The English Premier League will hold its final round early Monday morning Australian time. However, unlike many previous seasons there isn’t much to play for this time round.
Cast your minds back to last year and it was all up for grabs, the title, champions’ league spots and relegation.
The most unbelievable act though went to Manchester City who scored two late goals, the second with around 20 seconds remaining to win the Premier League title and to send all those associated with the club into frenzied celebrations.
This time round though most of the important matters have been decided prior to the final game.
Manchester United has won the title, Manchester City are confirmed in second place, Chelsea have been guaranteed a Champions League spot and Wigan, Reading and Queens Park Rangers have been relegated.
What’s left to play for then I hear you say? Well, besides the fact that the higher in the league you finish the greater the financial reward, the next best thing to winning the title is to qualify for the Champions League.
Four spots are available and United, City and Chelsea have three of them, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are battling it out for the final lucrative position.
Arsenal are in pole position at present leading Tottenham by a single point after both teams have played 37 games.
As a Spurs fan I’ll be hoping that Newcastle will do us a huge favour and either beat or draw with Arsenal.
However, as a long suffering Spurs fan I’m a realist and so not too optimistic of this happening. Only time will tell!
So, this time round if you we’re looking for end of season excitement then look no further than the league below the Premier, the Championship.
If you’re not familiar with this league due to the limited coverage over hear in Australia, then your missing out.
It may not have the well known world-class players and football played at the highest level but it more than makes it for that with commitment, enthusiasm, excitement and a league that has to be the most competitive around.
Not convinced, then just take a quick glance down the league and see how many teams you recognise from yester year and how many have had a spell in the Premier League.
Hull City, Watford, Leicester, Bolton, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, and Leeds United just to mention a few.
This season’s final round had to be one of the most dramatic for a while with nearly all important positions to be decided. Automatic promotion, play-off spots and the dreaded relegation!
During the 90 minutes of intense action, permeations changed countless times, with fans of teams involved going from elation to desperation within minutes.
After the dust had settled and many heart beats around the country had returned to some what normal levels, Cardiff and Hull City achieved automatic promotion.
Watford, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Leicester City were confirmed in the play-offs.
Leicester left it really late, jumping above Bolton Wanderers with an injury time winner in an entertaining encounter with Nottingham Forest, who also had a shot of qualifying if they had beaten Leicester, leaving Peterborough, Wolves and Bristol City relegated.
This however was only an entre to the play-offs and in particular the Watford for Leicester City double header. To set the scene, Leicester won their home leg 1-0.
Deep, deep, deep into injury in the second leg Watford we’re leading 2-1, with the aggregate score being 2-2 fans were preparing themselves for 30 minutes of nerve jangling extra time.
Suddenly, a final attack from Leicester resulted in a somewhat dubious penalty kick being awarded.
What happened next was truly sensational even in foot-balling terms.
96 minutes on the clock, Leicester’s Anthony Knockaert steps up to take the kick. He hits it down the middle and the ‘keeper saves with his feet, however, the rebound falls again to the striker who has another chance to seal the win.
Almunia saves it again, this time with his hands and the ball is hacked away to safety.
Wait a minute though, Watford are now breaking down the right wing, the cross comes in to the back post, a great header is knocked backed into the danger zone, into the path of Troy Deeney who rifles the ball into the back of the net.
Chaos erupts! The goal scorer jumps into the crowd, coach Gianfranco Zola sets of on a hysterical run and a pitch invasion ensues. Amazing stuff!
There was 20 seconds between Leicester taking the penalty and Watford going down the other end and scoring the winner.
Watford now head into the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on the May 27th with their opponents being Crystal Palace, the prize being a spot in the Premier League.
What further entertainment can we expect?
While I’ll be glued to the Spurs and Arsenal games this weekend maybe keep an eye out for one of the biggest games in the English League calendar the week after.
If it’s anything like the last few weeks we’re in for a cracker!
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