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| Lille have won their 3rd League title |
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
2010-11 Ligue 1 Wrap Up
Ligue 1 was won by Lille, the first time they've won the league in 57 years. This is their third title overall. Marseille and Lyon finished second and third respectively. These three teams qualify for some sort of Champions League play.
Monaco, Lens, and Arles-Avignon have been relegated to Ligue 2. Moussa Sow of Lille took home the Golden Boot, scoring 25 goals. Marvin Martin of Sochaux had the most assists with 17. Eden Hazard of Lille won the award for Player of the Year. Mamadou Sakho of PSG won the Young Player of the Year Award. Steve Mandanda of Marseille was named Goalkeeper of the Year. And, Rudi Garcia of Lille won the Manager of the Year Award.
Transfer News!
Chelsea are set on snatching up Neymar from Santos for $35 million euros.
Drenthe, who plays for Real Madrid but spent the last season loaned out to Hercules de Alicante, is said to have caught the eye of Juventus as well as many other Italian clubs.
Shaktar Donetsk winger William has been targeted by Barcelona.
Manchester United are close to signing Tottenham's Luka Modric. Tottenham looking for a replacement, are interested in Milan Badelj.
Arsenal want to sign Diego Benaglio.
Werder Bremen are close to acquiring Dembele.
Sevilla are close to wrapping up Arsenal's midfielder, Denilson.
Athletico Madrid claim there aren't any concrete offers for Sergio Aguero.
Kolarov is willing to stay at Manchester City.
Drogba will probably be offered a contract from Chelsea that extends to the end of his career.
Trabzonspor sign Didier Zokora.
Gareth Bale has been valued at $50 million euros.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Paul Scholes has retired at the age of 36.
Drenthe, who plays for Real Madrid but spent the last season loaned out to Hercules de Alicante, is said to have caught the eye of Juventus as well as many other Italian clubs.
Shaktar Donetsk winger William has been targeted by Barcelona.
Manchester United are close to signing Tottenham's Luka Modric. Tottenham looking for a replacement, are interested in Milan Badelj.
Arsenal want to sign Diego Benaglio.
Werder Bremen are close to acquiring Dembele.
Sevilla are close to wrapping up Arsenal's midfielder, Denilson.
Athletico Madrid claim there aren't any concrete offers for Sergio Aguero.
Kolarov is willing to stay at Manchester City.
Drogba will probably be offered a contract from Chelsea that extends to the end of his career.
Trabzonspor sign Didier Zokora.
Gareth Bale has been valued at $50 million euros.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Paul Scholes has retired at the age of 36.
Monday, May 30, 2011
What's Coming Tommorow?
Tommorow, I will finally give my wrap up for Ligue 1, as well as talk about the latest team that has been promoted to the English Premier League! The funny thing is...they're not English! Check back tommorow for all the updates!
Transfer News!
West Brom are certain that Peter Odemwingie will resign with them.
Elmander has left Bolton for Galatasaray.
Andrey Arshavin is convinced he plays a role in Arsenal's plans for winning.
Berbatov could possibly leave Manchester United after his storming at the Champions League final.
Juventus may give Marchisio up for Manchester United's Nani.
Sir Alex Ferguson wants to swap Berbatov with Tottenham's Luka Modric.
Juventus have postponed their meeting with midfielder Inler.
Lass Diarra wants out of Real Madrid, and Inter want to sign him.
Fabio Coentrao wants to play for Mourinho.
Rafinha is about to join Bayern Munich.
Tottenham want to sign Giussepe Rossi of Villareal.
And that's all for today, keep checking back daily for more news!
Elmander has left Bolton for Galatasaray.
Andrey Arshavin is convinced he plays a role in Arsenal's plans for winning.
Berbatov could possibly leave Manchester United after his storming at the Champions League final.
Juventus may give Marchisio up for Manchester United's Nani.
Sir Alex Ferguson wants to swap Berbatov with Tottenham's Luka Modric.
Juventus have postponed their meeting with midfielder Inler.
Lass Diarra wants out of Real Madrid, and Inter want to sign him.
Fabio Coentrao wants to play for Mourinho.
Rafinha is about to join Bayern Munich.
Tottenham want to sign Giussepe Rossi of Villareal.
And that's all for today, keep checking back daily for more news!
Barcelona...Champions of Europe!
May 28th, 2011. Barcelona travels to Wembley to play Manchester United in the Champion's League final. The biggest game of the year. Barcelona wears the striped maroon and navy blue strip. Manchester United dawns their white shirts and black shorts. Pedro opens the scoring, 1-0 Barcelona. Later, Rooney equalizes. Lionel Messi nails one in to take the lead, and finally, David Villa scores to make Barcelona the Champions of Europe for the second time in three years.
Congratulations to Barcelona, and their accomplishments this year!
Congratulations to Barcelona, and their accomplishments this year!
I'm So Sorry! Forgive Me!
Readers, I've failed you. For two days, I didn't update Globe Soccer DAILY. It's in the name! I recently went on vacation to Universal Studios in Orlando. The hotel I stayed at offered no (free) Wi-Fi. I tried blogging via text message, but then my phone was lost on a roller coaster. So, I'm sorry that I left you blind for two days in the world of soccer, and know, that I won't let it happen again.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Transfer Rumors: May 26th, 2011
Chelsea are looking to close the deal on Romalu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, two young strikers, for a total of $34 million.
Arsenal want Lille and Belgium striker Eden Hazard.
Real Madrid are ready to offer $35 million for Inter striker Samuel Eto'o. This will give Inter a chance to "youthen" up their squad.
Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in Porto's striker Radamel Falcao. Porto want $30 million.
Juventus might be trying to sign Higuan of Real Madrid.
Sporting Lisbona are interested in Real Madrid defender, Ezequiel Garay.
OM's Gabriel Heinze is set to leave over the summer.
QPR want to hire Carlo Ancelloti.
Ziegler, who just recently transfered to Juventus says, "It's an honor to be here".
Arsenal want Lille and Belgium striker Eden Hazard.
Real Madrid are ready to offer $35 million for Inter striker Samuel Eto'o. This will give Inter a chance to "youthen" up their squad.
Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in Porto's striker Radamel Falcao. Porto want $30 million.
Juventus might be trying to sign Higuan of Real Madrid.
Sporting Lisbona are interested in Real Madrid defender, Ezequiel Garay.
OM's Gabriel Heinze is set to leave over the summer.
QPR want to hire Carlo Ancelloti.
Ziegler, who just recently transfered to Juventus says, "It's an honor to be here".
Buys That Will Not Happen
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| Cesc Fabregas |
AC Milan have been wanting to strengthen their midfield ever since the departure of Pirlo to Juventus. For a long time, AC Milan have been interested in Cesc Fabregas, but now, it seems like that deal won't happen. First off, he's too expensive for them. They value him at 60 million euros, and don't want to pay that. They could also look towards Marek Hamsik, someone who could play in the left midfield role they need. But, AC Milan will not be chasing Fabregas anymore.
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| Sergio Aguero |
There' been a lot of confusion around Sergio Aguero. He wants out of Athletico, however, Athletico say he's not for sale. Finally, someone has shined some light on the subject. Aguero is attracting the attention of many big name clubs, but no longer will Real Madrid be after him. Athletico chief talked to Real, and Real said they are not interested in purchasing Aguero this summer. Now, Aguero still has a good chance to go somewhere else, but he will not be going to Real Madrid.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Transfer Rumors: May 25th, 2011
Chelsea are re-interested in Aguero, but they want him to take a salary of lesser value to come over to England.
Manchester City are planning to offer Aleksander Kolarov and 7 million euros for Fiorentina midfielder Juan Manual Vargas. Vargas is on the radar for many other top-notch clubs.
Inter have been after Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, and there was a rumor that the deal had been made. This rumor is denied, and now, other clubs have begun looking into Montolivo. Inter may still sign the Italian, but the deal has not been completed.
Liverpool are ready to offer potential free agent Brad Friedel a two year deal.
Juventus are closing in on signing FC Porto's midfielder Fernando, who's worth 30 million euros.
Real Madrid might try and buy Bastian Schweinsteiger, Munich midfielder, if another midfielder is sold this summer.
Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar is being eyed up by Wolfsburg and Roma.
Arsenal might be after co-owned by Bologna and Inter goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.
Inter are keeping an eye on Arsenal midfielder Alex Song.
Turkish club Galatasaray are after Chelsea forward, Didier Drogba.
Kwadwo Asamoah is likely to leave Udinese for AC Milan.
Arshavin is likely to leave Arsenal this summer.
Liverpool are thinking about looking to get Dutch forward Elia once again.
That's what's going on today, check back for more!
Manchester City are planning to offer Aleksander Kolarov and 7 million euros for Fiorentina midfielder Juan Manual Vargas. Vargas is on the radar for many other top-notch clubs.
Inter have been after Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo, and there was a rumor that the deal had been made. This rumor is denied, and now, other clubs have begun looking into Montolivo. Inter may still sign the Italian, but the deal has not been completed.
Liverpool are ready to offer potential free agent Brad Friedel a two year deal.
Juventus are closing in on signing FC Porto's midfielder Fernando, who's worth 30 million euros.
Real Madrid might try and buy Bastian Schweinsteiger, Munich midfielder, if another midfielder is sold this summer.
Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar is being eyed up by Wolfsburg and Roma.
Arsenal might be after co-owned by Bologna and Inter goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.
Inter are keeping an eye on Arsenal midfielder Alex Song.
Turkish club Galatasaray are after Chelsea forward, Didier Drogba.
Kwadwo Asamoah is likely to leave Udinese for AC Milan.
Arshavin is likely to leave Arsenal this summer.
Liverpool are thinking about looking to get Dutch forward Elia once again.
That's what's going on today, check back for more!
Players That Want To Stay!
Clarence Seedorf has signed another contract deal with AC Milan to make his time at the club a total of 10 seasons. Seedorf plans on finishing out his career with AC Milan.
Steven Gerrard remarks that Liverpool have a chance at the title next season, and wants to stay with his beloved Reds.
Michael Owen wants to stay with Manchester United, although he may get the boot, just the same as Owen Hargreaves is this summer as well.
Coming soon, more transfer rumors from around the world!
Steven Gerrard remarks that Liverpool have a chance at the title next season, and wants to stay with his beloved Reds.
Michael Owen wants to stay with Manchester United, although he may get the boot, just the same as Owen Hargreaves is this summer as well.
Coming soon, more transfer rumors from around the world!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Players That Plan on Leaving!
Arsenal also has problems on the interior. Arsene Wenger has stated that they are going to do a lot of transfering this summer in order to improve the squad. So, amidst all of this, three players have openly stated that they want out, as well as a player that will probably leave. Denilson, Arsenal midfielder has been at the club for 5 years. After those 5 years, he claims that he came here to win trophies, and since he's arrived, he hasn't gotten any. He plans on leaving in the summer. Also, forward Nikolas Bendtner hasn't gotten a lot of playing time, and he's looking to leave so he can get some playing time I'm assuming. Gael Clichy is tired of Arsenal and will most likely be leaving in the summer for either Inter or Bayern Munich. And also, the discussion of Fabregas has been going on for years. He's losing his ability to perform here at Arsenal, and he's been linked with a move back to Spanish club Barcelona. Fabregas is still only 23, and he's got a bright future in football. It's very likely he could go back to Spain.
Athletico Madrid might lose some players this summer as well. Both of their master forwards, Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero, have said that they wanted out of Athletico. I talked about a potential move for Forlan in my previous post, which stated that he was being eyed up by Diego Maradona, the new coach of Al Wasl. Aguero has attracted a lot of attention from top name clubs in the years he's been at Athletico. But finally, he's stated that he wants to win trophies. He will most likely move to either a top name English or Italian club in the summer.
Many other players are attracting a lot of attention with a potential to move in the summer. Here's a quick list of those players so you know to be looking for their names in future headlines.
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| Owen Hargreaves |
Very soon after winning the Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson announced that Owen Hargreaves would be leaving the club. Hargreaves has been hurt for the majority of the last three seasons of his career. He's a very talented footballer, and I'm sure he will be going somewhere very prestigious after he leaves Manchester United.
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| Sturridge and Kalou with teammate Bosingwa |
Two Chelsea forwards claim that they want out if they aren't going to get first team football. Solomon Kalou has played a lot of first team football for the team, and is a valuable part of their offense. But, after the acquisition of Fernando Torres, Kalou is looking kind of shaky on getting starting roles. Torres, Drogba, and Anelka are all in front of him in starting chances as a forward. So, Kalou stated that if he wasn't going to get many starting chances, he was going to have to look elsewhere. Daniel Sturridge, who spent most of the season loaned out to Bolton, also who spent most of the season claiming that all he wanted was to go back to Chelsea, has now stated that if he is only going to warm the bench there, that he wants out. Sturridge is in the same situation as Kalou, except he's got Kalou in front of him as well. The likelihood of BOTH of these players getting a lot of starting time is very unlikely. So, my guess is is that atleast one of them will leave Chelsea this summer.
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| Denilson and Fabregas |
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| Forlan and Aguero |
Many other players are attracting a lot of attention with a potential to move in the summer. Here's a quick list of those players so you know to be looking for their names in future headlines.
- Ashley Young of Aston Villa
- Luka Modric of Tottenham
- Gael Clichy of Arsenal
- Rafinha of Genoa
- Robbie Keane of Tottenham
Maradona's In The News...A Lot!
We know all about the outgoing Diego Maradona from the 2010 World Cup, where he coached the Argentine side to the quarterfinals, where they lost to Germany. Once again, Maradona has been in the news, and one of the reasons isn't going to help his prestige at all.
Recently Diego Maradona admitted that his national team took banned drugs before a match in 1993. The match was a qualifying game for the 1994 World Cup, and Argentina were playing Australia. The match took place in Buenos Aires. Maradona says that the team doctor put a banned stimulant in their coffee before the game. Argentina went on to win 1-0 and advance to the World Cup. Later, in the World Cup itself (which was in the USA by the way), Maradona tested positive in a drug test and was banned. His team lost in the quarterfinals.
Also recently, Maradona has taken over Al Wasl, a Dubai based club. Corporate of the club has given him complete control over transfers, and the first player Maradona is looking to lure is Uruguayan sensation, Diego Forlan. Forlan has been reported as wanting out of Athletico Madrid, as well as Sergio Aguero. Both are very good strikers for Athletico, and will surely hurt the team badly if both were to leave.
So the question is, can we ever not have Diego Maradona on our mind? Is he a positive influence on the game, bringing it excitement? Or, is he a negative influence, not keeping the "classy" feel of top-class football? What do you think?
Recently Diego Maradona admitted that his national team took banned drugs before a match in 1993. The match was a qualifying game for the 1994 World Cup, and Argentina were playing Australia. The match took place in Buenos Aires. Maradona says that the team doctor put a banned stimulant in their coffee before the game. Argentina went on to win 1-0 and advance to the World Cup. Later, in the World Cup itself (which was in the USA by the way), Maradona tested positive in a drug test and was banned. His team lost in the quarterfinals.
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| Diego Maradona |
Also recently, Maradona has taken over Al Wasl, a Dubai based club. Corporate of the club has given him complete control over transfers, and the first player Maradona is looking to lure is Uruguayan sensation, Diego Forlan. Forlan has been reported as wanting out of Athletico Madrid, as well as Sergio Aguero. Both are very good strikers for Athletico, and will surely hurt the team badly if both were to leave.
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| Diego Forlan |
So the question is, can we ever not have Diego Maradona on our mind? Is he a positive influence on the game, bringing it excitement? Or, is he a negative influence, not keeping the "classy" feel of top-class football? What do you think?
Monday, May 23, 2011
What's Next for Globe Soccer Daily?
As I started the blog at the end of a season, it's kind of hard to BEGIN something as soon as what you want to talk about has ENDED. As I hope you have read, I "wrapped up" four of the five leagues I enjoy watching already. Now, I'm simply waiting for Ligue 1 to finish up their season, and I will do a wrap up on that season as well. After that, I will be giving out my own personal awards. These include individual awards, and team awards. They might be centered on all of Europe, or league-specific. You'll have to wait and see.
Also, another big thing that will come up in this blog will be TRANSFERS. Now, there are so many rumors and "false trails" on transfers. I will try and cover all rumors as well, but the main thing I will make sure I cover are the transfers themselves. Like for instance, I'd like to let you know in this post that Hamit Altintop of Bayern Munich has signed with Real Madrid. Also, I absolutely will not be able to cover every transfer in the world. There have already been 20+ transfers, and most seasons have only been over one day.
So, bear with me, believe in me, and trust me to deliver the information that you want in an efficient manner.
Oh, I can't wait for my awards, you guys are in for a real treat.
Also, another big thing that will come up in this blog will be TRANSFERS. Now, there are so many rumors and "false trails" on transfers. I will try and cover all rumors as well, but the main thing I will make sure I cover are the transfers themselves. Like for instance, I'd like to let you know in this post that Hamit Altintop of Bayern Munich has signed with Real Madrid. Also, I absolutely will not be able to cover every transfer in the world. There have already been 20+ transfers, and most seasons have only been over one day.
So, bear with me, believe in me, and trust me to deliver the information that you want in an efficient manner.
Oh, I can't wait for my awards, you guys are in for a real treat.
New Goal Records Galore!
Two goal records were broken this year, one for a specific player, and one for a league as a whole. Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid broke the single season goal record for La Liga in only his second season at Real Madrid. The previous record was 38 goals in one season. Going into the last game, Ronaldo had tied that record. After scoring two goals in the last game of the season (Real went on to win 8-1), he moved up to 40 goals. So overall, he scored 40 goals in a 38 game season. That is quite outstanding, averaging more than 1 goal a game. Plus, you have to think about the fact that he didn't play in all 38 games. I'm sure in the future, we'll continue to see outstanding things from this man.
Another record broken in the last week of a season, except now we move the England. In the Premier League, there were 1,031 total goals scored this season after Week 37. With one week left, the record of 1,060 was most assuredly in reaching grasp. But for the record to be broken, there had to be an average of 3 goals scored in each game. With only stoppage time left in most of the games, 29 goals had been scored. That meant with only stoppage time left, they had tied the record. But, the Premier League has been very exciting this year, and this was no different. 3 goals in stoppage time gave this season a total of 1,063 goals. The final goal of the season was Roman Pavlyuchenko's winner against Birmingham City which is famous for something else as well. This goal gave Birmingham a loss instead of a draw, which ultimately led them to the relegation zone, and back down to the Championship. The Premier League was extremely exciting this year, and I'm looking forward to it being even more entertaining next season.
So, this poses a question, what led to so many goals this season? Is it a lack of defense, or has attacking power grown to be unstoppable? What do you think? Let me know!
Another record broken in the last week of a season, except now we move the England. In the Premier League, there were 1,031 total goals scored this season after Week 37. With one week left, the record of 1,060 was most assuredly in reaching grasp. But for the record to be broken, there had to be an average of 3 goals scored in each game. With only stoppage time left in most of the games, 29 goals had been scored. That meant with only stoppage time left, they had tied the record. But, the Premier League has been very exciting this year, and this was no different. 3 goals in stoppage time gave this season a total of 1,063 goals. The final goal of the season was Roman Pavlyuchenko's winner against Birmingham City which is famous for something else as well. This goal gave Birmingham a loss instead of a draw, which ultimately led them to the relegation zone, and back down to the Championship. The Premier League was extremely exciting this year, and I'm looking forward to it being even more entertaining next season.
So, this poses a question, what led to so many goals this season? Is it a lack of defense, or has attacking power grown to be unstoppable? What do you think? Let me know!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Ancelloti No Longer a Blue!
Roman Abramovich made the decision that Ancelloti can do nothing more for Chelsea F.C. After winning no silverware this year, and barely finishing 2nd place, Roman decided that Chelsea needed a new manager. Carlo Ancelloti has just finished his second year as coach of Chelsea, which is the longest a coach has been there in recent years.
In the 2009/10 season, Ancelloti led Chelsea to a double, winning the League and the FA Cup, something they had never done before. They won the league scoring over 100 goals. Didier Drogba, Chelsea striker, received the Golden Boot and Petr Cech, Chelsea goalkeeper received the Golden Glove. The 2009/10 season was very successful for the club.
During the summer, Chelsea let go of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Juliano Belleti, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, and many more. They brought in only four players to counter all the releases, bringing in Yossi Benayoun, Ramires, and others. In my opinion, this is where Chelsea's downfall began. This is where the domino's began to fall. By letting go of three key midfielder players, and only bringing in two, they lost a man in their depth at midfield. And what happened mid-season? Yossi Benayoun suffers a major injury, as well as Frank Lampard. Now, you really wish you still had the hustler Joe Cole, the powerhouse Ballack, and the crafty Deco.
Over the winter transfer window, Roman brings out the big bucks. He buys Benefica defender David Luiz and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. So far, and this post was written the day Ancelloti was let go, Torres has scored one goal in a Chelsea jersey. David Luiz has scored more goals than he has. Now, I'm not doubting Torres' abilities, the man is absolutely amazing. However, I for one believe that it will take time for Torres to become comfortable with the Chelsea attacking style. Chelsea likes to hold possession and make their goals as fluent as possible. Liverpool were very "jerky", and when Torres was healthy, much of their attack was giving him the ball in either a long ball or through ball and letting him do his thing.
Now, I'm 100% sure that either Chelsea or Torres will tweak their style just a little to accomodate the other effectively and precisely. If Torres can effectively use the other amazing players that help him on the attack, they will be unstoppable. However, this syncing did not happen in the 4 months he's been there, and no one should have expected it too. Now, he's got a long summer, and this will give them time to slow down, and become accustomed with each other as a team.
It seems as if things simply just "went wrong" for Carlo this year. Injuries, and a lot of missed chances failed to give Chelsea any silverware this year. However, no one should forget the high points of Chelsea's season.
Up until Week 15, Chelsea was in 1st place. After a winless six weeks, they dropped as far as 5th. They bounced between 5th and 4th up until Week 28. 5th place...a week later, 4th place...2 weeks later, 3rd place...4 weeks later, 2nd place. In Week 36, they had the chance of the season to secure the Barclay's Premier League title. But, they were stopped short by Manchester United, and the title went out of reach. Prior to that game, they were on a 10 game non-losing streak, and a 6 game winning streak. Chelsea F.C. overall have a good season, but it just wasn't quite enough, and they decided a managerial change was in order.
Next season, I don't believe Chelsea need to spend a lot of money. One quality midfielder will do the trick. They have a lot of youth coming back from loans (Mancienne, Kakuta, Sturridge) and should look forward to next year, and simply look back at this season as a "bump in the road".
Ancelloti did a fabulous job as Chelsea's manager, and I wish him luck in wherever he plans on going next.
What do you think on Chelsea's season and the removal of Ancelloti?
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| Ancelloti will no longer coach Chelsea FC |
During the summer, Chelsea let go of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Juliano Belleti, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, and many more. They brought in only four players to counter all the releases, bringing in Yossi Benayoun, Ramires, and others. In my opinion, this is where Chelsea's downfall began. This is where the domino's began to fall. By letting go of three key midfielder players, and only bringing in two, they lost a man in their depth at midfield. And what happened mid-season? Yossi Benayoun suffers a major injury, as well as Frank Lampard. Now, you really wish you still had the hustler Joe Cole, the powerhouse Ballack, and the crafty Deco.
Over the winter transfer window, Roman brings out the big bucks. He buys Benefica defender David Luiz and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. So far, and this post was written the day Ancelloti was let go, Torres has scored one goal in a Chelsea jersey. David Luiz has scored more goals than he has. Now, I'm not doubting Torres' abilities, the man is absolutely amazing. However, I for one believe that it will take time for Torres to become comfortable with the Chelsea attacking style. Chelsea likes to hold possession and make their goals as fluent as possible. Liverpool were very "jerky", and when Torres was healthy, much of their attack was giving him the ball in either a long ball or through ball and letting him do his thing.
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| Fernando Torres Chelsea Striker |
It seems as if things simply just "went wrong" for Carlo this year. Injuries, and a lot of missed chances failed to give Chelsea any silverware this year. However, no one should forget the high points of Chelsea's season.
Up until Week 15, Chelsea was in 1st place. After a winless six weeks, they dropped as far as 5th. They bounced between 5th and 4th up until Week 28. 5th place...a week later, 4th place...2 weeks later, 3rd place...4 weeks later, 2nd place. In Week 36, they had the chance of the season to secure the Barclay's Premier League title. But, they were stopped short by Manchester United, and the title went out of reach. Prior to that game, they were on a 10 game non-losing streak, and a 6 game winning streak. Chelsea F.C. overall have a good season, but it just wasn't quite enough, and they decided a managerial change was in order.
Next season, I don't believe Chelsea need to spend a lot of money. One quality midfielder will do the trick. They have a lot of youth coming back from loans (Mancienne, Kakuta, Sturridge) and should look forward to next year, and simply look back at this season as a "bump in the road".
Ancelloti did a fabulous job as Chelsea's manager, and I wish him luck in wherever he plans on going next.
What do you think on Chelsea's season and the removal of Ancelloti?
2010-11 Serie A Wrap Up
AC Milan were crowned as champions, and you can read all about my opinion in my previous article. Inter finished second, Napoli third, and Udinese fourth. These four teams have qualified for Champions League football. Lazio came in fifth behind Udinese only on goal difference, and Roma finished 6th. These teams qualify for Europa League football.
Sampdoria, Brescia, and Bari have been relegated to Serie B. Atalanta and Siena will be promoted along with one of the following: Novara, Varese, Reggina or Padova.
Antonio Di Natale of Udinese finished the season with 28 goals, the leagues most. The Supercoppa Italiano was won by Inter Milan, and the Coppa Italia is still to be played. Either Inter or Palermo will take home that cup.
Can't wait to see if Inter bounce back next season and reclaim the title, or whether AC Milan keep on their hot streak.
Sampdoria, Brescia, and Bari have been relegated to Serie B. Atalanta and Siena will be promoted along with one of the following: Novara, Varese, Reggina or Padova.
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| AC Milan Serie A Champions |
Can't wait to see if Inter bounce back next season and reclaim the title, or whether AC Milan keep on their hot streak.
2010-11 English Premier League Wrap Up
Manchester United won their 19th Premier League title in the 2010-11 season. With this title, they pass up Liverpool for the most titles in English history. Chelsea F.C. finished second, which wasn't good enough for them and so, they let go of their Italian manager, Carlo Ancelloti. Manchester City finished third, only behind Chelsea on goal difference, and Arsenal finished fourth. These four teams qualify for Champions League football next season. Tottenham Hotspur finished 5th and qualify for Europa League play.
Birmingham City, Blackpool, and West Ham have all been relegated from the Premier League, the three teams that will take their place are QPR, Norwich City, and one of the following: Swansea City, Cardiff City, Reading, or Nottingham Forest.
Dimitar Berbatov of Manchester United and Carlos Tevez of Manchester City each scored 20 goals this season, the most of any players. So no one received the Golden Boot this year. Nani, also of Manchester United had the most assists with 18.
The PFA (Proffesional Football Association) awards for this season are as follows:
Player of the Year: Gareth Bale, Tottenham
Young Player of the Year: Jack Wilshere, Arsenal
Fans Player of the Year: Raul Meireles
Team of the Year:
Goalkeeper: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United)
Defence: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Midfield: Nani (Manchester United), Samir Nasri, Jack Wilshere (both Arsenal), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)
Attack: Carlos Tévez (Manchester City), Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)
The FWA (Football Writer's Association) awarded their Footballer of the Year award to Scott Parker, West Ham.
Barclays Premier League Awards are as follows:
Golden Boot: No one (Berbatov and Tevez each scored 20 goals)
Golden Glove: Joe Hart, Manchester City
Player of the Year: Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United
Manager of the Year: Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United
The Fair Play Award has not yet been awarded.
I'm very much looking forward to next season, and I can't wait to see if all of the teams that vow to win the League next season can step up their game over the summer and give Manchester United some challenge.
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| Manchester United; Champions of England for the 19th time |
Dimitar Berbatov of Manchester United and Carlos Tevez of Manchester City each scored 20 goals this season, the most of any players. So no one received the Golden Boot this year. Nani, also of Manchester United had the most assists with 18.
The PFA (Proffesional Football Association) awards for this season are as follows:
Player of the Year: Gareth Bale, Tottenham
Young Player of the Year: Jack Wilshere, Arsenal
Fans Player of the Year: Raul Meireles
Team of the Year:
Goalkeeper: Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United)
Defence: Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Nemanja Vidić (Manchester United), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Midfield: Nani (Manchester United), Samir Nasri, Jack Wilshere (both Arsenal), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)
Attack: Carlos Tévez (Manchester City), Dimitar Berbatov (Manchester United)
The FWA (Football Writer's Association) awarded their Footballer of the Year award to Scott Parker, West Ham.
Barclays Premier League Awards are as follows:
Golden Boot: No one (Berbatov and Tevez each scored 20 goals)
Golden Glove: Joe Hart, Manchester City
Player of the Year: Nemanja Vidic, Manchester United
Manager of the Year: Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United
The Fair Play Award has not yet been awarded.
I'm very much looking forward to next season, and I can't wait to see if all of the teams that vow to win the League next season can step up their game over the summer and give Manchester United some challenge.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
2010-11 La Liga Wrap Up
Barcelona won their second consecutive La Liga title. Real Madrid finished second, Valencia third, and Villareal finished fourth. These four teams have qualified for Champions League football next season. Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao finished 5th and 6th respectively, and thus, qualify for Europa League football next season.
Deportivo, Hercules, and Almeria have been relegated. The teams that will be taking their place next season have not been completely secured yet, however two teams are known, Betis and Rayo.
Real Madrid took home the Copa del Ray after defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid winger/forward, was the league's leading scorer with 40 goals. Ronaldo's 40 goals in one season is a new record for La Liga. In the final game of the season vs. Almeria, Ronaldo netted two goals to gain the new record, and gain an extra goal in the process. Real Madrid would go on to win that game 8-1.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona had the league's most assists with 18. Fellow Barcelona teammate Victor Valdes was voted the league's best goalie giving up the least amount of goals. Barcelona also received the Fair Play Award by getting the least amount of yellow and red cards throughout the season.
Real Madrid have already begun strengthening their squad for next season. They've already hired Bayern Munich's midfielder Hamit Altintop. Two years of no La Liga, and many years without a Champions League title, Real Madrid are not wasting any time in preparing their squad for next year.
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| Barcelona are champions of La Liga |
Deportivo, Hercules, and Almeria have been relegated. The teams that will be taking their place next season have not been completely secured yet, however two teams are known, Betis and Rayo.
Real Madrid took home the Copa del Ray after defeating Barcelona 1-0 in the final.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid winger/forward, was the league's leading scorer with 40 goals. Ronaldo's 40 goals in one season is a new record for La Liga. In the final game of the season vs. Almeria, Ronaldo netted two goals to gain the new record, and gain an extra goal in the process. Real Madrid would go on to win that game 8-1.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona had the league's most assists with 18. Fellow Barcelona teammate Victor Valdes was voted the league's best goalie giving up the least amount of goals. Barcelona also received the Fair Play Award by getting the least amount of yellow and red cards throughout the season.
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| Ronaldo (and teammate Marcelo) La Liga top goal scorer and new record holder |
2010-11 German Bundesliga Wrap Up
Borussia Dortmund were crowned champions of the Bundesliga, with Bayern Leverkusen receiving second. Both of these teams are qualified for the 2011-12 Champions League Group Stage. Bayern Munich finished 3rd, and made the Champions League Playoff Round. Hannover 96 and Mainz finished 4th and 5th respectively, both qualifying for the Europa League.
Eintracht Frankfurt and St. Pauli are relegated this year, and Borussia Monchengladbach have entered into a relegation playoff to determine whether they are relegated, or will continue in top-flight football next season.
Schalke 04 won the German Cup in the final weekend of the season. After finishing second in the league last season, and going to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, many things were expected of this "in-form" team. However, with a near the bottom of the table finish in the Bundesliga, it was good to finish with some silverware.
Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich was the top scorer for the league with 28 goals in 34 games. Christian Tiffert of Kaiserslautern led the league in assists with 17. Kaiserslautern were at the top of the Fair Play Award stick receiving 0 yellow cards and 0 red cards all season.
Next season, Hertha Berlin and FC Augsberg will be making top-flight appearances after having been promoted.
What do you think on the German Bundesliga season? Leave your comments!
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| Borussia Dortmund were crowned Champions of Germany for the 7th time |
Schalke 04 won the German Cup in the final weekend of the season. After finishing second in the league last season, and going to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League, many things were expected of this "in-form" team. However, with a near the bottom of the table finish in the Bundesliga, it was good to finish with some silverware.
Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich was the top scorer for the league with 28 goals in 34 games. Christian Tiffert of Kaiserslautern led the league in assists with 17. Kaiserslautern were at the top of the Fair Play Award stick receiving 0 yellow cards and 0 red cards all season.
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| Mario Gomez; Bundesliga Top Scorer Bayern Munich Striker |
What do you think on the German Bundesliga season? Leave your comments!
Friday, May 20, 2011
AC Milan Serie A Champions: Fluke or Future?
AC Milan have been secured as Serie A Champions going into the last week. They lead Inter, the defending champions, by 8 points. Throughout the season, they only lost four games. They defeated Inter both times they faced them this season, and did the same to 3rd place Napoli. This AC Milan title ends a 5 year streak for their rivals, Inter Milan. So, is this something Italian football fans should be expecting more of in the future, or is this only a fluke in the Inter Milan rule over Italy?
AC Milan ended the season with an amazing +41 goal difference. The only team to average more then +1 goal difference a game. Even though none of their players scored many goals in the league, they had three players (Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Pato, and Robinho) score 14 goals a piece. They won the most amount of games by any team, and lost the least amount. It's not uncommon for AC Milan to win the league, in fact, with the 2010-11 season, AC Milan has won the same amount of titles as Inter Milan, and been given two more runner up titles then they have as well. So, technically, AC Milan are second in "Serie A performance" (Juventus have won 27 titles, compared to AC Milan's 18). Also, many people claim that AC Milan are "the most successful club in the world". AC Milan no doubt had an outstanding season, and were by far the best team in Serie A.
But, is this success something everyone should get comfortable with? Or next year will it return to the rule of Inter?
This year wasn't one with many goals in Serie A. I said before that AC Milan averaged more then a +1 goal difference per game. However, Inter Milan have scored one more goal then them going into the last week. Also, prior to this season, Massimiliano Allegri, was appointed manager of AC Milan. Allegri hasn't gained serious reputation from his management career. The best finish prior to AC Milan was with Cagliari finishing 12th. Two years ago, Carlo Ancelloti left AC Milan for english club Chelsea. Brazilian Leonardo was brought in, and after a 3rd place finish, he left, leaving room for Allegri. This managerial change is completely bizarre. Bringing in a manager from 12th place Cagliari, with little managerial experience?
This summer, AC Milan came out spending. 11 players in during the summer, including three players coming in on loans. The two final signings of the summer: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on loan from Barcelona, and Robinho from Manchester City. These two signings, along with Pato, were the top scorers for Milan. Ibrahimovic scored 21 goals in all competitions, the top scorer for AC Milan this season. It's definetly a blow for any team to lose their top scorer, because Ibrahimovic will be returning to Barcelona in the summer. However, if AC Milan pay the $24 million option that Barcelona offered them, he will stay with the club. Unless they pay this fee, expect someone else to step up at the club to score as many goals as he did this year.
5 signings in the January window, including Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel. After watching this transfer made, one must wonder, "Bommel's getting pretty old, how old is he exactly?" So one Google's Mark van Bommel to find out he's 34 years old. Then one begins to think, "Wait, aren't a lot of the AC Milan players really old?" Once again, you hit up the Google. You find out many, in fact most of AC Milan's squad are above the age of 30. How long can Ambrosini, Seedorf, and Bommel run around out there at full strength against 25 year old's? Alexandre Pato has a bright future for the club. He's only 21 years old, and he's already a key factor in the offense of AC Milan. Maybe that's why they bought so many young players last summer, and don't forget that they have a countless number of players out on loan, most likely all who are relatively young. But, it's going to be a close call on whether or not these young players will be ready to play at the normal AC Milan level after the older generation leaves.
What I'm looking forward to seeing is the dynamic Brazilian duo. Robinho is a very talented player, and now that he's joined Pato at the front, everyone will see some very crafty football from those two. Honestly, I really hope that Ibrahimovic does not return so those two players will get more time to play together. After a year or so, they will start thinking alike, and they will be unstoppable up front.
So, is AC Milan's Serie A Title a fluke, or is it the future? What do you think?
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| AC Milan have been named Champions: But will it happen more in future years? |
But, is this success something everyone should get comfortable with? Or next year will it return to the rule of Inter?
This year wasn't one with many goals in Serie A. I said before that AC Milan averaged more then a +1 goal difference per game. However, Inter Milan have scored one more goal then them going into the last week. Also, prior to this season, Massimiliano Allegri, was appointed manager of AC Milan. Allegri hasn't gained serious reputation from his management career. The best finish prior to AC Milan was with Cagliari finishing 12th. Two years ago, Carlo Ancelloti left AC Milan for english club Chelsea. Brazilian Leonardo was brought in, and after a 3rd place finish, he left, leaving room for Allegri. This managerial change is completely bizarre. Bringing in a manager from 12th place Cagliari, with little managerial experience?
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| Zlatan Ibrahimovic will return to Barcelona in the summer unless Milan buy him from the Spaniards for $24 million |
This summer, AC Milan came out spending. 11 players in during the summer, including three players coming in on loans. The two final signings of the summer: Zlatan Ibrahimovic on loan from Barcelona, and Robinho from Manchester City. These two signings, along with Pato, were the top scorers for Milan. Ibrahimovic scored 21 goals in all competitions, the top scorer for AC Milan this season. It's definetly a blow for any team to lose their top scorer, because Ibrahimovic will be returning to Barcelona in the summer. However, if AC Milan pay the $24 million option that Barcelona offered them, he will stay with the club. Unless they pay this fee, expect someone else to step up at the club to score as many goals as he did this year.
5 signings in the January window, including Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel. After watching this transfer made, one must wonder, "Bommel's getting pretty old, how old is he exactly?" So one Google's Mark van Bommel to find out he's 34 years old. Then one begins to think, "Wait, aren't a lot of the AC Milan players really old?" Once again, you hit up the Google. You find out many, in fact most of AC Milan's squad are above the age of 30. How long can Ambrosini, Seedorf, and Bommel run around out there at full strength against 25 year old's? Alexandre Pato has a bright future for the club. He's only 21 years old, and he's already a key factor in the offense of AC Milan. Maybe that's why they bought so many young players last summer, and don't forget that they have a countless number of players out on loan, most likely all who are relatively young. But, it's going to be a close call on whether or not these young players will be ready to play at the normal AC Milan level after the older generation leaves.
What I'm looking forward to seeing is the dynamic Brazilian duo. Robinho is a very talented player, and now that he's joined Pato at the front, everyone will see some very crafty football from those two. Honestly, I really hope that Ibrahimovic does not return so those two players will get more time to play together. After a year or so, they will start thinking alike, and they will be unstoppable up front.
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| Pato and Robinho; the Brazilian Duo |
Last Week Of La Liga
The last week of La Liga is here at last, and what a good league it has been to watch. Barcelona, who have been in 1st place since week 13, will be crowned champions after this weekend. Real Madrid will take second place, and Valencia third. The point difference between Real Madrid and Valencia is 21 points. Villareal have secured 4th place, and a Champions League playoff spot.
The rest of the table is not so certain. 5th-7th place is completely up for grabs. Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, and Athletico Madrid all have 55 points. Espanyol is in 8th with 49 points, so as long as they win or draw, they will secure that place. 9th-17th place has a 3 point difference. You can bet this portion of the table will be changed dramatically after the last week. Also, 12th-18th place has a 3 point difference as well. Zaragoza have 42 points, and they could potentially rise to 12th place from 19th with a win. Hercules (34 points) and Almeria (30 points) have already been confirmed for relegation.
The last week for the middle of the table will be very exciting, and no one could be able to predict the outcome.
The rest of the table is not so certain. 5th-7th place is completely up for grabs. Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, and Athletico Madrid all have 55 points. Espanyol is in 8th with 49 points, so as long as they win or draw, they will secure that place. 9th-17th place has a 3 point difference. You can bet this portion of the table will be changed dramatically after the last week. Also, 12th-18th place has a 3 point difference as well. Zaragoza have 42 points, and they could potentially rise to 12th place from 19th with a win. Hercules (34 points) and Almeria (30 points) have already been confirmed for relegation.
The last week for the middle of the table will be very exciting, and no one could be able to predict the outcome.
My Prediction at EPL Final Table
- Manchester United 78
- Chelsea 74
- Manchester City 69
- Arsenal 68
- Tottenham 62
- Liverpool 59
- Everton 52
- Fulham 49
- Stoke City 49
- West Brom 49
- Bolton 47
- Sunderland 47
- Aston Villa 46
- Newcastle 45
- Wolves 43
- Blackburn 40
- Blackpool 40
- Birmingham 39
- Wigan 39
- West Ham 33
Fighting in the rest of the Table: EPL
Not only is the relegation zone going to come down to the final match, but many other places in the table will be decided on the final game of the season. Here's a breakdown of the rest of the teams (excluding the teams fighting against relegation; those reviewed in the previous post) and their potential spots following Gameweek 38.
1 Manchester United: (Home vs Blackpool)
Manchester United have secured the title after drawing with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in Week 37. They lead Chelsea 6 points going into the last weekend.
2 Chelsea: (Away vs. Everton)
Chelsea cannot pass Manchester United to become champions. However, Manchester City statistically still have a chance to move into second. Chelsea lead them by 3 points and have a +12 goal difference better. So, in order for Chelsea to drop to 3rd, Manchester City needs to win, Chelsea need to lose, and in one game, Manchester City needs to gain 13 more goals on goal difference then Chelsea. For example, Chelsea needs to lose 6-0, and Man City needs to win 7-0.
3 Man City: (Away vs. Bolton)
Manchester City have a mathematical chance to hop to 2nd place (explained above), but it is very unlikely. The real thing to worry about is Arsenal who are behind them by only one point. Manchester City need to win to secure 3rd place. Anything else could potentially drop them to 4th.
4 Arsenal: (Away vs. Fulham)
Arsenal are far clear of 5th place Tottenham, and can only go up from the last week. They trail Man City by one point. Arsenal cannot lose if they want to go up a place. Winning, and anything but a Man City win will advance them. Also, if Man City lose, and Arsenal draw, Arsenal will become 3rd place on goal difference.
5 Tottenham: (Home vs. Birmingham)
Tottenham have no chance in catching 4th place Arsenal. Liverpool trail them by one point. If they win, they will secure 5th place, and Europa League football. Anything else will give Liverpool a chance to hop ahead of them.
6 Liverpool: (Away vs. Aston Villa)
Liverpool are in the same situation as Arsenal, except with Tottenham. A win would be ideal, but it can be done with a draw. They lead Tottenham on goal difference, so if Tottenham lose, and Liverpool get some sort of points, Liverpool will take 5th place.
7 Everton: (Home vs. Chelsea)
Everton cannot catch 6th place Liverpool. However, Fulham trails them by 3 points. So as long as Everton takes points from their next game against Chelsea, they will secure 7th place. Fulham leads Everton on goal difference, so a loss will give Fulham a decent chance at hopping over them.
8 Fulham: (Home vs. Arsenal)
Fulham have a chance at catching Everton as explained above. But they only lead Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two points. Also, they only lead Newcastle and Aston Villa by three points. As long as Fulham win, they will secure 8th place. Even drawing will give them a very good chance at keeping their place. All of the other teams have atleast a 7 goal less goal difference, so goal difference should go in their favor if it comes to that.
9 Stoke City: (Home vs. Wigan)
Stoke City are two points behind Fulham. A victory, and a Fulham loss will boost them ahead of them. Stoke have the same amount of points as both Bolton and West Brom. Also, Newcastle and Aston Villa trail by one point, and Sunderland by two. If any of these teams acquire more points then Stoke this week, they will advance ahead of them.
10 Bolton: (Home vs. Manchester City)
Bolton trail Fulham by two points. A win, and a Fulham loss will boost them ahead of them. However, 4 teams are within two points of them, plus Stoke are only ahead of them on goal difference, which is one goal more. Any teams below Bolton gaining more points then Bolton, will give them a very good chance of advancing past them. And Bolton are playing Manchester City, which will be a very tough opponent.
11 West Brom: (Away vs. Newcastle)
West Brom are tied with Stoke City and Bolton on points, but trail on goal difference. They're ahead of Newcastle and Aston Villa by one point, and Sunderland by two. A victory will secure atleast 11th place, and they have a chance to rise a few places in the table if things go right for them. A draw or loss is unpredictable, and they could drop as low as 14th.
12 Newcastle: (Home vs. West Brom)
Newcastle trail Fulham by three points. They trail Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two points. They lead Aston Villa on goal difference, and lead Sunderland by one point. A win will secure them atleast 12th, and could potentially rise them to 8th. A draw or loss could go anyway, and they could drop as low as 14th.
13 Aston Villa: (Home vs. Liverpool)
Aston Villa trail Fulham by three points, Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two, and Newcastle on an 11 point goal difference. They lead Sunderland by one point. Aston Villa can secure 13th place with a win, and could potentially raise them to 8th. A draw or loss is unpredictable, and could lower them to 14th. If they draw, and Sunderland draw or lose, they will stay at 13th.
14 Sunderland: (Away vs. West Ham)
Sunderland do not have to worry about dropping places, they lead Wolves and Blackburn by 4 points. However, with a victory, they could potentially go up the table as far as 9th place. It's very unlikely, but possible. They only trail Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two. They trail Newcastle and Aston Villa by one.
SUMMARY: Teams in parenthesis are teams that could get that spot
1st place - Secured (Man U)
2nd place - (Chelsea and Man City)
3rd place - (Man City and Arsenal)
5th place - (Tottenham and Liverpool)
7th place - (Everton and Fulham)
8th place - (Fulham, Stoke, Bolton, West Brom, Newcastle, and Aston Villa)
9th thru 14th - (completely up for grabs between Fulham, Stoke, Bolton, West Brom, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Sunderland)
15th thru 19th - (completely up for grabs between Blackburn, Wolves, Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan)
20th place - Secured (West Ham)
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| Sir Alex Ferguson will be delighted to receive the Title once again |
Manchester United have secured the title after drawing with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in Week 37. They lead Chelsea 6 points going into the last weekend.
2 Chelsea: (Away vs. Everton)
Chelsea cannot pass Manchester United to become champions. However, Manchester City statistically still have a chance to move into second. Chelsea lead them by 3 points and have a +12 goal difference better. So, in order for Chelsea to drop to 3rd, Manchester City needs to win, Chelsea need to lose, and in one game, Manchester City needs to gain 13 more goals on goal difference then Chelsea. For example, Chelsea needs to lose 6-0, and Man City needs to win 7-0.
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| Roberto Mancini, manager of Man City Qualified for Champions League, and won FA Cup this season |
Manchester City have a mathematical chance to hop to 2nd place (explained above), but it is very unlikely. The real thing to worry about is Arsenal who are behind them by only one point. Manchester City need to win to secure 3rd place. Anything else could potentially drop them to 4th.
4 Arsenal: (Away vs. Fulham)
Arsenal are far clear of 5th place Tottenham, and can only go up from the last week. They trail Man City by one point. Arsenal cannot lose if they want to go up a place. Winning, and anything but a Man City win will advance them. Also, if Man City lose, and Arsenal draw, Arsenal will become 3rd place on goal difference.
5 Tottenham: (Home vs. Birmingham)
Tottenham have no chance in catching 4th place Arsenal. Liverpool trail them by one point. If they win, they will secure 5th place, and Europa League football. Anything else will give Liverpool a chance to hop ahead of them.
6 Liverpool: (Away vs. Aston Villa)
Liverpool are in the same situation as Arsenal, except with Tottenham. A win would be ideal, but it can be done with a draw. They lead Tottenham on goal difference, so if Tottenham lose, and Liverpool get some sort of points, Liverpool will take 5th place.
7 Everton: (Home vs. Chelsea)
Everton cannot catch 6th place Liverpool. However, Fulham trails them by 3 points. So as long as Everton takes points from their next game against Chelsea, they will secure 7th place. Fulham leads Everton on goal difference, so a loss will give Fulham a decent chance at hopping over them.
8 Fulham: (Home vs. Arsenal)
Fulham have a chance at catching Everton as explained above. But they only lead Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two points. Also, they only lead Newcastle and Aston Villa by three points. As long as Fulham win, they will secure 8th place. Even drawing will give them a very good chance at keeping their place. All of the other teams have atleast a 7 goal less goal difference, so goal difference should go in their favor if it comes to that.
9 Stoke City: (Home vs. Wigan)
Stoke City are two points behind Fulham. A victory, and a Fulham loss will boost them ahead of them. Stoke have the same amount of points as both Bolton and West Brom. Also, Newcastle and Aston Villa trail by one point, and Sunderland by two. If any of these teams acquire more points then Stoke this week, they will advance ahead of them.
10 Bolton: (Home vs. Manchester City)
Bolton trail Fulham by two points. A win, and a Fulham loss will boost them ahead of them. However, 4 teams are within two points of them, plus Stoke are only ahead of them on goal difference, which is one goal more. Any teams below Bolton gaining more points then Bolton, will give them a very good chance of advancing past them. And Bolton are playing Manchester City, which will be a very tough opponent.
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| Peter Odemwingie West Brom's Star Striker |
West Brom are tied with Stoke City and Bolton on points, but trail on goal difference. They're ahead of Newcastle and Aston Villa by one point, and Sunderland by two. A victory will secure atleast 11th place, and they have a chance to rise a few places in the table if things go right for them. A draw or loss is unpredictable, and they could drop as low as 14th.
12 Newcastle: (Home vs. West Brom)
Newcastle trail Fulham by three points. They trail Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two points. They lead Aston Villa on goal difference, and lead Sunderland by one point. A win will secure them atleast 12th, and could potentially rise them to 8th. A draw or loss could go anyway, and they could drop as low as 14th.
13 Aston Villa: (Home vs. Liverpool)
Aston Villa trail Fulham by three points, Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two, and Newcastle on an 11 point goal difference. They lead Sunderland by one point. Aston Villa can secure 13th place with a win, and could potentially raise them to 8th. A draw or loss is unpredictable, and could lower them to 14th. If they draw, and Sunderland draw or lose, they will stay at 13th.
14 Sunderland: (Away vs. West Ham)
Sunderland do not have to worry about dropping places, they lead Wolves and Blackburn by 4 points. However, with a victory, they could potentially go up the table as far as 9th place. It's very unlikely, but possible. They only trail Stoke, Bolton, and West Brom by two. They trail Newcastle and Aston Villa by one.
SUMMARY: Teams in parenthesis are teams that could get that spot
1st place - Secured (Man U)
2nd place - (Chelsea and Man City)
3rd place - (Man City and Arsenal)
5th place - (Tottenham and Liverpool)
7th place - (Everton and Fulham)
8th place - (Fulham, Stoke, Bolton, West Brom, Newcastle, and Aston Villa)
9th thru 14th - (completely up for grabs between Fulham, Stoke, Bolton, West Brom, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Sunderland)
15th thru 19th - (completely up for grabs between Blackburn, Wolves, Birmingham, Blackpool and Wigan)
20th place - Secured (West Ham)
EPL: Relegation Frenzy!
Relegation Zone Trouble In EPL:
One game remains in the EPL season, one game only. That allows for all teams to gain a potential of either 3, 1, or 0 points more then they already have. Manchester United have already claimed the title, leading 2nd place Chelsea by 6 points going into the final weekend. However, the bottom end of the table isn't so easily assured. 5 teams are within spitting distance of relegation. One team, West Ham United, can't possibly climb out of the relegation zone, and therefore are doomed to be relegated. That leaves two spots left in the relegation zone, with 5 teams all within 1 point of each other. Wigan, Blackpool, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton, and Blackburn. Going into the weekend, Wigan, Birmingham City, and Blackpool are with 39 points each. The other two have 40 points a piece. Now let's look at each of these teams situations individually shall we.
Blackpool:
Blackpool were written off as a certainty in relegation this year. No one expected anything at all from this team. They aren't big, they aren't popular, and for Pete's sake, they wash their own training jerseys. Their stadium seats a measly 16,200 fans. This is the first season in which they have participated in the Premier League. However, this weekend, they will fight to make Blackpool history, and prove to the world that they are ready for top-class football. Ian Holloway came to the club at the beginning of last season, and has turned this club around since then. He made a record signing for Charlie Adam, their star midfielder, and got them to 6th place in the Championship, their highest ever. They won in a playoff, and were promoted to the Premier League. This season, they have made great strides, and it is shown by how addicted their fans are to this club. This season, they achieved victory against Liverpool (both times they played them), Tottenham Hotspur, and Bolton Wanderers. Of course, they won more games than that, these are just important ones. For their last game of the season, they couldn't have been unluckier. They are playing the champions, Manchester United at Old Trafford. But, everyone in the Blackpool community, and all of the club believe that they can pull out a necessary victory in their time of need.
Wigan Athletic:
After appointing Roberto Martinez as manager a few years ago, things were supposed to look bright for Wigan. This season has definitely not been in their favor. First game of the season: Wigan lose to Blackpool 4 - 0. Next weekend, they lose to Chelsea 6-0. Starting out with a -10 goal difference isn't ideal. By February, Wigan were in last place in the Premier League. However, these last 8 weeks have shown promise. They've only lost 2 of their last 8 games, and have taken 12 points out of a possible 24. That may not seem like alot, but when your near the bottom of the table, every point counts. Confidence was reassured last weekend when Wigan defeated West Ham United 3-2 off of a Charles N'Zogbia goal in extra time. That result assured West Ham of relegation, and boosted Wigan closer to fresh air out of the relegation zone. The problem for Wigan this season has been a lack of goals. Their Premier League leader is Charles N'Zogbia, with only 9 goals. N'Zogbia has 10 goals in all competitions. This weekend, they are playing Stoke City away from home. When they played them earlier this season, Wigan drew with Stoke 2-2. This time, Wigan will need a victory if they are going to avoid relegation.
Birmingham City:
Ever since week one, Birmingham has been fighting relegation. Three years ago, they were relegated from the Premier League. They certainly don't want to be repeating that, so they will do whatever it takes. Birmingham City has shown promise in the past two years. Immediately after being relegated from the Premier League, they won promotion from the Championship back into the EPL. Last season, they finished 9th on the table, their best finish in 51 years. Also, this year, they defeated Arsenal 2-1 to win the League Cup during mid-season. The team has a lot of talent, including players on loan. Alexander Hleb of Barcelona, Obafemi Martins of Rubin Kazan, and David Bentley of Tottenham Hotspur. One of their wingers, Sebastian Larsson, is a very crafty Swedish player. The team is full of talent, but they will need to pull all of the talent together in their next game to make sure they stay out of relegation. The last 6 weeks have left them with 1 draw and 5 losses. Their last game will be away against Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham are fighting to hold 5th place in the league, so this will not be an easy fixture for Birmingham, especially away at White Hart Lane.
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Two years ago, Wolves were promoted to the Premier League. This is the first time they had done this since the 1988-89 season. Last season, they finished fifteenth in the table, avoiding relegation. This was the first time they had secured more than one consecutive season in the EPL since 1981. Even though they made a record signing of striker Kevin Doyle, their strongest point was their defense. This season has shown many more weak points. Wolves were 15th in the league after 5 games, and two weeks later, would drop to 19th, where they would stay for much of the season. The first 9 weeks only allowed for one victory, three draws, and five losses. However, there have been some high points in the season for them. They defeated Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool. Also, the last two weeks have ended in a 3-1 victory. This is a good sign going into the last week where they will be playing fellow "relegation fearer", Blackburn Rovers.
Blackburn Rovers:
Blackburn have enjoyed Premier League football for about 10 years now. This season marked their 70th total year in top-flight football. However this year, hasn't been so happy. Blackburn have only won one game since January. You would think by getting previous striker Roque Santa Cruz on loan from Manchester City would help, but this hasn't shown to improve Blackburn's form. Their top scorer, Nikola Kalinic has only scored 5 Premier League Goals. With great players like Morten Gamst Pedersen and Brett Emerton, you would believe that Blackburn are capable of much more then they've been putting out lately. Things look bright for Blackburn though, three key players, Chris Samba, Jermaine Jones, and Junior Holiett have all been cleared of injuries and are expected to appear against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The winner of the game secures a non-relegation spot, and maybe even a draw would secure both of their places in the EPL next season.
With all the hectic nerves going into this weekend, one can only hope that this race to avoid relegation is one of great excitement, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the outcome.
One game remains in the EPL season, one game only. That allows for all teams to gain a potential of either 3, 1, or 0 points more then they already have. Manchester United have already claimed the title, leading 2nd place Chelsea by 6 points going into the final weekend. However, the bottom end of the table isn't so easily assured. 5 teams are within spitting distance of relegation. One team, West Ham United, can't possibly climb out of the relegation zone, and therefore are doomed to be relegated. That leaves two spots left in the relegation zone, with 5 teams all within 1 point of each other. Wigan, Blackpool, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton, and Blackburn. Going into the weekend, Wigan, Birmingham City, and Blackpool are with 39 points each. The other two have 40 points a piece. Now let's look at each of these teams situations individually shall we.
Blackpool:
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| Ian Holloway; manager of spirited Blackpool |
Wigan Athletic:
After appointing Roberto Martinez as manager a few years ago, things were supposed to look bright for Wigan. This season has definitely not been in their favor. First game of the season: Wigan lose to Blackpool 4 - 0. Next weekend, they lose to Chelsea 6-0. Starting out with a -10 goal difference isn't ideal. By February, Wigan were in last place in the Premier League. However, these last 8 weeks have shown promise. They've only lost 2 of their last 8 games, and have taken 12 points out of a possible 24. That may not seem like alot, but when your near the bottom of the table, every point counts. Confidence was reassured last weekend when Wigan defeated West Ham United 3-2 off of a Charles N'Zogbia goal in extra time. That result assured West Ham of relegation, and boosted Wigan closer to fresh air out of the relegation zone. The problem for Wigan this season has been a lack of goals. Their Premier League leader is Charles N'Zogbia, with only 9 goals. N'Zogbia has 10 goals in all competitions. This weekend, they are playing Stoke City away from home. When they played them earlier this season, Wigan drew with Stoke 2-2. This time, Wigan will need a victory if they are going to avoid relegation.
Birmingham City:
Ever since week one, Birmingham has been fighting relegation. Three years ago, they were relegated from the Premier League. They certainly don't want to be repeating that, so they will do whatever it takes. Birmingham City has shown promise in the past two years. Immediately after being relegated from the Premier League, they won promotion from the Championship back into the EPL. Last season, they finished 9th on the table, their best finish in 51 years. Also, this year, they defeated Arsenal 2-1 to win the League Cup during mid-season. The team has a lot of talent, including players on loan. Alexander Hleb of Barcelona, Obafemi Martins of Rubin Kazan, and David Bentley of Tottenham Hotspur. One of their wingers, Sebastian Larsson, is a very crafty Swedish player. The team is full of talent, but they will need to pull all of the talent together in their next game to make sure they stay out of relegation. The last 6 weeks have left them with 1 draw and 5 losses. Their last game will be away against Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham are fighting to hold 5th place in the league, so this will not be an easy fixture for Birmingham, especially away at White Hart Lane.
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Two years ago, Wolves were promoted to the Premier League. This is the first time they had done this since the 1988-89 season. Last season, they finished fifteenth in the table, avoiding relegation. This was the first time they had secured more than one consecutive season in the EPL since 1981. Even though they made a record signing of striker Kevin Doyle, their strongest point was their defense. This season has shown many more weak points. Wolves were 15th in the league after 5 games, and two weeks later, would drop to 19th, where they would stay for much of the season. The first 9 weeks only allowed for one victory, three draws, and five losses. However, there have been some high points in the season for them. They defeated Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool. Also, the last two weeks have ended in a 3-1 victory. This is a good sign going into the last week where they will be playing fellow "relegation fearer", Blackburn Rovers.
Blackburn Rovers:
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| Nikola Kalinic; Blackburn's top scorer |
With all the hectic nerves going into this weekend, one can only hope that this race to avoid relegation is one of great excitement, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the outcome.
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