At the midpoint of the season, Sheffield United looked to be playing well in their opening season. A streak of bad matches, however, ended in their relegation from the Premiership after spending only a season in it on 1 less goal difference.
On the last day, it was a three-way battle between Sheffield United, Wigan Athletic and West Ham United. Sheffield United had 16th position with 38 points, leading West Ham on goal difference and Wigan by 3 points. They also had control over their destiny as they faced Wigan and avoiding defeat would mean that Wigan were relegated. Moreover, even if they lost, West Ham faced champions Manchester United at Old Trafford, and looked very unlikely to win.
However, events unfolded completely differently, with West Ham, due to an amazing amount of luck, beating Manchester United, and Sheffield losing to Wigan 2-1 at home despite dominating the game for long periods and rattling the woodwork. In the end, however, they were tied on points with Wigan, and had -23 goal difference while Wigan had -22, allowing Wigan to avoid the drop.
Neil Warnock, Sheffield United manager, resigned at the end of the season. The club, however, has still not given up. It has launched an appeal in court against the controversial signing of Carlos Tevez by West Ham United. Carlos Tevez was not owned completely by West Ham, with a third party also owning partial rights. West Ham were given a fine of 9 million pounds. Sheffield, however, claimed that West Ham should have been docked 10 points for it, and have appealed for it in court.
Tevez played a crucial role in West Ham's fightback to avoid the drop, scoring 7 goals in the last 10 matches.
26 May 2007
Championship playoff final: preview
With Sunderland and Birmingham, who both were relegated last season, getting promoted after just a season in the 2nd division, it is upto West Bromwich Albion to see if, for the first time ever, the three teams that were relegated in a season from the Premiership can get promoted back up the next season. West Brom face Derby County, who finished 7 points ahead of them in the table, in the Championship playoff final at Wembley.
With the two sides being evenly matched, it is going to go down to which club has the greater desire to win. The winner will get an estimated $100 million increase in revenue next season. One of these clubs will take the final spot in the Premiership.
The three sides which made the drop to the second division are Watford, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United. Watford and Sheffield United were relegated after just one season in the Premiership. The other team to be promoted last season, Reading, finished comfortably in 8th place, one short of a UEFA Cup spot.
The match will also be the final match for veteran referee Graham Poll, who will be ending will 26-year-long career after the match.
With the two sides being evenly matched, it is going to go down to which club has the greater desire to win. The winner will get an estimated $100 million increase in revenue next season. One of these clubs will take the final spot in the Premiership.
The three sides which made the drop to the second division are Watford, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United. Watford and Sheffield United were relegated after just one season in the Premiership. The other team to be promoted last season, Reading, finished comfortably in 8th place, one short of a UEFA Cup spot.
The match will also be the final match for veteran referee Graham Poll, who will be ending will 26-year-long career after the match.
Transfer Report:Sidwell to Chelsea
Player:Steve Sidwell
From:Reading
To: Chelsea
Fee: Free
Chelsea secured their first signing of the season when Steve Sidwell declined his former club Reading's offer of a 4-year 25,000-pound-a-week deal, and signed a contract with Chelsea, whom he will officially join on July 1st, when his contract at Reading expires.
Sidwell was very promising for Reading in the first season, and was one of the reasons why Reading defied expectations of relegation, instead finishing in 8th position, one spot away from a UEFA Cup spot. He plays the role of a defensive midfielder, and is seen at Chelsea as an apt replacement for 34-year-old Frenchman Claude Makelele, who used to occupy the position.
Sidwell only scored 4 goals in 35 games, but the former Arsenal player promised much in the season. Sidwell is 24 years old, and will be seen by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as a good prospect for years to come.
From:Reading
To: Chelsea
Fee: Free
Chelsea secured their first signing of the season when Steve Sidwell declined his former club Reading's offer of a 4-year 25,000-pound-a-week deal, and signed a contract with Chelsea, whom he will officially join on July 1st, when his contract at Reading expires.
Sidwell was very promising for Reading in the first season, and was one of the reasons why Reading defied expectations of relegation, instead finishing in 8th position, one spot away from a UEFA Cup spot. He plays the role of a defensive midfielder, and is seen at Chelsea as an apt replacement for 34-year-old Frenchman Claude Makelele, who used to occupy the position.
Sidwell only scored 4 goals in 35 games, but the former Arsenal player promised much in the season. Sidwell is 24 years old, and will be seen by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as a good prospect for years to come.
Malaysian FA urges Man Utd rethink
After Manchester United played safe and avoided a controversy with the AFC by refusing to play , the Malaysian Football Association has again appealed to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to rethink the decision and allow Manchester United to play.
With 2007 being "Visit Malaysia" year, and Man United's huge fan base in the region, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Bawadi, wanted the match to be played at Kuala Lumpur to attract tourists.
The reason for the controversy is that the AFC said that no matches could be played in July due to the Asian Cup which will be hosted in Malaysia. That no other matches should be played during the Cup is part of the contract the Malaysian FA had signed as hosts of the tournament.
Manchester United cannot play the match on any day other then July 27th as they have a friendly match against Inter Milan at Old Trafford on August 1st, and then the season-opening community shield against Chelsea on the 5th of August.
With 2007 being "Visit Malaysia" year, and Man United's huge fan base in the region, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Bawadi, wanted the match to be played at Kuala Lumpur to attract tourists.
The reason for the controversy is that the AFC said that no matches could be played in July due to the Asian Cup which will be hosted in Malaysia. That no other matches should be played during the Cup is part of the contract the Malaysian FA had signed as hosts of the tournament.
Manchester United cannot play the match on any day other then July 27th as they have a friendly match against Inter Milan at Old Trafford on August 1st, and then the season-opening community shield against Chelsea on the 5th of August.
Real and Barca in for a nail-biting tussle
Bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona are locked in an amazing tussle in the La Liga. The two eternal rivals, who have spent all their time in the La Liga's first division, are tied on points, with Real leading on a better head-to-head record with three games to go. Real host Deportivo La Coruna and Barca host cup antagonists Getafe this weekend.
Getafe had beaten Barca 4-0 in the second leg of their cup final, stunning all by overturning a 5-2 first leg deficit. Soon after the loss, Barca were held to a draw and conceded the lead to Real Madrid. Last weekend, however, they beat Atletico Madrid 6-0 and Real managed a last-gasp winner by Roberto Carlos to beat Recreativo Huelva.
Valencia are finishing the season on a high, but taking the La Liga title is virtually impossible owing to trailing the leaders by 4 points with 3 games to go. They face Villareal at home.
Sevilla, who won the UEFA Cup on penalties to remain on course for a treble, are two points behind Real and Barca, and will not be giving up the title quest as yet. They will, however, have a tough opposition in Real Zaragoza.
Getafe had beaten Barca 4-0 in the second leg of their cup final, stunning all by overturning a 5-2 first leg deficit. Soon after the loss, Barca were held to a draw and conceded the lead to Real Madrid. Last weekend, however, they beat Atletico Madrid 6-0 and Real managed a last-gasp winner by Roberto Carlos to beat Recreativo Huelva.
Valencia are finishing the season on a high, but taking the La Liga title is virtually impossible owing to trailing the leaders by 4 points with 3 games to go. They face Villareal at home.
Sevilla, who won the UEFA Cup on penalties to remain on course for a treble, are two points behind Real and Barca, and will not be giving up the title quest as yet. They will, however, have a tough opposition in Real Zaragoza.
Serie A - Relegation Battle
After the ending of a dramatic season in the English Premier League, with a dramatic relegation battle between Wigan Athletic and Sheffield United, the stage is set for an even more dramatic relegation battle in Serie A. This is a 5 team battle to avoid the one remaining relegation spot.
This table is the bottom portion of the Serie A table. With Ascoli and Messina already relegated, Siena, Reggina, Catania, Parma and Chievo are involved in a thrilling battle to avoid the dreaded 18th spot and the drop to Serie B that accompanies it. Only two points separate these five sides, and Catania, the sole team on 38 points, take on Chievo in a tense tussle.
Reggina will hope that AC Milan will take it easy on them after winning the UEFA Champions League. Reggina was deducted 15 points for their role in the Calciopoli scandal . Siena entertain third placed Rome club Lazio while Empoli is Parma's opponent on the last day.
Judging by the overall picture, Siena seem most likely to fail, but the beauty of these relegation battles lies in the fact that they defy all logical expectations, so expect anything.
| Chievo Verona | 37 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 38 | 46 | -8 | 39 |
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| Parma | 37 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 38 | 55 | -17 | 39 |
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| Catania Calcio | 37 | 9 | 11 | 17 | 44 | 68 | -24 | 38 |
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| Reggina | 37 | 11 | 15 | 11 | 50 | 50 | 0 | 37 |
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| Siena | 37 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 33 | 44 | -11 | 37 |
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| Messina | 37 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 34 | 65 | -31 | 26 |
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| Ascoli | 37 | 4 | 12 | 21 | 34 | 66 | -32 | 24 |
This table is the bottom portion of the Serie A table. With Ascoli and Messina already relegated, Siena, Reggina, Catania, Parma and Chievo are involved in a thrilling battle to avoid the dreaded 18th spot and the drop to Serie B that accompanies it. Only two points separate these five sides, and Catania, the sole team on 38 points, take on Chievo in a tense tussle.
Reggina will hope that AC Milan will take it easy on them after winning the UEFA Champions League. Reggina was deducted 15 points for their role in the Calciopoli scandal . Siena entertain third placed Rome club Lazio while Empoli is Parma's opponent on the last day.
Judging by the overall picture, Siena seem most likely to fail, but the beauty of these relegation battles lies in the fact that they defy all logical expectations, so expect anything.
England squad for upcoming matches
England has upcoming matches against Brazil and Estonia. The former is a friendly at Wembley, winning which would undoubtedly give England confidence. The latter is a totally different story - England's EURO 2008 can best be described as delicate, and losing this would make it virtually impossible for them to qualify, a predicament which is sure to take away Steve McClaren's job.
England squad for the friendly international against Brazil, at Wembley, on June 1 and the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, in Tallinn, on June 6:
Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Scott Carson (Liverpool), Robert Green (West Ham)
Defenders:
Phil Neville (Everton), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), John Terry (Chelsea), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Man Utd), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Ledley King (Tottenham), Nicky Shorey (Reading)
Midfielders:
David Beckham (Real Madrid), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), David Bentley (Blackburn), Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)
Forwards:
Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Michael Owen (Newcastle), Alan Smith (Man Utd), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
Wayne Rooney is out due to suspension, so a lot will hinge on the weak-looking forwards. Owen and Smith have only played for a month after suffering long injuries, while Crouch and Defoe have looked good in their recent club matches. None of them, however, can really be relied on to score consistently.
Looking at the midfielders, England look strong especially with the return of David Beckham. Lampard and Gerrard are also almost certain to play, with Gerrard probably taking up the right of midfield. The left flank will probably be taken by either Chelsea's Joe Cole or Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing.
With John Terry and Rio Ferdinand being virtually permanently fixed as the centrebacks, the only decisions McClaren will have to make are the left and right backs. With Ashley Cole injured, his Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge is a strong favourite for leftback.
England squad for the friendly international against Brazil, at Wembley, on June 1 and the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia, in Tallinn, on June 6:
Goalkeepers:
Paul Robinson (Tottenham), Scott Carson (Liverpool), Robert Green (West Ham)
Defenders:
Phil Neville (Everton), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), John Terry (Chelsea), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Wes Brown (Man Utd), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Michael Dawson (Tottenham), Ledley King (Tottenham), Nicky Shorey (Reading)
Midfielders:
David Beckham (Real Madrid), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), David Bentley (Blackburn), Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle)
Forwards:
Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Michael Owen (Newcastle), Alan Smith (Man Utd), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham)
Wayne Rooney is out due to suspension, so a lot will hinge on the weak-looking forwards. Owen and Smith have only played for a month after suffering long injuries, while Crouch and Defoe have looked good in their recent club matches. None of them, however, can really be relied on to score consistently.
Looking at the midfielders, England look strong especially with the return of David Beckham. Lampard and Gerrard are also almost certain to play, with Gerrard probably taking up the right of midfield. The left flank will probably be taken by either Chelsea's Joe Cole or Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing.
With John Terry and Rio Ferdinand being virtually permanently fixed as the centrebacks, the only decisions McClaren will have to make are the left and right backs. With Ashley Cole injured, his Chelsea teammate Wayne Bridge is a strong favourite for leftback.
Beckham Recalled
After being out of the England team since the 2006 World Cup, where he captained the side to the quarterfinals, scoring his trademark free kicks along the way, Real Madrid midfielder, David Beckham, former Manchester United captain, who is heading to Los Angeles Galaxy next season, was recalled by England manager Steve McClaren for their upcoming matches against Brazil and Estonia.
The match against Brazil is a friendly, the first international match to be played at the new Wembley after the FA Cup final and the promotion playoffs. The match against Estonia, however, is a crucial EURO 2008 qualifier for England after their poor run in recent matches. They need to win almost all of their remaining two games to finish in one of the two qualification spots in their group.
"We've got a very big game coming up," McClaren said. "We need to win and I have to pick a squad capable of doing that. That's why I've included David.
"I've looked at David over recent months and since Christmas his form has been very good. I think he can help us win against Estonia.
"As time has gone on I felt we needed experience for the Estonia game. David provides that and he's in very good form. The team needs that.
"It is my decision and it is the decision I think is best for England to produce a winning team that the fans can be proud of."
McClaren had marked his arrival as manager by dumping David Beckham. Now, as the stakes are rising, he appears to have finally made what is doubtless the right decision.
The match against Brazil is a friendly, the first international match to be played at the new Wembley after the FA Cup final and the promotion playoffs. The match against Estonia, however, is a crucial EURO 2008 qualifier for England after their poor run in recent matches. They need to win almost all of their remaining two games to finish in one of the two qualification spots in their group.
"We've got a very big game coming up," McClaren said. "We need to win and I have to pick a squad capable of doing that. That's why I've included David.
"I've looked at David over recent months and since Christmas his form has been very good. I think he can help us win against Estonia.
"As time has gone on I felt we needed experience for the Estonia game. David provides that and he's in very good form. The team needs that.
"It is my decision and it is the decision I think is best for England to produce a winning team that the fans can be proud of."
McClaren had marked his arrival as manager by dumping David Beckham. Now, as the stakes are rising, he appears to have finally made what is doubtless the right decision.
McClaren happy with Owen; Lennon limps off
Michael Owen was injured for almost a year due to the injury sustained in last year's World Cup. The Newcastle United striker is now fit, and looked to be improving in the last few games of the season for his club. He also took part in the match against Albania for England B, and, although failing to net a goal, put in what McClaren called a "promising performance".
His greatest opportunity was in the ninth minute when Lennon's cross found him 9 yards from goal. He edged it just wide. However, he set up Stewart Downing for England's second goal.
Tottenham's Aaron Lennon, who had a good season for his club, which secured 5th place in the Premier League, limped off after just 9 minutes because of an ankle injury. The seriousness of the injury is not yet known.
His greatest opportunity was in the ninth minute when Lennon's cross found him 9 yards from goal. He edged it just wide. However, he set up Stewart Downing for England's second goal.
Tottenham's Aaron Lennon, who had a good season for his club, which secured 5th place in the Premier League, limped off after just 9 minutes because of an ankle injury. The seriousness of the injury is not yet known.
England B defeat Albania 3-1 -- report
Alan Smith scored once and Stewart Downing twice as England easily defeated Albania. Manchester United striker, Smith, opened the scoring after 34 minutes by slotting the ball low into the net. Middlesbrough midfielder Stewart Downing, described by many pundits as "a player with real potential" added to Smith's goal 3 minutes later. Albania pulled a goal back through Besart Berisha in the 44th to take the score to 2-1 at half-time, but England never let go of control, and Downing added another goal to his tally 13 minutes after the break.
This was mostly a trial match with manager Steve McClaren not playing anyone - except for Smith from Manchester United - from the big three clubs - Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
England's position in the Euro 2008 qualifiers does not look good, and hopefully the good performances by Downing, Smith and Owen will hold good for England in their qualifiers.
This was mostly a trial match with manager Steve McClaren not playing anyone - except for Smith from Manchester United - from the big three clubs - Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
England's position in the Euro 2008 qualifiers does not look good, and hopefully the good performances by Downing, Smith and Owen will hold good for England in their qualifiers.
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