Soccer 18

[Daeric]

I was getting ready to type that Arsenal was out of the title race when Bendtner scored that goal through, even still its only a slim chance.

Do Chelsea still need to play Liverpool?

[DJDonegal]

I was getting ready to type that Arsenal was out of the title race when Bendtner scored that goal through, even still its only a slim chance.

Do Chelsea still need to play Liverpool?

So was I, my friend. So was I.

Anfield. May 1st.

[Renasko]

who was saying that Chelsea are out of the title race?

Nobody?

Yeah, don't know where he was pulling that one from. Personally, I'd still fancy United for the title, but it does favour Chelsea.

[Daeric]

Man U Chelski Arsenal

8. Blackburn A 8. Bolton H 8. Tottenham A

9. Man City A 9. Tottenham A 9.Wigan A

10. Totts H 10. Stoke H 10. Manchester City H

11. Sunderland A 11. Liverpool A 11. Blackburn A

12. Stoke H 12. Wigan H 12. Fulham H

I can see all 3 possibly slipping up at Spurs, and Arsenal & Man U failing at City, but would you call me mad if I thought that Chelsea might potentially fail at Stoke.

[Fireball07]

Sunderland had a good win today, can't believe Bent missed 2 penalties though. Zenden's goal was a beauty though. Our home form's been pretty good, and Spurs are a team we have beaten regularly in the SoL. I have a feeling we might take something from the Man Utd game too.

Arsenal were lucky, they look toothless without Fabregas or Arshavin to set up real clear-cut chances. Particularly without RVP. Against teams like Wolves who can defend well, they will struggle IMO. With Fabregas they are the kind of teams they can score lots against.

Chelsea deserved victory for sure. They were much better, Man Utd without Rooney are simply not the same.

[Iskaral Pust]

Man U Chelski Arsenal

8. Blackburn A 8. Bolton H 8. Tottenham A

9. Man City A 9. Tottenham A 9.Wigan A

10. Totts H 10. Stoke H 10. Manchester City H

11. Sunderland A 11. Liverpool A 11. Blackburn A

12. Stoke H 12. Wigan H 12. Fulham H

I can see all 3 possibly slipping up at Spurs, and Arsenal & Man U failing at City, but would you call me mad if I thought that Chelsea might potentially fail at Stoke.

That run-in looks good for Liverpool. Spurs have to play all three contenders including a derby, and City have to play two of them including a derby. Liverpool only play one of them and that's at Anfield.

If we just about manage to squeak fourth place it will be a small crumb of comfort in the debacle that our club has become.

The Sunderland vs. Spurs game was very entertaining today. Bent definitely should not have taken the third penalty. The keeper's odds increase with each penalty from the same taker. But well done Gomes. Nice goal by Zenden to wrap it up. Bale has been playing nice football lately. Crouch's goal should have been a free-kick to Turner for climbing -- Crouch clearly had both hands on his back to propel himself. Where was the Spurs central midfield? Palacios and Modric are both very good players, but Sunderland dominated the middle all game. It's hard to reconcile the Sunderland performance today with their game against Liverpool last week. Is it really just a Jekyll and Hyde thing for them playing at home and away?

I gave in today and added Fox Sports Plus (formerly Setanta) to my cable package. I should have done it months ago to have the extra choice and HD games. Hopefully the addition kicks in before the Liverpool game in the morning.

[Renasko]

Have a funny feeling Liverpool will beat Chelsea. May give the title to United.

[Fireball07]

It's hard to reconcile the Sunderland performance today with their game against Liverpool last week. Is it really just a Jekyll and Hyde thing for them playing at home and away?

Sadly, yes, it is.

Still, one bright note is that we are playing 3 of the bottom 4 in our last 5 games; West Ham, Hull and Wolves away. We can get 9 points from those games, even away, because West Ham are dire at the moment, Hull are just not as good as us, we beat them twice last season (4-1 both times, I think?) and Wolves are the kind of team we are more likely to draw against, but we beat them 5-2 already, so I'm hopeful.

Burnley at the SoL shouldn't cause much trouble, but we shouldn't be complacent, I suppose, while Man Utd is our other game, which I think we can take at least a point on.

[Iskaral Pust]

Very boring game today between Liverpool and Birmingham. It's understandable that Liverpool would be tired after Thursday night, but Birmingham were surprisingly content to sit deep at home against an off-form Liverpool with a few changes to their team.

In fairness to Benitez, we created a lot more when Ngog replaced Torres. Ngog's higher energy helped a lot, but then we missed Torres' finishing for the chances we created. Ngog and Rodriguez could have had a couple each. Kyrgiacos did well despite a couple of dodgy calls against him by the re), but we missed Agger bringing the ball out of defence. Lucas was pretty weak and Aquilani didn't impress as a sub. Benayoun was far off the pace all game. Johnson did pretty well again. Gerrard was pretty good (nice goal). Torres attitude wasn't really there today and that has to be a worry for Benitez. Insua was much too central. As the only left-footer, he should have stayed wide to overlap Benayoun.

Overall, Liverpool had the chances to win the game, and yet they were so aimless for most of it that I don't know if they can really feel hard done by.

Good win by Chelsea even with a weakened team. Drogba was clearly off-side but Marcheda's goal looked like a hand-ball. I'm not sure that Utd have much to complain about.

[Mme Erzulie]

Attn, Liverpool's contenders for the fourth spot: DO NOT BE AFRAID. WE COME IN PEACE. WE WILL NOT MAKE ANY SERIOUS ATTEMPTS AT WINNING ANY OF OUR AWAY GAMES AND WILL HAPPILY BEND OVER AND TAKE IT UP THE ASS FROM ANYONE WITH A BIT OF CHUTZPAH.

Fuck me, I'm starting to think Benitez is trying to get fired.

[DJDonegal]

I watched the Everton-Hammers game, so can someone tell me, was Torres injured? Or playing like a big pile of tripe? Basically, I'd like to know what went through Bentiez's head when he took him off.

The game at Goodison was good. More fun having watched it with a couple of Hammers fans.

[Black Wizard]

Everton may yet pass Liverpool.

[mormont]

Everton may yet pass Liverpool.

It's pretty unlikely. A five point gap with five games to play?

Mind you, that's about the same gap Liverpool need to make up to finish 4th, give or take.

[Black Wizard]

It's pretty unlikely. A five point gap with five games to play?

With the way Liverpool have been playing this season and the form Everton have been on it's possible. If Liverpool screw up a couple more times and Everton can stay undefeated I can see it happening. I think Benitez will keep his job over the summer, Champions League or not. If Liverpool start next season badly however, I think he'll get the boot.

I'm still hoping Dundee United might make up the gap to Celtic as well, Hibs could have done them a favour yesterday though.

[mormont]

With the way Liverpool have been playing this season and the form Everton have been on it's possible.

Not really. Everton have 12 points from their last six matches, Liverpool have 10. On current form, therefore, you'd expect Liverpool to finish three points ahead. And that's without looking at the fixture list. Everton have three away matches still to play, at Villa, Blackburn and Stoke: plus two home matches, Fulham and Portsmouth. Liverpool do still have to play Chelsea, but that is at home, and their other matches include home ties with Fulham and West Ham, plus away matches at Hull and Burnley. Realistically, Liverpool will probably increase the gap on Everton: I'd expect Liverpool to take 10 points minimum from that lot, even if they get nothing from the Chelsea game, whereas I'd expect Everton to get 9 at best.

Liverpool's poor form is being exaggerated somewhat by the expectations on them. They travel very badly*, but at home they are better than any team except the top 3. The table doesn't lie: they're ahead of Everton because they're a better team.

*and so do Everton - both teams have 17 points from away matches.

I'm still hoping Dundee United might make up the gap to Celtic as well, Hibs could have done them a favour yesterday though.

Oh, now you're just living in a fantasy land. :P Peter Houston's a great coach, though - the board should give him the job for sure. I hope they don't and JJ takes him on as assistant. :)

[Daeric]

Dammit, Newcastle got promoted, at least I've still got my old Middlesbrough friends to poke at :P

[Black Wizard]

I just watched Steven Gerrard's cousin get in a fight with his own goalkeeper: the highlight of a dull Nottingham Forest-Cardiff City match.

[Daeric]

I've jsut had a very boring night and decided to watch alot of Jeff Stelling from Sky sports soccer Saturday programme on youtube, there was a great one from this weekends Pompey match with Chris Kamara and his brillance to do with the sending off What sending off

Little interesting fact for me, when Uni of Teesside gave Stelling his honourable doctorate of Professional Studies, I was in the auidience as that day was also my graduation :P

[elmis]

I've jsut had a very boring night and decided to watch alot of Jeff Stelling from Sky sports soccer Saturday programme on youtube, there was a great one from this weekends Pompey match with Chris Kamara and his brillance to do with the sending off What sending off

Haha, saw that a few days ago. Great stuff! :D

[BigFatCoward]

Dammit, Newcastle got promoted, at least I've still got my old Middlesbrough friends to poke at :P

God damn right we got promoted, bit of an anti climax though after forrest blew it. i know people think we need to spend big next year but outside of the top 8 (down to everton) there is a lot of dross, nobody we need to fear certainly. i'd take 4th bottom right now though, consolidation is defo the key.