This week’s predictions are easier than they have been for a long time. I reckon I’m going to get most of them right. On the other hand, I also think that Watford are the best team in the World and that Wilton Town will beat Moredon Cheney 4-0 this afternoon!
Last week I got just four results right. I have written one hundred lines saying, ‘I must do better’. This week, I will!
Saturday 25th October 2008
Not the most thrilling of the weekend’s fixtures in truth. In fact, if you’re not a Blackburn or Middlesbrough fan it is about as uninteresting as a Premier League game can be.
Blackburn may go with Robbie Fowler up front who Paul Ince, apparently, believes is still a Premier League striker. I’m not sure on what the Blackburn manager bases that opinion.
Middlesbrough were humiliated last week by Chelsea and they are sitting just two points above the drop zone. It could be a long season for them. Whilst Blackburn are not setting the league on fire, they have more than enough to avoid slipping too far down the table.
Soccernews prediction: Blackburn 1-0 Middlesbrough
Everton still haven’t turned the corner and despite the fact David Moyes has at long last signed his new contract, they will know that they are currently no better than their sixteenth place in the table would suggest.
Manchester United have started to hit form and the display of forward play given by Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney against Celtic in midweek will have frightened the life out of the somewhat porous Everton back four.
Soccernews prediction: Everton 0-2 Manchester United
It is always difficult to predict a local derby such as this one, but with Sunderland sitting in mid-table and Newcastle just one off the bottom, you would expect this one to go to the home side.
However, Sunderland find it hard to score goals and Joe Kinnear seems to have instilled some fighting qualities into the Magpies.
It could just be the fans in black in white who have something very rare to celebrate.
Soccernews prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Newcastle
Who would have thought that this would be a Premier League game? Even more amazingly, who would have thought it would be a game between the teams in eleventh and third?
With five wins and two draws from their first eight matches, Hull have made the best start by a top-flight debutant in over one hundred years.
In fact, Hull’s performances have overshadowed West Brom’s, which has been their best ever start to a Premier League campaign.
I keep predicting that Hull’s bubble will burst but they keep on going. I think both teams will be happy with a point.
Soccernews prediction: West Brom 1-1 Hull
Sunday 26th October 2008
The top two battle it out at Stamford Bridge and their games are always very close. They have the same number of points but it is generally recognised that Chelsea have played flowing, attractive and efficient football whereas Liverpool have been managing to grind out results without ever playing particularly well.
There is no reason to think that this game will be any less close than some of the others but I take Chelsea to just nick it and establish some superiority at the top.
Soccernews prediction: Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool
Manchester City haven’t yet really taken off following their high profile buy out and the purchase of Robinho. Defeat to Liverpool a couple of weeks ago was followed by an uninspiring draw at Newcastle last Monday.
Stoke have been struggling to pick up points but their confidence will be high after their inevitable victory over Tottenham last week.
Manchester City should have too much for their game, well organised, but limited opponents.
Soccernews prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Stoke
Portsmouth have quietly crept up the table after a couple of disastrous and humiliating defeats earlier in the season. They now sit just one point outside a European qualification place.
Fulham are playing a whole lot better than they were last season, but the results are only marginally better, leaving them looking over their shoulders again.
I expect a close game, but Pompey will come out on top.
Soccernews prediction: Portsmouth 2-1 Fulham
Tottenham need to win this one. Bolton are one of the teams they would be hopeful of catching, but if they lose at home to them tomorrow, they would be nine points adrift of them already.
Bolton have only won one of their last eight games and are hardly in great form themselves although they are unbeaten in two.
The consequences of a Tottenham defeat could be huge. I think they’ll scrape a point.
Soccernews prediction: Tottenham 1-1 Bolton
Tough test for high flying Villa as Steve Bruce is putting together a good side at the JJB stadium. Wigan are good at home with a pretty solid defence and a lively strike force.
Aston Villa are one of the more exciting teams in the league and they will certainly have a go at Wigan and make it an open game.
Should be a good one to watch.
Soccernews prediction: Wigan 2-2 Aston Villa
Arsenal are cruising into some pretty good form and if they hit their best, West Ham will find it impossible to live with them.
West Ham’s Mark Noble has said that it might take two years (!) for the players to understand Gianfranco Zola’s tactics. If they want to avoid a hammering here, they’d better understand them pretty quickly.
Soccernews prediction: West Ham 0-2 Arsenal
Over to you.
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