Post Match Reactions - Round 37

[JB@Norwich]

Prem
Post Match Reactions - Round 37

Missing
Watford - T - SACKED
Everton - T
Errors

[AB@Juventus]

Newcastle United 3 - 0 Crystal Palace

Missing 2 players coming into this one we weren't too hopeful but decided to play passing football which Crystal Palace countered from the start.

We took the lead on 16 minutes against TA and the tactics switched giving us TA but just 6 minutes later we were down to 10 men meaning we'll be without 3 players for the final game of the season.

This should have let Palace back into the game but we held our lead into half time and then just after the restart, Palace were reduced to 10 men also and 2 minutes later we had doubled our lead.

With both teams playing P now we pushed for more, with Palace switching to A on 61 minutes and with 4 minutes to go we made it 3-0 and shortly after 4-0 but that one was ruled out as we ended the game 3-0 winners.

Statistically we were the better team by quite a distance so deserved the 3 points. Good game Lee.

[Ant]

Barnsley 2-0 Leeds

A tough game against a solid side, but we prevailed and have set ourselves up to try chase down Newcastle in 11th. However, with our best defender out for one, and best midfielder Savid out for 3 games suspended (probably too scared to return to his former club), our last game of the season against Blackburn is going to be insanely tough. Overall, more points than last season and that has always been the aim.

Unlucky Tim and GG lad.

[Steve@ManUtd]

MANCHESTER UNITED 3-2 Leicester City

Talk about hard work. We went attacking and got caught with the first action of the game and really failed to grasp their possession game. We managed to level on the half hour mark and before q quick response meant the tie was 1-2 at the break. We rallied in the second half and got hold of the tie to swing the balance in our favour and held on for the win. It's not enough though as we officially cannot win the title and have 3rd to play for maximum.

Our results and overall form has been perplexing this season, sure we've had games where we've played the bare bones but still, we've drawn far too many games from great positions which had we got what we should've from those games we'd have a different season. We have a big choice now, do we focus on the cup final or do we go big and try and finish the season in as strong a position, possible.

[Timbro]

Spurs 4 Cardiff 0

We bowed out of the title race finally in style with our biggest win of the season at home to Cardiff. We had to go for it so set up with 3 at the back and old man Tadic set us on our path before two defenders and a squaddie finished the scoring. Gimenez and Mbabu have been strong additions in defence and both have grabbed goals at important moments. Boniface hasn't got going yet but he'll be good next season i am sure. Barring a spectacular goal fest with us thrashing Leicester and Leeds thrashing Liverpool with Arsenal also losing, on which the odds are pretty long, we will fight to stay 3rd which would be great, but worse case 6th will also be fantastic. Cheers Matt gg

[Steve@Chelsea]

Chelsea 3-0 Blackburn Rovers

A hard fought win over Blackburn with the opener from S_Jovetic who had replaced the rested De Jong. Further late goals from Berardi and KDB sealed our 6th win in a row, for the fabled 'sea of green' badge. Unfortunately a double whammy mishap happened for the Spice Boys, as first AWB went off injured and loan defender I_Fresneda came on earlier than planned and secured 3 key tackles. Lamptey then also got a booking that will see him miss the Champions League Final. PSG then later came into contact post match to order Chelsea not to play I_Fresneda in the last league game or the Champions League final. A shrewd bit of business from Clark, but will Talbot listen to him? He has been known to go rogue in the past so it wouldn't surprise me. Might depend how he feels on the day when he wakes up.

In other results, Sheff Wed lost their goalkeeper at about half time being replaced by an 18 rater, and Liverpool who were struggling to beat the relegated Sheff Weds, just about managed to notch a late winner that could prove vital. A stroke of luck for Liverpool that now means that Chelsea are officially out of the title race, and only Arsenal can challenge them in what will be an interesting final day.

[Livi@Liverpool]

Liverpool 1 Sheffield Wed 0

A vital win to keep us just ahead of Arsenal and Spurs as we finally managed to see off a defensive Sheffield Wednesday. We were creating plenty with a passing approach but couldn't find a way through even when the opposition lost their starting GK at the beginning of the 2nd half. We switched things up to all out attack in the 65th minute and thankfully Grealish fired in a 72nd minute winner. Marshy is a connoisseur when it comes to shot counts and I'm sure he won't feel hard done by at losing to a 16-3 deficit.

No doubt the 2nd half injury to their GK helped us but we've effectively played 7 full games this season without our starting keeper so forgive me for not feeling overly sorry.

And so it's a final day shoot out between us and the 2 best sides from London - Arsenal and Spurs - for the title. Realistically it looks between us and Arsenal. I fully expect them to defeat West Ham so we're going to have to go to a full strength Leeds and win which is not going to be easy in the slightest.

An intense final day to cap off a crazy Premier League season.

Good luck Darren.

[Marshy@Atletico]

Liverpool 1 - 0 Sheffield Wednesday

The Owls would play out their penultimate game of the season away at Liverpool with only the avoidance of wooden spoon and possibly a slightly better prize money at stake should they creep above Watford. With that in mind The Owls without Tierney in defence opted to try and get a point from the game with one eye on possibly beating Everton on the last game of the season.
The plan did not really go well with a shot count of 16-3 showing that playing defensively with a poor side does not limit the chances enough. Wednesday may have robbed a point had it not been for an injury to A_Gunn.

Caretaker Marsh commented "We did what we felt was needed to try and finish 19th. It would have been easy to go out and play for abs but I am not sure the other title chasing managers would have enjoyed another walk over win for Liverpool that they got against Watford so we tried to be competitive for both ourselves and others. All we can do now is try and beat Everton and hope Watford lose the last game although the task looks extremely unlikely with two defensive players missing".

[Darren]

Watford 0 - 3 Arsenal

A convincing win for The Gunners has ensured that the race for the Premiership will go down until the final game of the season. A double for Aaron Hicky and one for Timo Werner completed the win for Arsenal who now sit just a point behind Liverpool going into the last round of games. The win sees Arsenal keep the decent run going that some weeks ago not many would see them involved in a title race or even in the betting.

The Arsenal boss spoke after the game ;

" We wont get carried away thats for sure. Certainly the best position we have been in, going into the final game with a chance but we need Liverpool to slip up and with Livi in charge, he will have his side very well set up for his game and while we of course wish him the best of luck, have a job to against West Ham and hope we better their result s still a huge ask with the possibility of us slipping to fifth if everything goes wrong so we cant take anything for granted ".

With the players stepping up for the Manager who pledged his future to the club, it was the future of recent signing Ansu Fati who is getting all the headlines right now with the 22 year old being heavily linked with a move away with Juventus heading the list of clubs ready to sign him.

The Arsenal boss spoke about the latest developments on Ansu Fati ;

" The transfer rumour are certainly not affecting him and he will be in the side for the West Ham game. We have publicly said he is available and we have stated our asking price which as of now, hasnt been met. Ive seen and heard of Juventus claiming we have moved the goal posts and over valuing etc but surly to move a goal post is when we get offered our asking price and then claim to want more, certainly not the case. The club have told all three clubs what we want from each in order to sell but nobody has activated the release clause although one club has come very close, the Chirman will stick by the valuation which he feels is very fair "