This match had been eagerly anticipated. The two biggest rivals in the Premiership for the last ten years, the top two in the Prem table, who have both been in superb form in the Champions League as well, and who play attacking football. While not an outstanding game, there were enough flashes of skill, and goalmouth incidents, to satisfy the spectator. The game also, refreshingly, lacked the spitefulness that had disfigured a lot of the clashes between the sides in recent seasons, and was largely played in good spirit. Arsenal will obviously be relieved to have snatched the late equaliser. In hindsight though, it may be that their failure to convert their dominance of possession into victory will be seen as a missed opportunity.
The title at this stage still looks like a four-horse race. Avram Grant has steadied the ship at Chelsea in recent weeks & yesterday's win at Wigan puts them third. Liverpool, despite being unbeaten, lie only seventh in the table, albeit with a game in hand, having drawn more than half their games. Man City, my pre-season tip as dark horses, could possibly sneak a top four spot, but at the moment they appear to lack the quality for the title. Portsmouth, Blackburn & Everton look like the contenders for the Uefa places- Spurs surely are too far back.
Calzaghe
Joe Calzaghe has now proved himself to be indisputably the best fighter in the world at super-middle, with his unanimous points win over the previously undefeated Mikkel Kessler last night. Kessler himself had suggested his relative youth (28) could be a factor, but it was the 35 year-old Welshman who finished the stronger, particularly over the last three rounds. Calzaghe had said earlier last week that he wants one last big payday after this. A superfight against Bernard Hopkins at light-heavy, would be a fitting end to his career. Hopkins, of course, also enjoyed a long reign as an undisputed champ, making 20 defences of the middleweight title.
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