Sheffield United - Barnsley

Birmingham and Wolves played a great game previous night. Best defence took a victory against best attack. Both goals will be remembered for a while (especially first), brutal challenge by Lee Carsley, too. Derby filled my expectations. It seems first two places are clear, will see what Blades have to say about that. So...

Sheffield United definitely overcame februar crisis. Five wins and two draws from last seven games. Boss Kevin Blackwell is the best manager of March, United caught Reading on the table. Six points behind Birmingham, maybe three after the game. In the last round, they eliminated Ipswich Town (2-0 at home) from play-off race. Home side was dominating entire game and with the goals by Greg Halford and Darius Henderson got an easy victory. It looked like lads played with half of strength. Seven points more than 7th Preston North End (and a game less), no pressure. Young midfielder John-Joe O'Toole have some knee problems, played just 15 minutes against Ipswich and he's under the question mark. No other worries for Blackwell, he's expected to name unchanged eleven.

On the other side, neighbours are fighting to avoid dropping in Leauge One. Three points above the line, but a game or two less than the opponents. A win (Crystal Palace 3-1 at home) and two draws (Derby County 0-0 away and Nottingham Forest 1-1 at home) from last three games. At the last game on Oakwell, Barnsley took a lead at the start of second half, then start playing very comfortable, even missing a penalty. Eagles used it and scored from only goal opportunity. Two points are gone. Their away shape doesn't look good. Four wins, three draws and eleven defeats from eighteen games, with just twelve(12) scored goals! Their chance can be underestimating by the hosts. Liverpool loan Adam Hammill is fit. No worries for Simon Davey, best eleven will play.

Only things that worry me are mentioned underestimating and result of Birm.-Wolv. game. Beside the both sides are from Yorkshire, I can't see why this game should be called derby. Don't believe the excellent run of results by home side can be stopped by weak Barnsley. Betfair offers more than decent 1.76 for home win, Pinnacle 1.70. Home win and gamble on handicap.

"Ferguson cautious of Porto threat". Yeah, sure. Odds for Utd.'s win against Porto are miserable.  Another handicap for me, with small stake.

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Hamburg manager Martin Jol is planning a raid on former club Tottenham for 21-year-old Congolese midfielder Jacques Maghoma, who has come through the academy system at White Hart Lane. (Daily Mirror) 
Hull and Australia winger Richard Garcia is a £1m target for Adelaide United. (Daily Star) 
West Ham are considering a move for Galway and Republic of Ireland Under-21 winger Jay O'Shea. (Daily Star) 
Defender Paul Scharner has hinted he may have to leave Wigan in the summer if they fail to qualify for a European place. (Sun) 
Nottingham Forest are trying to sign striker Dexter Blackstock, 22, from QPR after missing out on Marlon Harewood, who has joined Wolves on loan from Aston Villa. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham are lining up a £10m move for Argentine striker Diego Milito, who currently plays for Italian side Genoa. (Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP

Alvaro Arbeloa is convinced this season will be so historic for Liverpool they will end up more famous than The Beatles.(Sun)Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is ready to extend his current contract at Anfield as he looks to finish his career on Merseyside. (Various) 
AC Milan boss Carlos Ancelotti has dropped his biggest hint yet that he could replace Guus Hiddink as Chelsea coach in the summer. (Various) 
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is ready to make a remarkable U-turn and pledge his future to the Stamford Bridge club in the summer. (Various) 
West Brom defender Carl Hoefkens, 30, has said he will leave if the Baggies are relegated from the Premier League. (Various) 
Bolton defender Gary Cahill believes Fabio Capello has made a mistake by dropping Trotters team-mate Kevin Davies when the England manager trimmed his 28-man England squad to 23. (Various) 
Meanwhile, former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton says Manchester United's reserve-team keeper Ben Foster needs to go out on loan next season if he wants to stake a claim on a regular place in his national side if they qualify for the World Cup in South Africa. (Various) 
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett has dismissed suggestions he is about to sell his 50%stake in the club. (Various) 
Portsmouth owner Sacha Gaydamak has slashed his asking price for the club in half. You now only need to stump up £35m to buy the Fratton Park outfit. (The Sun) 
And chairman Peter Storrie has conceded Pompey face a bleak future unless they can find a buyer in the summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Wigan owner Dave Whelan is ready to turn down a £1m shirt sponsorship deal from a Norwegian TV company to advertise his own new business. (Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY 

If you are old enough to remember Racey's Rocket, you might be pleased to learn that the Roy of the Rovers comic is coming out of retirement next month for a 12-week spell and will be returning to the shelves of your local newsagent. Rumour has it that Tommy 'Tommy's Troubles' Barnes and Kevin 'Mighty Mouse' Mouse are also making comebacks. For you youngsters, ask your dad! (Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk  www.thesun.co.uk

Question for http://dkoricanac.blogspot.com/ readers. This dayly gossip column is very interesting for me, personally, but currently I post it just because poor betting offer. I'm in doubt to post it dayly anyway. I would like to hear your opinions. Are you for, or against? Do you like to read it, or don't? More posts on blog doesn't mean always the higher blog quality. Gossip existence depends from your comments.

Regards,

Dule

Championship round-up

Wolves opened up a five-point gap at the top of the Championship after beating Nottingham Forest. 
Michael Kightly's first goal since November was enough for the visitors to take a stranglehold on the title race with Birmingham being held to a draw at home to struggling Norwich. 
The Wolves goal came in the 76th minute as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake crossed from the right and the ball was laid back for Kightly to drill the ball home. 

Birmingham turned in another disappointing performance as they often looked second best to a Norwich side who started the day only a point off the drop zone. 
The Canaries were much the better team for most of the first half, and had the ball in the net in only the fourth minute, but Jason Shackell's effort was ruled out for a foul in the build-up. 
Norwich's failure to capitalise on their good spell came back to haunt them as Cameron Jerome scored with Birmingham's first shot on the goal in the 38th minute. 
The striker went up to challenge goalkeeper David Marshall and beat him to the ball for an easy finish, with Norwich's appeals for a free-kick in vain. 
However, the visitors were quickly back into the game after the break as Sammy Clingan scored with a fine free-kick that left Maik Taylor motionless on the line. 

Burnley kept up their play-off charge with a 2-1 win over Plymouth at Home Park. 
They took the lead in the 16th minute when Steven Caldwell got up to head home from Robbie Blake's cross but the visiting fans had their celebrations cut short as Plymouth responded almost immediately with Adam Judge firing home. 
It took until the 78th minute for the Clarets to get back in front as they Plymouth on the break with Blake running through to slot home, 

Preston remain on the outside of the play-off places looking in after being held to a goalless draw by rock-bottom Charlton at The Valley. 

And it was a similar story for Swansea, who remain five points off the play-offs after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. 

That was enough however to keep them just above QPR, who beat Bristol City 2-1 thanks to Adel Taarabt's first goal in English football. 
Jordi Lopez gave Rangers the lead in the 65th minute with a superb free-kick that gave Adriano Basso no chance in the City goal. 
And although Michael McIndoe equalised for the visitors 12 minutes later, on-loan Spurs man met Damien Delaney's cross for the winner nine minutes from time. 

Down at the other end, Southampton earned a point from a 1-1 draw at Blackpool. 
The hosts took the lead early on when DJ Campbell earned and scored a penalty, being brought down by Jan Paul Saeijs before firing in the spot-kick. 
However, Southampton's hopes were revived by a superb solo effort from David McGoldrick in the 69th minute as he picked up the ball on the edge of the area and beat two men before firing home. 

An outstanding goal from David Bell gave Coventry a 1-0 win over Doncaster as the visitors got it all wrong at the back. 
The Sky Blues had looked the better of the two sides in the opening stages and with 20 minutes gone Neil Sullivan came rushing out of his goal to clear Keiren Westwood's goal-kick straight to Bell, who finished superbly from 45 yards. 

Derby and Barnsley played to a goalless draw, as did Ipswich and Watford. 
www.thesun.co.uk