OSG Prem: And We Have Our First Sacking

((HT: BPL/NBCSN))

At least Crystal Palace waited until after the holiday to do it...

It took this loss to Southampton to send Neil Warnock on his way- after only four months on the job...


Warnock was manager from 2007 and 2010 and was seen as a hopeful replacement for Tony Pulis- who left the squad two days before the regular season after a dispute with the ownership over player control. Pulis, strangely, and former Spurs manager Tim Sherwood are seen as replacements for the replacement now that Palace are back in the relegation zone.

From the Palace website:

Crystal Palace Football Club can today confirm that Neil Warnock has been relieved of his duties and is no longer first-team manager.

The club would like to put on record its thanks to Neil for all his hard work and energy over the past four months.

Keith Millen will lead the team against Queens Park Rangers tomorrow as caretaker manager.

This was the longest time a Premier League season had gone without a sacking since the 95-96 season.

OSG Prem: Pulis Quits Crystal Palace

((HT: Sky Sports))

Two days before the season starts...

It's either one of two things- a selfish move by a manager or the be all-end all in frustration over a squad that hasn't spent any money in the off-season to improve their lot.

The background...

Tony Pulis took over for Ian Holloway in November last season as Palace was in the heart of the relegation battle in the Premier League. He constructed a style of play and a mindset to get everything turned around and had the Eagles finish 11th in the table.

Only two sides know the real reason for his abrupt and shocking departure- Pulis and ownership.

But Palace has gone from receivership to manageable budgets- just not spending any money on importing talent in the process.

One can look at this two ways- considering what Pulis did with what he was given, the front office felt they didn't need to spend. But Pulis, in turn, would present the notion that there is no improvement without spending.

The folks at Sports Tonight discuss the season- presumably before the Pulis walk...


So, was Pulis foolish or did he know what was about to happen and didn't like where it was heading.

OSG Prem: Liverpool Commits Epic Collapse To Draw Palace

((HT: NBCSN/BPL/BBC Sport))

There is no other way to describe it...

The collapse of Liverpool was nothing short of jaw-dropping in the last 20 minutes of their match with Crystal Palace. And, frankly, it was a ten minute stretch where the game went from 3-0 Liverpool to a 3-3 draw. It amounts to an amazing home finale for Palace and the run that manager Tony Pulis had when he was named manager during the season.

And it amounts to leaving the title in Manchester City's hands as the Citizens have a game in hand that they make up this week against Aston Villa. A win on Wednesday will eliminate Chelsea from title contention and leave it to a two-team race on the final day. City plays West Ham at home while Liverpool takes on Newcastle.

Here's the collapse- edited, of course...


And the Reds knew it, too, once the final whistle sounded...


And the HQ gives mad props to Arlo White, Lee Dixon, and Rebecca Lowe in the broadcast. White and Dixon laid out (That's a TV term for "not talking") for almost 2:30 to let the above breath. And Lowe, in her talk back in studio expressed the right amount of context as to JUST HOW GAWDAWFUL important and outright shocking it was.

Here's Brendan Rodgers afterwards all-but-conceding the title


Now, Liverpool needs to make sure ManCity draws or loses Wednesday to get back in it.
Hey, happened when Norwich played Chelsea...

OSG Prem: The Top And Bottom Get Closer Again...

((HT: BPL on NBC/BPL))

Everton needed to keep pace with Arsenal to keep the pressure on for the fourth Champions League spot. Crystal Palace has done wonders under Tony Pulis and it looks like the Blues squandered a major chance to stay involved in the discussion.

Pulis should take Manager of the Year honors as the Eagles have won their fourth in a row...
Jason Puncheon started the scoring in a game that Martinez felt his team played scared in a 3-2 loss...


Sunderland is still six points from safety, but their efforts in a 2-2 draw with Manchester City may go a long way in reinforcing their mental wherewithal to think they can stay up and get past Cardiff City, Fulham, and Norwich.

Connor Wickham sent a lot of fantasy players scrambling for some salary cap help after scoring twice and tripling his career Premier League output. Man City now needs to win out and get some help if they want to make it past Liverpool for the Premier League title.

OSG Prem: Action At The Bottom, The Top Keeps Winning (And Leicester City Is In)

((HT: BPL on NBC))

First, the HQ would like to commend Leicester City for their automatic promotion to the Premier League for next season as their 23-game unbeaten streak, combined with two losses last night, gives the Foxes their first peek at the Premier in ten years.

Here's their win over Sheffield Wednesday that helped seal it...
((HT: SWFC))


Now, to the big boys... there was life all over the place...

Manchester United found the right time to find out-of-form Newscastle- winning 4-0 with Juan Mata stirring the drink...


Chelsea found a disinterested Stoke squad and won 3-0

Hull City got one goal at home against Swansea and that's all most folks need for the full three points these days. The Tigers are now 12th and the Swans 16th...

Man City took care of Southampton 4-1, but the visitors are more worried at the seriousness of the injury to Jay Rodriguez- which looked like a knee cap or ligament damage that led to a stretchering off and a shell-shocked bunch after that.

The life at the bottom came in a few different forms- Fulham found some offense and beat Benteke-less Aston Villa 2-1 to get closer to leaving the relegation zone. Villa manager Paul Lambert was pretty disappointed...


Cardiff, the HQ thinks, cemented their spot in the Championship with a 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace in a big 6-pointer...
Palace manager Tony Pulis was pleased with his huge win...
((HT: BBCSport))


And the team that REALLY needs to pay attention to the rest of their schedule is Norwich. They only have a 6-pointer with Fulham left in the bottom part of their schedule. The rest of their schedule has the top four teams in it. So, they could be the third team to fall if they aren't on their best...

The Canaries were booed off the pitch after the 1-0 West Brom win and they are in serious trouble...

Stoke City's Pig-Headed Players

((HT: Fox Soccer))

The end of the season couldn't come any sooner for the mid-carders at Stoke City...

First, Michael Owen is retiring and teammates puts eggs and flour all over his rather expensive car...

Now, apparently, Kenwyne Jones became the proud owner of a pig's head in his locker...
No one is coming forward to say who put it in there even as US import Brek Shea tweeted out an image that really wasn't all that flattering after the fact...

Here's how Sky Sports chased after the story...


Jones' girlfriend, Kissa Abdullah, went off on her twitter- understandably...

"Big men acting like kids a pigs head is not a prank its just disgusting!!!!! I don't get how was that sup 2 be funny!!!! Really???

"Where I come from that's not anywhere close 2 funny! Esp not knowing religious beliefs.

"It just takes a minute to be sensitive to someone's beliefs no one says u can't have a sense of humour but let it be a joke! This wasn't!"

"The club takes seriously reports of an incident at our training ground this afternoon," the club said in a statement. "A full internal investigation will be carried out, and those responsible for any unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with in accordance with the club's disciplinary procedures."

Makes you wonder how the team will respond in their last game of the Premier League Season at Southampton...