Welcome to another early edition of ‘Something For The Weekend’, as we aim to resurrect your wallets ahead of a cracking Easter eggstravaganza – which provides a welcome return for club football after some turgid international action. We have covered areas larger than Joleon Lescott’s forehead and wider than Angelina Jolie’s mouth
I would like to say we start off at The Ricoh Arena but I can’t guarantee that at the time of going to press. Thinks look extremely grey for The Sky Blues after they were plunged into administration by the high court in the week. After racking up bigger debts to their landlords than your average Cash Converters customer, there is talk that they may have to ground share for the rest of the season. Still, on the bright side, at least it gets them out of Coventry. This could prove to be the most deadly assault on the city’s wellbeing since the Luftwaffe arrived. With a ten point deduction looming : which will mean City go from mid table obscurity to umm mid table obscurity, it doesn’t seem that they have a lot to play for. The same can’t be said for a Doncaster outfit who have gone from strength to strength over the last few months – they have only lost one of their last nine games. Billy Paynter has showed an artist’s touch around the penalty box and a win here would bring an immediate ‘Rovers Return’ to the Championship that little bit closer for Donny. Now, we’re not one to hedge our bets but we like the look of a Doncaster win/draw double chance. When we saw
Sky Bet’s odds of 8/15 on this
, our eyes lit up like Kevin Webster at a Weatherfield fairground.
From the Midlands to Sicily, we like to feature Palermo – here at ‘SFTW’ and despite threats from a few guys who sound a bit like Tony Soprano, we’re backing them for defeat again this Saturday. The Rosanero are currently rooted to the foot of Serie A and could be sleeping with the fishes (or playing in Serie B next season – as it’s more commonly known). Palermo are winless in their last 15 games, their longest streak without victory since 1973 – now say what you like about Italian football but at least there’s nothing fishy about that run of results. As for Roma, their form has been a little erratic of late but the feelgood factor is high amongst Aurelio Andreazzoli’s men, after golden boy Francesco Totti became the second top scorer in Serie A last weekend, following his goal in a routine victory against Parma last week. Totti – a man who inspires more adulation in Rome than the Pope, although rumour has it that that Francis I doesn’t care much for Totti.
Bet 365 offer 21/20 on a successful Roman invasion
and that looks as certain as M&S selling out of Percy Pig Easter Eggs.
We move to mainland Italy now and to the tiny suburb of Verona where Chievo take on AC Milan. Chievo’s home form is not too bad but barring their choke in the Nou Camp, the Rossoneri have been in spectacular form – they remain unbeaten this calendar year in Serie A and in Mario Balotelli and Giampaolo Pazzini, they possess two of Europe’s in form strikers. The move back to his homeland has given Balo a new lease of life, he says the only things he doesn’t miss about Manchester are the weather, the food, the city and his teammates. However, he does have fond memories of the night that Scott Sinclair introduced him to Kevin Webster’s daughter – everything came up Rosie. Enough of the tittle tattle for now. I expect Allegri’s men to cause Max-imum damage here and for a sad Romeo and Juliet style ending for Chievo. Oh Mario, Mario, wherefore art thou Mario? He’s just popped in to one of Berlusconi’s parties, love. Don’t fret, keep calm and get on a Meelan victory, 8/11 with Bet 365.
Off to the banks of the River Seine, as Troyes take on the resurgent St. Etienne at Stade de l’Aube. Troyes or to give them their full moniker : Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne have not been playing the champagne football to match their name this season and find themselves in the ‘merde’ – second from bottom of Ligue Une. We have waxed lyrical about the renaissance of St. Etienne in previous ‘SFTW’ columns, so we don’t want to lapse into déjà vu but we will sing the praises of their enigmatic striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – who may well be plying his trade for a bigger club next season. This should be a ‘promenade de le parc’ for Les Verts, that’s a ‘walk in the park’ for those of you less cultured than myself or without access to google translate.
Sky Bet offer Evens on a victory for St. Etienne and for Troyes to be left in a bad way
, as Sarah Cracknell once sang.
I’m off to prepare myself for a weekend of giant creme eggs before heading off to Rio de Janeiro to find Jesus, I’ve heard he’s really big over there. Poor fella, never received any birthday presents until Easter, that’s when he got a little cross. Off to confessional for me, see you neggst week (covers face in shame).
By Jamie Ellis
