Sunday 13 May 2007
Liverpool away. What was the score? Drew 2-2
It was nice, think that is the right word, to sit at home this morning relaxed in the knowledge that our fate had been sealed. The West Ham game was on here live and a mate called to tell me that we had taken the lead at Anfield as I was oblivious to the going's on up there.
¶ 22:15 
It was nice, think that is the right word, to sit at home this morning relaxed in the knowledge that our fate had been sealed. The West Ham game was on here live and a mate called to tell me that we had taken the lead at Anfield as I was oblivious to the going's on up there.The goals were flying in around the country adding to the fact that more goals are scored on the last day of the season than at other day of the season. The BBC website tried to keep up with the relegation scenario's and the calculators first came out as Wigan took the lead, then Sheff U equalised. One team not looking like scoring was West Ham, but sure enough that little £5.5m devil finished well to give them the advantage on half time completely against the run of play. The possession stat was something like 66%-33% at that point.
Meanwhil
e our reports were glowing and despite Liverpool getting back on level terms Benty crashed home a neat volley, a fine swansong and the 1,500 Addicks at Anfield deserved to see a performance they could be proud off, just a shame they got that very late penalty. I haven't seen it but it puts another little question mark over Magic in what has been a difficult transition for him.
e our reports were glowing and despite Liverpool getting back on level terms Benty crashed home a neat volley, a fine swansong and the 1,500 Addicks at Anfield deserved to see a performance they could be proud off, just a shame they got that very late penalty. I haven't seen it but it puts another little question mark over Magic in what has been a difficult transition for him.I was so pleased to see Darren Randolph have a fine debut, lets hope that after a long wait we have unravelled a real young star. I think Lloyd Sam will prove a very good Championship prospect too. It sounds like our weekend transfer is on ice and the next couple of weeks will be interesting.
Back at Bramall Lane Paul Jewell's Wigan broke the hearts of the home team, who most thought were inches from safety after the point I witnessed them get at The Valley 3 weeks ago. I'm glad 'plucky little' Wigan stayed up, I think Jewell is a good manager and it royally pisses me off when fans of other clubs say they don't deserve to be in the division.
United fan's will be heartbroken, because frankly they should have been safe long ago but they were the team that both Pards and Curbishley were talking off after Christmas that they will try to reel into the mix and their lack of quality and experience was their undoing.
The West Ham saga will drag on and what will be, will be but credit to Curbishley 7 wins out of 9 is title winning form. It was interesting to hear him say after the game that 9 of the players that have been part of that winning run were "here when I arrived." Funny, because the first thing he did when he arrived was slag off the previous management for signing them in the first place!
I thought maybe Curbishley might have had a word for us, and he still might, but undeniably the fact is Dowie, Reed and Pardew were not as fortunate to have a bedrock of decent and hungry players, that Curbishley inherited from Pardew and a little bit of alleged dodgy dealing to build on.
But rebuilding is the word, let it commence.
Super Al: "The players can hold their heads up high and I feel we've gone down in the right manner and that's a consolation for us. It's important now to restructure for next year."
