The Round Ball Game

[gurnemanz]

An interesting battle for the last relegation place in the English Premiership. Leicester look virtually safe now, an amazing turnaround from two months ago. Newcastle have looked so awful for weeks now that it's hard to see where they can get another point, so if Sunderland can sneak a win from their last games they might escape too.

"Virtually safe" might be overstating Leicester's case a little with many "interesting battles" to come and permutations possible and an intriguing games left scenario. They have Sunderland away and I'm sure QPR, by then probably already relegated, might delight in dragging them down with them on the last day, if given the chance.

Aston Villa - 35 pts (They look the most safe)
West Ham
Southampton
Burnley
Arsenal

Newcastle 35 pts (on the slide and now probably favourites for third relegation slot)
West Brom
QPR
West Ham

Hull 34pts
Arsenal
Burnley
Tottenham
Man Utd

Leicester 34 pts
Southampton
Sunderland
QPR

Sunderland 33 pts
Everton
Leicester
Arsenal
Chelsea

[vinteuil]

.... I'm sure QPR, by then probably already relegated, might delight in dragging them down with them on the last day, if given the chance.

... we would. .

[johncorrigan]

Very sorry about the Buddies, jc, but they had looked doomed some time back (rather as QPR and Burnley do now in the English Premiership). A very good win the previous week, though. I was up in the Highlands that weekend, watching Caley Thistle lose to Aberdeen for the umpteenth time (chances not taken). To say the weather was bracing would be an understatement, though if the game had been played on the following day when there was driving sleet and snow some spectators might have been in danger of perishing. ICT can't buy a win these days (except in Cup games) so might have to rely on beating Falkirk in the Cup Final to get into Europe.

Been on the cards for a long time right enough, aeolium.
If I can offer you some solace, I remember in 1987, St Mirren were sitting safe from relegation (ah those were the days) and awaiting the Cup Final. In the four or five weeks leading up to the Final, after we saw off Hearts, , Manager Alex Smith protected players making sure there were no unnecessary yellow cards - generally easing off and I'm pretty sure we didn't pick up many, if any, points as the Final approached. Meanwhile Dundee Utd were active on three fronts - League, Cup, Europe. On the day we bored them into submission and won through a wonderful Ian Ferguson strike in ET. That fine Utd team ended up with nothing in the end up. Abercrombie lifted the Cup to cap a memorable day in Hampden and resulted in a wild night in Paisley. Don't worry, Yogi knows what he's doing!

[teamsaint]

Thanks for the round up, ER.

Sorry we couldn't help out Alison, blame the ref we had. Still, the Foxes have given themselves a great chance, and have an "end of season" Saints up next.

Newcastle. What a pitiful excuse for a team yesterday.( sorry, no offence BBM/ AG).

[EdgeleyRob]

2 trophies in 1 weekend can't be bad.

Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 0. Forum derby,Hazard goal seals the title,Eagles were already safe.
Crawley Town 1 Coventry City 2. Last minute winner earned the points that keep Cov in league 1.

Conference play off semi final,2nd leg.

Bristol Rovers 2 Forest Green Rovers 0. Aggregate 3-0 win,Grimsby Town to come in the final.

[zola]

Have you had a few beers to celebrate the forum's title Edge ? It was actually 1-0 ! And the last month without Costa.

[EdgeleyRob]

Have you had a few beers to celebrate the forum's title Edge ? It was actually 1-0 ! And the last month without Costa.

Doh ! Well spotted Gianfranco,post amended.

[gurnemanz]

Have you had a few beers to celebrate the forum's title Edge ? It was actually 1-0 ! And the last month without Costa.

A Palace view: Chelsea stumble to title with dodgily won penalty, badly taken and luckily headed in on the rebound.

[johncorrigan]

I was up in the Highlands that weekend, watching Caley Thistle lose to Aberdeen for the umpteenth time (chances not taken). To say the weather was bracing would be an understatement, though if the game had been played on the following day when there was driving sleet and snow some spectators might have been in danger of perishing.

Well aeolium, it'll be a touch warmer with the glow of the PFA Manager of the Year arriving in Inverness to give Big Yogi a nice warm glow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32578065

Does that count as one for the trophy cabinet, Rob?

[aeolium]

Well aeolium, it'll be a touch warmer with the glow of the PFA Manager of the Year arriving in Inverness to give Big Yogi a nice warm glow.

That's good news, jc, and, mea culpa, I was pretty critical of Yogi's tactics earlier in the season when I thought he was a bit negative, but now he has them playing some good stuff. Even if Caley don't win another game this season, it will have been worth it to have seen them beat Celtic in the semi-final on their own patch.

As for Chelsea, I'm sorry calum but I think they are one of the dullest teams to have won the Premiership since it began, and at times their tactics reminded me of the dreadful George Graham Arsenal League title-winners. Wenger's current Arsenal side are miles more entertaining, as indeed are (sorry ER) Man City. If someone gave me a ticket to a Chelsea game, I wouldn't bother to go (though Hazard is a great player).

[antongould]

Thanks for the round up, ER.

Sorry we couldn't help out Alison, blame the ref we had. Still, the Foxes have given themselves a great chance, and have an "end of season" Saints up next.

Newcastle. What a pitiful excuse for a team yesterday.( sorry, no offence BBM/ AG).

......and no offence taken ts - times are very bad in the Toon

[teamsaint]

......and no offence taken ts - times are very bad in the Toon

what I meant really was, "what a pitiful effort." You can't blame players for not being good, of course......

[johncorrigan]

what I meant really was, "what a pitiful effort." You can't blame players for not being good, of course......

I'm interested that the Southern Saints dip in positive results has corresponded with the loss of that very fine goalie Fraser Forster, ts. A big loss, I think.

[teamsaint]

I'm interested that the Southern Saints dip in positive results has corresponded with the loss of that very fine goalie Fraser Forster, ts. A big loss, I think.

He's a really good keeper, JC, but still with a bit to learn. needs to be more aggressive in commanding his box. Lots of discussion here as to whether he was worth 10m to replace Boruc, but we are fortunate to have Fraze, whatever the cost was. talk is he will play at some point next season, but we will get a good quality loan in. Wouldn't mind Rob Green myself.
Spiderman missing doesn't help, and Toby Unpronounceable has been struggling with knocks...plus we have have an eye on avoiding the Europa league.....

Saints fans are desperate for us to keep Toby, he really is top drawer. Not seen many better centre halves in a Saints shirt. a real pleasure to watch, and a nightmare to play against, I should think. Plus he looks real mean.

[EdgeleyRob]

More good news for the forum.

Southern League play off final.

Truro City 1 St Neots Town 0. Penalty sealed the win,Truro promoted to the Conference South,or National League 2 as I believe it will be called next season.

Arsenal doing Leicester a big favour as it stands this evening.