The Season 2014/15: Chelsea close in on title

Premier League
Table
CHELSEA moved within just three points of clinching the title after coming back to win 3-1 at relegation-threatened Leicester City last night.

Veteran Didier Drogba and skipper John Terry scored to overturn the Foxes' lead given to them in first half stoppage time by Marc Albrighton.

And, then with 10 minutes remaining, Ramires sealed the win with a bullet of a strike to put the Blues onto 80 points, 13 clear of their nearest rivals Manchester City and Arsenal.

Earlier this week, Chelsea openly celebrated a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium against the Gunners while being criticised by the home fans for being "boring, boring Chelsea".

But, manager Jose Mourinho - who stands in line to win a third Premier League title with a home win over Crystal Palace on Sunday - defended his team.

"I think boring is 10 years without a title - that's boring," he said. "If you support a club and you wait, wait, wait for so many years without a Premier League title, then that's boring."

History tends to be written by the winners and Chelsea deserve credit for their ruthless efficiency. For most of their rivals, though, this has not been a particularly memorable season.

Arsenal, at least, are favourites to retain the FA Cup in the Final on 30 May against Aston Villa - but, despite the signing last summer of £35m Chilean Alexis Sanchez, yet more injuries have meant a sustained title challenge has not followed.

Manchester City, meanwhile, will be especially disappointed by failing to defend their crown for a second time in recent years - and for failing to have put up much of a fight this time either.

Recent away defeats at Burnley and Crystal Palace, and a 4-2 reverse against Manchester United at Old Trafford confirmed the blue half of Manchester will be trophyless, and Manuel Pellegrini's future looks nothing if uncertain.

Manchester United, currently fourth, will also fail to pick up anything - for the second successive season.

Nevertheless, a sequence between the end of February and start of April of six consecutive wins suggested Louis Van Gaal had made more progress than his predecessor David Moyes.

Indeed, the Red Devils look almost certain to be back in the Champions League next season after the failings of Liverpool at the start and end of this campaign.

The Reds had suffered more defeats by Christmas than in the whole of 2013-14 and, although this was followed by a 13-match unbeaten run, three league defeats in the last five and a Cup semi final loss to Villa have left manager Brendan Rodgers in trouble.

Liverpool are still fifth for now, level on 58 points with Tottenham Hotspur whose recent form has also been a bit patchy.

Southampton remain just a point behind and, with a far superior goal difference to either Liverpool or Spurs, a seventh-placed finish is the least they deserve from a more than decent effort.

At the bottom, though, it is now beginning to look a bit bleak for Burnley, the Clarets having lost their shooting boots at the worst possible time.

Main striker Danny Ings has failed to find the net since February - but no one else is helping out either. Burnley have scored just once in the last eight games, and are now five points adrift of safety.

Queens Park Rangers are only a point better off and surely need something from their next two games, both of which were away - against Liverpool and Man City.

But, while it would be a surprise if Burnley and Queens Park Rangers escaped, the last relegation spot has turned into a bun fight.

Sunderland currently occupy the dreaded third-from-bottom placing, on 30 points, having won only five times all season - although two of these victories came in the Tyne-Wear derby over Newcastle United.

Relegation jitters are consequently also being felt on Tyneside too. Seemingly safe having reached 35 points at the end of February, the Magpies have sunk to seven consecutive defeats under caretaker manager John Carver, the club's worst run since 1977.

Meanwhile, between the two north east sides, Leicester (31 points), Villa (32), and Hull City (34) have all showed signs of picking up their form.

Prior to their defeat to Chelsea, Leicester had won as many league matches in three weeks - four - as they had in the previous eight months.

And Villa, under Tim Sherwood, won at White Hart Lane and then reached the FA Cup Final with a Christian Benteke-inspired comeback win over Liverpool in the semi.

Finally, by also finding success against Liverpool on Tuesday, Hull recorded back-to-back victories for only the second time this season.

For now, of course, they all remain in trouble and need at least a win - but the spectre of relegation seems to be hanging over the north east more than anywhere else at the moment.

The Championship
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WATFORD sealed a place in the Premier League - and so, effectively, did Bournemouth too - after a dramatic penultimate weekend in the Championship.

First, the Hornets won 2-0 away at Brighton & Hove Albion in an early kick-off for their fifth win in a row.

And then they could only sit back and smile as chasers Middlesbrough and Norwich City both failed to follow the leader in the afternoon 3pm kick-offs.

Boro's failure was particularly bizarre. Level at 3-3 against Fulham, having been 2-0 and 3-1 down, manager Aitor Karanka allowed his goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos to go up for a corner.

Fulham dealt with the set-piece, cleared the ball, and seconds later had a 4-3 win as Ross McCormack completed a hat-trick by slotting into an empty net.

A point would have kept Boro in with a shout of automatic promotion on the last day.

But, in going for glory, they have effectively condemned themselves to the playoffs along with Norwich, and two of Ipswich Town, Derby County, Brentford or Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ipswich, sitting on 78 points, hold pole position in that race - but must travel to Blackburn Rovers on the last day on which all the kick-offs are set to 12.15pm on Saturday.

Otherwise, the contenders are all at home with Derby, on 77 points, hosting Reading, while the other two teams - Brentford and Wolves, both on 75 points - face relegated pair Wigan Athletic and  Millwall.

Of course, Boro's Greek tragedy only ensued because Bournemouth then won easily against Bolton Wanderers on Monday night.

The 3-0 win at Dean Court was as convincing as it sounds, as the Cherries put a cherry on top of an excellent season and a fairytale rise with three stylish goals from Marc Pugh, Matt Ritchie and Callum Wilson.

Mathematically, Eddie Howe's men could still be caught by their Teesside rivals - but their three-point lead is backed up by a hefty goal difference of +50, compared to Boro's +31.

It is simply not going to happen - and perhaps attention instead can be turned towards the Championship title - as Watford, at home to Sheffield Wednesday, defend a one-point lead over Bournemouth who travel to Charlton Athletic.

Elsewhere, the other midweek match this week saw Rotherham United secure their Championship safety with a 2-1 win at home to Reading.

That safety had been placed in doubt after the Millers were given a three-point deduction, subject to appeal, for fielding an ineligible player in a 1-0 win over Brighton.

But goals from Matt Derbyshire and Lee Frecklington instead condemned Wigan and Millwall to the third tier regardless of what happens.

It has been a spectacular fall from grace, in particular, for the Latics, their downfall coming less than two years since they won the FA Cup against Manchester City at Wembley.

Meanwhile, Blackpool will remain rooted to the bottom, having won only four times in 48 league and cup games all season.

The Tangerines were relegated as early as Easter Monday, and still require a win on the last day at home to Huddersfield Town to avoid becoming the worst side ever to play in a 24-team second tier.

Amid further, completely justifiable, fan unrest following the removal of the statue of the legendary Stan Mortensen by chairman Karl Oyston, that would seem unlikely.

And so the halcyon days of the Premier League - only four years ago - must feel like another era altogether at Bloomfield Road.

League One
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BRISTOL CITY completed an excellent league and cup double this season after adding the League One title to their win at Wembley in the final of the Football League Trophy.

The Robins gained promotion in style - with a 6-0 away thrashing of FA Cup giant-killers Bradford City - before sealing the championship with a point in a 0-0 draw against Coventry City.

Earlier, in March, Steve Cotterill's men won the Football League Trophy for a record third time with a 2-0 win over Walsall after goals in the first half hour from Aden Flint and Mark Little.

But, while Bristol City have been ultimately dominant in their triumphs at this level, the second automatic promotion place is still very much up for grabs.

Heading into the last day, Preston North End hold a one-point advantage over Milton Keynes Dons but the Dons have a far superior goal difference.

Preston also host Colchester United - in the relegation zone but still scrapping for their lives - while Milton Keynes are at home to already-relegated rock-bottom Yeovil Town.

Can the Lilywhites hold their nerve and prevent Milton Keynes from an automatic path to the second tier for the first time?

Certainly, whoever comes out second best will be disappointed as they are forced to join Swindon Town, Sheffield United and surprise package Chesterfield in the playoffs.

At the bottom, Yeovil have been relegated for a while - but there is an almighty scrap to avoid the other three places.

Second-bottom Leyton Orient, on 48 points, are in most peril ahead of their match away at Swindon - but, as mentioned already, Colchester - on 49 points - probably have the toughest task of all as they travel to Preston.

Currently just below the safety line, Crawley Town - on 50 points - host Coventry, who themselves, are not yet quite safe on 52.

Notts County, also on 50, travel to mid-table Gillingham - while Crewe Alexandra (52) are away to Bradford, aware that their far inferior goal difference keeps them very much in trouble.

The deciding matches are all played concurrently on Sunday at 12.15pm.

League Two
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BURTON ALBION will play in the third tier of the English football system for the first time in history next season after a 2-1 victory away to Morecambe on 18 April.

The Brewers now harbour ambitions of the League Two title ahead of their final day clash away at Cambridge United.

Leading Shrewsbury Town by two points, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side may need to win given their inferior goal difference to the Shrews who face Plymouth Argyle at home.

Regardless of what happens, though, both teams will be playing League One football in August, Shrewsbury having gained promotion on 25 April to bounce back to the higher level at the first attempt.

The third automatic spot is still undecided, however. Southend United currently occupy the spot on 84 points, two points ahead of Bury and three points ahead of Wycombe Wanderers, but with the worst goal difference of the three.

Mind, it is awfully tight - Southend are currently +18, Bury +19 and Wycombe +21 - ahead of the final matches which are on Saturday at 3pm.

Phil Brown's Shrimpers travel to Morecambe to face the Shrimps - while the Shakers of Bury travel to relegated Tranmere Rovers.

Outsiders Wycombe are also on the road to Northampton Town - and will most likely land in the playoffs alongside Stevenage and Plymouth.

Heading out of the Football League altogether are Cheltenham Town and, more shockingly, Tranmere after Hartlepool United pulled off a truly great escape.

Bottom from the end of October until the end of March, Pools confirmed survival last week with a 2-1 home win over Exeter City.

And former Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore must take a lot of credit for the sterling job he has done since his appointment in December.

Instead, then, it is the Merseysiders who have lost their Football League status after a period of 94 years.

And Cheltenham, unbeaten and top at the end of August, have won just five games since to return to Conference level for the first time since 1999.

Conference Premier
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BARNET ensured their stay in the Conference would last just two seasons after pipping Bristol Rovers to the only automatic promotion place.

Martin Allen's Bees beat mid-table Gateshead 2-0 on the final day last Saturday to stay ahead of Rovers - who had smashed seven past Alfreton Town.

That awful defeat sent Alfreton down with the worst goal difference in the division as Welling United survived despite a final day loss at home to Southport.

AFC Telford made a swift return to the Conference North (or the National League North as it will be called next season), while Dartford and Nuneaton Town also ended season-long struggles on the wrong side of the relegation line.

In the playoffs for the second promotion spot, Bristol Rovers actually seem to have dusted themselves off and recovered from the disappointment of losing out to Barnet.

The Pirates beat Forest Green Rovers 1-0 away in the first leg ahead of the return match will be played on Sunday at the Memorial Ground.

Meanwhile, the other tie - Grimsby Town v Eastleigh - kicks off this evening and also concludes on Sunday before the Final at Wembley on 17 May.

And the band played Waltzing Matilda

GALLIPOLI was one of the greatest military failures of all time - and a nation-defining moment for Australia and New Zealand.

Devised by First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, and others within the British government, its intention was to break the horrific stalemate on the Western Front by launching a second line of attack against Germany's ally, the Ottoman Empire.

Instead, the eight-month campaign contrived to be fought in even worse conditions than Flanders as the allies lost heavily and the corpses piled up to rot on the beach.

Altogether, over 100,000 on both sides were killed. The Turkish, while strategically victorious, lost 56,643 lives, the British lost 34,072, and the French lost 9,798.

But Australia (8,709 deaths) and New Zealand (2,721 deaths) were disproportionally affected.

And so, while the British especially mourn losses at the Somme and the French do likewise with regards to Verdun, Australians and New Zealanders will never forget Gallipoli.

Now, in much the same way as 11 November allows for reflection in this country, Aussies and Kiwis commemorate the loss of servicemen from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on 25 April.

It is a public holiday in both countries known as ANZAC Day - and this year's memorial service was particularly poignant given it marked 100 years since the fateful battle began.

Rewinding back to 1915, the assault on the appropriately-named Cape Helles went wrong pretty much straightaway.

The allied troops were ill-prepared whereas the Turks had primed themselves well, having fully anticipated the invasion.

The hellish scene is described by Scottish-born, Australian-based folk singer Eric Bogle in his song, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

Most notably covered by the Pogues on their 1985 album Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, Shane MacGowan spits out the lyrics in bitterness and disgust at the apparent cheapness of human life.

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
Then turned all their faces away

Shock was indeed the overriding emotion in Australia and New Zealand as the two emerging nation states suffered a baptism of fire.

In Britain too, Gallipoli had major after-effects, not least on Churchill who was forced out of government.

The ruling Liberals were forced into coalition with the Conservatives and, soon after the war, lost power altogether, being consigned into opposition until the current coalition was formed in 2010.

Churchill, meanwhile, recovered his reputation a little by serving in the trenches of the Western Front. He would, of course, recover it fully 20 years later.

For the thousands of dead at Gallipoli, however, there was no time to recover.

World War One was less than a year old - but, with the fateful Race to the Sea and the subsequent failure of Gallipoli, it had already cost too many lives.

The concept of a Lost Generation had become a reality. RIP.

Selby takes on the Crucible Curse

MARK SELBY will become the latest man to take on the Crucible Curse when he begins the defence of his first snooker world title today against Kurt Maflin.

The Curse, which has affected even the greats like six-time winner Steve Davis and seven-time champion Stephen Hendry, has ensured no first-time winner has successfully defended their crown.

Joe Johnson in 1987 and Ken Doherty in 1998 have come closest to this achievement, reaching the Final before losing to Davis and John Higgins respectively.

But the fact that only Davis, Hendry and, more recently, Ronnie O'Sullivan have won any sort of back-to-back titles at the Sheffield venue shows just how difficult it is.

Indeed, it would be a surprise if Selby was to break the mould. It is not that the Jester from Leicester has turned into a bad player - but his status as the defending champion will always lend itself to a bit of extra pressure.

And that is not always something he has dealt with, as he has admitted himself.

Still, it would be a massive shock if Selby lost in the first round to World Championship debutant Maflin who - though born in Lewisham - lives in Oslo and represents Norway following naturalisation.

Instead, Selby's biggest threat in the top quarter of the draw would appear to come from fellow-Englishman Shaun Murphy.

The 2005 world champion cued beautifully to win his first Masters title at the Alexandra Palace in January, eventually thrashing Neil Robertson 10-2 in the Final.

Murphy also seems to have an altogether much more relaxed outlook on life after a rollercoaster start to his career.

For, when the Magician won his world title 10 years ago, he was aged just 22 - becoming the second-youngest champion after Hendry.

He was also only the third qualifier ever to win and had been 150/1 with the bookmakers at the start of the tournament.

The success did not last - and was even considered in some quarters to be a complete flash-in-the-pan until the 2008-09 season brought him a UK Championship title and another Crucible final appearance.

Still, though, the lack of a second world title drove him to the verge of quitting, something he openly admits in a revealing interview on the BBC Sport website.

"There were a few dark years when I wasn't practising enough, was doing too many golf days and charity events," said Murphy.

"Then when I started putting the hard work in, banging balls in all day long, day after day, I still wasn't getting anything for it.

"Losing 6-1 to Mark Selby in the semi-finals of the Masters last year was almost the final nail in the coffin. I could have easily walked away from snooker there and then."

But, without much of a fall-back plan, Murphy persisted - and victory in the Masters meant he completed snooker's prestigious Triple Crown.

Another run of form like that over the next 17 days and the Harlow-born 32-year-old will be a massive threat - he is my tip to emerge from the top quarter.

The second quarter is dominated by the presence of Australian Robertson - the only former world champion of the section.

By his standards, the Aussie has not had a particularly great season with the Wuxi Classic - played last June - his only ranking title of the campaign.

He also seems to have got into the nasty habit of giving his opponent the initiative early on in his matches.

In the Final of the Masters, he was blown away by Murphy before he even had a chance of getting into the game.

Similarly, the Thunder from Down Under found himself 5-0 down to Graeme Dott in the fourth round of the UK Championships in York before a stunning comeback to 5-5 ultimately failed.

At least, in this respect, the marathon format at the World Championships favours Robertson - and he also has a good record against his likely second-round opponent Ali Carter.

A place in the semi finals is the least Robertson would expect of himself - but, on current form, it would be difficult to see him going past this stage.

Quarter three is headed nominally by world number three Ding Junhui - but, with only one quarter final and one semi final in eight previous Crucible appearances, the Chinese has little World Championship pedigree.

Instead, Higgins leads the way in the section with four world titles - though his overall reputation is little recovered from the infamous News of the World sting operation.

Judd Trump, then, is the talent who most people will be keeping their eye on for a run deep into the tournament - and, as the last player to start his campaign on Wednesday night, the 2011 runner-up will be itching to get under way.

In the bottom quarter, Welsh friends Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens have been paired in what promises to be an entertaining repeat of the dramatic 2000 World Championship Final, won 18-16 by Williams.

The section, though, is dominated by five-time champion O'Sullivan who, like Trump, is another relatively late starter this year.

O'Sullivan is also inevitably the bookmakers' favourite - but, following his defeat in the Final last year, the Rocket seems to have arrived in Sheffield to less of a fanfare than usual.

His absence from the China Open last month for unspecified "health reasons" suggests his mind may not be as firmly on the game as it could be.

And, in a recent interview with the Guardian, he was typically enigmatic about his future, both in the short-term and the long.

Now aged 39, O'Sullivan knows there might not be many more chances for him to catch Davis and Hendry.

Nevertheless, with his standing in the game already assured in his own right, this is undoubtedly something for the writers and pundits to obsess about, rather than O'Sullivan himself. 

Aspell goes back-to-back on McCoy's Grand National farewell

LEIGHTON ASPELL completed a remarkable Grand National double after he followed up last year's victory on Pineau De Re with a second success on 25/1 shot Many Clouds.

Aspell thus became the first jockey since Brian Fletcher on Red Rum to win back-to-back Nationals, holding off a strong challenge from Paddy Brennan's Saint Are in the closing stages.

Monbeg Dude was third for 2009 winner Liam Treadwell and Alvarado finished fourth for the second year in a row with Paul Moloney.

Tony McCoy, racing for the last time in the big one at Aintree before his retirement, finished fifth on the appropriately-named 6/1 favourite Shutthefrontdoor.

But it was Dubliner Aspell who stole the headlines for the second year in a row.

Of course, for some of the runners and riders, the 2015 Grand National was a very short spin indeed.

Ely Brown and Gas Line Boy both fell at the first while Al Co unseated his jockey. At the third fence, Rubi Light also lost his rider while Corrin Wood hit the hurdle hard and was pulled up before the fourth.

At the fifth, Noel Fehily's French mount Unioniste fell and, at Becher's Brook, River Choice followed suit.

There was then a nasty incident at the eighth fence, the Canal Turn, as last year's runner-up Balthazar King fell and brought down Ruby Walsh's grey Ballycasey.

From then on, though, the race was thankfully run pretty cleanly with Rebel Rebellion leading the pack for most of the first circuit and into the start of the second.

It did not last. At the 18th, Rebel Rebellion struggled over and The Rainbow Hunter hit the front with Many Clouds and Shutthefrontthedoor not far behind.

Then, at Valentine's, The Druid's Nephew took the lead. As soon as he had it, though, it was taken from him as his legs buckled from him and he fell.

Former leader The Rainbow Hunter also failed at the 26th jump before pacesetter Rebel Rebellion was pulled up.

Instead, for the first time, the lead went to Many Clouds with the Shutthefrontdoor in second and Saint Are in third, and only a few left to jump.

From the last fence onwards, though, Shutthefrontdoor did not feature and the bookie-bashing hopes of 20-time champion jockey McCoy, and his many backers, sadly faded.

By contrast, Many Clouds was still going strong and Aspell opened up a lead of about four lengths as he rode around the Elbow. He would need almost all of them.

Ultimately, however, Saint Are had left it too late - and amazingly Aspell, despite changing horses, had landed the big prize again.

It was indeed a statistically significant win - and not just for the 38-year-old jockey.

Aged eight, Many Clouds is the youngest winner of the National since Bindaree in 2002. Meanwhile, at 11st 9lb, he is the heaviest winner since Red Rum.

There was good news, too, for the British Horseracing Authority which was able to report for a third year in a row that there had been no fatalities in its big event.

Undoubtedly, a nervous chill must have passed through its members when the field was prevented from jumping the Canal Turn for a second time.

But the stricken Balthazar King has made it to Leahurst Equine Hospital for treatment following his nasty fall.

Of course, the BHA and officials at racecourse have made big strides in improving the safety of the fences around Aintree.

Nevertheless, the fact that the incident at the Canal Turn occurred due to a collision between two horses does beg the question: is the Grand National field of 40 runners simply too big?

After all, fewer than half of the entrants tend to complete the course - and so it could easily be argued that reducing the competitors to 30, or even 25 would hardly affect the spectacle.

Moreover, at the end of the race, there can only be one winner - and, while McCoy was denied a fairytale ending, he does at least still have the memory of his 2010 win on Don't Push It.

Incredibly, though, in the last 12 months, Aspell has won more Grand Nationals than McCoy won in his whole career.

Yes, for Aspell and Many Clouds, the sun shone especially bright at Aintree today.


GRAND NATIONAL 2015 RESULT 
Aintree, 4.15pm (Channel 4). Going: Good. 39 ran.
 

1st	MANY CLOUDS	Leighton Aspell	25/1 (by 1¾ lengths)
2nd	Saint Are	Paddy Brennan	14/1
3rd	Monbeg Dude	Liam Tredwell	40/1
4th	Alvarado	Paul Moloney	20/1
5th	Shutthefrontdoor	AP McCoy	6/1F

Other finishers
6th Royale Knight (25/1), 7th Tranquil Sea (33/1), 8th Cause of Causes (14/1), 9th Soll (9/1), 10th Chance Du Roy (40/1), 11th Mon Parrain (33/1), 12th Pineau de Re (25/1), 13th Owega Star (50/1), 14th Spring Heeled (25/1), 15th Oscar Time (20/1), 16th First Lieutenant (14/1), 17th Rocky Creek (8/1), 18th Night in Milan (20/1), 19th Dolatulo (66/1)

Failed to finish
1st Ely Brown (fell), Gas Line Boy (fell), Al Co (unseated rider)
3rd Rubi Light (unseated)
4th Corrin Wood (pulled up)
5th Unioniste (fell)
6th (Becher's) River Choice (fell)
8th (Canal Turn) Balthazar King (fell), Ballycasey (unseated)
19th Court By Surprise (pulled up)
25th (Valentine's) Across The Bay, Super Duty, Lord Windermere (all pulled up)
26th The Rainbow Hunter (fell), The Druids Nephew (fell)
27th Rebel Rebellion (pulled up)
28th Portrait King (fell)
29th Godsmejudge, Wyck Hill, Bob Ford (pulled up)