Baggie Power?! 10/23 In Review

Tottenham 1-1 Everton

It wasn't a win for Spurs, but I'm sure The Big Bear's love of Rafael Van der Vaart continues to grow more unhealthy with each passing game. Though Everton took a brief lead, the Dutchman and Real Madrid castoff pulled an equalizer three minutes later as the two teams shared the points.

Birmingham City 2-0 Blackpool

Liam Ridgewell and Nikola Zigic tallied to help move the Blues away from the relegation zone, which they were flirting with as the match started.

Chelsea 2-0 Wolverhampton

Double congratulations are in order for Wolves. 1. Way to concede less than five goals! 2. Way to not break any Chelsea players legs!

Sunderland 1-0 Aston Villa

Richard Dunne scored an own goal to give the win to the Black Cats. Apparently it was his eighth career own goal, which is the most in Premier League history. I'll leave you to make your own Brett Favre analogies.

West Bromwich Albion 2-1 Fulham

It's temporary, but West Brom is in fourth place with the win, and they've been hanging around that position for most of the season. I'd thought the first manager to be bought away from a small club this year might be Ian Holloway, but maybe it'll be Roberto Di Matteo? Pure, Peter King-esque speculation there, though.

Wigan 1-1 Bolton

What is Bolton doing in the top half of the table?

West Ham United 1-2 Newcastle United

Newcastle recovered from an early Carlton Cole goal to win behind goals from Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll, and moved toward the middle of the table. West Ham continues to prop the table up, and Avram Grant continues to look like death personified.

Scottish Soccer Hooligan Weekly:

The top of the table plays tomorrow, so I'll look at the relegation zone efforts today. St. Mirren, in the sole relegation spot entering the day, lost 3-0 at Hearts, and are now on 5 points in 9 matches. Hamilton remain their closest rival in the table, though, losing 2-1 at home to St. Johnstone on an 86th minute winner. Hamilton have 6 points from their first 9 games.

Spanish Inquisition:

Real Madrid are certainly in form at the moment* as they destroyed Racing Santander, 6-1, behind four goals from Crissy. Barcelona had a more modest 2-0 victory via a brace for Leo Messi at ten-man Real Zaragoza to stay one point off the Madridistas' pace. Valencia lost at home to Mallorca, 2-1, to fall four points off the pace of the leaders.

*of course they are, they don't crap out of Champions League in the Round of 16 until Febraury. Zing!

Insert Cheap Italian Stereotype Here:

Only one game today, between 14th place Bari and bottom-dwelling Fiorentina. The Lilies, one season removed from winning their Champions League group, got two goals and survived an extra-time goal to win 2-1.

Das Boot:

None of the top six teams coming into the day played, but there were still notable names among the combatants on Saturday. Schalke were held by Eintracht Frankfurt, 0-0, but the point was enough to move them out of the automatic relegation zone in the bottom two. Werder Bremen beat Monchengladbach, 4-1, and Hannover, 7th at the start of the day, beat FC Cologne, 2-1, to temporarily climb to third.