Sat 22 Apr 06

Roeder’s boys roll on

Another win for the Geordies today: 3-0 over West Brom, who will almost certainly not escape relegation two years in a row.

Newcastle is now even on points with sixth-place Blackburn - with an identical goal differential, to boot - but the Rovers have a game in hand.  Still, the Geordies are on a tear, leading into next week’s match against another club frantically struggling to stay up: Birmingham.   We have Chelsea at home to close out the season on May 7 - which could make the Birmingham match the quintessential trap game.

Damian P.

April 22nd 2006 Posted to General, Chelsea FC, Newcastle United FC, West Bromwich Albion FC, Birmingham City FC

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Tue 11 Apr 06

Football’s Fate in the Midlands

Birmingham City and West Brom are in a seesaw battle to fend off relegation, while Aston Villa labour in the lower half of the EPL table. What gives with the Midlands? Guardian football columnist Kevin McCarra tackles the issue here:

Cramming themselves into the Championship is an ignominious kind of solidarity for the Midlands clubs. When Aston Villa were champions of England in 1981, they half-complained, half-boasted of the many derby fixtures that had to be surmounted on the road to the title. All that remains is a culture in which football itself is regarded with great significance even if it is fear more than hope that galvanises the crowd. The Hawthorns continues to foster a gripping atmosphere that is seldom equalled elsewhere in the Premiership.

In last Sunday’s edition of BBC Sportsweek Daily Telegraph columnist Henry Winter had some observations on the prospects for Aston Villa.

Paul Canniff 

April 11th 2006 Posted to West Bromwich Albion FC, Aston Villa FC, Birmingham City FC

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Mon 6 Mar 06

He started it!

Chelsea last night blamed Bryan Robson, the West Bromwich Albion manager, for the three Football Association charges they will face following Saturday’s fractious match at the Hawthorns. “He was insulting our players,” said a Chelsea spokesman.

The two misconduct offences to be included by Mark Halsey in his referee’s report are of failing to control their players, who surrounded Halsey at one point, and Jose Mourinho’s aggressive technical-area posturing. Chelsea are also likely to be hit with one unsporting behaviour charge after Mourinho’s players were late out for the second half.

Chelsea, though, argue that Robson goaded their players, an allegation sure to be dismissed by Soho Square. “We felt Bryan Robson set the tone for much of this from the first minute,” Chelsea’s director of communication, Simon Greenberg, said after a briefing from Mourinho.

“He was insulting our players and our bench virtually from the start. After 57 seconds, he was out of the dug-out accusing Damien Duff of diving and shouting at the referee. That general tone continued.”

Damian P.

March 06th 2006 Posted to General, Chelsea FC, West Bromwich Albion FC

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