(All times - UK)
Friday 9 May
19.30 Barrow v Stalybridge Celtic, Blue Square South Play-off Final, Setanta Sports 1
Prepare yourself for the weekend's Premier League nonsense with some good honest non-league action. Barrow are flying at the moment, and are this division's "team that sneak into the play-offs at the last minute and end up winning it".
19.45 Southend Utd v Doncaster Rovers, League One Play-off Semi-final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
First legs are always a bit of a let down, like this tie in particular as, unfortunately, everyone knows this match is only to decide who loses to Leeds at Wembley.
Saturday 10 May
12.15 Crystal Palace v Bristol City, Championship Play-off Semi-final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
I'm backing Palace to go through the play-offs. I predict a new tiresome over-used cliché about Victor Moses parting a sea of red shirts will start in this semi-final and continue until he retires in 2026.
12.30 Rangers v Dundee Utd, Scottish Premier League, Setanta Sports 1
The next two weeks see Rangers having more ties then Moss Bros. By the time they face Queen of the South in the Cup Final they're going to look like George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle.
15.00 Ebbsfleet Utd v Torquay Utd, FA Trophy Final, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Woo, fan power! Thankfully for actual Ebbsfleet fans, Liam Daish will be picking the team.
17.35 Darlington v Rochdale League Two Play-off Semi-final 1st Leg Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Darlington have hit an awful patch of form. Rochdale should take full advantage over the two legs.
19.45 Lyon v Nancy, Le Championnat, Setanta Sports 2
According to Lyon's president everyone's conspiring to make sure Lyon don't win a seventh consecutive title (Guardian article). They're currently two points clear of Bordeaux with two games left.
21.00 TBC, La Liga, Sky Sports 1
It's all over at the top of the table with Madrid champions, Villareal second and Barcelona third, but that won't stop Sky concentrating two of their three live slots on Real and Barca rather than the half a dozen or so teams still worrying about relegation.
Sunday 11 May
12.00 Watford v Hull City, Championship Play-off Semi-final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Watford fans will be hoping that their team will suddenly jump out and say "Aha! Fooled you, we're not rubbish at all." They won't though.
12.30 Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premier League, Setanta Sports 1
All Celtic can do is keep winning and hope that the Zombie-like Rangers slip up. Anything less than a win for Celtic could end the challenge.
14.00 Inter v Siena, Serie A, Five
Inter are three points ahead of Roma with two games to go and an amazingly similar run-in. This week the two have home ties against Siena and Atalanta respectively, both of which are comfortably mid-table. Next week, Inter travel to Parma while Roma visit Catania, both hosts desperately trying to avoid relegation to Serie B. Of course, it will all be over at the top this weekend if Inter win and Roma don't.
15.00 Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers, Premier League, Sky Sports Red Button
Usually the title's all over by the last day and focus is drawn to the sweaty palmed basement battles: lingering shots of teary fans, heads in hands looking glumly at the prospect of playing in the Championship. But with the top two neck and neck this all important tie for Birmingham has been bumped down to the interactive service. So, if you like seeing crest-fallen Brummies rather than jubilant millionaires, then press your red button.
15.00 Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers, Premier League, Sky Sports 2 & HD2
Simple equation really, Chelsea have to do better than Man Utd. They'll do what they need to do here - leaving them reliant on Wigan. Bolton are effectively safe, so it would take Chelsea to score a hatful of goals and Derby to concede loads against Reading for them to go down... err, hang on...
15.00 Portsmouth v Fulham, Premier League, Setanta Sports 1
I honestly don't know how it's going to work on Setanta. Have they struck a deal with Sky to show pictures of celebration/despair from St. Andrews at key points during the game and vice versa? If not, some of the match switching excitement we've been used might be lost - but hey, no great shakes. Since getting to the Cup Final Portsmouth have had the drive and motivation of someone's who has just returned from a long weekend sampling the café culture of Amsterdam. Birmingham are right to be very worried.
15.00 Wigan Athletic v Manchester Utd, Premier League, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Whatever result comes from this game, the conspiracy theorists will have a field day anyway. Personally, I'll start watching this game but the schadenfreude in me will want to switch over to the game at St Andrews. Apparently, bets have been suspended on a 3-0 win for Manchester United.
18.00 Wycombe v Stockport, League Two Play-off Semi-final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
A touch of "after the Lord Mayor's show" from Sky Sports.
18.00 TBC, La Liga, Sky Sports 3
20.00 TBC, La Liga, Sky Sports 3
Showing posts with label Tactics Truck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tactics Truck. Show all posts
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Midweek TV Preview: April 28th - May 1st
Explanatory note: As a service to Tactics Truck readers, we put a quick preview of the televised senior matches available in the UK, one for the weekend and another for the midweek games. This is something we shall continue until the end of the season.
Readers from outside Blighty may find this piece of curiosity value only as some of these games will not be available overseas (legally).
(All times - UK)
Monday 19:45 - West Brom v Southampton, Championship, Sky Sports 1
If West Brom win, they are promoted to the Premier League with a game to spare. If Southampton win, they will move out of the bottom three at Leicester's expense. Sky will probably be hoping for an away win to maximise the hoopla for next Sunday.
Monday 20:00 - Derby County v Arsenal, Premier League, Setanta Sports 1
Nothing to play for and nothing to see really. Setanta will have paid big money for this strand of EPL fixtures but Sky's strategy of putting Championship games up against them has paid off this week. Away win.
Tuesday 19:45 - Manchester Utd v Barcelona, UEFA Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg, ITV4 & ITV1
The first of two mouth-watering ties. United are favorites but must be rattled following the shenanigans of the weekend. Time for their big players to pull big performances out of the bag. Could be a classic.
Wednesday 19:45 - Chelsea v Liverpool, UEFA Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2 & Sky Sports HD2
As James Richardson might say "woof!" It's impossible to predict the outcome this game. However, Chelsea have their mojo working and have the home advantage. Also, you can't help but feel that Avram Grant is due a seriously large dose of Karma from the cosmos given the grief he's put up with over the last few weeks and months. Go on then, home win.
Thursday 17:30 - Zenit v Bayern Munich, UEFA Cup Semi-final 2nd Leg, ITV4
Finally some hot German action on terrestrial TV. This should be a cracking game. Bayern may well have had the Bundesliga title confirmed by kick-off at St Petersburg and will be desperate to restate their European credentials by earning a place in the final. However, the Russian champions have been really good throughout this arduous UEFA Cup campaign (much of which has taken place in their close season) and will be determined opponents. I still fancy Bayern to make it to Manchester.
Thursday 19:45 - Exeter v Torquay, Blue Square Premier Play-off, Semi-final 1st Leg,Setanta Sports 1
This Devon derby is a big game in the English west-country at any stage of the season. With a return to the Football League at stake, the atmosphere should be cracking at St James Park.
Thursday 19:45 - Fiorentina v Rangers, UEFA Cup Semi-final 2nd Leg, ITV4 (19:30-22:00) ITV1 (19:30-22:00 STV region only)
Rangers have developed an effective counter-attacking style that suits them in European competition. Fiorentina are in the box seat for that Champions League spot in Serie A but are being badgered by Milan and Samp. It is possible that their domestic excursions will cost them. This is another tie that's too close to call. Either way, Rangers fans will not need their passports for the rest of the tournament after this game.
Readers from outside Blighty may find this piece of curiosity value only as some of these games will not be available overseas (legally).
(All times - UK)
Monday 19:45 - West Brom v Southampton, Championship, Sky Sports 1
If West Brom win, they are promoted to the Premier League with a game to spare. If Southampton win, they will move out of the bottom three at Leicester's expense. Sky will probably be hoping for an away win to maximise the hoopla for next Sunday.
Monday 20:00 - Derby County v Arsenal, Premier League, Setanta Sports 1
Nothing to play for and nothing to see really. Setanta will have paid big money for this strand of EPL fixtures but Sky's strategy of putting Championship games up against them has paid off this week. Away win.
Tuesday 19:45 - Manchester Utd v Barcelona, UEFA Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg, ITV4 & ITV1
The first of two mouth-watering ties. United are favorites but must be rattled following the shenanigans of the weekend. Time for their big players to pull big performances out of the bag. Could be a classic.
Wednesday 19:45 - Chelsea v Liverpool, UEFA Champions League Semi-final 2nd Leg, Sky Sports 2 & Sky Sports HD2
As James Richardson might say "woof!" It's impossible to predict the outcome this game. However, Chelsea have their mojo working and have the home advantage. Also, you can't help but feel that Avram Grant is due a seriously large dose of Karma from the cosmos given the grief he's put up with over the last few weeks and months. Go on then, home win.
Thursday 17:30 - Zenit v Bayern Munich, UEFA Cup Semi-final 2nd Leg, ITV4
Finally some hot German action on terrestrial TV. This should be a cracking game. Bayern may well have had the Bundesliga title confirmed by kick-off at St Petersburg and will be desperate to restate their European credentials by earning a place in the final. However, the Russian champions have been really good throughout this arduous UEFA Cup campaign (much of which has taken place in their close season) and will be determined opponents. I still fancy Bayern to make it to Manchester.
Thursday 19:45 - Exeter v Torquay, Blue Square Premier Play-off, Semi-final 1st Leg,Setanta Sports 1
This Devon derby is a big game in the English west-country at any stage of the season. With a return to the Football League at stake, the atmosphere should be cracking at St James Park.
Thursday 19:45 - Fiorentina v Rangers, UEFA Cup Semi-final 2nd Leg, ITV4 (19:30-22:00) ITV1 (19:30-22:00 STV region only)
Rangers have developed an effective counter-attacking style that suits them in European competition. Fiorentina are in the box seat for that Champions League spot in Serie A but are being badgered by Milan and Samp. It is possible that their domestic excursions will cost them. This is another tie that's too close to call. Either way, Rangers fans will not need their passports for the rest of the tournament after this game.
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