The first week of the 09-10 Premier League season has thrown up a few surprises (and pleasant ones at that).
The newcomers to the league have been in typically plucky form, Arsenal and Tottenham have managed excellent starts that, for the moment at least, give hope that their much-hyped potential will be realised this year. Liverpool have been average in midfield, Chelsea slow to start but strong finishers while the rest are playing pretty much as they did at the end of last season.
New players and new management make predictions somewhat difficult but with one week under our belts we’re fairly confident that we can predict the winners and losers in the Premier League for this weekend.
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Saturday, 22 August 2009
Arsenal v Portsmouth, 15:00
Arsenal are hot off a 6-1 thumping of Everton and a 2-0 win at Celtic Park. With Pompey in relative disarray and Champions League group stage qualification almost in the bag, expect the Gunners to go all out in their first home league game of the season.
Portsmouth have lost their opening two games, conceding two goals and scoring none. They can hardly be a safe bet to win a game at home at this point, let alone take any points from the Emirates.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-0 Portsmouth
Birmingham v Stoke, 15:00
Birmingham will fancy themselves at home against Stoke for at least a point if not all three – they looked like scoring against Manchester United and they’re certain to score against Stoke at home too. On the other hand, Stoke, 4-0 drubbing against Liverpool aside, are looking as good if not better than the promoted teams and certainly far better than Hull.
Prediction: Birmingham 1-1 Stoke
Hull v Bolton, 15:00
Hull were thrashed by a rampant Jermain Defoe although they also had a decent showing at Stamford Bridge and against a Bolton team that is neither or there in the bottom half of the table, they’ll be aiming for three points from this game to turn around their wretched league form.
Prediction: Hull 2-1 Bolton
Man City v Wolves, 15:00
Wolves are in for another defeat. City are at home and on a high after beating Barcelona in an away friendly midweek. City’s defence will be exposed by strong counter-attacking teams this season but not by Wolves (despite their away win at Wigan this midweek).
Prediction: Man City 2-0 Wolves
Sunderland v Blackburn, 15:00
Sunderland under Steve Bruce will get their act together sooner or later, although with Sam Allardyce heading Blackburn, this match is bound to be a tough, physical affair. Sunderland *should* get a win here, even if Bent doesn’t score as he has in their last two games.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-0 Blackburn
Wigan lost to Wolves at home but should be fancying their chances against Man Utd who are either in another slow start or in decline (depending on your affiliation with the club). Wigan’s record against United isn’t that great in the league though, and United will be happy to be playing a team they’ve thumped several times in the last few years.
Prediction: Wigan 1-2 Man Utd
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Burnley v Everton, 15:00
Burnley will be on a high after defeating Manchester United and certainly the fans will be rocking the stadium again on Sunday. Everton are still in a daze after last weekend’s beating (and bottom of the league) and need to improve a lot more if they want three points in this game.
Prediction: Burnley 1-1 Everton
Fulham v Chelsea, 16:00
Fulham have shored up their squad with Duff and Greening, two experienced players coming into the side and given their form last season they’ll be looking to trip up Chelsea.
Fulham need to make sure that they play as well in the second half as they do in the first, with Chelsea starting slowly in the first half in both games against Hull and Sunderland before stepping things up in the second half. Chelsea have excellent energy and if Fulham can contain them, they have a shout. It’s a risky bet backing Fulham in this game though, but I’ll take it.
Fulham 0-1 Chelsea
West Ham v Tottenham, 13:30
West Ham scored a fairly good win away against Wolves but have a tough game against rampant / top of the table Tottenham. Spurs have six points after two games, a start contrast to their ‘eight games, two points’ start of last season. The Hammers still have a fairly decent side and with home advantage they should be able to get three points here if they stay defensively solid.
West Ham 2-1 Tottenham
Monday, 24 August 2009
Liverpool v Aston Villa, 20:00
Liverpool will be looking at the Stoke game and not the Tottenham game as the marker for their fortunes this season – and luckily for them they are playing Villa at a time when Martin O’Neill’s side is still finding out whether they are good enough to stay in the top half of the table. Chris (Two Footed Tackle) thinks they should be there or thereabouts, but for that to happen the players – especially Agbonlahor – need to start performing and MON needs to bring in defensive reinforcements.
Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa
What are your predictions for this weekend?
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