Four results right out of eight last week. Pretty respectable for me really! Let’s see how we get on this week.
Saturday 17th January 2009
Blackburn’s game was called off last week so the last time they took to the field was in their unimpressive but effective win in the FA Cup at Blyth Spartans. That means that Big Sam Allardyce has had plenty of time to work with his new charges and explain and demonstrate what he wants from them. If nothing else, you have to say that Big Sam’s teams are always well organised.
Newcastle have made it to mid-table but Joe Kinnear will be painfully aware that they are still only three points above the drop zone. A win for second from bottom Blackburn would put them just two points behind the Magpies with a game in hand. A 2-2 draw with West Ham steadied the Toon ship a little after the humiliation at home to Liverpool but spirits will be low after their FA Cup exit in mid week against Hull.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Ominously for everyone else, Manchester United will go top of the table if they win this one. They weren’t great in the 1-0 win over Wigan in the week but they were great in the 3-0 win over Chelsea last Sunday. In the league United are unbeaten in nine games and remarkably, haven’t conceded a goal in that time.
Bolton are slowly sliding down the table and in contrast to United have only won one of their last six and have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine games.
No Rooney or Evra or Ferdinand but Tevez, O’Shea and Evans aren’t bad replacements!
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
At 1-0 down against Southend a couple of minutes from half-time on Wednesday evening Chelsea very nearly spontaneously combusted. The equalising goal scored by Michael Ballack may just turn out to be a season saver and a Scolari saver. Of course, they went on to win comfortably 4-1 but if they had gone in 1-0 down at half-time things could have been very different.
Stoke provide the challenge for Chelsea today and they certainly won’t make it easy for their hosts. They will defend in numbers and look to exploit the new found weaknesses in Chelsea’s defending of set plays. Stoke haven’t won in nine games in all competitions and although they’ll give it everything, I don’t see that changing here.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
A chance for Arsenal to avenge the shock defeat inflicted on them by Hull at the Emirates earlier in the season. Arsenal, despite the criticism being heaped on them, are unbeaten in seven in the league and have found the net in all of those games.
Hull managed a win in the FA Cup in mid-week but a run of only one win in thirteen games sees them just seven points above the relegation places.
I think revenge will be hard fought, but achieved.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
The richest club in the world are in danger of turning the game into something I don’t think we want to see. If they manage to buy all the best players for ridiculous money and pay them ridiculous wages it will turn our game into a real life version of the computer game Championship Manager. We’ve all managed to take Macclesfield into Europe in that game by ‘cheating’ and buying all the best players!
Wigan, meanwhile, are a much less wealthy team who are doing a very fine job. They have good hard working players and a good young manager. I fancy they’ll give Mark Hughes a few more grey hairs today.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
The Maccams have won four of the seven games they’ve played since Ricky Sbragia took over from Roy Keane. I’m sure he would have settled for that return before he started. They look a much better team now and in Kenwyne Jones and Cisse, they have a front two who will frighten most defences.
Aston Villa go from strength to strength. They are not playing at their exhilarating best at the moment but they are still picking up points.
A month ago this would have been an away banker, but now, I think Sunderland might get something from the game.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
Two pretty poor teams go head to head in this one. West Brom have won their last couple of home games but are still firmly rooted at the bottom of the table.
Middlesbrough haven’t won in nine league games and will find themselves level on points with West Brom if they lose here. I think they just might.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
Sunday 18th January 2009
Defoe against Portsmouth, Campbell against Tottenham. This game seems to be about a lot more than just the football. That’s probably a good thing as neither of these teams are very good at it at the moment!
Tottenham have only won one league game in their last seven and Portsmouth have won just one in eight. With both teams struggling to buy a win, a draw is just about the only possible prediction.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
After a slightly alarming run West Ham are now unbeaten in four and Gianfranco Zola seems to have steadied what was a rapidly sinking ship.
Fulham continue to impress and are unbeaten in nine games, although six of those have been draws. They don’t score a lot of goals but they are very tight at the back.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-0
Monday 19th January 2009
The Merseyside derby used to be known as the ‘friendly derby’ because despite the passion of both sets of fans, they actually didn’t hate each other. That seems to be slowly changing and the atmosphere at these games is becoming more intense.
This is a big game for both in terms of the league as well as local bragging rights. Liverpool will want to bounce back from their disappointing draw at Stoke last week and may need a win to go back to the top of the table if United have managed to win at Bolton.
Everton will need to get something from the game to maintain their challenge for fourth place. I have a sneaky feeling that they might get what they want.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
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