Saturday 31 May 2014

Super Sunday Game Week 38

Manchester City 2 v 0 West Ham United Nasri (39), Kompany (49)
First Half: Noble survives a handball penalty appeal. Silva volleys over at the far post. Zabaleta has a penalty appeal turned down. Kolarov has a long range blast tipped over. Goal! 1-0, City take the lead as Nasri scores with a low shot from long range that goes in via the inside of the far post. Silva has a low shot across goal deflected onto the bar.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-0, Kompany slots in from close range following a corner. Aguero heads wide of the near post. Aguero spurns a great chance from close range. Nasri has a low volley saved.
Full Time: 2-0.
Man City 1st, 83>86pts
West Ham 12th>13th, 40pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Nasri. Man City win Premier League title. Manchester City only needed a point to win the league but they sealed their second title in three years with a comfortable victory over West Ham. City were at ease and never looked like losing. Nasri gave them the lead six minutes before half time with a brilliant long range strike which put the crowd at ease whilst the players were able to relax. They have been on a fantastic run over the last ten games this season and came out on top.
West Ham didn't pose much of a threat going forward and never looked like defeating City. They spent most of the game defending as City were just too good for them. At 1-0 down they had a massive task on their hands to beat City but the concession of another goal soon after half time killed the game off. West Ham finish their season by falling one place into 13th.

Liverpool 2 v 1 Newcastle United Skrtel OG (20), Agger (63), Sturridge (65)
First Half: Suarez has a goal ruled out for taking the free kick too quickly. Goal! 0-1, Newcastle take the lead as Gouffran's cross is turned in by Skrtel across goal. Gouffran has an effort saved before Anita blazes a volley over from the edge of the box. Sturridge heads wide of the far post.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, Liverpool equalise through Agger who volleys in from an acute angle at the far post from Gerrard's free kick. Goal! 2-1, Liverpool come from behind to take the lead as Sturridge taps in from close range at the far post from a Gerrard free kick. OFF! Ameobi is shown two yellows cards for dissent. OFF! Dummett is shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Suarez.
Full Time: 2-1.
Liverpool 2nd, 81>84pts
Newcastle 9th>10th, 49pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Sterling. Subdued end to Liverpool's season. Liverpool got off to a sluggish start which may have happened as they knew their fate was not in their hands. They actually went behind after Skrtel turned into his own net but a better second half performance saw them turn things around. Two similar goals saw Agger and Sturridge put them in front but it was a rather sullen way to end their season.
Newcastle put in a decent performance in the first half which saw them go into half time ahead. However, they failed to cope with a couple of Gerrard free kicks which saw them trail in the 65th minute. Some very poor discipline after going behind saw both Ameobi and Dummett sent off in what was a poor end to the game and season for the toon army. 

Tottenham Hotspur 3 v 0 Aston Villa Paulinho (14), Baker OG (35), Adebayor (38pen)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Spurs take the lead through Paulinho who has his first attempt parried before tapping in the rebound. Goal! 2-0, Rose's cross is headed in by Baker at the near post. Penalty! Sandro's shot hits Agbonlahor's hand. Goal! 3-0, Adebayor scores from the spot with a high strike into the near side.
Half Time: 3-0.
Second Half: Delph fires a low shot from the edge of the box just wide of the near post.
Full Time: 3-0.
Spurs 6th, 66>69pts
Villa 15th, 38pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Paulinho. Spurs seal Europa League place. It was a pretty comfortable afternoon for Spurs who strolled past Villa with three goals. By the end of the first half it was all over and a place in the Europa league was sealed. Paulinho put in a very good performance and was the best player on the field. Sherwood has done a decent job with Spurs but it remains to be seen whether or not he will be the manager next season.
Villa arguably cost themselves the game after an own goal and avoidable penalty put them 3-0 down before half time. Thus, had some sloppy defending been cut out, Villa may have had a chance of taking a point. However, they were soundly beaten and finished the season with a disappointing result. Delph had their best chance of the match but fired a low shot just wide of the near post. 

Norwich City 0 v 2 Arsenal Ramsay (53), Jenkinson (62)
First Half: Redmond has long range driven shot parried past the near post. Podolski has a close range effort beaten away at the near post. Giroud has an effort well tipped over the bar. Giroud has a shot from the edge of the box parried at the far side.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 0-1, Arsenal take the lead through Ramsay who scores with a majestic volley into the far top corner. Goal! 0-2, Jenkinson scores with a low shot into the near bottom corner. Loza has a driven shot parried away from the far side.
Full Time: 0-2.
Norwich 18th, 33pts
Arsenal 4th, 76>79pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Ramsay. Arsenal too strong for Norwich. Norwich needed a 15 goal difference swing to stay up and it didn't happen which means the Canaries are relegated. They really struggled with their final five games against the top teams and it cost them dearly. Despite giving it a go, they were outplayed for the majority of the match and didn't really look like scoring. Redond and Loza came closest to finding the back of the net but it wasn't to be. 
Arsenal finished 4th once again and secured champions league football for the 16th season in a row. Their fans will be pleased to be playing in Europe's elite competition but it was a disappointing second half to their season that saw them fade away from the title race. Today's result reminded us why Arsenal were so strong earlier in the season and that was through Ramsay. What a great player he is and he scored quite a spectacular volley to open the scoring. Jenkinson doubled their lead with his first ever goal for the Gunners in what was a decent display from Arsenal. 

Cardiff City 1 v 2 Chelsea Bellamy (15), Schurrle (72), Torres (75)
First Half: Torres has an effort blocked behind an open goal. Goal! 1-0, Cardiff take the lead through Bellamy who scores with a long range deflected strike across goal into the far side. Oscar places a low effort wide of the far post. Campbell blazes a shot wide of the near post.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, Chelsea equalise as Azpilicueta has a header parried against the bar before hitting the rebound against the bar from close range which leads to Schurrle volleying into the ground and over the keeper. Goal! 1-2, Chelsea come from behind and take the lead through Torres who chests the ball down and scores with a low shot from close range into the far bottom corner. Schurrle has a shot from the edge of the box across goal parried over.
Full Time: 1-2.
Cardiff 20th, 30pts
Chelsea 3rd, 79>82pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Schurrle. Chelsea comeback against Cardiff. Despite already being relegated, Cardiff gave Chelsea a really good run for their money. Bellamy put them ahead in the 15th minute thanks to a deflected shot from long range and they managed to keep Chelsea out for 70 minutes. However, the story of the their season was summed up after they conceded twice in the space of three minutes to fall behind. Not the way they would have wanted to bow out from the league and it may be a while before we see them playing the premier league again.
Chelsea got off to a slow start which probably comes as no surprise but they dug in well to grind out a good comeback. Schurrle was very impressive and got them back on level terms in the 72nd minute before Torres scored a rare goal to put them in front. Chelsea may not have finished in the top two this season but they can go into next season with strong aspirations. 

Southampton 1 v 1 Manchester United Lambert (28), Mata (54)
First Half: Vidic survives a handball penalty appeal. Lallana has a flicked effort saved, Wanyama has a low shot from long range saved. Goal! 1-0, Southampton take the lead through Lambert who gets played in on goal and coolly fires into the near side.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, United equalise through Mata who scores with a brilliant free kick over the wall and into the near top corner. Fletcher heads wide of the far post. Welbeck prods an effort wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-1.
Saints 8th, 55>56pts
Man United 7th, 63>64pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Lallana. United held by Saints. Southampton played pretty well but the game had that end of season feel about it as both teams didn't really have much to play for. Saints went ahead in fairly controversial circumstances as Lambert seemed to elbow Vidic, whose face was covered in blood, before going through on goal and slotting neatly past De Gea. However, they were pegged back by a brilliant free kick from Mata and that ended up being that. Shaw and Lallana were the two players who stood out as both enjoyed a strong performance.
United were nowhere near their best but went behind to a goal that I don't think should have stood. Vidic received a head injury in the build up to Lambert's goal and therefore play should have been stopped. Instead, all the United players stopped playing which allowed Lambert an easy chance to open the scoring. However, they were back on level terms early in the second half thanks to a wonderful free kick from Mata who found the top corner. Fletcher and Welbeck had chances to win it but a draw was a fair result. 

Hull City 0 v 2 Everton McCarthy (9), Lukaku (46)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Everton take the lead through McCarthy whose strike is pushed into the far side. Lukaku has a low effort saved at the near post.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 0-2, Lukaku is played through on goal and slots an effort over the keeper into the far side. Davies heads wide of the near post. Meyler has a long range driven shot parried across goal.
Full Time: 0-2.
Hull 16th, 37pts
Everton 5th, 69>72pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Lukaku. Everton at the double to beat Hull. It was not the best display from Hull who most likely have the FA cup final next week in their minds. They went behind early on and never recovered, instead going two down early in the second half. More chances were created by Hull in the second half but both Davies and Meyler failed to find the back of the net. I'm sure we will see more effort from them next week against Arsenal. 
Everton have been very impressive this year and ended with a decent victory which saw McCarthy get his first goal for Everton. Lukaku doubled their lead straight away in the second half as the result never looked in doubt. Martinez has done a brilliant job with the team this year and although they just missed out on a champions league spot, they will be playing European football next season in the Europa League. 

Sunderland 1 v 3 Swansea City Dyer (7), Emnes (14), Borini (50), Bony (54)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Swansea take the lead through Dyer who curls a shot into the far top corner from close range. Goal! 0-2, Emnes turns on the ball and fires a fierce strike into the near side. Amat's flicked header bounces back off his own far post. Bardsley has a long range driven shot tipped over.
Half Time: 0-2.
Second Half: Goal! 1-2, Borini heads in from a corner at the near post to half the deficit. Johnson has a low strike across goal beaten away. Goal! 1-3, Bony scores with a low shot that goes in via the inside of the far post. Johnson fires a low driven shot from close range just wide of the near post.
Full Time: 1-3.
Sunderland 14th, 38pts
Swansea 13th>12th, 39>42pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Dyer. Swansea fire three past Sunderland. Going two goals down inside the first fifteen minutes proved pivotal for Sunderland who gave it a real go but were unable to get themselves back on level terms. Borini gave them a little ray of hope early in the second half but they conceded only four minutes later which pretty much settled the outcome. 
Swansea started the game brilliantly and found themselves two goals up as Dyer and Emnes scored inside the first quarter of an hour. They didn't start the second half as strongly but restored their two goal advantage in the 54th minute through Bony. Dyer was particularly impressive for the Swans in what was good final performance of the season. That result means that Swansea move up one place to finish 12th. 

Fulham 2 v 2 Crystal Palace Gayle (28,84), Woodrow (61), David (90+4)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Palace take the lead through Gayle who latches onto Ward's long range shot to turn it past the keeper at the near side from close range.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Rodallega heads against the far post. Goal! 1-1, Fulham equalise through Woodrow who cuts back inside and curls a shot into the far top corner. David has a penalty appeal turned down. Goal! 1-2, Palace retake the lead through Gayle who scores with a curling free kick around the wall and into the near side. Murray hits the bar with an effort at the near side. Goal! 2-2, Fulham equalise again through David who scores with a long range shot across goal that goes in via the underside of the bar and into the far top corner.
Full Time: 2-2.
Fulham 19th, 31>32pts
Palace 11th, 44>45pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Gayle. Fulham claim dramatic draw at Craven Cottage. Fulham played a pretty youthful team in their last game of the season and they looked pretty good. Promising signs ahead for the team who will have to fight it out in the championship next season with players such as Woodrow impressing today. It looked like they were going to lose when Gayle scored his second but a late equaliser sealed a point. Both Woodrow and David scored great goals but they needed more of that earlier in the season.
Palace played well and probably should have taken all three points. They created lot of chances but it was Gayle who scored twice to put Palace in the lead on two occasions. After going 2-1 up, Palace really should have held on but they conceded a goal that would have beaten most keepers in the 94th minute. 

West Bromich Albion 1 v 2 Stoke City McCauley OG (22), Sessegnon (56), Adam (87)
First Half: Sessegnon hits the underside of the bar from close range whilst the ball bounces away off the line. Walters has a shot across goal from an acute angle parried away. Walters heads wide from close range of the near post. Odemwingie has a low shot across goal parried away. Goal! 0-1, Stoke take the lead after a low Arnautovic cross is deflected in off McCauley at the near post.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Goal! 1-1, West Brom equalise through Sessegnon who scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Arnautovic curls a low shot from the edge of the box just wide of the far post. Mulumbu hits the far post with a strike across goal. Goal! 1-2, Stoke go back in front as Adam scores with a low strike from long range into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 1-2.
West Brom 17th, 36pts
Stoke 10th>9th, 47>50pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Arnautovic. Late Adam strike stuns Baggies. West Brom were much better in the first half but found themselves a goal down going into half time. They were back on level terms when Sessegnon struck just before the hour mark but they came undone from a late strike from Adam. I felt West Brom could have taken more from that game but they were just poor in front of goal. They created some good chances but scuppered most of them. 
Stoke proved themselves to be the better team and were much stronger in the second half. Victory was deserved in the end but it came down to a great goal from Adam to decide it. Those three points move Stoke up one place into 9th in what was a decent season for Hughes and Stoke. 

Best Goal: Nasri, Ramsay, Mata, Emnes, Gayle, Woodrow, David, Adam. Winner: Ramsay Watch the goal here

League Leaders:
1. Manchester City P38 - 86pts Champions
2. Liverpool P38 - 84pts CL
3. Chelsea P38 - 82pts CL
4. Arsenal P38 - 79pts CL
5. Everton P38 - 72pts EL
6. Tottenham Hotspur P38 - 69pts EL

*CL - Champions League
* EL - Europa League

Relegation Zone:
16. Hull P38 - 37pts
17. West Brom P38 - 36pts
18. Norwich P38 - 33pts Relegated
19. Fulham P38 - 32pts Relegated
20. Cardiff P38 - 30pts Relegated

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below! 

Thursday 29 May 2014

Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona (Race 5, 2014): Race

Hamilton wins the Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton won for the fourth straight race in a row after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg finished second but saw his championship lead taken by Hamilton who now leads by three points. Daniel Ricciardo finished third and took the final spot on the podium whilst Sebastien Vettel impressively moved up the grid and finished 4th after starting all the way back in 15th. It seems that Red Bull are getting closer to challenging Mercedes but the German constructors are proving to still be the top dogs on the grid. 



My Opinion:

Mercedes - Hamilton (Winner), Rosberg (2nd). Perfect race result for Mercedes who claimed yet another one-two finish. Hamilton wins for the fourth time on the bounce which has taken him to the top of the championship and he currently looks unbeatable. Rosberg finished second but will most likely be gutted that he couldn't pass Hamilton to take the win. It is going to be a fascinating battle between the pair throughout the season but Hamilton has the edge right now. 
Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (4th). Red Bull enjoy their best race result of the season so far. Ricciardo finished on the podium for the second time this season although this time I would expect him to keep that result. Vettel was mightily impressive and climbed eleven places up the grid to finish behind his team-mate in 4th. That was more like it from Red Bull but they just can't seem to give Mercedes a proper challenge yet. They are the second best team on the grid and that result just confirms it. 
Ferrari - Alonso (6th), Raikkonen (7th). Average result for Ferrari who aren't able to give Alonso and Raikkonen a fast enough car to challenge for a podium finish. Alonso managed to finish ahead of Raikkonen to finish in 6th but the team are not where they want to be. 
Force India - Perez (9th), Hulkenberg (10th). Decent result for Force India as both cars pick up points. Perez was the more impressive driver after moving up three places into 9th but Hulkenberg can be satisfied with his drive which saw him move up one place and take the final point on offer. The team have enjoyed better results than this but I'm sure they will just be glad that both cars finished inside the top ten.
Williams - Bottas (5th), Massa (13th). Mixed result for Williams. Bottas has finished inside the top ten in every race so far this season and continued his brilliant form with a fifth place finish. Very impressive stuff which will get the attention of the bigger teams. However, Massa was unable to take advantage of a good day of qualifying after falling four places and finishing 13th. Disappointing for Massa who knows that he has a car capable of a top six finish.
McLaren - Button (11th), Magnussen (12th). Poor result for McLaren who failed to claim a single point. Button dropped three places to finish 11th whilst Magnussen climbed three to finish 12th. McLaren expect their cars to score points and today will be seen as a failure. The car is in desperate need of some upgrades as it just isn't up to scratch. Hopefully, better results are ahead for McLaren.
Toro Rosso - Kvyat (14th), Vergne (DNF, 24 laps). Poor result for Toro Rosso who endured a tough day of it. Kvyat fell one place to finish 14th whilst Vergne only lasted 24 laps out on track before retiring from the race. The team are capable of scoring a few points so the result will come as a disappointment to them. However, their fate had been pretty much sealed after their sub-par qualifying result. 
Lotus - Grosjean (8th), Maldonado (15th). Points at last for Lotus. Grosjean converted a great qualifying result into finishing the race in 8th. Three places were lost from the start of the race but I'm sure a top ten finish would have improved the mood in that garage. Maldonado finished 15th which was a pretty average result for him this season. Encouraging signs ahead for the team and I'm sure they will score plenty more points this year.
Sauber - Gutierrez (16th), Sutil (17th). Disappointing day for Sauber. There were no improvements from qualifying as Sutil maintained 17th whilst Gutierrez fell two places to finish one place ahead of his team-mate. It hasn't been going well for Sauber since Melbourne so they will be desperate to have a strong result soon.
Marussia - Bianchi (18th), Chilton (19th). Marussia beat Caterham. Chilton failed to hold onto 18th place after being passed by Bianchi who finished ahead of his team-mate for the second time in a row. 
Caterham - Ericsson (20th), Kobayashi (DNF, 34 laps). Caterham were the slowest team on the grid. Ericsson was the last car to cross the finish line whilst Kobayashi retired from the race after 34 laps. 

Key Moments during the Race:

Start: Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas (up 1), Ricciardo (down 1), Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa (up 1), Hulkenberg (up 1), Gutierrez (up 3).
Lap 1: Hamilton, Rosberg, Bottas, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa, Hulkenberg, Perez (up 1). Contact between the cars of Magnussen and Vettel.
Lap 8: Kvyat moves into 11th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 9: Button moves into 12th after passing Gutierrez. Vettel moves into 13th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 10: Maldonado receives a 5 second stop and go penalty for causing a collision with Ericsson.
Lap 11: Maldonado moves into 18th after passing Bianchi.
Lap 14: Magnussen moves into 13th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 15: Vettel moves into 19th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 16: Ricciardo moves into 9th after passing Button.
Lap 17: Ricciardo moves into 7th after passing Kvyat. Grosjean moves into 13th after passing Sutil.
Lap 18: Ricciardo moves into 4th after passing Perez.
Lap 19: Hamilton makes a pit stop which means Rosberg takes the lead of the race.
Lap 22: Rosberg makes a pit stop which means Hamilton retakes the lead of the race.
Lap 23: Gutierrez moves into 17th after passing Kobayashi.
Lap 24: Vergne OUT.
Lap 25: Raikkonen moves into 5th after passing Grosjean.
Lap 26: Alonso moves into 6th after passing Grosjean.
Lap 30: Maldonado moves into 15th after passing Gutierrez.
Lap 34: Kobayashi OUT.
Lap 37: Alonso moves into 7th after passing Magnussen. Vettel moves into 9th after passing Massa.
Lap 38: Vettel moves into 8th after passing Magnussen.
Lap 41: Massa moves into 8th after passing Magnussen.
Lap 44: Hamilton makes a pit stop which means Rosberg take the lead of the race.
Lap 46: Rosberg makes a pit stop which means that Hamilton retakes the lead of the race.
Lap 52: Magnussen moves into 12th after passing Kvyat. Perez moves into 9th after passing Hulkenberg.
Lap 57: Vettel moves into 5th after passing Raikkonen.
Lap 64: Alonso moves into 6th after passing Raikkonen. Vettel moves into 4th after passing Bottas.
Lap 66/Finish: Hamilton wins the Spanish Grand Prix. Rosberg finishes second and Ricciardo claims third.

Race Result:
Winner: Hamilton (Mercedes) 25pts
2. Rosberg (Mercedes) 18pts
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull) 15pts
4. Vettel (Red Bull) 12pts
5. Bottas (Williams) 10pts
6. Alonso (Ferrari) 8pts
7. Raikkonen (Ferrari) 6pts
8. Grosjean (Lotus) 4pts
9. Perez (Force India) 2pts
10. Hulkenberg (Force India) 1pt

11. Button (McLaren)
12. Magnussen (McLaren)
13. Massa (Williams)
14. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
15. Maldonado (Lotus)
16. Gutierrez (Sauber)
17. Sutil (Sauber)
18. Bianchi (Marussia)
19. Chilton (Marussia)
20. Ericsson (Caterham)

21. Kobayashi (Caterham) Retired after 34 laps.
22. Vergne (Toro Rosso) Retired after 24 laps.

Fastest Lap of the Race: Sebastien Vettel (Red Bull) 1.28.918

Driver of the Day: Sebastien Vettel (Red Bull)

Team of the Day: Mercedes

Driver Standings:
1. Hamilton (Mercedes) (+25) 100pts
2. Rosberg (Mercedes) (+18) 97pts
3. Alonso (Ferrari) (+8) 49pts
4. Vettel (Red Bull) (+12) 45pts
5. Ricciardo (Red Bull) (+15) 39pts

Constructor Standings:
1. Mercedes (+43) 197pts
2. Red Bull (+27) 84pts
3. Ferrari (+14) 66pts
4. Force India (+3) 57pts
5. Williams (+10) 46pts

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below! 

Spanish Grand Prix: Barcelona (Race 5, 2014) - Qualifying

Hamilton in pole position for Spanish Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton claimed his fourth pole position of the season and will start the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg on the front row. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was the quickest car behind the Mercedes and will start ahead of Valteri Bottas on the second row. Sebastien Grosjean claimed Lotus' best result in qualifying this season after qualifying fifth but it was a disappointing day for Sebastien Vettel who surprisingly could only manage to qualify 10th. Mercedes continue to dominate but the battle between Hamilton and Rosberg only becomes more intriguing. 




My Opinion:


Mercedes - Hamilton (Pole), Rosberg (2nd)
. Another perfect day of qualifying for Mercedes who locked out the front row for the Spanish GP. Hamilton took his fourth pole position of the season whilst Rosberg qualified right behind him in second. I would expect Hamilton to win from pole but I'm sure Rosberg will push him all the way. A top two finish is looking good for the team in tomorrow's race.

Red Bull - Ricciardo (3rd), Vettel (10th, starts15th). It was a mixed bag for Red Bull who will be pleased to see Ricciardo right behind the Mercedes but extremely disappointed with how Vettel got on after only managing 10th. It gets worse for Vettel who has to take a five place penalty which means he will start the race from 15th. Ricciardo should be looking to be on the podium in third whilst Vettel will just be trying to make up as many places as possible. 
Force India - Hulkenberg (11th, starts 10th), Perez (12th, starts 11th). Disappointing result for Force India as both cars just missed out on making it through to Q3. Hulkenberg proved to be just that little bit quicker than Perez but it wasn't the result the team were looking for after a decent start to the season. Both cars should be expecting to take home points but anything above 5th may be out of their reach. 
Ferrari - Raikkonen (6th), Alonso (7th). Standard result for Ferrari who just can't seem to find that raw pace to challenge Mercedes or Red Bull. Raikkonen was the faster of the two drivers and equalled his best qualifying result with 6th whilst Alonso will start from 7th. Points should be taken from both drivers but I would really like to see them both give a good chase to the leaders if they can keep up. 
McLaren - Button (8th), Magnussen (15th, starts 14th). Mixed result for McLaren as only Button made it into Q3. The team are still a long way off from where they wish to be but Button was on good form after qualifying 8th. Magnussen will have to work hard tomorrow after only managing 15th. McLaren are a team who should be taking points away with both cars but I think Button may be the only car to do so here. 
Williams - Bottas (4th), Massa (9th). Strong result for Williams as Bottas equalled his best performance of the year, qualifying 4th whilst Massa will start from 9th. Bottas has been very good so far and this is another great chance for him to shine. A podium finish may be possible but to finish in 4th would be a great result. Massa should bring home some more points but may struggle to ascend the order into the top five.
Toro Rosso - Kvyat (13th, starts 12th), Vergne (16th, starts 22nd). Disappointing result for Toro Rosso as both cars failed to progress into Q3. Kvyat was the faster of the two drivers and will start from 12th whilst Vergne will begin the race from the back of the grid after receiving a penalty. I don't think the team will take any points home but if they do, Kvyat is the man who will do it. 
Lotus - Grosjean (5th), Maldonado (22nd, starts 21st). Signs of improvement at Lotus. Grosjean managed to produce the teams best qualifying result by an absolute country mile after putting his car 5th on the grid. It demonstrates that there are encouraging signs ahead for the team and it will be very interesting to see if they can convert that great result into a lot of points. However, Maldonado is still really struggling and failed to post a time. He will start on the back row alongside Vergne but all hopes of points from this race lie with Grosjean. 
Sauber - Gutierrez (14th, starts 13th), Sutil (17th, starts 16th). Standard set of results for Sauber. Gutierrez proved himself to be faster than Sutil and will start from 13th whereas Sutil starts from 16th. There are faster cars than Suaber in front of them which makes points seem unlikely even though Gutierrez is only three places away. 
Marussia - Chilton (18th, starts 17th), Bianchi (19th, starts 18th). Decent day of qualifying for Marussia who saw Chilton oust Bianchi. Chilton will lead the battle of the Marussia and Caterham cars ahead of Bianchi and they should both finish ahead of the Caterham's in the race. 
Caterham - Ericsson (20th, starts 19th), Kobayashi (21st, starts 20th). Caterham were the slowest cars on track today but Ericsson equalled his best result with 20th. He will start ahead of Kobayashi who endured his worst qualifying result of the season. 

Qualifying Grid and Starting Grid:


Q3

Pole: Hamilton (Mercedes)
2. Rosberg (Mercedes)
3. Ricciardo (Red Bull)
4. Bottas (Williams)
5. Grosjean (Lotus)
6. Raikkonen (Ferrari)
7. Alonso (Ferrari)
8. Button (McLaren)
9. Massa (Williams)
10. Vettel (Red Bull) - 5 place penalty, will start 15th.

Q2
11. Hulkenberg (Force India)
12. Perez (Force India)
13. Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
14. Gutierrez (Sauber)
15. Magnussen (McLaren)
16. Vergne (Toro Rosso) - 10 place penalty, will start 22nd.

Q1
17. Sutil (Sauber)
18. Chilton (Marussia)
19. Bianchi (Marussia)
20. Ericsson (Caterham)
21. Kobayashi (Caterham)
22. Maldonado (Lotus)

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below! 

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Mid-Week Football Game Week 37

Manchester City 4 v 0 Aston Villa Dzeko (64,72), Jovetic (89), Yaya Toure (90+4)
First Half: Kolarov has an effort from an acute angle parried past the near post. Kolarov scuffs a shot from the edge of the box wide of the near post. Yaya Toure has a low shot cleared off the line. Bowery volleys wide of the near post. Silva has an effort blocked. Nasri sends a long range volley wide of the near post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Kompany has an overhead kick saved. Kolarov has a long range free kick pushed away from the near top corner. Goal! 1-0, City take the lead through Dzeko who latches onto Zabaleta's low cross to tuck in under the keeper. Goal! 2-0, Dzeko scores from Nasri's rebounded shot to tap in from close range. Weimann heads against the underside of the bar from close range which bounces away off the line. Goal! 3-0, Yaya Toure lays the ball across to Jovetic who scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner. Goal! 4-0, Yaya Toure goes on an incredible run that starts within his own half, going past the villa defence and slots past the keeper at the near side.
Full Time: 4-0.
Man City 2nd>1st, 80>83pts
Villa 14>15th, 38pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Yaya Toure. City battle past Villa. City knew that victory today would mean that a point against West Ham on the final day of the season would see them lift the trophy. It took just over an hour for them to break the deadlock as Dzeko opened the scoring before doubling the lead eight minutes later. Once the first goal went in, the floodgates opened and it turned into a rout. It may have taken them a while to take the lead but Villa put up a stern defence which proved tough to break down. All the nerves in the stadium were settled once Dzeko scored that first goal and for me it's all over now. I can't see City losing at home to West Ham so it looks like City will be champions for the second time in two seasons.
Villa were worthy opponents and kept City at bay for an hour. They parked a bus or two and it worked as it frustrated City for the majority of the game. However, the endless City pressure proved too much and their defence was broken and severely breached. There really wasn't much threat from Villa going forward so in the end they were didn't really deserve much out of the game. That defeat means that Villa fall one place into 15th.

Sunderland 2 v 0 West Bromich Albion Colback (13), Borini (31)
First Half: Borini has a fierce long range strike parried over. Goal! 1-0, Sunderland take the lead through Colback who latches onto Alonso's cross before converting at the near side. Goal! 2-0, Larsson plays in Borini who volleys in at the near side. Berahino has a curling shot from the edge of the box parried away from the far side.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Berahino fires a shot wide of the near post. Sessegnon sends a low shot wide of the near post. Altidore puts a close range effort wide of the near post. Vergini drags a low shot wide across goal. Morrison has a long range strike saved.
Full Time: 2-0.
Sunderland 17>14th, 35>38pts
West Brom 16>17th, 36pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Cattermole. Sunderland march to safety. Sunderland are now safe from relegation and have produced quite a run of form to incredibly avoid the drop. They got the job done in the first half, taking a two goal lead into half time. More goals could have come in the second half but in the end Colback and Borini sealed those three points early on. Poyet has pulled off a minor miracle with Sunderland who move up three places into 14th with that win whilst Norwich are as good as relegated. 
West Brom created chances for themselves but failed to take any of them. Berahino and Sessegnon came closest for the Baggies but both failed to provide a goal. It wasn't their best performance by any stretch of the imagination and they were soundly beaten in the end in what was Sunderland's night to remember. That defeat means that West Brom fall one place into 17th but they can sleep easy knowing that they are not going to be relegated unless there is a tremendous swing in goal difference on Sunday.  

Manchester United 3 v 1 Hull City Wilson (31,61), Van Persie (86), Fryatt (63)
First Half: Januzaj has a penalty appeal turned down. Lawrence has a long range shot deflected over. Goal! 1-0, United take the lead as Fellaini heads down to Wilson who scores with a low volley under the keeper.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-0, Fellaini has an effort parried straight to Wilson who scores from the rebound. Goal! 2-1, Fryatt scores with a low strike from long range into near bottom corner. Fellaini fires a shot high and wide at the near side. Goal! 3-1, Van Persie has a shot blocked but volleys in from the rebound into the near side. Giggs has a free kick parried over the near top corner.
Full Time: 3-1.
Man United 7th, 60>63pts
Hull 15>16th, 37pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Januzaj. Dream debut for Wilson. Giggs made plenty of changes and gave debuts to both Wilson and Lawrence. They both played pretty well whilst Wilson managed to bag a brace to round off a dream start to his United career. On the whole it was a pretty decent performance whilst Van Persie found the back of the net for the first time since coming back from injury. However, Fellaini really struggled and looks to have no confidence in his game whatsoever. Overall, encouraging signs for United whilst Giggs bid farewell with his last ever game at Old Trafford in a United shirt. A true legend bows out.
Hull were largely there for the occasion as it all centred around Ryan Giggs. They went 2-0 down but came back into the game when Fryatt scored a cracker from long range to half the deficit. The game could have turned at that point but they failed to capitalise and ended up conceding a late goal. Their main problem was that they failed to contain the threat of Januzaj down the wings who proved to be a constant thorn in their side. Hull may have fancied their chances coming to Old Trafford and taking something home, especially after seeing the team sheet but it didn't work out for them and that defeat means that they drop down one place into 16th. 

Best Goal: Yaya Toure, Jovetic, Borini, Van Persie, Fryatt. Winner: Yaya Toure

League Leaders:
1. Man City P37 - 83pts
2. Liverpool P37 - 81pts
3. Chelsea P37 - 79pts
4. Arsenal P37 - 76pts
5. Everton P37 - 69pts

Relegation Battle:
16.  Hull P37 - 37pts
17. West Brom P37 - 36pts
18. Norwich P37 - 33pts
19. Fulham P37 - 31pts Relegated
20. Cardiff P37 - 30pts Relegated

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below!

Monday Night Football Game Week 37

Crystal Palace 3 v 3 Liverpool Allen (18), Sturridge (53), Suarez (55), Delaney (79), Gayle (81,88)
First Half: Johnson has a penalty appeal turned down. Sakho heads wide of the far post from a corner. Johnson heads over the bar. Sturridge has a shot from the edge of the box deflected wide of the far post. Goal! 0-1, Liverpool take the lead through Allen who heads in at the far post from a corner. Puncheon has a low drilled shot from long range parried past the near post. Jedinak has a long range blast tipped over the bar.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Suarez has a penalty appeal turned down. Sturridge has a curling shot from the edge of the box parried onto the far post before Suarez blazes a shot over the bar. Goal! 0-2, Sturridge scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the near bottom corner. Goal! 0-3, Suarez plays a neat one-two with Sterling before slotting a shot under the keeper at the near side. Goal! 1-3, Delaney's close range shot deflects in off Johnson into the near top corner. Coutinho has an effort tipped over the bar. Goal! 2-3, Bolasie makes a powerful run before laying the ball off to Gayle who steers a low shot into the far bottom corner. Goal! 3-3, Palace equalise as Murray chests the ball down to Gayle who slots a low shot into the near side. Lucas has an effort blocked.
Full Time: 3-3.
Palace 11th, 43>44pts
Liverpool 2nd>1st, 80>81pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Gayle. Palace stun Liverpool with amazing comeback. Palace were outplayed for the majority of the match and it looked like a case of how many they were going to concede. Nobody could have seen the incredible comeback that was to come as it was just extraordinary. At 3-0 down and with just over ten minutes to go, everyone expected Palace to lose. However, Palace broke away and scored through Delaney for what seemed like a consolation goal. Incredibly, Gayle came off the bench and netted a brace to level the match at 3-3. An outstanding effort in what was a brilliant short summary of their season under Pulis. 
Liverpool played so well and deservedly went three goals up and could easily have been more ahead. They knew that they had an inferior goal difference compared to Man City and thus this was a great chance to reduce that deficit. It really did seem like it was just a case of how many could Liverpool score. However, they struggled to find the back of the net after Suarez made it 3-0 and consequently pushed more and more players forward. This left them extremely vulnerable at the break and they paid a very heavy price for being so open. They should have had a rethink once Palace broke away and scored their first goal but they continued to press on which ended horribly for them. Gayle scored twice and at 3-3, Liverpool can't believe they have thrown three points away. That result puts the title firmly in City's control and it looks unlikely now that Liverpool will become champions. 

Best Goal: Sturridge, Suarez, Gayle. Winner: Sturridge

League Leaders:
1. Liverpool P37 - 81pts
2. Man City P36 - 80pts
3. Chelsea P37 - 79pts
4. Arsenal P37 - 76pts
5. Everton P37 - 69pts

Relegation Battle:
16. West Brom P36 - 36pts
17. Sunderland P36 - 35pts
18. Norwich P37 - 33pts
19. Fulham P37 - 31pts Relegated
20. Cardiff P37 - 30pts Relegated

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below!

Super Sunday Game Week 37

Chelsea 0 v 0 Norwich City
First Half: Olsson has a penalty appeal turned down. Schurrle hits the far post with a low shot across goal. Schurrle has a shot from the edge of the box saved at the near side.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Luiz hits the bar with a shot from the edge of the box across goal. Schurrle has a penalty appeal turned down. Hazard has a penalty appeal turned down. Snodgrass has an effort blocked wide at the near side. Hazard has a shot parried at the near side before Torres scuffs an effort over. Johnson has a header saved.
Full Time: 0-0.
Chelsea 3rd, 78>79pts
Norwich 18th, 32>33pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Turner. Goalless draw helps nobody. Chelsea needed to win to keep their title hopes alive but they failed to score at home against Norwich. There was a lack of creativity in front of goal which has been a particular problem for Chelsea, especially in the first halfs of most of their games this season. However, they can count themselves unlucky as both Schurrle and Luiz struck the woodwork. Hazard and Schurrle will both feel that they should have had penalties and on another day they might have. Defensively Chelsea were strong but they let themselves down offensively. 
Normally Norwich would have been delighted to have taken a point from Stamford Bridge but with results going against them, they really needed to win. It was a very strong defensive effort which impressively kept Chelsea out but they didn't start to press forward until the final ten minutes. I suppose it was the right tactic to try and nick a late winner and it nearly came off as Snodgrass and Johnson both came close. However, with Sunderland winning yesterday, I fear Norwich will now go down alongside Cardiff and Fulham.

Arsenal 1 v 0 West Bromich Albion Giroud (14)
First Half: Podolski fires an effort wide of the near post. Berahino has an effort blocked at the near side. Cazorla has a shot from the edge of the box deflected over. Goal! 1-0, Arsenal take the lead as Giroud heads in from a corner at the near side. Cazorla has a low shot well pushed past the near post.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Amalfitano has an effort stopped. Dawson heads over the bar. Ozil strikes an effort wide of the far post. Podolski hits the near post with a sliced effort. Lugano heads wide of the far post.
Full Time: 1-0.
Arsenal 4th, 73>76pts
West Brom 16th, 36pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Giroud. Arsenal were the dominant team as everyone expected and controlled the match. Despite deserving to win, they only scored once which probably came as the biggest surprise. Giroud was on form and put the Gunners ahead inside the first fifteen minutes but Cazorla, Ozil and Podolski all failed to double the lead. Fourth spot is sealed as Wenger once again delivers champions league football.
West Brom were outplayed but could easily have taken a point as they remained within one goal. A shock equaliser never came as Amalfitano, Berahino and Lugano all scuppered chances. Despite defeat today, I believe West Brom are safe from relegation unless Norwich pull off a miracle. 

Best Goal: Giroud Watch the goal here

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below!

Soccer Saturday Game Week 37

Everton 2 v 3 Manchester City Barkley (11), Aguero (22), Dzeko (43,48), Lukaku (65)
First Half: Zabaleta slices a shot wide of the near side. Goal! 1-0, Everton take the lead as Barkley scores with a long range curling beauty into the far top corner. Barkley has a penalty appeal turned down. Goal! 1-1, City equalise through Aguero who is played in by Yaya Toure before firing a shot into the near side. Dzeko has a low effort blocked at the near side. Goal! 1-2, City come from behind to take the lead as Dzeko scores with a header into the near bottom corner.
Half Time: 1-2.
Second Half: Naismith has a low effort really well tipped past the far post. Goal! 1-3, City double their lead as a low cross from Nasri is slotted home by Dzeko from close range at the near post. Goal! 2-3, Everton go back to within one as Lukaku scores with a diving header that hits the inside of the far post before going in across goal. Zabaleta has a low effort saved. Deulofeu has a low shot blocked into the side-netting.
Full Time: 2-3.
Everton 5th, 69pts
Man City 3rd>1st, 77>80pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Dzeko. City stay on course for title. Despite playing pretty well, Everton were just beaten by the better team today. They went ahead through quite a brilliant goal from Barkley who will definitely have caught the eye of Roy Hodgson after his performance. However, some sloppy defending saw them concede three times which all but ended the match. Lukaku managed to score with a diving header but an equalising goal seemed beyond them. That defeat means Everton will most likely be being in the Europa league next season.
City were in for a tough ride at Goodison but they handled the game really well and came out deserved winners. That was their biggest chance of slipping up and they came out with flying colours. After going behind to a wonder goal, Aguero levelled before having to go off injured. However, Dzeko took responsibility of the situation and netted either side of half time to give City a commanding lead. They were pegged back to 3-2 but they defended valiantly to hold on for three vital points. With that win, City go top of the table and look set to win the title. 

Manchester United 0 v 1 Sunderland Larsson (30)
First Half: Nani fires a shot from the edge of the box just over the bar. Goal! 0-1, Sunderland take the lead as Wickham's cross is volleyed in by Larsson into the far bottom corner. Mata has a low strike from long range saved.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Hernandez has a close range effort deflected wide of the near post. Vidic heads wide of the far post. Giaccherini strikes a low against the far post. Van Persie puts an effort from close range just wide of the near post. Welbeck fires a shot over from the edge of the box. Hernandez fluff an effort over the bar. Borini strikes a shot across goal that hits the bar.
Full Time: 0-1.
Man United 7th, 60pts
Sunderland 17th, 32>35pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Larsson. After the joyous first match in charge for Giggs last week, it quickly turned back to reality as United slumped to yet another home defeat this season. It was a very poor performance from a United team who looked completely out of form. This led to an eerily quiet atmosphere inside Old Trafford which clearly affected the United players. Van Persie came off the bench in the second half but failed to make a difference. It seems that even Giggs remains baffled by United's poor performances and is struggling to change their fortunes. Very disappointing result but at least we now know it wasn't just the Moyes factor that has caused United's huge slump.
Sunderland have pulled off a fantastic result here. In their desperate time of need they turned up and gave it a real go which paid off. Larsson scored a really good goal on the half hour mark and their organised defence managed to keep an impressive clean sheet. All in all they deserved to win as they quite clearly wanted it so much more. Poyet has pulled off another great result and I think Sunderland will stay up after that. 

Newcastle United 3 v 0 Cardiff City Ameobi (18), Remy (87), Taylor (90+1)
First Half: Campbell volleys a shot into the ground that goes just wide of the near post. Debuchy has a driven shot parried over at the near side. Debuchy has a header tipped against the bar at the far post from a corner. Goal! 1-0, Newcastle take the lead as Ameobi heads in from close range at the far post from Sissokho's cross. Sissokho strikes a low shot from long range that takes a deflection before hitting the far post. Zaha has a low shot denied by a great save at the near post.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Campbell sends a cross that just goes wide of the far post. Jones has a close range volley well parried away. Gunnarsson has a low effort blocked on the line. Goal! 2-0, Tiote has a shot that deflects into the path of Remy who scores with a low shot from close range at the near post. Sissokho has a shot that deflects wide of the near post. Goal! 3-0, Taylor scores. latching onto a Remy shot to score with a close range effort at the centre of the goal.
Full Time: 3-0.
Newcastle 9th, 46>49pts
Cardiff 20th, 30pts Relegated

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Sissokho. Newcastle have actually avoided defeat and won a match for the first time in ages. Remy being back out on the pitch was a massive bonus for them as they just play like a completely different team when he plays. It was a much better performance than we have seen in a while from Newcastle who were good value for their 3-0 victory. However, they were playing against poor opposition but that result may calm the pressure on Pardew for at least a week. 
Cardiff are relegated after one season in the premier league with defeat at Newcastle. It was just one of those days where nothing was going in with Campbell and Zaha going close. On a day where you need to score they just couldn't manage it. A disappointing season ends horribly for Cardiff who will be back in the hard slog of the Championship next season.

Stoke City 4 v 1 Fulham Odemwingie (39), Arnautovic (54), Assaidi (73), Richardson (80), Walters (82)
First Half: Assaidi blazes a shot over and wide. Assaidi has a low strike from long range parried at the near post. Goal! 1-0, Stoke take the lead as Ireland has a shot deflected against the bar before Odemwingie scores from the rebound, tapping in from close range. Arnautovic has a strike across goal parried away.
Half Time: 1-0.
Second Half: Parker has a long range shot saved. Dejagah has a penalty appeal turned down. Goal! 2-0, a fast break leads to Arnautovic scoring with a shot into the far top corner. Goal! 3-0, Arnautovic has a low cross parried at the far post before Assaidi is on hand to convert the rebound from close range. Goal! 3-1, Fulham score a consolation goal through Richardson who scores with a low volley into the near bottom corner. Goal! 4-1, Walters goes through on goal and scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 4-1.
Stoke 10th, 44>47pts
Fulham 19th, 31pts Relegated

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Assaidi. Fulham relegated at Britannia Stadium. Stoke proved to be too good for Fulham and they romped their way to victory. Arnautovic and Assaidi starred as Stoke put four past the Fulham keeper in what was a really commanding performance. Hughes has done a really good job so far at Stoke and results such as today's are becoming more common.
Fulham have been relegated after Sunderland took three points at Old Trafford. It was a defensive nightmare for Fulham who just awful defensively. Once the first goal had been conceded, there was no fight amongst the Fulham players who had pretty much given up on survival. Changing the manager three times this season didn't help their cause and it all just turned into a terrible season for them. 

Aston Villa 3 v 1 Hull City Westwood (1), Bowery OG (28), Weimann (41,45+3)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Villa take the lead through Westwood who scores with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far bottom corner. Goal! 1-1, Hull score an equaliser as a low cross from Rosenior deflects in off Bowery from close range. Huddlestone has a long range strike parried over the far top corner. Baker has an effort headed off the line by Jelavic before heading the rebound against the bar which leads to Goal! 2-1, Villa go back in front as Weimann heads into the near top corner. Goal! 3-1, Weimann scores his second with a flicked header into the far bottom corner.
Half Time: 3-1.
Second Half: Bowery has a strike pushed over the near top corner. Huddlestone has a low shot from long range saved.
Full Time: 3-1.
Villa 16>14th, 35>38pts
Hull 13>15th, 37pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Weimann. That was a much better performance from Villa who came out deserved winners. The result means that they will are now safe and will be playing the Premier League next season. It only took them a minute before taking the lead through Westwood before Weimann struck twice before half time to give them a two goal cushion. Relief for Villa who move up two places into 14th with that victory. 
Hull started the game poorly but managed to get themselves back in it thanks to an own goal from Bowery. However, they came undone when they conceded twice before half time which killed the game off. There were few chances created in the second half whilst Huddlestone came closest with a long range shot saved. Disappointing result for Hull who fall two places into 15th after that defeat. 

West Ham United 2 v 0 Tottenham Hotspur Kane OG (27), Downing (44)
First Half: Adebayor has a low shot from the edge of the box saved. OFF! Kaboul is shown a straight red card for fouling Downing and being deemed to be the last man. Carroll has a free kick really well parried over the far top corner. Goal! 1-0, West Ham take the lead as Carroll heads back across goal at the far post which deflects in off Kane at the far side. Taylor has a low volley from the edge of the box really well tipped past the near post. Goal! 2-0, Downing scores with a low free kick that goes through the wall and in at the near side.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Diame has an overhead kick well saved before Nolan sends the rebound wide of the far post. Nolan has an effort well blocked. Rose has a shot really well tipped over the bar.
Full Time: 2-0.
West Ham 14>12th, 37>40pts
Spurs 6th, 66pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Carroll. West Ham played really well which was largely thanks to Carroll who proved to be too much to handle for the Spurs defence. They went ahead through an own goal from Kane before Downing doubled their lead just before half time. There was only going to be one winner from how the game played out and that was West Ham. It was obvious they have really missed Carroll for a large part of the season as he was just too strong and powerful for Spurs to cope with. With that result, West Ham move up two places into 12th. 
Spurs just had to endure a day when it wasn't going their way. I wasn't convinced Kaboul should have been shown a straight red card but he was and they had to play most of the game with ten men because of it. However, they struggled to get in the game and were below par. They failed to cope with Carroll as he created so many chances for West Ham but Lloris made top save after top save and was clearly Spurs' best player by a mile. They still look on course to finish in sixth but Sherwood will be very disappointed with that result. 

Swansea City 0 v 1 Southampton Lambert (90+3)
First Half: Hernandez has a shot from the edge of the box parried before De Guzman blazes the rebound over. Bony heads wide of the far post. Lovren strikes a free kick just over the near side. Gallacher heads just over from Clyne's cross. Bony volleys just over across goal.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Lallana has a low shot from long range saved. Goal! 0-1, Saints score a late winner as Lambert bundles the ball in from close range after Williams fails to clear the ball.
Full Time: 0-1.
Swansea 12>13th, 39pts
Saints 8th, 52>55pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Shaw. It was a really poor game but Swansea will be gutted to have lost it right at the death. They created a few decent chances in the first half through Hernandez and Bony but both failed to find the back of the net. A 0-0 draw would have been a fair result as nobody really deserved to win. That defeat means Swansea fall one place into 13th. 
Southampton played below their normal standard but didn't look like losing. Gallacher, Lovren and Lallana all had chances but neither managed to open the scoring. However, they were very fortunate to take home three points as Lambert bundled the ball home in what was a really scruffy goal in the 93 minute. 

Best Goal: Barkley, Larsson, Walters. Winner: Barkley Watch the goal here

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below!

Thursday 22 May 2014

Champions League Semi Final leg 2

Chelsea 1 v 3 Atletico Madrid Torres (36), Lopez (44), Costa (60pen), Turan (72)
(Atletico Madrid win 3-1 on Aggregate)
First Half: Koke hits the bar with a cross. Willian strikes a free kick over the bar at the near side. Luiz hits an overhead kick just wide of the far post. Goal! 1-0, Chelsea take the lead as Torres scores with a low shot across goal that deflects into the far side from a low Azpilicueta cross. Goal! 1-1, Atletico equalize as Lopez converts a shot into the near top corner.
Half Time: 1-1.
Second Half: Turan has an effort palmed over at the near side. Terry has a header parried away. Penalty! Diego Costa is fouled inside the box by Eto'o. Goal! 1-2, Atletico come from behind to lead as Diego Costa scores from the spot with a high strike into the near side. Luiz heads against the near post before having an effort parried over. Goal! 1-3, Atletico seal the tie as Turan heads against the bar before tucking in from the rebound into the far bottom corner. Hazard has a low shot well stopped by the keeper. Hazard has a low shot saved.
Full Time: 1-3.



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Turan. Atletico to meet Real in Madrid derby Final. Chelsea were knocked out of the champions league semi-finals after falling flat in the second half. They made a strong start to the match and took the lead thanks to Torres. It seemed like the first goal could have proven to be the winning goal and all looked good for Chelsea. However, they failed to make it into half time without conceding which meant that Chelsea had to score again to go through. This forced Mourinho into a more attacking formation which led to Eto'o coming on off the bench. However, he made a disastrous impact by giving away a silly penalty soon after coming on. This put Chelsea 2-1 down on the night but they now needed two more goals to progress. It just didn't work out and they conceded again which ended the tie. It could be argued that one moment of madness throughout the two legs proved significant in the outcome of the tie and I agree that the penalty changed everything. Chelsea could have scored in the second half to win 2-1 but in the end it is another missed opportunity. 
Atletico just keep surprising everybody and continued their incredible season with a place in the champions league final. Despite failing to score in the first leg, they more than made up for it in the second with three goals. They were on the back foot in the first half but scoring that vital away goal before half time was a hueg turning point. All they needed to do was hang on and they were through. However, they were gifted a penalty and Diego Costa made no mistakes, despite taking an absolute age to place the ball on the spot. That put Atletico firmly in control of the tie and they only grew stronger as the game went on. Turan killed the game off with a third goal for Atletico, sending Simeone running down the touchline in sheer delight. It makes for an intriguing final this year with both teams coming from Madrid. Real will most likely go in as favourites but Atletico could cause yet another surprise and win. 

Best Goal: Turan - Watch the Goal here

Follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mattaylott

Feel free to leave a comment below!