Football

[Darandio]

Is this ref a Wigan fan? No denying Wigan have came out well for this second half though.

Was another poor decision against Arsenal there, very soft.

 

[SS4]

Yes! Come on Arsenal (and my fantasy football captain)

 

[Johnuk123]

Goodbye Wigan.

 

[SS4]

Ah 3-1, now I can relax just a bit more.

 

[Darandio]

And we will have Di Canio in the Premier next season, along with a resurgent Villa I feel.

 

[SS4]

along with a resurgent Villa I feel.

Here's hoping.

4-1 now. Can't see Wigan coming back from this

 

[Butts]

My prediction Wigan to become the first ever club to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season.

Mancini to be sacked !!!!

Pleased for Dave Whelan

Just call me Buttstradamus

 

[SS4]

That's us safe for another season. Wonder what our game against Wigan will be like now

 

[Ferret]

Good riddance. That is all.

 

[familyguy99]

Full Time Arsenal 4 Wigan 1 - Wigan are Relegated

So Wigan will be playing at Bournemouth and Brentford/Yeovil next season in Championship, I bet Yeovil fans never thought that the be playing a FA Cup winning team in Championship for 2013/14 season back in August (that if Yeovil beat Brentford on Sunday)

I wonder if Sky Sports will pick Tottenham v Sunderland and Newcastle v Arsenal games to be live this Sunday or will the go for Alex Ferguson last ever match against West Brom instead of Tottenham or Arsenal match?

EDIT: been confirm that Newcastle v Arsenal and Tottenham v Sunderland will be live on Sky Sports this Sunday.

 

[Butts]

That's us safe for another season. Wonder what our game against Wigan will be like now

The whole last day is going to be an anti-climax (not for you ) but certainly for the neutral.

 

[CC 72100]

Full Time Arsenal 4 Wigan 1 - Wigan are Relegated

So Wigan will be playing at Bournemouth and Brentford/Yeovil next season in Championship, I bet Yeovil fans never thought that the be playing a FA Cup winning team in Championship for 2013/14 season back in August (that if Yeovil beat Brentford on Sunday)

I wonder if Sky Sports will pick Tottenham v Sunderland and Newcastle v Arsenal games to be live this Sunday or will the go for Alex Ferguson last ever match against West Brom instead of Tottenham or Arsenal match?

First two - Spurs and Arsenal matches will receive full coverage.

 

[familyguy99]

I don't think this be mention let but David Platt have left Man City.

David Platt leaves Manchester City assistant manager role

Manchester City have announced that David Platt has left his role as assistant manager at the club.

Platt's departure follows the sacking of manager Roberto Mancini.

Former England midfielder Platt, 46, was offered the chance to stay on at City, but turned it down.

"With regret Manchester City announce that David Platt has this afternoon left his role as assistant manager at the club,"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22533727

 

[Butts]

I don't think this be mention let but David Platt have left Man City.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22533727

Any news on Brian Kidd ?

 

[familyguy99]

Any news on Brian Kidd ?

I think he be gone after new Manager come in but he did well this evening as Man City beat Reading 2-0 mean Man City will finish 2nd in table.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Goodbye Wigan, I certainly won't miss you. Your survival for so long was like a joke that got out of hand.

 

[TOCDriver]

Goodbye Wigan, I certainly won't miss you. Your survival for so long was like a joke that got out of hand.

What rubbish! Wigan had to build their team up year after year after all their best players had been poached by the bigger clubs. If everybody had 20 million a year to spend, Wigan would have been in the top three year after year

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Indeed, however the end of season tables don't lie this time around. They weren't good enough, and I wish the hoards raving about them would realise this. They'cve had years to get better and they haven't. Bye WAFC, close the door after you. Cheers.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It is noticable of how many "Lancashire" clubs have now vacated their position in the English Premiership in the last few years.....
Wigan Athletic
Bolton Wanderers
Blackpool
Burnley
Blackburn Rovers

 

[TOCDriver]

Indeed, however the end of season tables don't lie this time around. They weren't good enough, and I wish the hoards raving about them would realise this. They'cve had years to get better and they haven't. Bye WAFC, close the door after you. Cheers.

Wigan have had a lot of bad luck this season in terms of decisions made against them. Still, at least they have wone the FA cup, which is more than can be said about many of the clubs left in the PL. They'll be back, mark my words!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Wigan have had a lot of bad luck this season in terms of decisions made against them. Still, at least they have wone the FA cup, which is more than can be said about many of the clubs left in the PL. They'll be back, mark my words!

The football style that they played in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City was a good passing game and made for a good match.

 

[bb21]

Wigan are a good example of how a small club can aspire to be playing at much higher levels when you have the right personnel and a wise chairman who has some dosh.

Now I only wish Eddie Mitchell cottons on to that fact. Well, he has been learning over the last six months or so.

 

[Ferret]

What rubbish! Wigan had to build their team up year after year after all their best players had been poached by the bigger clubs. If everybody had 20 million a year to spend, Wigan would have been in the top three year after year

Same thing that hapened to Villa, and will soon happen to Spurs with Bale.

Wigan are a joke that got out of hand though; season after season escaping by the skin of their teeth. This outcome was waiting to happen, and I won't miss them. Cheerio.

 

[Antman]

Wigan have had a lot of bad luck this season in terms of decisions made against them. Still, at least they have wone the FA cup, which is more than can be said about many of the clubs left in the PL. They'll be back, mark my words!

Yes I make them favourites to win the Championship next season, they play good football with none of this 'hoof ball' stuff and were superb against Man City in the FA Cup final, just a mystery as to why they can't play like that every week

 

[bb21]

I'm not sure why so many people have a grudge against Wigan. They play football the "right way" and survived in previous seasons on merit. If I get it correctly, their margin of survival was 7, 3, 6, 11, 4, GD and 17 points respectively for the last seven years, so hardly by the skin of their teeth every time.

If Wigan do not deserve to be in the Premiership then the likes of Bolton, Wolves, Birmingham and Sheffield United certainly do not. They did not earn their right to be there.

 

[SS4]

Moral of the story? You can't be crap until February/March and expect to escape every time.

 

[Ivo]

How's this for an unlikely story...

Supposing Chelsea vs Everton finishes a draw, an Arsenal win at Newcastle should see them finish 3rd. However, if said win is by one goal, and Arsenal score exactly two more than Chelsea (i.e. 0-0/2-1, 1-1/3-2, etc), then the two will be dead level after 38 games!

In this situation, a play-off will be required to determine automatic Champions League qualification. A neutral venue (I would expect Wembley) would be needed for such a match, which would then presumably go to extra time and penalties if required.

Premier League rules state: "If at the end of the season... the question of qualification for other competitions cannot be determined because two or more clubs are equal on points, goal difference and goals scored, the clubs concerned shall play off one or more deciding league matches on neutral grounds, the format, timing and venue of which shall be determined by the board."

Surely the solution is to introduce a third tie-breaker - record against one-another? It works well enough in Spain, so why not? It should be held back for exceptional situations like this one instead of having it take priority over Goal Difference as is true there however. (In this scenario, Chelsea's two 2-1 wins over Arsenal this season would see them take the automatic qualification spot.)

 

[12CSVT]

I'm not sure why so many people have a grudge against Wigan. They play football the "right way" and survived in previous seasons on merit. If I get it correctly, their margin of survival was 7, 3, 6, 11, 4, GD and 17 points respectively for the last seven years, so hardly by the skin of their teeth every time.

If Wigan do not deserve to be in the Premiership then the likes of Bolton, Wolves, Birmingham and Sheffield United certainly do not. They did not earn their right to be there.

I agree. Wigan earned the right to play in the premiership in 2005 and for the next seven seasons they earned the right to remain in the premiership. In their eighth season they failed to acquire enough league points and as a consequence they forfeited that right.

Whatever teams you 'like' and 'dislike', we all knew that three would go down, and this time it was the likes of Sunderland, Aston Villa etc who earned the right to premiership football next season.

 

[jb]

Overall, Wigan are probably less of a joke than most of the yo-yo clubs and/or those that have had a season or two in the top league before disappearing without trace.

Nonetheless the table really does not lie, and "deserve" doesn't really have anything to do with anything in football.

I personally think it will be far from straightforward for them to come straight back up. Their now-legendary late season form probably masks some underlying squad deficiencies that aren't easily fixed.

 

[jon0844]

Bad decisions that can cost games play a part though, along with some teams/players that seem to think cheating or trying it on is perfectly acceptable.

And in society is it considered acceptable as fans don't have a problem when it's their team, as winning is ultimately the aim however you do it.

I do think some clubs possibly fall foul of this, as well as suffering injuries and not having a depth of squad to recover.

That said, the clubs fighting at the bottom can't have many excuses.