The beautiful flights of eagles, bees e seagullsWest Ham rejecting peace and Nottingham Forest self-harm.
– In the end we had fun, and a lot too. On this anomalous Saturday in the Premier League which offered only 3 games – the result of a calendar that was frankly too convoluted – the show was certainly not lacking and indeed, yesterday’s afternoon was even worthy of history books. The 16 overall goals are in fact the highest number of goals scored in the history of the English league in a day with 3 games on the schedule. 3 games, 3 very different winners, many stories to tell, European dreams that are now struggling to remain hidden and above all many splendid protagonists, both on and off the pitch. For such a meager Saturday, it could definitely have been worse. A delicious appetizer for the continuation of a round – the 34th – which could prove to be decisive, not only for the fight for the title;
– In London’s Selhurst Park noon Crystal Palace and West Ham challenged each other, with the eagles who after almost 100 minutes of pure madness managed to bring home 3 fundamental points to finally get out of the fight not to relegate. The 4-3 final instead condemns the irons to a difficult end of the season, with only 5 points to manage against third from bottom Leicester and an intense and complicated calendar that will see Rice and his teammates also involved in the Conference League semi-final against Az Alkmaar. After an excellent first part of April, Moyes’ team seemed about to make a change in their season. The 3 victories and the prestigious draw against leaders Arsenal had indeed dragged the hammers towards the quieter areas of the classification. Wednesday evening’s defeat against Liverpool and the one against Palace instead lit yet another warning light in a season which, at least as regards the “domestic” part, was well below initial expectations;
– We were talking about the Crystal Palace. Thanks to the victory in the derby le eagles they reach 40 points, a symbolic goal that allows the rossoblu to breathe a huge sigh of relief after a very troubled year. We never thought we’d say it, especially if we think about the months of Vieira’s management, but today’s Palace are one of the most entertaining teams in the league. Thanks above all to Roy Hodgson, a splendid seventy-five year old born a few kilometers from Selhurst Park who has collected 13 points out of the 18 available since he returned to the “home” bench. The English coach’s recipe for getting out of the crisis was as simple as it was effective: let the good ones play. With Eze back at the center of the technical project, Ayew’s rediscovered form and with Zaha finally free from the physical ailments that conditioned the weeks after the winter break, the eagles they are finally back to flying high. And, as mentioned, theirs is a beautiful flight;
– Still in London, this time the west side, the Brentford he won the match against an increasingly dangerous Nottingham Forest in a comeback. That of reds it was a real suicide: ahead until the 82nd minute thanks to Danilo’s goal, Cooper’s team was first recovered by Ivan Toney’s 20th league goal – a fantastic season for the new assistant Kane of the English national team – and then overtaken by Da Silva’s stop-time goal. The bees they are instead the most positive surprise of the championship. Started with very few expectations, also due to a low-key market, Thomas Frank’s team finds itself in 9th place with 4 games to go, 11 points above Chelsea and with great chances of finishing the season in the noblest part of the standings . The England manager is a serious candidate for the Manager of the Year award. An award that he probably won’t win, because his is a name that doesn’t have the appeal of some of his illustrious colleagues, but which he undoubtedly deserves for the enormous work done in recent years at the Community Stadium;
– Only an hour by train from London however, in this particular historical moment you can see him play one of the best teams in Europe. We are obviously talking about the Brighton by Roberto De Zerbi, who returned to success yesterday by demolishing a listless Wolverhampton 6-0. THE seagulls they are now just 2 points adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham, but having played a good two games fewer than their spurs. What the former Sassuolo coach is doing is truly incredible. His is a tired team, physically and mentally tested by a season well above the usual standard. His is also a short squad, which is why De Zerbi has never before been able to afford to let anyone rest. But yours is also a team that enchants, almost moving in how it is trying, despite all the difficulties, to treat itself to that dream called Europe. Yesterday without Mitoma, Caicedo and Mac Allister the usual Gross took care of it – perhaps the true irreplaceable of the white and blue lineup – and a gang of kids who play with the lightness of those who also know how to have fun on the pitch. There are 61 goals scored in the Premier come on seagullsneedless to say the highest booty in their history. The dream is there, close at hand. Don’t wake this Brighton guy up.