Saturday 19 April 2008

Introduction

This is my first blog, so I'm a little new to this obviously so bare with me. I'll just start off with introducing myself. Im Nick, I'm 19 and currently at Southampton Solent University studying Sports Writing. My blog will mainly revolve around my passion for sport mainly football. For the purpose of this blog I will not reveal the team that i support, i feel that this will add to the impartiality of the reader, and that you will take a more open mind knowing that I don't support a particular team. All I will give away is that i support one of the current 92 league clubs and i follow each league with the same enthusiasm. I also like to follow the conference as well, as I find it one of the more competitive leagues in the country. In this blog I will display my feelings, emotions and thoughts about the current goings on in the football world.

As I write this blog, I join it as all four leagues in England are starting to take shape. We already no that Swansea will be playing Championship football next season as champions of League 1, with a number of teams threatening to join them next season. In league 2 MK Dons and Peterbrough have both been promoted this weekend, with again a number of teams forming a queue behind them to move into League 1.

Of the teams chasing the last automatic promotion place Stockport County look the most likely to take the final place after coming into a purple patch of form in recent weeks. However I believe that there form has come to early and that the current team in third place Hereford United will take the spoils. With it being in the bulls hands I cant help but think they'll do the job at some point before the end of season, but as they always say there's some way to go and anything can happen and League 2 has showed that more than ever this season.

In the championship, it's a case of which teams is willing enough to win the league and get promoted. However this weekend has sorted a few things out and it looks as though West Brom and Stoke City are the teams to take the automatic promotion places, both teams need just another win to confirm that, with West Brom looking like taking the title of finishing top of the table. Of the play-off contenders with so many teams missing out on the automatic promotion place because of lack of form, it is more likely to be a team finishing 5th or 6th that will take the spoils. Therefore I think that Neil Warnock's Crystal Palace will be the lucky team as they look very capable of beating any of the other contenders. It looks as though Watford and Bristol City have missed there chance and that another year in the championship beckons.

At the other end of the table Leicester City picked up a vital win as they look to edge there way out of the relegation zone, they have pulled more teams into the battle, one of which being Southampton who after looking safe a week or so ago now are looking dodgy and with difficult fixtures coming up they will look for other teams to do them a favor. The relegation battle in the championship looks as though it will go down to the final day, with it looking as though a former premiership side will be going down to League 1, following Leeds United and Nottingham Forest.

Finally the all to predictable Premiership. The league that is everything that the other leagues are not. Predictable. The same teams picking up the trophies, the same teams in the relegation battle the same teams in mid-table mediocrity. However at the top of the table at least the race for the title isn't done just yet and looks like going all the way to the middle of May.

With Manchester United's late equalizer at Ewood Park this evening they put themselves 3 points ahead of Chelsea with the big showdown at Stamford Bridge set to decide the destiny of the title. However it won't decide as much as everyone wants it to.  Even a defeat for United would still put them in pole position, ahead on goal difference and only needing to win there final two leagues games to take the title. Either way I can't look past United not taking the title, as much as Chelsea would hate to see it, United would have slip up again after the game at Stamford Bridge, something that in recent weeks has happened alot, but it happening again? I can't see it. With both sides fighting it out for the title, it could open a window for Liverpool to go all the way in Europe. With the reds being able to play weakened teams on the weekend and then putting strong teams out for the European games. I think they could jump over both teams and take there 6th European cup.

At the other end of the table, it looks as though Bolton are starting a revival, two wins on the trot have put the trotters out of the relgation zone for the first time in months. Gary Megson has really turned it around at the Reebok and he should be given plenty of praise for keeping a almost gone team still alive. They just have to keep winning and they should have another season in the Premiership. Fulham look doomed now one more loss for the london club will put them down. Birmingham are now the team in the most danger, and it shows that having the best players doesn't always give you the best side. They have to buck up there ideas or they will return to the premiership and destroy all the good work Steve Bruce did when he was in charge.

All the leagues will unfold in the coming weeks, with battle for promotion and relegation still alive in every league it realy is the season where no team wants to make a brake and either get out of trouble or survive.

Hopefully I've given you some sort of insight into my way of thinking, and maybe you have an incline into the team I support. Through the weeks I'll just update it and we'll see what comes come the end of the season. 

Comment all you like, if not to have a go at me but for my own benifit, it's nice to see what people think.

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