With the conclusion of what was a very memorable Europa League final (and really, the entire competition was the best it’s been in years) we present to you the top 10 goals of this year’s Europa League season!
Which one was your favorite?
Remaining fixtures (all on Sunday, May 19):
Chelsea vs. Everton
Newcastle vs. Arsenal
Tottenham vs. Sunderland
With the title won and relegation decided, the final day of the Premier League has one battle to focus on: the fight for Champions League spots.
Unless Tottenham win by double digits, Chelsea are in, even if they lose. The real race is between Arsenal and Spurs.
Tottenham have to win, and then need a helping hand from Newcastle. It is possible for the Gunners to secure their spot with a draw as long as Tottenham also lose or draw, but a victory over the Toon would put them into the top four no matter what Spurs do.
Remaining matches that impact relegation:
5/14: Arsenal vs. Wigan
5/19: Wigan vs. Aston Villa; Tottenham vs. Sunderland
Heading into the final week of the Barclays Premier League, the final team relegated has yet to be determined. Following recent results Stoke, Norwich, Newcastle, Southampton, and Fulham have sealed their spots in the Premier League for next season.
All eyes will be on the match between Arsenal and Wigan on Tuesday. Arsenal is battling for a Champions League position and Wigan is fighting for survival. A Wigan loss will be a dagger in their campaign and would condemn them to the Championship next season.
If the Latics beat the Gunners, Sunday’s matchup between Wigan and Aston Villa could have Premier League life or death riding on it.
Photo: Action Images
By Jamie Trecker
LONDON, ENGLAND
Last night Gareth Bale completed his sweep of the awards circuit by collecting the Football Writer’s Player of the Year Award here at a posh hotel off Kensington Gardens. It is the most prestigious of the awards, and a throwback to the days when the relationship between the media and the players was very different than it is today.
It is one of the few times of the year that the people who play the game and the people who cover it get together and act chummy. Most of it’s off the record, a lot of it is fueled by alcohol. In years past the, the gala was notorious for its punch-ups and the sheer volume of hangovers it could produce. It’s a very English event: several hundred unwashed scribes poured into the cleanest possible suits, all with exactly the same rep tie. The aim is not to stand out (advice ignored by the American, who was put into his suit by his partner and foolishly wore a bow tie) to avoid embarrassment and then get pissed.
There’s lots of back-slapping. Glasses of lager are sloshed, and it’s a badge of honor to get the next round. If you’re unwary, you can end up holding six pints inside five minutes. The players and managers walk about freely. Rafa Benitez was eagerly explaining, well, something, to anyone in earshot. Andre Villas-Boas was extremely polite. I ended in the urinal next to Roy Hodgson.
Remaining fixtures:
Chelsea have the chance to pull themselves clear quickly with a win on Saturday against Villa. If they win, Spurs can only hope to tie them on points, and with a gigantic goal difference, the Blues would realistically be guaranteed to finish ahead of the Tottenham.
That would leave Spurs and Arsenal to hash it out. The Gunners have a bit of luck, getting Wigan right after their FA Cup final. That leaves Spurs rooting for Newcastle to remain in the relegation battle on the final day when the Magpies play Arsenal.
Gareth Bale has filed an application with the Intellectual Property Office to trademark the heart-shaped hand gesture that he throws up to the camera after pretty much every single goal he scores.
It seems clear that Bale will try to put the logo on merchandise for fans to snatch up (the application mentions jewelry, leather goods and clothing).
One thing we’d like to know: What if Bale screws up his own trademark in the heat of the moment? Does the placement of the other fingers matter? That would be embarrassing.
And perhaps we’re reading into this too much, but the “11” in the middle means Bale won’t want to change his kit number. Maybe it’s a signal he isn’t planning on leaving Tottenham any time soon — a change in club often means a change in number.
Well, unless it’s to Real Madrid. Number 11 is held by Ricardo Carvalho. His contract is up this summer…
His hero
Time after time, Gareth Bale gets us on our feet with his tendency to score breath-taking goals. But today, Bale took the easy route, scoring on this bizarre block of Wigan keeper Joel Robles’ attempted clearance!
Watch as the ball just ricochets off Bale’s body and into the net, leaving Robles red-faced and ashamed. To make matters worse for Robles, Wigan teammate Emmerson Boyce added an own goal late in the game. The two unlucky goals turned out to be the difference between what would have been a shocking win over Spurs and a 2-2 draw that helps neither team.
That was easy.
Real Madrid are targeting a £50 Million swoop for Tottenham’s Gareth Bale and their manager Andre Villas-Boas.
For this rumor and the rest of today’s transfer gossip, click here.
