16 March 2005

Liverpool (0) 0
Blackburn (0) 0

No goals at Anfield in what can politely be called a poor game.
Liverpool, chasing a Champions League place, simply could not break down
a resolute Blackburn side in a match which saw just ONE shot on target
in the entire game. The best chance came early in the second half when
Milan Baros found space in the area, but his shot was widely off target.
Liverpool face fourth placed Everton on Sunday in a game which they
simply must win.

Attendance : 37,763


Charlton (1) 2 (Thomas 4, Murphy 85)
Spurs (0) 0

Charlton moved to within a point of Liverpool after a goal at each end
of the game gave them victory in their London derby against Spurs.
Jerome Thomas gave the hosts a great start inside four minutes when he
collected a pass from Paul Konchesky before curling a beauty into the
top corner. Spurs made, and missed, chances and with five minutes to go,
they paid for it. Danny Murphy was the scorer this time with a twenty-
five yard free kick which found the net via the fingertips of keeper
Paul Robinson and the inside of the post.

Attendance : 26,870
Assists : Konchesky, Hreidarsson (won fk)


15 March 2005

Chelsea (1) 1 (Drogba 26)
West Brom (0) 0

Chelsea inched closer to winning the title after a narrow home win against
struggling West Brom. To their credit, the visitors began with three up front
rather than adopt a 'defend in numbers 'tactic, although it was no surprise
when Chelsea took the lead just before the half hour mark with a slick, incisive
move. Frank Lampard collected the ball in midfield and played a superb through
ball to send Damien Duff away on the left. His first time cross found an unmarked
Didier Drogba who made no mistake with the goal at his mercy. After the break,
the game often resembled an 'attack v defence' training excersise with Drogba
missing a series of chances to double the lead, however ultimately Chelsea move
eleven points clear at the top.

Attendance : 41,713
Assist : Duff


7 March 2005

Man City (0) 0
Bolton (1) 1 (Diouf 45)

Bolton move into sixth place after a narrow win at Man City. Bolton went
ahead on the stroke of half time when City failed to properly clear a
free kick and after the ball was played back into the area, Stelios
Giannakopolous drove it across goal for El Hadji Diouf to tap in at the
far post. Robbie Fowler had earlier missed a good chance for City when
he clipped the ball over from close range and that was as close as they
were to come as they failed to muster a single shot on target all game. 

Attendance : 43,050
Assist : Giannakopolous


6 March 2005

Everton 0
Blackburn 1 (Stead 71)

Attendance : 32,406
Assist : Reid


West Brom 2 (Clement 53, Campbell 64)
Birmingham 0

Attendance : 25,749
Assist : Richardson, Greening


Norwich 1 (McKenzie 64)
Chelsea 3 (Cole 22, Kezman, Carvalho)

Chelsea move eight points clear at the top with a game in hand as
struggling Norwich were put to the sword at Carrow Road. The Champions
elect went ahead when Joe Cole burst through two crunching tackles
before smashing a superb shot into the roof of the net from the edge of
the area, however just after the hour mark, Darren Huckerby crossed for
Leon McKenzie to head home an equaliser - the first goal Chelsea had
conceded in the league since Thierry Henry scored against them in
December! Normal service was resumed just seven minutes later when a
chip from Eidur Gudjohnsen was diverted past the keeper by Frank Lampard
and Mateja Kezman was left with a close range tap in. The win was
secured when Ricardo Carvalho headed home a Lampard corner as the
defence stood and watched.

Attendance : 24,506
Assists : n/a, Huckerby, Lampard, Lampard (ck)


Arsenal 3 (De Zeeuw 39 og, Henry 53, Chalkias 85 og)
Portsmouth 0

A Thierry Henry hat trick kept Arsenal's faint title hopes alive,
although the battle for second between the Gunners and Man United looks
to be the one to watch now. The Frenchman's opener against Portsmouth
came from a cross by Lauren which he controlled well before firing into
the corner and he doubled his tally with a neat chipped effort having
been sent clear by Patrick Vieira. The triple was completed late on with
a superb 20-yard free kick, however keeper Kostas Chalkias originally
saved the shot before dropping it against his leg and over the line. An
own goal? Only for the cynics!

Attendance : 38,079
Assists : n/a, Vieira, n/a


Crystal Palace 0
Manchester United 0

Man United lost ground on leaders Chelsea after failing to break down a
Crystal Palace side reduced to ten men for the final half an hour. The
best chances fell to Ruud van Nistelrooy's whose first half header was
well saved by Gabor Kiraly and then after the sending off of Vassilis
Lakis for a second bookable offence, a foul on Roy Keane, Van Nistelrooy
seemed to kick into the ground having found space in the area and then
shot over on the stretch from just four yards. Maybe a sign of lack of
match fitness? Ryan Giggs then missed a late effort, his shot spinning
over the bar having struck a Palace defender on the chest.

Attendance : 26,021
Assist : n/a


Fulham 0
Charlton 0

No goals either at Craven Cottage, although the better chances fell to
Charlton's Shaun Bartlett. Early on, he had a great opportunity at the
far post but seemed to step on the ball from just two yards out with the
goal gaping. Later, his near post effort was saved on the line by the
feet of Edwin Van Der Sar.

Attendance : 18,290
Assist : n/a


Newcastle 1 (Robert 70 fk)
Liverpool 0

Liverpool's Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread after a
defeat at Newcastle which leaves them well adrift of fourth placed
Everton. The only goal came with twenty minutes left as Laurent Robert
unleashed a stunning free kick from the right edge of the area which
tore into the far corner giving keeper Scott Carson no chance.

Attendance : 52,323
Assist : Shearer (won fk)


Southampton 1 (Quashie 51)
Tottenham 0

Southampton moved to within two points of Crystal Palace after a narrow
win against Spurs as the relegation dogfight hots up. The points were
clinched early in the second half when Nigel Quashie rose well to head
home his first goal for the club, courtesy of a pinpoint cross from
Mikael Nilsson. Spurs threw everything forward late on, but couldn't
snatch an equaliser.

Attendance : 31,903
Assist : Nilsson


Aston Villa 2 (Laursen 64, Moore 79)
Middlesbrough 0

Oh dear, this was poor and probably one of the worst games I've seen
this season. No shots on target until the 50th minute between two clubs
playing a 4-5-1 formation and who seemed more interested in avoiding
defeat. Ultimately Villa came out on top against a Middlesbrough side
with one eye on Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, although the hosts did
treat us to a miss of the season contender when Nol Solano turned on the
edge of the six yard box but only scooped the ball over the empty net.
The Peruvian redeemed himself though by setting up both goals, firstly
when his corner was helped on by Olof Mellberg and turned in at the far
post by Martin Laursen for his first Villa goal, the ball clearly over
the line before being hacked clear. Fifteen minutes later, Solano's free
kick was parried by Carlo Nash and Luke Moore hooked the rebound into
the net for what was also his first goal for the club.

Attendance : 34,201
Assists : Solano (ck), n/a


Gary Dowden - Joint Admin Topica Premier-L list
http://www.topica.com/lists/premier-L
Leeds United and Scotland and proud of it

http://www.peanutsfan.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/footiemad
The Unofficial Premiership Site