[Butter]

EPL Round 13 results - Saturday
Blackburn 4:0 West Ham
Man C 0:0 Birmingham
Portsmouth 0:3 Spurs
Sheff Wed 2:0 Norwich
WBA 1:2 Boro

Norwich and WBA continue without wins. Both have played 12 games now, and have not won. They have 2 and 1 point respectively.

Spurs pass us for the moment into 2nd place.

We have now gone 7 games without allowing a goal. That streak is bound to end today, surely.

Nov. 6, Match 13
8-3-1, 3rd pl., 27 pts.
v. Liverpool (8-2-0, 4th pl., 26 pts. - Leading scorer: Djibril Cisse, 9)
Series: Reds lead 3-1-2
Fav: Reds, 5:4

I notice that Hugo Viana is out for this game for Liverpool... he's played in just 4 matches for the Reds this year, averaging a 7.25 in those appearances, and scoring 1 goal.

Injured: Mokoena, Mascherano, Wallner, Svensson
Unfit: Gavilan, Balaban, Zaccardo
Lineup:
GK: Arenas
Def: Jensen, Bocanegra, Alex, Heitinga
Mid: Jesus, Mngomeni, Sneijder, Gerard
Str: Vagner, Cole

2'- Jonathan Woodgate's header on a corner kick is over the bar, but he clashed heads with Gerard, who has to leave for a minute or two for treatment.

16'- In the course of two trips down the pitch, both Vagner and Cole ruin glorious chances with bad first touches, after great passes from Gerard and Mngomeni respectively... very frustrating sequence.

24'- Heitinga is dispossessed by Luis Garcia... he passes short to Rafael van der Vaart, who passes right to Gerrard... Steven Gerrard's long range shot is not close, however.

32'- Alan Smith with a great early cross to recent big signing Diego... the Brazilian midfielder with a wide open 10 yard shot, and he skies it. On the goal kick, Alex passes to Cole.... Cole advances... and advances... neither Yobo or Woodgate close him down, and he splits them, and shoots from the edge of the area... GOAL!!! Terrific run by Cole to expose the lackluster marking by Liverpool, and we take a 1-0 lead!

53'- Mngomeni has to leave with an injury... and Gerard is down to 50% stamina after colliding with Diego, so we pull them both. Lunt and Kranjcar come on.

62'- Vagner with a great individual effort of his own... his right footed strike from 15 yards narrowly misses the top corner.

75'- Arenas grabs a throw in without much problem... he dribbles a bit... then sends it long... Substitute Ashley Cole and Joseph Yobo fall asleep, as the ball drops in to Carlton Cole with ease... Cole has 2 yards on his men, and slots it home from 15 yards!!!! What a goal to clinch it! 2-0 on Cole's 15th of the season in all competitions.

79'- Cole out, Sarr on as we shrink back to a 5-4-1.

81'- Sinama-Pongolle, the substitute striker, runs past the defense, and Arenas with a nice save on a pacey 8 yard strike.

83'- Again it's Sinama-Pongolle off a corner this time, but Jensen hacks the header off the line.

Vagner and Sneijder both pick up minor knocks late in the game... but have to stay on to finish the game off.

We take our 7th consecutive shutout win! Libis Andres Arenas with another great game, rating a 9 and winning MoM for his several quality saves. Bocanegra, Sneijder, Alex, and Jesus pick up 8's as well, as we knock the Scousers down the table.

Win, 2-0, up to 1st place
Shots/on target: Posh 13/8, Reds 16/8
Poss: 52-48, Posh
A: 19,441

We have now gone 539 league minutes without allowing a goal, and 809 total minutes since Portsmouth's Yakubu scored in the opening minute of our only loss of the season back on October 1st.

EPL Round 13 results - Sunday
Villa 0:2 Man U
Palace 2:1 Cardiff
So'ton 0:0 Newcastle
Arsenal 3:3 Chelsea

We move ahead of Chelsea on goal difference, both of us on 30 points, but us holding a +4 GD edge. Man U and Spurs are 1 point back, on 3rd and 4th place. Southampton are just 3 back in 5th, and Liverpool are 4 points back, but are in 6th place now. Arsenal round out the top 7 on 24 points.