Magic Numbers

Wow, a pile of results and me swamped with work for the first time in months.  Yeah, yeah, I know. #Semi-retiredOldPeopleProblems.  I'll do my best to make some sense out of the week.


When Was His Last Recertification?

Newcastle got the two wins we were looking for but neither came easily.  On Saturday, Wigan played the Magpies tough, leveling the match at 1-1 in the 50th minute.  But Matt Ritchie came through with the game winner minutes later to send the St. James' Park faithful home happy.  Brighton won but Huddersfield went down at home to Burton Albion.

Matt Ritchie - Newcastle player of the year?

Wednesday was just plain wacky.  With Burton Albion parking the bus, goals were going to be tough.  But a Ritchie PK in the 29th minute looked like the break Newcastle needed.  But what's this?  Kevin Stroud has taken away the goal and awarded Burton a free kick.  Chaos reigns.  He confers with the fourth official.  Play resumes with the indirect free kick.  But what was the infraction?  If it was encroachment by Newcastle, the PK would be retaken.  Play goes on.  Newcastle finally get a goal in the 68th minute (Ritchie again!), then hang on for the win.

There are certain infractions for which the kick is not retaken including kicking the ball backwards, someone other than the identified kicker taking the attempt, the kicker touching the ball a second time with no intervening touch by another player and the kicker feinting after completing the run up. Following on line I was thinking that Ritchie had been cited for the last infraction in that list.  But after the match , the depth of the mistake was revealed.  Stroud had indeed cited a Newcastle player for encroachment.  As apologies flowed from Stroud and his crew, PGMOL released a statement that Ritchie should have been allowed to retake the kick, as the rules clearly require. The fact that none of the four members of the crew got this right is staggering.  This is not something difficult or an esoteric aspect of the rules.  I swear it's been on every recertification test I've ever taken.  An article including the PGMOL statement available here.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Ritchie would have made the retake. Also, this was another Newcastlish performance against an inferior side.  But they head into the weekend one up on Brighton and 10 points up on Huddersfield.  Close enough now that we can start to calculate a meaningful magic number.  If Huddersfield runs the table, they will have 95 points.  Newcastle need 11 points in their final six matches to equal that.  They would likely win the tiebreaker given the massive goal differential favoring the Magpies.  So we're looking for any combination of points won by Newcastle or dropped by Huddersfield that total 11.  The window to the ledge remains closed.


Ndidi Did

Leicester won their fourth and fifth consecutive matches and have moved up to 11th in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone so Craig Shakespeare's honeymoon continues.  Check out this awesome strike from Wilfred Ndidi (this week's YouTubeableMoment) in the Foxes 2-0 win over Stoke.  Not such a good weekend for Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Swansea.  Sunderland lost two more games and the only points Middlebrough and Swansea picked up came from their 0-0 draw; that actually was a pretty decent match to watch with both sides looking fully aware of the relegation implications.

Marquee matches by and large did not disappoint.  The Man City-Arsenal 2-2 draw was compelling enough though neither could really afford a draw right now.  Arsenal at least got a win over West Ham and are not out of Champions League contention yet.  Chelsea-Man City was good too; Chelsea's 2-1 win keeps some distance from Tottenham but just added to Man City's woes.  My favorite match though was Tuesday's Man United-Everton clash.  The right level of "malevolence" according to Jon Champion.  Indeed it did play like a derby.  Everton led 1-0 for most of the match but even the most ardent Man United hater would have to say the 1-1 draw was a fair result, even if the equalizer came on PK in the 94th minute.  Surprise of the weekend was easily Crystal Palace 2-1 over Chelsea - at Stamford Bridge no less.  That loss allowed Spurs, who won both their matches, to move within seven of the Blues.


Shades of Ted Lasso (Hi-oh Three Points)

Check out Harry Arter's bad awful PK late against Southampton.  To be fair, you can't see that the turf gave way under his plant foot.  But wow, he really skyed that one.

You gotta git it in to get three points.  One point.






No Service No Goals

The Union's Jay Simpson was practically invisible in Saturday's loss to DC United.  I'm pretty sure it's not his fault; nobody got him the ball.  Pretty tough to score without service.  This match was practically a repeat of the Orlando game.  Down 0-2 for much of the match, the Union came alive at around 70 minutes, got a goal and then came really close to leveling things in the final minutes.  But in the end, it's just another loss.  This analysis from SoccerAmerica sums up the problems fairly well.  Still early but things are not going according to plan so far.


Tepid TV

Though at this point, almost every match has implications for the league title, qualification for Europe or relegation, this weekend's fixtures look decidedly underwhelming.  Watford's a good side and Spurs should not be overconfident but not sure I'll make it to the 7:30 kickoff Saturday on NBCSN.  Other top table matches include Chelsea at Bournmouth (12:30 NBC), Man City hosting Hull (10 on NBCSN), Liverpool at Stoke (10 on CNBC), Man United at Sunderland (8:30 Sunday on NBCSN) and Arsenal at Crystal Palace (3pm Monday on NBCSN).  See what I mean?  Most fun match of the weekend might be Everton-Leicester at Goodison Park on Sunday at 11 (NBCSN).  Leicester will be attempting to go six for six during the honeymoon of their new manager while Everton clearly have aspirations for Europe football next year.

In Championship action, all three top clubs are on the road.  Newcastle play Sheffield Wednesday Saturday; this could will be a tough one for the Magpies because, well, every match seems like a tough one these days.  Brighton are on the road to QPR on Friday while Huddersfield travel to Nottingham Forest.  Should be wins for both.

The Union get Portland at home on Saturday.  Ugh, sure it's back in the friendly confines of Talen Energy Stadium but Portland are really good.  Sorry to say but a draw would be a good result here.  The Red Bulls, smarting after a 1-4 smacking by Houston, are on the road to Orlando.

With this list of fixtures, the Masters golf tournament may be your better bet for sports entertainment this weekend.  Just kidding.  No reason you can't do both.