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THE WEEKEND THAT WAS 3-4-06
Kean Thomas
THE WEEKEND THAT WAS IS SPONSORED BY PADDY POWER - CLICK THE BANNER FOR A FREE TEN QUID BET
THE BRING ON BASEL EDITION
After 700 miles and 12 and ½ hours in a car with four adults and a small child this weekend I'm in no mood for small talk. So, straight into it.
FA Premier League
Manchester City 0 Middlesbrough 1
'Super' Lee Cattermole scored his first Premiership goal to give us all three points and virtually guarantee our safety this season, and what a well worked goal it was too. Some good work from Downing out on the left wing, a pin-point cross from Stewey and some lacklustre defending from Manchester City gave Super Lee his first goal bonus just before the break. The second half saw Boro try and press home their superiority with some good flowing football, and if David James had been having one of his bad days we could have have had a hatful. As it was the one goal was enough.
Stuart Pearce could barely hide his annoyance at his teams display in the post match interviews. The words 'spineless', 'embarrassment' and 'disgrace' were banded about. In a frankly refreshing interview Psycho showed why he is a popular choice to play some part in the future England setup. You could never accuse him of lacking passion.
This result has certainly taken the pressure off Boro in the league. Our safety is assured and if we send the Skunks home minus three points we could well find ourselves above our neighbours and in the top half of the table. But the league is going on the back burner this week for the visit of Basel. Only a clear three goal win will do it for us, and I'd like to see Steve McClaren tell the team to go out all guns blazing. With our firepower up front and the creativity from the flanks we should be able to progress into the semi's.
West Ham 0 Charlton 0
A real mid table draw here, neither side giving much away and both sides having half an eye on FA Cup games. Even Teddy Sheringham's 40th birthday couldn't inspire a goal. The plus side for Boro was the withdrawal of Luke Young from the Charlton defence and the likelihood of him missing the FA Cup replay.
Arsenal 5 Aston Villa 0
Bloody hell... Arsenal can be a bit good at times! Aston Villa were on the end of a proper spanking on Saturday as Arsenal showed Juventus that their win against them was no fluke. Terry Henry sometimes seems like he's from another planet and his second goal was as good as you'll see anywhere this season. Heard it from a good source he's a secret Boro fan. Oh, ok. I'm lying.
This win puts Arsenal within two points of Tottenham with a game in hand so it looks like the fourth Champions League spot is going to the wire. Villa didn't do themselves any favours with this loss but must be glad that the bottom four are eight points away from them and they look likely to escape a relegation dog fight.
Birmingham 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea's season has not recovered since their capitulation against Boro and after slumping out of the Champions League they are now in real danger of being caught by Manchester United. In fact they play Sir Alex's men on April 29th, Chelsea will be hoping to have the title wrapped up by then but you do feel that the wheels are wobbling just a bit. Meanwhile Birmingham will be well pleased with a point against such illustrious opponents. They're still in the shit though.
Bolton 1 Manchester United 2
Bolton haven't won since beating Sunderland three weeks ago and hardly looked like winning this one either.
United are on a roll very reminiscent of the one that won them the title after being twelve points behind Newcastle ("I'd love it... j-j-just love it" - Still makes me laugh). Ruud Van Horseface got himself on the score sheet after a rare start. United looking good for at least second place, while Bolton are in danger of dropping out of the European places altogether.
Everton 2 Sunderland 2
Hands up all those who thought Jon Stead would break his duck for the Mackems? Not one of you? This was his first goal in twenty-six Premiership starts for Sunderland. He was hardly prolific for Blackburn Rovers so we shouldn't be that surprised. A point for the basement club is going to do nothing for their chances of staying up, in fact the only thing that might save them is bird flu hitting the other nineteen Premier League Clubs, although I'd bet we'd be the only team docked three points. Everton fans must be pleased with the way David Moyles has pulled round a potentially horrific season into a mundane mid-table finish.
Fulham 1 Portsmouth 3
Six weeks ago I said to my brother in law that Pompey would pull themselves together just in time for Boro's visit on April 15th. Looks like I've been proven right.
A fantastic run of results has left the boys from Fratton Park feeling like they can avoid the drop into the Championship. Two goals from England U-21 captain Garry O'Neill sandwiched another Lua-Lua special strike, leaving Portsmouth level on points with West Brom but behind on goal difference. Fulham are another team who are thankful for the bottom four being so far behind.
Newcastle 3 Tottenham 1
This one was all over by half time, with Lee Bowyer scoring after just sixty-six seconds and Shola Ameobi adding a second before old father time himself got the third. Tottenham's Champions League aspirations weren't helped by Michael Dawson's dismissal on the hour mark.
Newcastle remain above us in the North East top dogs stakes, but are well within shooting distance and with a game against us at the weekend will go below us if we win by four goals... easy! Tottenham may well have lost out on the CL to their near neighbours Arsenal.
West Brom 0 Liverpool 2
Robbie Fowler rolled back the years to get the game going for Liverpool, netting after seven minutes following a defensive blunder. Cisse added the second midway through the first half. A league win achieved without Steve Gerrard is as rare as a Jon Stead goal. Robbie Fowler's goal wrote him further into the folklore of Anfield - his goal took him above Kenny Dalglish in the all-time scorer's list.
This loss coupled with the Portsmouth win has left Robbo looking over his shoulder at the dreaded drop. Liverpool remain in third place and look very good for a Champions League spot.
That's it for this week, I'm off to prepare for Thursday night's epic against Basel.
See you all next week.
THE WEEKEND THAT WAS IS SPONSORED BY PADDY POWER - CLICK THE BANNER FOR A FREE TEN QUID BET
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