For once none of the FA Cup semifinalists, queuing up somewhere down the westbound M4 to Cardiff as I write, is on for a double.
Ever since Chelsea fell to Newcastle on the night the great Jose Mourinho lost count of his substitutes (he put on three at half-time and found himself unable to replace his second-half casualties), the Premiership leaders have been out of this particular race.
Bit of a relief, really. Now we can talk about teams like Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers without constantly referring to their lowly league position, the huge gap between them and bloody Chelsea. But only for one weekend of semifinal action at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff.
But the thing is, they’re both heading out; Blackburn beneath the big guns of Arsenal on Saturday, Newcastle at the hands of Manchester United on Sunday.
Three weeks ago Graeme Souness’s Newcastle looked a born-again bunch. On a record trot of eight wins, they were heading for Uefa and FA Cup glory. But since then of course, we’ve had that famous Lee Bowyer vs Kieran Dyer lightweight title fight, not to mention the loss of goalkeeper Shay Given.
Sadly the Irishman’s replacement between the sticks, Steve Harper, doesn’t look quite as sharp, though he was once preferred to Given for an FA Cup final. This is a 30-year-old who struggled through four years of hard work with Huddersfield, Hartlepool, Stockport, Gateshead and Bradford after leaving Newcastle in 1993. He returned in 1997 and has played just 24 League games since.
Souness said after Harper’s blocked clearance gifted Jermain Defore the winner for Spurs last week: ”To concede the goal when we did was disappointing, but we can’t be too hard on Steve Harper. He plays so few games, and he had to come into the side today and pick up the pace of the match and adapt to everything else associated with Premiership football. Reserve football does not prepare you for a test like that. But Steve is a big boy and will deal with it.”
Hardly going to fill the lad with confidence is it?
With Dyer and Bowyer both banned from Sunday’s semifinal, I think we can safely say goodbye to the Toon and their army of wonderful if misunderstood Geordie fans. Misunderstood? Have you ever heard them talk? And what were they doing given Bowyer and Dyer a standing ovation against Sporting Lisbon last week?
Mind you, perhaps the fans had a point. Though they like the odd scrap, Bowyer and Dyer are the engine-room at Newcastle. Since Souness’s arrival they have driven things on; enabled the side to get over the loss on loan of troublesome Craig Bellamy, the apparently casual approach of foreigners Lauren Robert and Patrick Kluivert and disguise the shortcomings of a back-four anchored by a jittery but recovering Titus Bramble and an over-rated Jean Alain Boumsong. Amdy Faye? Jermaine Jenas? Not quite good enough to compete with Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and company.
So the big story of the FA Cup this season could be ruined. Having Given on the doubtful list is worrying enough but Alan Shearer is also under the weather after picking up a dead leg against Spurs and being subsituted. Shearer, who has now renegotiated his decision to retire, remains the man we’d all like to see return to the Millennium stadium in May. At 35, this may be his last chance, his Stanley Matthews final. And in my book, he’s Newcastle’s only chance.
Though United have lost Louis Saha, Ruud van Nistelrooy is due a dozen goals, all from close range, especially if Given doesn’t play.
Arsenal vs Blackburn on Saturday? So much of course depends on the form of Thierry Henry. Magnificent against Norwich a fortnight ago when he scored a hat-trick despite carrying an injury, the striker was anonymous in last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
Which Henry will turn up? Has he finally become too comfortable in north London with his rich friends, big cars and dinner parties? That’s what some of us are hearing.
As Ashley Cole said this week, it’s about time Arsenal made a significant investment in the transfer market to rejuvenate things. Cole should know, it’s his reputed £20-million fee for moving to Chelsea next season that might just provide the cash to get Henry, Patrick Vieira and Co playing like invincibles again for 49 unbeaten matches.
Ironically, Cole said: ”The club definitely needs to invest to avoid being left behind. We’ve got a great young squad, but, when it comes to vital games, maybe we would have got out of jail with a bit more experience. It is quite hard sometimes when you see Chelsea and even Manchester United buying big-name players and chucking their money around. You would love your club to have a lot of money to buy great players.”
True, but then the same could be said of Blackburn. They don’t have much money but they sure have invested well recently. Their most recent aquisition, Robbie Savage, was a questionable investment but he’s given them the backbone boss Mark Hughes, something of an FA Cup-winning expert, was looking for. They held Manchester United 0-0 with grit, determination and incredible good fortune two weeks ago. Then another of their new signings, Steve Reid, scored in the emphatic 3-0 win over Southampton last weekend. And their foreign import, Aaron Mokoena, the South African captain, looks pretty good too.
Hughes said: ”The win over Southampton was perfect preparation for a semifinal. It was important we got the three points and the manner in which we got them will help us, confidence-wise. We have shown we are not as defensive as people might think, that we do have an attacking threat.
”In fairness to Arsenal and Arsène Wenger, when they played us here last time he said good things about us. He understands we are a difficult side to play against and he will give us the respect we deserve. The game will be a great opportunity for the players to make their mark.”
Whatever Saturday brings, Arsenal have a huge match on Wednesday coming up — against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Last season Chelsea put Arsenal out of the Champions League, this season they’re taken away their Premiership title.
Chelsea will have had a full week’s rest after their exertions in Munich, Arsenal will have played on Saturday. Mourinho is top dog about to claim Chelsea’s first title since 1955, Wenger is talking about rebuilding, while he relinquishes his grip on the championship.
It’s going to be some clash — with Everton vs Manchester United also on the midweek agenda, not to mention a host of relegation dogfights, it will be quite a week to spend in a pub with the footie-mad mates.
Away from the action in Cardiff, the weekend Premiership fixtures should go like this:
Brum vs Pompey
So close to a real upset against Chelsea last week, Birmingham are scraping together the points necessary to stay up — but then so are Portsmouth after their win over Charlton. Steve Bruce’s Brummies are safe, Ports-mouth need a few more points to ensure survival. I think there’s still a bit of work to be done.
Verdict: Birmingham 3 Pompey 1
Charlton vs Bolton
Charlton continue to do their traditional thing and slump out of the running at the end of the season while Bolton continue to defy logic and are right up there with the big boys, though only five points separate the two.
Verdict: Charlton 1 Bolton 1
Palace vs Norwich
Palace were torn apart 4-0 by Everton last Sunday while Norwich shocked Manchester United 2-0 at Carrow Road. The contrast couldn’t be greater. Under Iain Dowie, Palace were developing a fighting reputation. That now lies in tatters. Norwich may get more points here, but neither of these teams will escape the drop.
Verdict: Palace 1 Norwich 2
Fulham vs Man City
Still desperate for points to stay clear of the drop zone, Fulham should be safe if they win this one at Craven Cottage. But City, fresh from their first win under new manager Stuart Pearce — against Liverpool last week — are no ordinary mid-table side going through the motions at this time of the season. If you want entertainment, try watching Psycho Pearce’s antics on the sideline. Last week the linesman got a pelvic thrust after the winner. What next?
Verdict: Fulham 1 Man City 2
Liverpool vs Spurs
Rafa Benitez was tearing at his bald patch after that defeat against City. They could so easily have moved to within a point of Everton and that fabled fourth spot. Meanwhile Spurs were picking up a lucky win over Newcastle, thanks to miskicking goalkeeper Harper. Can’t see them getting lucky at Anfield, though the midweek trip to Turin might have left Liverpool jaded.
Verdict: Liverpool 3 Spurs 1
Saints vs Aston Villa
It can’t get any worse than a 3-0 defeat at Blackburn for the Saints. Villa remain very up and down,beating Newcastle 3-0 one week, then drawing 1-1 with West Brom the next. Still, they’re safe and David O’Leary is promising to spend big. All eyes are on next season, not end-of-winter stuff like this. Expect A Saints win here — they could yet avoid the drop.
Verdict: Southampton 2 Villa 0