Regal Swans

Last night and today, Michael LAurdup is a very beautiful person. Indeed, his whole Swansea City team are delightful and best of luck to Michael Vorm in recovery after a nasty looking neck injury (though of course I would say the same for anyone in the same position). Many had them cruising to their summer holidays and letting Wigan Athletic beat them, but like unfortunate West Bromwich Albion (who also gave it a real go at the weekend, yet came away with nothing) they had distinct honour in playing their hearts out. A full third of the Premier League were hoping that they would deal Wigan a hefty blow. Even a draw would have left Wigan very menacing.


It is time they went down after nearly a decade. A small club who can rarely pack out their own ground in what is a rugby town and sometimes struggle for 5,000 punters in cup games. They have been kept afloat by shrewd managers and hungry unknowns who can become big stars (in other teams), but gravity will eventually take hold. Bigger clubs than they have been relegated in their time at the top table and though some enjoy the triumph of the underdog, Wigan have commonly defied the odds and can no longer be regarded as such.

In their desperation to escape, they have lost their class. They promised to apologise to Massadio Haidara for a player of theirs almost ending his career and as yet that has not arrived. Instead, the miscreant was repeatedly lauded by the Wigan manager (despite previous such form in the past) after the FA, madly, did not take action.

It’s not over with two games to go. Wigan beat Arsenal at the Emirates last season but surely lightning cannot strike twice (especially as Arsenal will be well rested after nine days off and Wigan will have played only three days before). Defeat would mean that the sides immediately above them would need only a point for survival. Newcastle United face QPR on Sunday and though ‘Arry Redknapp will want his team to finish on a high in their last home game and Loic Remy will be out to prove a point and boost his inevitable transfer fee (though he is not worth wages of £84,000 a week, which is immaterial to him when he gets to play computer football games with the owner), despite all this, surely the Magpies can claim at least a point against the side with the worst home record in the division and only two home wins all season, a side who have nothing left to play for bar pride.