The Final Straight

And little is left to be decided. Manchester United have clinched the title, West Brom are down, Boro are almost down… a slightly anticlimactic final weekend will see Hull, Newcastle and depending on tonight’s result Sunderland fighting it out to stay in the Premier League, Everton and Villa competing for fifth, and Spurs and Fulham battling to see who won’t put out a full side in the Europa League next season…

Man United win the League

Just a tremendous achievement – eleven for Alex Ferguson, eleven for Ryan Giggs, eighteen for Man United, including three in a row… the superlatives are endless. Giggs has won more league titles than any CLUB except Arsenal and Liverpool, and if United win it again next season they will be the first side to ever win four in a row. Their success was built on the run of 15 clean sheets through the middle of the season, and on a phenomenal squad; arguable the first eleven of United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal are all comparable, but United’s phenomenal strength in depth has allowed them to rotate, change, and get the best from their entire squad (except Nani).

West Brom are Relegated

Tony Mowbray has admirably (if deludedly) defended West Brom, their footballing philosophy, and their chances of staying up throught this season. But even he had to admit defeat when they were finally mathematically consigned. He insisted the Baggies would bounce back; and they have to be amongst the favourites, depending on who they keep/lose, having proved last season that they can play themselves out of the Championship. Plaudits indeed for their attempts to stay in the Premiership playing ‘football’ – but Stoke proved that is not necessarily the best approach. Also, West Brom just didn’t score – and if you sacrifice resilience for aesthetics and free flowing attacking, you simply have to. 36 in 37 games just isn’t good enough.

Who else will go down?

Sunderland play Portsmouth tonight, and even a point should make them safe. Boro are down – unless Newcastle and Hull both lose, and Boro turn around a four goal deficit on the latter. Tuncay’s excellent overhead kick was his seventh goal of the season, making him Boro’s top scorer; and therein lies the problem. They, like West Brom, just couldn’t score. Afonso Alves, at £11m, has to be on of the worst signings in Premiership history. Newcastle’s defeat to Fulham was somewhat surprising, considering the feelgood factor that must have been prevalent since their win over Southgate’s team. It just goes to show again what a fantastic job Roy Hodgson has done at Fulham, not only making them challengers for European football, but also maintaining their hunger until the end of the season, and even making them able to win away from home! Hull should have beaten Bolton, and would have done were it not for the heroics of Jussi Jaaskelainen; but at least their fate is in their own hands, admittedly against Man United… but they stay up as long as Boro don’t make up three points and four goals, and Newcastle lose at Villa (although there are few teams you’d rather play!). In summary – who knows what will happen. I still fancy Newcastle to stay up, and United’s second string to beat Hull and confirm one of the most spectacular implosions of recent seasons.

And the Europa League…

Who cares about this, really? The English sides strive desperately to get into Europe, then don’t play full strength sides when they get there. What’s the point? The cynic would suggest managerial bonuses for European qualification. Next season, to win the ‘Europa League’, you have to paly 18 matches. 18! The competition will undoubtedly suffer, sides like Fulham just don’t have the resources to play a whole other season with their shoestring squad. The authorities are blinkered by the pound signs – but which fans are going to bother watching Fulham reserves? It seems like a spectacular shot in the foot.