None of the big boys are firing on all cylinders at present. Chelsea lost the plot against Roma, Liverpool were lucky to scrape a draw against Atletico after imploding against Spurs and Arsenal drew at home to Fenerbahce after losing to Stoke.
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Walsall are now without a win in five league games and it may have been a slight relief that Tuesday’s game against Swindon was cancelled due to the bad weather. They were well and truly beaten at Leeds last weekend, despite going in level at the break. Worryingly, Jimmy Mullen’s side have lost their last two at the Banks’s and they must play Northampton Town today, whose game on Tuesday night also fell victim to the weather.
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Take a look at this weekend’s top sports fixtures in our Weekend Sporting Diary.
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As host nation for the 2012 Olympic Games, Great Britain will have the right to enter all competitions. This has sparked a debate as to whether Team GB should enter a football team to the London Games, and if so, who should manage it?
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So, what was your favourite Olympic moment? Michael Phelps breaking Mark Spitz’s record by winning his eighth gold medal, China topping the medals table ahead of the mighty USA, Chris Hoy becoming the first British Olympian in 100 years to win three gold medals at the same Games, or Kenny Egan claiming boxing silver for Ireland in the light heavyweight final?
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Kenny Egan has guaranteed Ireland a silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games. Egan booked his place in the Olympic Light Heavyweight boxing final in style, beating Britain’s Tony Jeffries 10-3.

The first round finished 1-1, but from then on the Neilstown man looked more than comfortable, taking the second round 3-0, the third 4-0 and drawing the final round 2-2.

Egan will fight Zhang Xiaoping in the final at 8:50am (Irish time) on Sunday morning.

In the other Britain v Ireland battle of the day the Brits came out on top as James DeGale of Britain defeated Ireland’s Darren Sutherland 10-3. DeGale will now meet Cuba’s Emilio Correa in the final.

Brendan

Plenty of sport to look forward to this weekend. From Bolton to Beijing, you’ll surely find something that tickles your fancy in our weekend sporting diary. Check out all of this weekend’s top fixtures in what promises to be another exciting few days of the sporting calendar.

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One of the big Olympics stories of the day involves Ireland and a dopey horse (a doped horse I mean). Ireland’s Denis Lynch was banned from taking part in today’s Olympic Individual Jumping competition for doping. Lynch’s mount, Latinus, tested positive for a prohibited substance, along with Norway’s Camiro, Germany’s Coster and Brazil’s Chupa Chup.

Bad news for Team GB too, as its men’s 4×100m relay team went out in the first round after an illegal baton transfer.

If only Britain and Ireland could produce Olympians with the dignity and calibre of Romania’s Darinel Comivoci. Then we could hold our heads high.

Brendan

Olympic fever has reached new heights, not in the People’s Republic of China mind you, but in Europe. Remember this name, Darinel Comivoci, because you’ll probably never hear it again!

Not since Pablo “The Bad Bandito” mooned a taxi on the streets of Nobber have I witnessed a performance like this.

Brendan

Haha, had you there! Sure it’s only in the boxing in Beijing, “Down with that sort of thing” as Father Ted would say (the war thing that is).

Team Ireland and Team GB have both secured three boxing medals in Beijing (at least bronze). Ireland’s Paddy Barnes, Kenny Egan and Darren Sutherland have all made it into the semi-finals. For Britain, David Price, Tony Jefferies and James DeGale have also made it into the last four.

To add to the excitement of the upcoming semi-final fights, two of them will be between Britain and Ireland. On Friday, Kenny Egan will fight Jeffries while Darren Sutherland will do battle with DeGale.

Sutherland and DeGale have met five times before, with the Irishman winning four and losing only one. Egan and Jeffries meanwhile both recorded comprehensive victories in their quarter-finals.

We should be in for a boxing treat. Expect a few “Ole Oles” (Irish fans) and “I says” (BBC commentators).

Check out the betting markets on these fights here.

Brendan