After ten months and 37 games, and many twists, turns, shocks and surprises, the fate of five Barclays Premier League clubs comes down to 90 minutes. Survival Sunday is well and truly upon us.
Going into the final day, Wigan and Blackpool (both 39pts) occupy the two remaining relegation places, with Birmingham (39) outside on goal difference. Wolves host Blackburn (both on 40 pts), where the winners are guaranteed safety, and that is where I shall start my preview.
This game could very easily turn into an Austria v West Germany situation. On that occasion, the sides pre-arranged a 1-0 German win that benefited both countries, changing the rules for last-day fixtures. I am not suggesting there will be any pre-game chat here between Messrs Kean and McCarthy, but if the other games are going their way both teams will certainly settle for a draw and play keep-ball for as long as necessary. The caveat is that a draw would send both sides down if all of the other three relegation rivals win, and Wolves alone would drop if any two of the other three emerge with three points.
Wolves therefore will be more keen for the win, but despite their very good form of late, I think this game will be a draw.
Blackpool are off to Old Trafford to take on the champions Manchester United, where in all likelihood, they will have to win the game to stay up. Only West Brom have taken so much as a point from the Theatre of Dreams this season, and even that looks a tall order for the Tangerines, irrespective of Sir Alex Ferguson's team selection. In my opinion he can put the youth team out with no arguments; I think its fair to say that he has earnt the right to select any 11 players he likes. Whichever side comes out, they ought to be too strong. After all, their 'reserves' have already beaten Schalke 04 4-1 this season.
I'll go for a comfortable home win to send Blackpool back into the Championship.
Wigan have, in my opinion, the most winnable of the final fixtures against a Stoke side who must surely have their summer holidays in mind following the FA Cup final defeat. That said, it won't be a gimme for the Latics, the Britannia Stadium is still one of the more difficult grounds from which to take a result home. That said, I think Wigan's hunger alone - emphatically shown by their comeback last week against West Ham - can get them the result they hope will keep them up.
As I said, of all the opponents they could have had, Wigan probably would have chosen Stoke, and I think they will get the point they need for survival.
That is because Birmingham, who have dropped like a stone since winning the Carling Cup, are at a Tottenham side who still have fifth place, and a Europa League berth, to secure. Spurs are seemingly over their wobble, and their win at Liverpool was one of the more impressive results of the season. Despite Harry Redknapp's apparent lack of interest in the Europa League, he will be desperate to ensure that they finish as high as possible, ie. 5th, to secure it.
I can only see an easy home win here, sorry Blues fans.
So it's Blackpool and Birmingham to join West Ham in the second tier next season in my opinion. I'm sure it won't be that simple though. They will probably all be safe or down at some point, and I can't wait to see it unfold. Apparently there are 81 different permutations today, we may even see most of them. See you at 4.00!
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
A decent effort, but Forest fall short again
Nottingham Forest suffered another play-off disappointment last night, the defeat at Swansea's Liberty Stadium means the club has now failed in four such campaigns. But what do the fans take from the season? Pleasure from another decent attempt at promotion, or frustration that they came up short again? Probably both.
Some may look back at the season and think of it is a disappointment, a failure even, but for me, far from it. At the start of the campaign another tilt at the big time looked an awful long way off after a summer of discontent at the club. I blogged at the end of August expressing my anger at what I assumed would be the start of a downward spiral and a year of, at best, mid-table mediocrity. I did mention however that we hadn't become a bad side overnight either, and that's how it turned out to be fair.
We were, at the start of the season, a difficult team to beat without being spectacular, or indeed winning enough games, and that was how we continued really for too long. Players came in, which was an improvement on last year, but they were replacements rather than additions, and the squad was still far too thin. Although we were challenging for a top-two place as recently as February, there was a feeling in my head that it was almost too good to be true. There followed a sharp decline in form in the spring was in a part down to our lack of strength in depth and injuries and suspensions hitting that had stayed away a few weeks earlier.
The promotion season in League One saw Forest look out of the reckoning, before 6 wins in the last 7 got that side over the line. This season looked similar to that. Defeat at Norwich left us needing - in my opinion at the time - an unlikely 10 points, or even 12, from the last four games. We got 12 to get into the play-off places again. Unbelievable. I didn't see that coming after the Carrow Road game. Would momentum take us over the line? If only it was that simple, but I did have a feeling that the underdogs tag would suit us, as opposed to being the huge favourites we were against Blackpool, and before that, Yeovil Town. Sorry for the reminders!
As it turned out, we were underdogs for a reason. Swansea defended brilliantly at the City Ground with ten men, although were helped by Forest's alarming lack of ambition in the first half. The 0-0 scoreline felt like a win for them and Forest had, in my eyes, missed the boat. The second leg performance was much better from the Reds, but the Swans deserved the win. You have to take your chances, you cant afford to miss ones like those not taken by Marcus Tudgay and David McGoldrick.
Of course I was disappointed to have lost, but not devastated like in the aforementioned semi-finals. Rightly or wrongly, it didn't feel as bad. Overall it has been a decent season, but are decent seasons enough? Now we know we are a Championship club once again, we can get down to the business of sorting out the futures of those out of contract. I really hope the final-year trio of Guy Moussi, Nathan Tyson and Rob Earnshaw do not see their futures elsewhere. I would also like to see on-loan Kris Boyd at the club full time. There will probably be a few departures, but as long as more come in than go out we should be ok and ready to have another go next season.
Some may look back at the season and think of it is a disappointment, a failure even, but for me, far from it. At the start of the campaign another tilt at the big time looked an awful long way off after a summer of discontent at the club. I blogged at the end of August expressing my anger at what I assumed would be the start of a downward spiral and a year of, at best, mid-table mediocrity. I did mention however that we hadn't become a bad side overnight either, and that's how it turned out to be fair.
We were, at the start of the season, a difficult team to beat without being spectacular, or indeed winning enough games, and that was how we continued really for too long. Players came in, which was an improvement on last year, but they were replacements rather than additions, and the squad was still far too thin. Although we were challenging for a top-two place as recently as February, there was a feeling in my head that it was almost too good to be true. There followed a sharp decline in form in the spring was in a part down to our lack of strength in depth and injuries and suspensions hitting that had stayed away a few weeks earlier.
The promotion season in League One saw Forest look out of the reckoning, before 6 wins in the last 7 got that side over the line. This season looked similar to that. Defeat at Norwich left us needing - in my opinion at the time - an unlikely 10 points, or even 12, from the last four games. We got 12 to get into the play-off places again. Unbelievable. I didn't see that coming after the Carrow Road game. Would momentum take us over the line? If only it was that simple, but I did have a feeling that the underdogs tag would suit us, as opposed to being the huge favourites we were against Blackpool, and before that, Yeovil Town. Sorry for the reminders!
As it turned out, we were underdogs for a reason. Swansea defended brilliantly at the City Ground with ten men, although were helped by Forest's alarming lack of ambition in the first half. The 0-0 scoreline felt like a win for them and Forest had, in my eyes, missed the boat. The second leg performance was much better from the Reds, but the Swans deserved the win. You have to take your chances, you cant afford to miss ones like those not taken by Marcus Tudgay and David McGoldrick.
Of course I was disappointed to have lost, but not devastated like in the aforementioned semi-finals. Rightly or wrongly, it didn't feel as bad. Overall it has been a decent season, but are decent seasons enough? Now we know we are a Championship club once again, we can get down to the business of sorting out the futures of those out of contract. I really hope the final-year trio of Guy Moussi, Nathan Tyson and Rob Earnshaw do not see their futures elsewhere. I would also like to see on-loan Kris Boyd at the club full time. There will probably be a few departures, but as long as more come in than go out we should be ok and ready to have another go next season.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)