Big weekend of Football coming up – the usual four divisions of fun, plus a bonus FA Cup weekend.
The FA Cup has been setup nicely to give Steven Gerrard the chance to win an FA Cup on his birthday on his last game in the UK. His team play Aston Villa, a result which would have been a mere formality a month ago, but given Liverpool’s troubles getting past Blackburn in the quarter final round which required a replay and that Aston Villa have beaten Liverpool this year it may not be so easy.
Arsenal meanwhile play Championship side Reading who, although safe in the second tier, are much closer to relegation than promotion. Arsenal’s 8 wins in a row also point to a result that look inevitable. But it is the FA Cup and Chelsea were knocked out by a third division team after leading 2-0, but Championship Reading look less likely.
Talking of the Championship, it is interesting to see the usual array of mainstream football sites increasing the prominence of Championship news and results. It seems that just because three of these teams will join the big boys in the EPL next year that people are interested. Or because it is close it is interesting.
The Gurgler takes an interest in the second division, and the third and fourth all year, and can vouch from years of following a team that looks chained to the second tier that the Championship is close and unpredictable every year. Take 2013-14 for instance – third favourite for the drop Burnley defied the odds and finished 2nd, and have been compeditive in the EPL this season.
This year’s edition is full of Championship regulars, EPL yo-yo teams and surprising additions, and the top 8 all of which can still qualify for at least the top 6 show. There’s still two groups of four – the first covered by two points is for the top 2 places and automatic promotion, the second is for two of the remaining playoffs places 4 points apart. The gap between 4th and 5th is 7 points and probably too far away to make the top 2.
Middlesborough and Norwich palyed this morning, and Boro’s win gives them the lead until tonight’s games. Playoffs aspirants Ipswich and Wolves play each other in the big match up early this evening, with the Tractors Boys of Ipswich able to see off one of their competitors for the final spots.
At the other end Wigan look set to be the second team in five years to win the FA Cup and be relegated twice in three seasons. They’ll do well to not slide as far as the previous team to do it Portsmouth who are stuck in the fourth division these days and won’t be leaving this year either.
The fourth division is the only other of the top 4 tiers that the winner is likely to come down to the last day with just two points between Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank’s Burton Albion who are looking for their first trip to League One and Shrewsbury – a perennial yo yo team between the bottom two league.
At the bottom of this division the consequences are more severe, a trip out of the top 4 leagues, and a very tough division to get out of. Some never return. It is down to three teams – Hartlepool, Carlisle, and Tranmere.
Upstairs in League One Bristol City have confirmed their promotion to the Championship, and are set to take the League One title up with their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The battle for second depends on Milton Keynes game in hand in their battle to take that place off Preston. Games in hand tend to be more of a burden than a bonus at this stage of the year, and the previously longest serving team in the second tier Preston looks the most likely.
At the bottom Yeovil are gone and Colchester almost the same, so that leaves two spots to go down. Currently four points separates 16th to 22nd, and some have games in hand. It looks as the most likely place for a minutes by minute relegation see saw on the final day. just the way we like it. Unless our teams is in it.
That is all we have for now. See you at midnight.
BEST BETS THIS WEEKEND
EPL MULTI
$1 grabs $26
MANCHESTER CITY to beat West Ham
DRAW – Everton v Burnley
MANCHESTER UNITED or DRAW v Chelsea
STOKE to beat Southampton
CHAMPIONSHIP MULTI
$1 grabs $32
WATFORD to beat Birmingham
MILLWALL to beat Cardiff
BOURNEMOUTH to beat Sheffield Wednesday
BLACKPOOL to beat Fulham
LEAGUE ONE MULTI
$1 grabs $24
SHEFFIELD UTD to beat Bradford City
BRISTOL CITY to beat Coventry
CREWE or DRAW v Walsall
CHESTERFIELD to beat Oldham
BARNSLEY to beat Peterborough
LEAGUE TWO MULTI
$1 grabs $24
SHREWSBURY to beat York
BURTON to beat Morecambe
BURY to beat Portsmouth
DRAW – Accrington v Stevenage
THE REMAINING GAMES
[soccer-info id=’20’ type=’fixtures’ title=’CHAMPIOSNHIP GAMES’ limit=’36’ /]
[soccer-info id=’21’ type=’fixtures’ title=’L1 GAMES’ limit=’36’ /]
[soccer-info id=’22’ type=’fixtures’ title=’L2 GAMES’ limit=’36’ /]
