Drogba too strong for Vidic and co?
Saturday 7th November
Three draws in a row for Villa followed by defeat at West Ham but they still sit seventh in the league. I like the way they play but as they showed on Wednesday evening, I still feel they are a little short of making a serious challenge on the big four at the top.
Bolton will be reeling from two 4-0 thrashings by Chelsea in the space of a few days. They are sitting just outside the relegation places and I expect them to stay there or thereabouts all season.
I expect Villa to get back to winning ways here.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Fourth from bottom play bottom at Ewood Park. After defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United, conceding seven goals and scoring none, Blackburn will be pleased to be getting back on a level playing field.
Portsmouth have been playing OK but not getting results until last week when they hammered Wigan 4-0 at Fratton Park.
If either team has realistic ambitions to avoid a relegation dog-fight they need to win games like this.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
Mark Hughes says he is happy with how things are going at City but I don’t suppose he or the ambitious owners were truly thrilled with the draws at home to Fulham and away at Birmingham. They need to start winning again and they won’t get a better chance than this.
Burnley have played five away games and lost them all. In those games they have scored twice and conceded seventeen times. I can’t see things improving much for them at Eastlands.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
Tottenham will be looking to bounce back from confidence deflating defeats at home to Stoke and away to big rivals Arsenal. They are still fifth in the table but will know that things could have been so much better.
Sunderland are another side who were looking good but have had a bit of a wobble. Defeat at Birmingham and a last gasp draw at home to struggling West Ham have slowed down their progress somewhat.
One of the team’s will be back on the winning trail after this and I think it will be Tottenham.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
Wolves are doing OK and haven’t lost in their last three games. Having said that, they haven’t won either and Stoke, Villa and Everton are decent sides but they are not Arsenal.
Arsenal are looking as though they might just be ready to mount a serious challenge on all fronts and they still have only the defeats in Manchester to tarnish their season. They are too good for Wolves and I expect them to win relatively comfortably.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
Sunday 8th November
Both teams are playing pretty well at the moment but Chelsea would be regarded as the form team. They both had a draw in Europe in midweek and qualified for the next stage of the champions league.
For Chelsea, Drogba is looking unplayable and whichever of his centre-backs Sir Alex manages to get on the field won’t be fancying the challenge.
Like many of these games I expect this one to be close, but having seen Liverpool out-muscle United a couple of weeks ago I expect an even stronger Chelsea side to do the same.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Phil Brown’s last game in charge of Hull sees them take on a side who came up with them from the championship and, apart from the first few games of last season, who have made a much better fist of life in the top league.
Having said that, Hull have lost only two of five at home this season and Stoke have won only one of five away. Does that mean I’m going to predict a Hull win? No.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
Gianfranco Zola’s men are still struggling but have seen just a couple of glimpses of the light at the end of the tunnel. They came back from 2-0 down against Arsenal to get a fighting point and only a very late goal at Sunderland denied them getting a deserved win. They followed that with three points on Wednesday and they just might have turned the corner.
Everton just can’t get going and their hopes of a top six finish are seemingly beginning to diminish.
Either side losing this game will be feeling a little anxious. I think it might just be Everton.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
For someone who has to make predictions Wigan are an absolute nightmare. Beat Chelsea, lose to Hull. Easy win at Burnley, get thrashed at Portsmouth. It is impossible to guess what they are going to do.
Fulham are finding a little consistency and a draw at Manchester City and a win over Liverpool means they are in good shape.
Depending on which Wigan turn up this could go either way. I’ll sit on the fence.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
Monday 9th November
Everything suggests that this will be a home win. Whatever traumas Liverpool have suffered this season they should still be too strong for Birmingham.
Liverpool have won four out of five at home and Birmingham have lost four out of five away.
Although predicting a Liverpool win has become a dangerous game over the past few weeks I’m going to back Rafa’s men to take the points.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
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