3 Teams Go Down, Champions Yet To Be Decided

With two teams already relegated and the battle for the Championship ensues, iSporter Pulasta Dhar is rubbing his hands in glee because of the surprises which have spring from arguably the most exciting EPL season in recent times…

Ryan Giggs

When Tottenham beat Chelsea and Arsenal in back-to-back games, there is no doubt that a shudder must have run across the spines of Manchester United supporters. Spurs are no doubt still in great form and they have the ability to score from all parts of the field. On the other hand, United are heavily reliant on either the strike pair or the wingers to provide goals. Spurs proved their ability again after fighting back briefly through chronic knee-man Ledley King.

United may not have the best team on paper but they have the ability to step up gears in the late fixtures of every season and carve out results. This ability can not be bought but courses through every player that joins the club. Of course, a lot of credit has to go to Sir Alex for making a team who has only one mentality….to win. Spurs were in with a shout but a clear penalty converted by Giggs and worked on by Berbatov(who I think is not a flop in any case….12 goals in 21 games is not bad!!). King gave a captain’s performance and scared the hell out of the Devils themselves until a calm and composed Nani surprised everyone with a chipped finish that even Farenc Puskas would have been proud of.

kalou

The other penalty also converted by Giggs sent a message back to Chelsea, but what was to come against a so-called resilient and hard to beat Stoke epitomized the law….”action and reaction are equal and in opposite direction”. The 7-0 hammering was more than enough to make Liverpool anxious and made Salomon Kalou feel like King Solomon, at least for a day. I think it is fair to say Chelsea were the usual dangerous team but Stoke were in Holiday Mood already.

On the tail-end of the league, we bid adieu to Burnley and Portsmouth. Burnley were very entertaining at times, giving out some shocking results (like the 1-0 victory against United in gameweek 1). In fact they’ve scored 37 goals, the maximum of the bottom 3 and Steven Fletcher is a good player after all! Portsmouth are one team that no one wanted to see go down. As their own goalkeeper David James put it, it was getting into Europe that made the club go on an uncalculated spending spree. They should have concentrated on staying up rather than winning something in Europe.

Hull City are almost down as well, with the Tigers having to do a mathematical miracle to stay up. On the joy side, Wolves have guaranteed their spot in next season. An Ebanks-Blake header sealed it and made the crowd run onto the pitch. Ebanks has not been loved any more than that time in his life! Hull City have been on a roller coaster ride since the time they have been promoted. They have seen the top of the table as well as the down and sacking Phil Brown was not going to make things any better.

west_ham

Sacking Gianfranco Zola will be the worse thing ever for West Ham. The players love him and respect him and his removal might spell doom for the man who, according to his players, “does things in training that we can only imagine”. Scott Parker made a mark again and what a goal to keep them up! West Ham supporters are a healthy lot and it will be nice to see them next season.

So the WWWW stay up (Wolverhampton Wolves, West Ham and Wigan) and the battle for fourth spot continues as City kept Arsenal at bay. Robin Van Persie aims to be Messi one day (even I am left footed!) and we hope he scores more goals so that Arsenal don’t end their season at Game no. 34 every year. Also, unlimited money machine City have a player crisis with all keepers apart from Nielsen injured. Give the lad a chance Roberto….what did you buy him for? Oh well….I just remembered…he came in for free so he can’t be trusted to play!! Well, keep reading for more on this wonderful league.