Everton 3 Newcastle 1
Everton finished the season on a high & cemented Uefa cup football next season with this last day home win over Newcastle.It was just what Everton deserved after fighting all the way to stay in the top five in the premiership & a team that seems to be getting better & better every season.For Newcastle its time for rebuilding & I’m sure Kevin Keegan will have his say on who stays & who goes & on the type of players he wants to make Newcastle a better team for next season & a top 6 side.
The game started at a good pace with Everton knowing they had to be better than Aston Villa to keep the fifth spot.But it was Newcastle who had the first chance as Enrique made a lovely pass to N’Zogbia who made a cross into the box but Tim Howard failed to hold on to it & it needed the new England man Phil Jagielka to get the ball away.Howard was called into action again when he had to move sharply & drop onto the football after a snap shot from Andy Carroll.
Everton started to get into the game & it was there top scorer Yakubu who had the first chance when he showed some nice skill when he got past Nicky Butt & Damien Duff but he could only sent his shot wide.N’Zogbia then put in a beautiful cross that just needed a touch from any Newcastle player but there was no-one there to oblige.Then with that Newcastle chance going begging it was Everton who took there’s & the lead of the football match.
Damien Duff caused the foul on Osman that gave him a free kick it was taken by Manuel Fernandes who floated in a perfect free kick & there was Yakubu to header home into the goal to put Everton in front.It was nearly a free kick that Brought Newcastle back into the game when a N’Zogbia who was Newcastles best player on the pitch took it & it only just dipped over the bar.Steve Harper then was called into action when he had to save twice from Anichebe then watched helplessly when Yobo headed well over from only six yards out.Everton were finishing the first half on top & nearly scored a second when Osman stole through only for Harper to deny him. David Moyes Interview
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West Ham 2 Aston Villa 2
West Ham & Aston Villa fought out this end of season game which had lot chances & action where West Ham were trying to get out of that tenth spot it looked like they had been in all season & Aston Villa knew if they could pull this football match out of the bag & Everton lost they could go up to fifth place & Uefa cup football .But as it turned out both teams didn’t get what they wanted but at least it was a entertaining match & not a end of season bore.
The start of the game was delayed a few minutes as everyone had to clear the pitch as it resembled a massive party & not a football pitch but it didn’t take long to get underway.West Ham started brightly & had the first chance of the match with a corner but it came to nothing.Then Villa broke quickly & started to pressure West Ham & when Agbonlahor got the ball & put in a nice cross it arrived to Ashley Young who shot hit & shook the post it showed Villa were after that European spot.
But West Ham didn’t get worried about the fact Villa were after the victory because Villa hadn’t won in london for 22 matches & that cause was about to haunt them.Solano had a free kick just out side the box & with Villa lining the wall up it didnt do much good as Solano took the free kick & curled it round the wall & even though the Villa keeper Carson got one of his hands to it the football still found the net & put them one up but Villa soon hit back with a goal of there own.
It was produced by old boy Reo-Coker who was booed all through the match but he must have expected that but it was his through ball that found Ashley Young who calmly slotted the ball past Robert Green to get the football match all square.Villa nearly when into the lead when Green slipped trying to make a clearance from his box & Young was there to pounce but he got it away in time.News then came through that Everton were one up but it didn’t stop Villa pressing West Ham .
Ashley Young was being Villa’s best player & the best player on the pitch as well as he looked like the type of player that was going to bring the game to light & create something out of the ordinary & a future England player in the making.With West Ham they looked like they were definitely lacking a player like Young & couldn’t create much with all they could muster just before half time was a Luis Boa Morte shot that was well wide of the mark & that was the half.
Middlesbrough 8 Man City 1
Middlesbrough ended the season on a high after thrashing a Man City side who looked like they couldn’t wait for it to end.No one could have saw this happening as Middlesbrough had only scored 29 goals all season & only about 19 at home.So when they produce a result like this you have to wonder where were they all season & how come they now know where the goal is.
For Man City it could well be they were effected by the rumors that Sven was on his way out but it was a lot for the supporters to take as they had seen him make City a better team & played some good football but there new owner had saw things different. Even though he had gave Sven a lot of money to buy players with but why do they think they deserve to get success straight away maybe someone should tell these foreign owners it don’t work like that .
Anyway back to the game & if it wasn’t for the City goalkeeper Isaksson making some class saves it properly would have been 10.But he showed he is a good goalkeeper & one who shouldn’t have been on the subs bench most of the season.It all started to wrong for City when Dunne was sent off for a foul on Tuncay in the area.The ref mite have bin harsh or the letter of the law but he sent him off & with City down to 10 men it was trouble ahead.
The resulting penalty was taken by Downing & he didn’t miss & Middlesbrough didn’t look back from there while City just completely imploded.There new signing Alves who is now finding his feet in the premiership added a second when he meet a Rochemback pass & finished well to score.It wasn’t long before Downing added his second & Middlesbrough’s 3rd & it was looking like city had already boarded the bus.
Portsmouth 0 Fulham 1
Fulham pulled off the result of the day & made a great escape to keep them in the premier league when they defeated fa cup final winners Portsmouth.It was there 4 win in 5 games & it made Reading & Birmingham who must have bin gutted relegated.Fulham had never won 3 away games in a row but somehow they have pulled this off.Do you think Fulham deserved to stay up?
Fulhamstarted the football match with not much purpose with what was on the line you would have though they would have come out all guns blazing but they looked nervous & to busy trying to hear what else was happening.For Portsmouth it was play for your place at wembley & stopping the 3 defeats in a row they have had.Both teams didn’t really push to score as it looked just like a end of season match & not a relegation fight for Fulham.
Portsmouth who had recalled Pedro Mendes back into midfield were trying to control it but they were finding it hard to gain it.While Jimmy Bullard of Fulham was passing the football & playing it all around the park but his team mates wasn’t on the same page & his passes was going nowhere.They knew the other results were now not going there way but it didn’t seem to ignite them as the only chance they had all of the first half was a Simon Davis shot which didn’t have much power but it should have bin worse.
Portsmouth had 2 chances to sink Fulham or at least cause them some trouble as it was John Utaka who collected the ball & made a first time cross into the box but Kanuhadn’t caught up with the play & the chance was wasted.Then it was Johnson who played the ball into the box & Jermain Defoe stabbed at the ball only to see his shot go over the bar & just a inch lower it would have gone in.Both football clubs then played out the half & not much else happened but Fulham was aware of the other live scores. Roy Hodgson
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Birmingham 4 Blackburn 1
Birmingham are relegated to the championship after they tried to perform the great escape but wins for Reading & Fulham meant that what ever they had done in this football match it wouldn’t have mattered but it was a fine win all the same.But for Blackburn that intertoto cup place up for grabs slipped away but they must be kicking themselves as Aston Villa could only muster a draw.But i have to ask Do you think the Birmingham board deserved to get all that abuse? or do the fans nowadays forget who took them there in the first place?what do you think?
The game kick off with high tension & the Birmingham players know there fate was in there hands & they had to do better then Fulham & Reading but it didn’t start well as James McFadden was ruled out with a injury so had to be replace with Zarate.It was him who had the first chance of this boring first half as he played a neat one-two with Kapo only to see his shot drift wide.Then it was Kapo himself who had a chance but he glanced his header tamely wide from a Larsson cross.
The fans were getting nervous & when the news came through that Reading had taken the lead against Derby it filtered through to the players & they started to look very down.But all was not lost as they were handed a gift & a unexpected route to safety when Blackburn’s goalkeeper Friedel who usually is very reliable let a long range shot from Murphy just slip past his reach & into the net to score.This gave Birmingham some hope & were waiting to see if Derby could equalise which would give them a tremendous chance.
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