Easter thoughts (11/12 season)

We're down near the end now...

down in the championship there's a tasty match brewing for Friday, Southampton v Reading, which could possibly be for the league title. As I write this, Southampton have won their Monday meeting at Palace, while Reading are at Brighton Tuesday - if Reading win they'll be back level on points for the 43rd round match. Any predictions? Are these two going to be the two automatic promotions?


Stoke... why are they so bad away? Playing as I jot this, they've managed four wins and three draws away to go with nine defeats, but it's 10 goals scored v. 28 conceded (29 now as Villa are up 1-0). The goals scored is worst in the entire division, just worse than Fulham and a fair bit clear of the rest, even the really bad teams. And 29 conceded away puts them the worst of all but the bottom five.

Chelsea have a horror run in, don't they? They've got to face all of Fulham (a bit of a bogey matchup for Chelsea), Arsenal and Liverpool away, in the league, plus a match with Spurs and two with Barcelona; Chelsea don't seem to muster much against lower teams, it's bugged me for some years now - all mental - so QPR, and Blackburn at the Bridge don't necessarily look that easy either, and Newcastle will presumably come visiting still with something to play for.


Mancini made some odd noises the last few days, does he really expect to be sacked now the title is gone?