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Issue 00498 |
December 8 - 14, 2007 |
issn 0856 - 9135 |
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Corner flag |
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Xmas Fixture Bonanza by Chris George Christmas is around the corner. ‘Tis the season to be jolly and jolly will the Arusha soccer fans be. The Xmas and New year is packed with matches and in between the final UEFA Champions League qualifying round. Arsenal are firmly ahead on 36 points with a game in hand. They are followed by Manchester United on 33, Chelsea on 31 and Liverpool also with a game in hand on 30 points. So the big four occupy the top four spots, in other words the Champions League places as we enter Christmas. Just six points separate them and this is one of the most open title races in years.
The Christmas season until 2nd January will see six premier league matches played and at the end of it all, the team still standing at the top will be the one to beat. So many things can happen, the season will be defined at this stage.
Some of the matches I have picked as top of the Christmas bill are; Tottenham v Man. City (9 December), Liverpool v Man. Utd and Arsenal v Chelsea (16 December), Arsenal v Tottenham (22 December), Blackburn v Chelsea (23 December), Portsmouth v Arsenal (26 December), West Ham v Man Utd and Everton v Arsenal (29 December).
This is the TZ TIME when team squads start getting tested. It is winter in England, the weather is bad, the ground is hard and players are prone to injury. This could influence results.
All in all it will be a very exciting month. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all qualified for the UEFA Champions league knockout stage, while Liverpool have to win at Marseille in the last match on 11 December. Then the draw for the knockout stage will be made. There are sure to be some very interesting match-ups.
The next Corner Flag article will be written in mid-January and I take this opportunity to wish all readers of the Corner Flag and the Arusha TZ TIMEs a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Prosperous New Year for you, your family and your favourite football team!
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal’s manager. Arsenal are leading
the league by far
Xmas Season - Premiership Fixtures Saturday, 8 December 2007 (Tanzanian time) Aston Villa v Portsmouth, 3.45 pm Chelsea v Sunderland, 6.00 pm Everton v Fulham, 6.00 pm Man Utd v Derby, 6.00 pm Newcastle v Birmingham, 6.00 pm Reading v Liverpool, 8.00 pm
Sunday, 9 December 2007 Middlesborough v Arsenal, 4.30 pm Bolton v Wigan, 6.00 pm Tottenham v Man City, 6.00 pm Blackburn v West Ham, 7.00 pm
Saturday, 15 December 2007 Birmingham v Reading, 6.00 pm Derby v Middlesborough, 6.00 pm Man City v Bolton, 6.00 pm Portsmouth v Tottenham, 6.00 pm Sunderland v Aston Villa, 6.00 pm West Ham v Everton, 6.00 pm Wigan v Blackburn, 6.00 pm Fulham v Newcastle, 8.00 pm
Sunday, 16 December 2007 Liverpool v Man Utd, 4.30 pm Arsenal v Chelsea, 7.00 pm
Saturday, 22 December 2007 Arsenal v Tottenham, 3.45 pm Aston Villa v Man City, 6.00 pm Bolton v Birmingham, 6.00 pm Fulham v Wigan, 6.00 pm Liverpool v Portsmouth, 6.00 pm Middlesborough v West Ham, 6.00 pm Reading v Sunderland, 6.00 pm
Sunday, 23 December 2007 Man Utd v Everton, 3.00 pm Newcastle v Derby, 5.00 pm Blackburn v Chelsea, 7.10 pm
Wednesday, 26 December 2007 Chelsea v Aston Villa, 3.00 pm Tottenham v Fulham, 3.00 pm West Ham v Reading, 4.00 pm Birmingham v Middlesborough, 6.00 pm Derby v Liverpool, 6.00 pm Everton v Bolton, 6.00 pm Sunderland v Man Utd, 6.00 pm Wigan v Newcastle, 6.00 pm Portsmouth v Arsenal, 10.45 pm
Thursday, 27 December 2007 Man City v Blackburn, 10.45 pm
Saturday, 29 December 2007 Birmingham v Fulham, 6.00 pm Chelsea v Newcastle, 6.00 pm Portsmouth v Middlesborough, 6.00 pm Sunderland v Bolton, 6.00 pm Tottenham v Reading, 6.00 pm West Ham v Man Utd, 6.00 pm Wigan v Aston Villa, 6.00 pm Everton v Arsenal, 8.00 pm
Sunday, 30 December 2007 Derby v Blackburn, 4.30 pm Man City v Liverpool, 7.00 pm
Tuesday, 01 January 2008 Fulham v Chelsea, 3.45 pm Arsenal v West Ham, 6.00 pm Man Utd v Birmingham, 6.00 pm Middlesborough v Everton, 6.00 pm Reading v Portsmouth, 6.00 pm Aston Villa v Tottenham, 8.20 pm
Wednesday, 02 January 2008 Newcastle v Man City, 10.45 pm Blackburn v Sunderland, 11.00 pm Bolton v Derby, 11.00 pm Liverpool v Wigan, 11.00 pm
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