpool 2
Hey Bob, I am off to a math competition with six of my students. I won't be around today.
COME ON WIGAN
COME ON BORO
Along with those Premiership fixtures, I'll as usual be keeping an eye on my Leeds boys who will kick off a true promotion six-pointer against local rivals Scunthorpe at 10 a.m.
Morning, Dave. Shame that you won't be around. Ah well...I'll hope to catch up with you for the final tomorrow.
It all starts in a few minutes with Everton kicking off against West Brom at Goodison Park.
Lovely - I've got a JustinTV stream with Sky Sports coverage. Martin Tyler and Andy Gray doing the commentary. I'm in heaven.
It's been a quick start for the Baggies, and why not? This isn't the sort of game that they'll be expected to get much out of, but if they could nick a point and move up to 23 points, they'll put some real pressure on those relegation battlers above them. In previous seasons, the bottom club at this point has had around 12-15 points and has been written off. But with 22 points, it's conceivable that West Brom could still survive.
Arteta now has a chance to try a free kick from distance.
Fifteen minutes in, David Moyes will be displeased in his side's efforts so far. They haven't looked likely to break down West Brom as of yet.
I'm still not certain that Fellaini is the guy for Everton to rely on up front.
Everton have the ball in the net but it's called back as Tim Cahill was riding on the defender's back a bit. Still 0-0.
Tony Hibbert has pulled up with an injury and will be replaced by Leon Osman.
Half an hour in and we're still locked at 0-0 here at Goodison.
Tony Mowbray looks spitting mad, but I don't know why. His side has easily been the equal of Everton so far.
GOAL! A free kick lofted in and there were three Everton players with free headers. Tim Cahill is the first to it. Scott Carson had no chance. Dreadful defending.
Everton 1-0. And now Tony Mowbray has a reason to look angry.
That's Everton up to 44 points, a point behind Arsenal in fifth now. West Brom drop back down to 22 points, dead last.
Five minutes until half time and Everton now look in clear command of the match. What a difference a goal makes!
The referee's whistle indicates half time and Everton will be pleased to go in one up. But for that one lapse in concentration by the Baggies's defense, it could easily have been 0-0.
Second half starting up. Joe Royle in the studio at half time thought that WBA still had a chance, in this match and in the season. It's true that they haven't played that badly but in the key areas, up front and in the center of defense, they just aren't good enough.
West Brom have only scored six away goals all season. That says it all.
Come on, the Toffees. One more goal would net me thirty points to start the weekend.
Arsenal youth prospect Jay Simpson is done for the day. His mohawk was more impressive than his performance, to be fair.
West Brom are claiming that the ball went over the line from that corner. It was a close thing but Phil Jagielka just got back and tipped the ball gently back into Timmy Howard's grateful hands. Remarkable clearance.
Fellaini goes off to be replaced by Luis Saha. Fellaini has inspired an unfortunate trend toward wearing Afro wigs in the crowd at Goodison.
The other member of the Everton Hair Bear Bunch today, Jo, has been altogether anonymous. If it weren't for Cahill's scoring record, Everton would never be pushing for a CL spot.
Morrison tries a pop and it whistles just wide. Everton are letting the Baggies back in here.
Half an hour left and WBA still have a chance to get back into this match.
GOAL! Saha scores with a brilliant strike on the turn into the lower left corner. That shows you the difference in quality. Saha wasn't even in the starting eleven for Everton today but he's done what none of the WBA forwards could do all day.
Everton 2-0. That'll do nicely.
Twenty minutes left and it's game over.
You can't say that Scott Carson made huge mistakes with either goal but he also didn't show the confidence of a keeper in the running for the England #1 shirt either. If he goes down with the Baggies, will he still be in the reckoning?
Fifteen minutes left here at Goodison. Jo's going off after a disappointing day. And Phil Neville's come on to shore things up.
Pienaar threads a ball through but Saha just can't connect to it. But he picks up a free kick for his trouble.
Looks like Jagielka, no Leighton Baines, is going to have a pop. It deflects out for a corner. Under ten minutes now.
The frame of the goal saves Tim Howard's clean sheet there. Terrific hit. That's the kind of luck that teams on the bottom often suffer.
Luke Moore comes close again, his shot just trickling by the post. He deserves a goal.
Three added minutes to come now...
Everton finish at 2-0 and that's a lovely thirty points to start off the weekend for me. Next up, the regularly scheduled fixtures.
FSC are setting up to show Arsenal vs. Fulham live. Good choice. It's a fascinating match. Arsenal haven't scored in yonks and their London rivals have never been the easiest opponents for them. Wenger needs three points for sure.
Sky are wrapping up the coverage of the earlier kick-off and I'm hoping to get Soccer Saturday on this channel.
Good afternoon chaps!
`you're wrong you know. Arsenal are due to give some club a thrashing and no less a pack of Nostradamis' like Champaign Charlie, Big-Nose Phil, Le-Tis, and Ligger Paul are predicting that Fulham are not going to get a sniff today.
Good news! Beckford is back in the line-up for Leeds at Elland Road, kicking off against Scunthorpe in a few minutes time.
Welcome, Gooner! How's it going in West Hampstead? Lucky bugger. I'd love to be watching Soccer Saturday with you two.
i don't have a good link yet for the arsenal. anyone have a scooby?
The sides are out at the Emirates. It's an intriguing look for Arsenal with Eduardo, Van Persie, Nasri and Arshavin all in an attacking line-up.
Try http://livevss.net.
Once you get there, choose Channel 2.
Sorry, it's Chelski on Channel 2. Try Channel 6. This is my new favorite site.
Leicester already 1-0 up. They're speeding away to the Division 1 championship (sigh).
Arsenal are creating some pretty patterns in midfield early on.
Andrey Arshavin plays in a neat pass to Samir Nasri and the Arsenal playmaker slides a powerful effort narrowly wide of the Fulham goal.
Simon Davies latches on to a volley but it's well over the bar.
Oooh, AJ squanders a gilt-edged chance there for Fulham. Just wide after some confusion in the center of the Arsenal defense.
Oldham have jumped out to a two-nil lead away to Millwall in another big Division 1 match.
Our new LOB friend Bantam Abroad won't be pleased - Bradford City have fallen behind in their match against Notts County.
Stevie G. is back in the line-up for Liverpool today and making a big impression from the start. He played in Babbel there but the Dutchman missed badly.
Clint Dempsey tries an ambitious one but it trickles well wide.
Oh, Arshavin probably should have scored there after some lovely approach work from Vela and Nasri.
Diaby launches a woeful ball forward. As I predicted, this is not going to be an easy win for Arsenal.
No shots on goal from either side at Elland Road in the first twenty minutes. Sounds tight as a tick there.
Wigan are giving Chelski a run for their money at Stamford Bridge today, if all reports are accurate.
GOAL! John Terry pops in a first goal for Chelski after some promising work early on by Wigan.
1-0 Chelski! Where are you Chelskilad?
Huddersfield have taken the lead away to Stockport County.
Lovely - Southend have equalized against Peterboro.
AJ is giving the Arsenal backfour plenty to think about today.
Drogba and Anelka are really starting to assert themselves. Should be 2-0 at this point.
Half an hour in and still only that JT goal for Chelski to speak of in the Premiership matches.
Oh, dear. Bradford's promotion push is running aground a bit today. They're now 2-0 down. Condolences, Bantam.
Liverpool have been dominating but it's Boro who have taken the lead through a Martin Skrtel own goal.
Oh, RVP has a point blank shot saved by the keeper.
YESSSSS! Beckford has scored for Leeds against Scunthorpe. 1-0 to the Whites!
Beckford's 24th goal of the season has got us back in the playoff spots as we flip positions with Scunthorpe.
MK Dons have equalized against Leicester in another big Division 1 match today.
The first half is winding down at the Emirates with the Arsenal still trying to walk it in.
Yessss!!!! Leeds 2-0 up now with a goal through Bradley Johnson for us.
Diaby's been total rubbish so far. He must come off at half time.
Nearly there for Sagna from a corner. It might take something like that for them to win today.
That's not good. Scunthorpe have pegged us back to 2-1 after a defensive howler right before half time.
Terrible news for the Bantams. They're now 3-0 down. Not their day, I'm afraid.
Half-time at the Emirates - 0-0.
With Chelski up, they won't be happy with that scoreline.
My apologies to Martin Skrtel. It was actually Xavi Alonso who bobbled the ball into his own net at the Riverside to give Boro the advantage at half-time.
The teams are out at the Emirates again and we're off on the second half.
No changes at Stamford Bridge and Wigan are giving Chelski some questions to ponder at the opening of the second half.
Big Nose Phil thinks that Arshavin has been good so far but should push inside a bit.
El Zhar has put a sitter over the bar at the Riverside from a brilliant set-up by Gerrard.
Oh, Diaby was in there if the ball in to him had been slightly more accurate.
Decent free kick opportunity for RVP here. Arsenal are starting to pile the pressure on.
The resulting free kick clips the wall and goes off for a corner.
Scunthorpe have come out positively in the second half. We'll have to shut them down straight away.
Nasri hits the side netting after a lovely ball through from Arshavin.
It's the first time in ages that I've seen RVP line up for a corner and he gets rewarded with a free header. Should have kept it down though. He barely jumped for it.
Oh, dear. We've been pegged back to 2-2. It's our porous defense that have done us in today.
Come on, you Whites!
All Arsenal now at the Emirates.
Oooh, RVP has a free header turned toward goal but it clips off the outside of the post and out.
2-1 MK Dons now over Leicester.
Good lord, it's 2-0 Boro at the Riverside now. Wow!
Nicklas Bendtner has come on for the Arsenal now.
Southend now 2-1 up against Peterboro. That helps us but we need the three points today.
Near thing there for AJ. His shot is deflected up and just over the bar.
AJ had another chance there. Denilson has given up possession several times in key places. He's just not good enough.
The Gooner faithful will not be pleased. Eboue is off the bench and looks ready to come on.
Gerrard keeps setting up his colleagues but this time Kuyt misses a sitter.
Sagna off and Eboue on for Arsenal.
2-2 now Millwall-Oldham. Good result for us.
Twenty minutes left now. Bendtner has made an impression up front for Arsenal but no joy for the Gunners as of yet.
YESSSSSSS! Beckford scores his 25th of the season and we're 3-2 up! Come on, now. See this one home.
Oh, good save Shwarzer from a header from Diaby. Near thing there.
Corner to the Arsenal. They have to make this one count. Only fifteen minutes left now.
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for Liverpool, Stevie G. has limped off with what looks like another hamstring strain. Still 2-0 there.
Blimey, Celtic are 7-0 up against St. Mirren!
Into the last ten minutes at the Emirates.
Oh, Arshavin was in there but hits his shot into the side netting.
Wow - Chelsea have been pegged back to 1-1. That's music to Arsene Wenger's ears. If they can pip a late, late goal it could be a brilliant weekend for the Arsenal.
Bugger! Jonathan Howson has been sent off for a second bookable offense. Not good.
Come on, you lads. Hang in there.
Five minutes for us to see off Scunthorpe. Come on, you Whites! We really need this one.
Bendtner keeps pinging balls into the center but there doesn't seem to be anyone in red and white willing to hurl himself into the danger area.
Just a couple of minutes left now. Come on!
Forfar 5 Berwick 4. Dave would love that scoreline.
Bradford have got one back at Notts County but it's a bit late. 3-1 at the County Ground.
Frank Lampard has won it for Chelski. 2-1 at the Bridge!
Into stoppage time at the Emirates. Can Arsenal find a late winner or is it to be a fourth goalless draw?
Got to be close to the end now at Elland Road. We need this win badly.
Oldham have won it at Millwall. 2-3 there.
Not much time now at the Emirates. It'll be fifteen years since Arsenal haven't scored in four matches.
Chelski have beaten Wigan. And Liverpool have lost to Boro. Title hopes over for Liverpool?
And Arsenal and Fulham have finished at 0-0. I had a feeling. Sorry, Gooner.
It's all hands to the pump for Leeds now. Come on, you Whites!
After an agonizing last ten minutes, Leeds have finished 3-2 winners. Boy, that's a terrific result for us. We're now a point behind Oldham who we play at their patch in mid-week. Should be a cracker.
The Premiership results have strengthened United's grip on the Championship. Chelsea are now in second a full seven points behind United, Liverpool are third tied on points but with a worse goal difference now, Villa are fourth on 51, four points behind and Arsenal are on 46, five points out of the last elusive CL spot.
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