Twenty-Ninth Week Premiership Football Conclusions

With half a dozen matches left to play it really is all hands to the pump. Experience is starting to shine through the ranks as Chelsea‘s pensioners lay down a claim for top spot, Harry Redknapp deals a winner against Portsmouth, Arsenal‘s kids get manhandled at St. Andrews (again) and Zola‘s English managerial career looks doomed before the first hurdle.

Arsenal suffer Birmingham jinx. Two years ago Arsenal‘s season evaporated on a crazy afternoon at St. Andrews; Eduardo suffered an horrific injury at the hands of Martin Taylor, Birmingham scored a late equaliser, and William Galls sat crying on the turf at the final whistle. This time around, Eduardo stayed on the bench, Gallas missed out injured and Birmingham scored a late equaliser. Could events at St. Andrews again spell the end of Arsenal‘s title challenge?

Spurs boot Pompey in dress rehearsal. Harry Redknapp welcomed his former troops to White Hart Lane on Saturday in a dress rehearsal for next month’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Battered from a mid-week mauling by Chelsea, Avram Grant‘s Portsmouth outfit never came out of their shell in North London as goals from Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar tightened Tottenham‘s grip on 4th place. Portsmouth face an entirely different prospect for next season – 14 points from safety with only 18 to play, the South Coast club could be relegated next week.

Gianfranco Zola’s career on the brink. A goal of individual genius from Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller condemned West Ham to their sixth straight league defeat. Skipping past three Hammers defenders, Fuller fired a stinging shot past Robert Green to drop West Ham to within goal difference of the relegation zone. Unfortunately for Zola, West Ham‘s fate is no longer in their own hands – 18th placed Hull City have a game in hand on the East London club. What promised to be a burgeoning career in top flight English football has turned into an East End nightmare for Gianfranco Zola.

Blues in seventh heaven. Led by the irrepressible Frank Lampard, Chelsea dispelled rumours of unrest at Stamford Bridge by banging 7 goals past top four contenders Aston Villa. Lampard secured third place in Chelsea‘s all-time goal scoring charts in style by notching four goals, taking his Blues total to 151 – a staggering feat for a striker, let alone a midfielder. 12 goals in two matches sees Chelsea‘s challenge for top honours regain momentum heading into the final stretch.

Frank Lampard - 4 goals and not a deflection in sight