Something For The Relegation Weekend: 21/05/2011
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Blackpool play the innocents
If one thread holds together all that has gone on at Blackpool this season, it would be wilful naivety.
Their whole year has had the feel of Dorothy transplanted out of Kansas, everything has been done with a wide-eyed unworldliness. They played 4-3-3 and pressed high up the pitch. They went 3-2 up at Goodison Park but conceded another three goals and lost. They never sat back on a lead, they never contemplated closing out a game. Points after points were thrown away in the final minutes. They even signed Marlon Harewood and James Beattie, somehow expecting useful output. Never knowing or calculating, but always entertaining. Tomorrow, though, the lambs stumble into the lions' den, facing a swaggering Manchester United.
Martinez takes his beliefs to Stoke
If Blackpool enchant with their gentle naivety, there is something much more knowing about Wigan Athletic. Roberto Martinez has embarked on a campaign to prove the worth of his theories about the game. Can Premier League football be sustained in a rugby town? Can a functional team be fused together solely from players from Scotland and Latin America? (It has almost worked at Celtic). And can all this be done playing a patient, charming football? Arsène Wenger is similarly purist but he has the base of quality players and personal reputation for it to be fairly risk-free. Martinez has neither. He is staking himself utterly on his beliefs. At Stoke City, his antithesis, Martinez will be judged tomorrow. He will travel down the M6 with a crusader's confidence.
Fans of free-falling pair fear the worst
Should Blackpool and Wigan scramble results tomorrow, the contest may come down to a race to the bottom between the league's two most downwardly mobile teams. Birmingham City and Blackburn have been in free fall for months, winning just three of their last 24 games between them. Blackburn have changed too much while stale Birmingham have not changed enough. But the pair, hurtling down the table as if in a competitive luge race, are desperately hoping their falls are broken tomorrow. Or they may not stop falling next season either.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments