EPL Week In Review May 4th

[dmmd98]

- Does any team in England actually want to avoid the drop before the last week of the season? The only team near the bottom who put on a decent performance was West Brom who were unlucky to lose 1-0 against Tottenham but they are just about toast anyway. Stoke City laid an egg at home against West Ham losing on a well placed Diego Tristan strike. Portsmouth were simply outclassed by Arsenal’s B team featuring Andrei Arshavi. Blackburn lost 3-1 to a Manchester City who are now rounding into form when the games mean little. Don’t know how Sunderland justifies that performance at home losing against an Everton side who had nothing to play for but still out hustled and out played Sunderland. Middlesbrough were always facing an uphill battle against Manchester United so there 2-0 defeat isn’t a shock as they must be looking ahead to Newcastle. Speaking of Newcastle, actually I rather not. Just another sad performance from them yesterday.

- Ok, I lied. More on this Newcastle team who are really starting to remind me of Leeds United and I don’t mean because of the Alan Smith and Mark Viduka connection. Newcastle’s best defender yesterday was the goal posts who saved Liverpool from scoring three more goals in a game Pool treated as little more than a run out. Yes, Yossi Benayoun goal was offside but it doesn’t warrant Newcastle putting up the white flag for the rest of the match.

- This may be awful to say but it really wouldn’t shock me if I read the news one day after Joey Barton’s career is over and find out something bad has happen to him. What a mental midget is all that comes to mind. The coach puts faith in you and starts you ahead of Michael Owen and the silly fool goes out and two foots Xabi Alonso. Newcastle’s signing of Joey Barton when Manchester City were willing to give him away is a prime example of why Newcastle is in this mess.

- Ryan Giggs won the Player of the Year more as a career achievement award but it doesn’t discount the fine season he is having playing mostly in the middle of after many years out wide. Nice strike against Middlesbrough too boot.

- For one game at least the Anelka-Drogba partnership upfront worked really well together. The key question is if Guus Hiddink will play both of them up front together against Barcelona? (notice I said up front together not having Anelka play out wide) My money would be on the no.

- You know Liverpool had an easy game when you see Lucas finally got on the score sheet for Liverpool. I’m sure Manchester United fans would love their own Brazilian midfielder Anderson to follow suit against Arsenal in the Champions League mid week.

- Congrats go out to Wolves and Birmingham on their promotion.

[rjordan1979]

Wow, I was talking to a buddy this weekend and he also made the Leeds-Newcastle comparison. So sad. Their fans are some of the best in England, but that club is going down the tubes, and not even Shearer can stop it.

Joey Barton is a tool and should never play football again. And I guarantee, the day he's booted out of the EPL, he'll be in jail (again) in less than a year. He's just a nasty guy.

Ryan Giggs' PFA award was kinda like Kobe Bryant getting the MVP last year (even though he definitely deserved it). I wear my Giggs shirt with pride.