Week 23 Playoff semi-finals

Phil's Arsenal are next.

He's confirmed the deal for Essien and Arsenal fans are bound to be very excited about that.

Gary's Championship winning Chelsea are next.

Mark's Newcastle are last man standing.

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Mark's Newcastle are last man standing.

Balls... they best not have gone missing, I'm up to loads of stuff!

Mark@Newcastle wrote:

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Mark's Newcastle are last man standing.

Balls... they best not have gone missing, I'm up to loads of stuff!

You are indeed arent you. Jamie's Schalke turn is the only one missing, hopefully that will come later today.

We have a full set now as Jamie's Schalke orders have just turned up.

Entering the team changes now.

Paul Hemmings wrote:

We have a full set now as Jamie's Schalke orders have just turned up.

Entering the team changes now.

God, what a relief!! I didn't photocopy anything this week, it would have been a disaster.

The big day. The squad have rested well and I'm just letting them enjoy a late breakfast, I think a stroll around the grounds of the hotel is in order before a noon team talk

Rich@Leicester wrote:

The big day. The squad have rested well and I'm just letting them enjoy a late breakfast, I think a stroll around the grounds of the hotel is in order before a noon team talk

Nervous?

Im just entering the last of the orders this morning then the big game will kickoff at about 1300 hours.

It's been a challenging season at the Kingpower Stadium. We took a long time to get going, and arguably have never truly played to our full potential. That said, we're on a really good run right now and come into the game full of confidence. It's time for our big players to stand up and be counted. Watford must be respected and have demonstrated time and time again this season how difficult they are to break down and in Dembele, I think they have a real match-winner. We have our plans for him, but equally, they'll be worried about us.

You find out about the people you have around you when the big moments come, I'm sure there'll be a few today. We must remain calm and take our chances when they come.

Quietly confident by the sounds of it........

So were Milan at Half-time in Istanbul....

Seems like a long time ago now.

Do you see yourselves as favourites going into the match? Personally I feel it is too close to call.
Difficult to say, with different tactics for both teams. One will work....

Good luck to both of you in the match today.

The Barcelona players will be watching it from their hotel in Buenos Aires!

I cant see us as favourites. Watford have taken six points off us this year and we've never really looked good in either of the games. The only way we were going to take anything from this match was to find someone to give us that spark of invention that we werent getting in the final third. Carrick is a giant for us, but seldom able to influence in the final third in a 442... we needed someone to make things happen in and around the box. We've brough in Nasri and Cahill, and although they've not been around as long as the rest of the squad... we're hoping that they can bring a new dimension to our attack.

55/45 to Watford... but that's an awful lot closer that I would have said it would have been a few weeks ago.

okay the teams are out warming up and things are almost ready to kickoff...

the whistles have blown and the playoff semi-finals have begun...

Keep it tight lads..

Good luck everyone.

team news from the Watford camp is Diaby stepping in for the injured Song with Lee and Mcgeady playing wide either side of Dembele and Adebayor, whilst Leicester give debuts to Cahill and Nasri, so lots of team and tactical changes for this game as both managers try to get a march on each other...

Ron Jones is watching Tottenham against Bolton and he has the first goal of the afternoon to report, so over to Ron...

the opener in this tense match has gone to Luka Modric on 14 minutes to make the score

Tottenham 1 Bolton 0

No surprise there

lets cross to Steve Lee to get our first report from the Watford Leicester game, whats been happening early doors Steve...

well, Leicester started strong right out of the blocks with Nasri involved right away but poor control by Park saw the promising move breakdown...