Reading are through to the Championship play-off final after a 2-1 semi-final aggregate win over Fulham, secured thanks to Yann Kermorgant’s second half penalty in the only goal at the Madejski Stadium. But what have we learnt from the match? Reading’s solid start Yann Kermorgant and Lewis Grabban pressed closely together early on, forcing Tomas… Read more →
Chelsea ended their first match since being named champions with a dramatic 4-3 win over 16th placed Watford – but how did players on both teams rate? Chelsea Asmir Begovic – Poor distribution and his opponents did not threaten with the regularity their three goals might suggest. Courtois’ place is safe on this evidence. 2… Read more →
Chelsea ended their first match since being named champions with a dramatic 4-3 win over 16th placed Watford – but what did we learn from the game? Watford’s early pressing Watford began with more tactical bravery than one might have expected from a team starting four natural sitting midfielders and only one forward. Tom Cleverley… Read more →
Chelsea relegated Middlesbrough and left themselves one win away from the Premier League title with a comfortable 3-0 victory on Monday night. What have we learnt from the game? Chelsea used the left Marcos Alonso and Eden Hazard got into dangerous areas on numerous occasions early on. The former hit the woodwork moments after kick-off… Read more →
Bradford City have reached the League One play-off final thanks to a controlled display in a 0-0 draw at Fleetwood, which meant a 1-0 aggregate victory. Marshall and Meredith Bradford were not a constant threat but they still created the better openings with positive play down the left. James Meredith’s positive overlapping runs created space for Mark Marshall… Read more →
Manuel Lanzini’s second half winner gave West Ham a 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Tottenham – but what have we learned from the game? Well-drilled West Ham The character and fight of this West Ham side has been questioned at times this season, but some crunching early challenges set the tone for this derby. Their… Read more →
Blackburn’s second tier status is on a knife-edge. A win will not be enough if Nottingham Forest and Birmingham match their result, yet they could also draw and theoretically even lose and still stay up. It would be simplistic to say Sunday will define the club’s long-term future, because failings over the last five years,… Read more →
Millwall had the longer spells of pressure in their League One Play-Off semi-final first leg with Scunthorpe, but neither side could break the deadlock. Here’s how players on both teams rated. Millwall Jordan Archer – faced only one shot on target all evening, a long-range free-kick which was hit straight at him. 6 Shaun Cummings… Read more →
Millwall had the longer spells of pressure in their League One Play-Off semi-final first leg with Scunthorpe, but neither side could break the deadlock. Here’s seven key points from Thursday’s scrappy clash at the Den. Millwall’s first half pressure As soon as Millwall won the ball, they would look for target man Steve Morison, play… Read more →
A battling performance saw 10-man Birmingham City boost their Championship survival chances with a 2-0 win over weakened Huddersfield Town side. But what have we learnt from the game? Committed start Within five seconds of the first whistle, Huddersfield were forced to pass back to centre-backs Martin Cranie and Mark Hudson, such was the ferocity… Read more →