We look head to the Premier League weekend with only three matches left to go.
‘Squeaky bum’ time for the Euros
There hasn’t been a massive injury sh*t storm yet prior to the Euros, no broken metatarsals, nothing… it’s been frankly boring.
The biggest injury news so far is that Niko Kranjcar “may” be out.
Richard Dunne told JOE during the week that he will be back soon.
Dunne also said that although unlikely, it may be this weekend that he returns which would be great for Ireland.
But we’re at the stage of the season where there is a lot at stake and rash tackles are common place, as well as different nationalities possibly looking to gain an advantage by literally kicking one of their opponents out of the championships.
So look out for it this weekend, here at JOE we have a feeling in our bones someone is going to be told they have a longer summer holiday than expected.
Villains in jeopardy
Speaking of Villa, they’re in dire straits.
Without a win in seven, playing atrociously dull football under Alex McLeish and bereft of ideas and spirit they face West Brom in a Midlands derby at the Hawthorns only three points above the dropzone.
With Roy Hodgson having a well-drilled team and Villa’s upcoming fixtures tough matches against Spurs and Norwich we would be very worried for Villa’s injury depleted side and morale sapped supporters.
London Derby
“What? We’re in relegation trouble?”
“When did that happen?”
“We better put down the champagne and start playing lads, we don’t want the gravy train to stop just yet!”
That’s the conversation we’re imagining they had in the moneybag-filled dressing-room of QPR a few weeks ago.
Tony Fernandes has bankrolled a fairly hefty wage bill at the club and no one thought of the promoted clubs they’d be the ones struggling.
Nevertheless while Swansea and Norwich have impressed all season with their progressive style of play, QPR have been singularly lethargic.
They have notched up three wins on the trot now and woken up to their peril.
They face Chelsea this weekend in a derby of two of the richest clubs in the league.
For all the presumptuous talk of another side missing out on a Champions League place if Chelsea win that tournament, they would want to liven up in the league to make sure they’ll be in the Champions League next season.
Their Champions League and FA Cup runs have been great, but their actual performances in the league haven’t been amazing, if not poor.
Also at what cost have their cup runs come at?
We think QPR may pull off an upset on Sunday…
Newcastle on the march
Newcastle have been playing with a style and panache that has not been seen since they were entertaining sides under Bobby Robson at the start of the last decade when they were nearly everyones second team.
They lie in fourth position, three points off Arsenal with a game in-hand. They are nine games without losing and need to beat Wigan this weekend as the Magpies face tough matches against both Man City and Chelsea in the next two weeks.
A loss against Wigan and Champions League football is probably unlikely.
Wigan, like QPR, have started stringing results together in recent weeks and may now survive relegation with one or two more good results.
That probably won’t happen this weekend, their forwards are too callow and meek and unlike their side at the start of the decade, this Newcastle side have a good defence.
A win for Alan Pardew’s men on the cards.
Just a reminder…
There may be a certain match that will be alluded to over the weekend.
In the biz it’s called “promo-ing” and expect every commentator this weekend to mention the most pivotal Manchester derby in over thirty years at least every minute rather than concentrate on the football at hand.
“Remember that’s Manchester City versus Manchester United in ‘The Clash of Manchester’ in Manchester on a special Mega Super Monday Night Football live with 8 hours of build up…oh we just missed a goal.”
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