Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Premier League predictions
I am pressed for time, so these will be brief this week. Here's how I think things will turn out over this round of games.
Arsenal v Manchester United
This will be a key game in Arsenal history, and will be a reflection of the realignment of footballing forces in England. The Wenger era is quickly becoming contested.
Manchester United to win 3-1
Wigan v Stoke
Wigan have quality, just not in defence. A goal from Amr Zaki and a header from a Rory Delap throw-in would be typical.
A 1-1 draw.
Hull v Bolton
Bolton aren't so bad, but Hull are simply refusing to give up. They're riding a wave of confidence. Watch out for Geovanni!
Hull to win 2-1.
Sunderland v Portsmouth
Portsmouth will try and frustrate Sunderland, the best they can expect is a draw. Then again, Jermain Defoe has that little bit of luck and quality thesedays.
Portsmouth to win 2-1.
West Ham v Everton
West Ham have to win at some point, but Everton's midfield are starting to click again.
Everton to win 2-1.
Liverpool v West Brom
Liverpool seem to many to be title contenders, but I don't think so. They have quality, and Fernando Torres is bound to play a role. A striker who thrives on space playing against the team that allows the most space is a recipe for humiliation.
Liverpool to win 4-0.
Blackburn v Chelsea
Chelsea will resume normal service in a frustrating Northern encounter.
Chelsea to win 1-0.
Aston Villa v Middlesbrough
Villa usually fire on all cylinders against this type of opposition, but Boro also have a bit of firepower of late.
A 2-1 draw.
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
This will probably be a game packed with goals. Expect the strikers to grab all the headlines - Heurelho Gomes will not be a subject of praise after this one.
Looks like a 3-2 win for City to me.
Fulham v Newcastle
A truly awful match to be avoided at all costs.
Newcastle to win 2-1.
Arsenal v Manchester United
This will be a key game in Arsenal history, and will be a reflection of the realignment of footballing forces in England. The Wenger era is quickly becoming contested.
Manchester United to win 3-1
Wigan v Stoke
Wigan have quality, just not in defence. A goal from Amr Zaki and a header from a Rory Delap throw-in would be typical.
A 1-1 draw.
Hull v Bolton
Bolton aren't so bad, but Hull are simply refusing to give up. They're riding a wave of confidence. Watch out for Geovanni!
Hull to win 2-1.
Sunderland v Portsmouth
Portsmouth will try and frustrate Sunderland, the best they can expect is a draw. Then again, Jermain Defoe has that little bit of luck and quality thesedays.
Portsmouth to win 2-1.
West Ham v Everton
West Ham have to win at some point, but Everton's midfield are starting to click again.
Everton to win 2-1.
Liverpool v West Brom
Liverpool seem to many to be title contenders, but I don't think so. They have quality, and Fernando Torres is bound to play a role. A striker who thrives on space playing against the team that allows the most space is a recipe for humiliation.
Liverpool to win 4-0.
Blackburn v Chelsea
Chelsea will resume normal service in a frustrating Northern encounter.
Chelsea to win 1-0.
Aston Villa v Middlesbrough
Villa usually fire on all cylinders against this type of opposition, but Boro also have a bit of firepower of late.
A 2-1 draw.
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
This will probably be a game packed with goals. Expect the strikers to grab all the headlines - Heurelho Gomes will not be a subject of praise after this one.
Looks like a 3-2 win for City to me.
Fulham v Newcastle
A truly awful match to be avoided at all costs.
Newcastle to win 2-1.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Offseason?!? There ain't no offseason!
Well, that was a fun couple of days off for Major League Baseball. The Fall General Manager meetings are in full swing, but these meetings will not be nearly as busy as the Winter Meetings. Already, more than 190 players have filed for Free Agency.
Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com has released his list of the Top 50 FA and where he thinks they will end up. Notable for Toronto Blue Jays purposes, he sees CC Sabathia and Derek (B)Lowe coming to the New York Yankees, with Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi leaving for other destinations. He also sees AJ Burnett going to the Baltimore Orioles. Not that surprising, considering AJ is from around there. His 2 picks for Jay pick-ups are Milton Bradley and Brad Penny. I definitely do not agree with Bradley, but could see Penny coming here, if he accepts an incentive laden, short-term deal, but he might get offered guaranteed money, despite his injury problems.
Others have pointed out Bradley was the best hitter in the AL last year. This would make him a great fit for the Jays! Well, players don't normally have career years at age 30, and they don't follow those up with even better age 31 seasons. Bradley had the benefit of playing in the Ballpark at Arlington, which is friendly to hitters, and got to play against the Mariners and A's (not the stiffest of competition). He was also unbelievably lucky. How lucky? He had a BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play) of .388. His career BABIP is .323, with the league average around .290. Let's just say, I don't think he will be repeating his stats next year.
The rumor mill has started to churn and some have the Blue Jays in the mix to trade for San Diego Padres' SS Khalil Greene (Reggie Cleveland All-Star (if you get that reference, you are my friend)). Colour me unimpressed. He was a better hitter at home than on the road last year, which is saying something, considering PETCO Park is where power hitters go to die. He hit a career-low 10 HRs last season, and can probably be counted on for around 15. He also does not get on base that well, and strikes out way too much. He also does not have the defensive capabilities to overcome his offensive shortcomings. Hanley Ramirez he is not. I'd rather have Marco Scutaro and John McDonald, warts and all.
2009 is going to be a year where the Jays figure out who can contribute in 2010. Behind the plate, Rod Barajas will be brought back, but his back-up could be Curtis Thigpen, Brian Jeroloman or JP Arencibia, by years end. Arencibia has the inside track to be the starter in 2010, but walk-machine Jeroloman is also in the mix. Lyle Overbay, Aaron Hill, Marco Scutaro and Scott Rolen should be around the infield, with John McDonald and Joe Inglett backing them up. The outfield will be Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, and a possible LF/DH combo of Adam Lind and Travis Snider. I'd rather see the Jays sign Jason Giambi and trade Lind for pitching, plus put Rios in CF and Wells in RF, but thats just me. The Starting Rotation will be Halladay-Litsch at the top. Dustin McGowan should be back in July and Shaun Marcum will be back for Spring Training...of 2010. So the other 3 spots will be manned by Scott Downs, John Parrish, Scott Richmond, Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, Brad Mills, Kyle Ginley, Mark Rzepczynski (pronounced Zep-Chin-Ski), any free agent or any trade candidate, with the best 2 sticking around when McG gets healthy again. Plus the best of these players will be the most likely candidate to slot into the no. 5 spot in 2010. The bullpen might see some changes, mostly due to a surplus of arms. BJ Ryan is a trade candidate, but the rest of the 'pen should be back.
Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com has released his list of the Top 50 FA and where he thinks they will end up. Notable for Toronto Blue Jays purposes, he sees CC Sabathia and Derek (B)Lowe coming to the New York Yankees, with Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi leaving for other destinations. He also sees AJ Burnett going to the Baltimore Orioles. Not that surprising, considering AJ is from around there. His 2 picks for Jay pick-ups are Milton Bradley and Brad Penny. I definitely do not agree with Bradley, but could see Penny coming here, if he accepts an incentive laden, short-term deal, but he might get offered guaranteed money, despite his injury problems.
Others have pointed out Bradley was the best hitter in the AL last year. This would make him a great fit for the Jays! Well, players don't normally have career years at age 30, and they don't follow those up with even better age 31 seasons. Bradley had the benefit of playing in the Ballpark at Arlington, which is friendly to hitters, and got to play against the Mariners and A's (not the stiffest of competition). He was also unbelievably lucky. How lucky? He had a BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play) of .388. His career BABIP is .323, with the league average around .290. Let's just say, I don't think he will be repeating his stats next year.
The rumor mill has started to churn and some have the Blue Jays in the mix to trade for San Diego Padres' SS Khalil Greene (Reggie Cleveland All-Star (if you get that reference, you are my friend)). Colour me unimpressed. He was a better hitter at home than on the road last year, which is saying something, considering PETCO Park is where power hitters go to die. He hit a career-low 10 HRs last season, and can probably be counted on for around 15. He also does not get on base that well, and strikes out way too much. He also does not have the defensive capabilities to overcome his offensive shortcomings. Hanley Ramirez he is not. I'd rather have Marco Scutaro and John McDonald, warts and all.
2009 is going to be a year where the Jays figure out who can contribute in 2010. Behind the plate, Rod Barajas will be brought back, but his back-up could be Curtis Thigpen, Brian Jeroloman or JP Arencibia, by years end. Arencibia has the inside track to be the starter in 2010, but walk-machine Jeroloman is also in the mix. Lyle Overbay, Aaron Hill, Marco Scutaro and Scott Rolen should be around the infield, with John McDonald and Joe Inglett backing them up. The outfield will be Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, and a possible LF/DH combo of Adam Lind and Travis Snider. I'd rather see the Jays sign Jason Giambi and trade Lind for pitching, plus put Rios in CF and Wells in RF, but thats just me. The Starting Rotation will be Halladay-Litsch at the top. Dustin McGowan should be back in July and Shaun Marcum will be back for Spring Training...of 2010. So the other 3 spots will be manned by Scott Downs, John Parrish, Scott Richmond, Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, Brad Mills, Kyle Ginley, Mark Rzepczynski (pronounced Zep-Chin-Ski), any free agent or any trade candidate, with the best 2 sticking around when McG gets healthy again. Plus the best of these players will be the most likely candidate to slot into the no. 5 spot in 2010. The bullpen might see some changes, mostly due to a surplus of arms. BJ Ryan is a trade candidate, but the rest of the 'pen should be back.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Team Canada must swap logos
February 26, 2009: UPDATE - Team Canada released its new sweater, I approve.
August 19, 2009: UPDATE - Team Canada's Vancouver 2010 jerseys are here
The IOC has finally cracked down on Canada's national hockey jerseys.
This summer I noticed something odd - the American footie side at the Olympics played their first few matches with masking tape over the logo on their kit. I found out later it was because no jersey, in the Olympics, is allowed to have that national sport's federation logo on the jersey.
To make it easier to understand what I tried to just say: you're allowed to have your flag, or the words USA, or whatever you want - but they can't have the United States Soccer Federation's logo on the kit during the Olympics.
You may have noticed that, for (at least) the past 10 years, Team Canada hockey has had Hockey Canada's logo on the front of their jerseys.
Well, the IOC has finally decided this practice must end, apparently us Canadians have been defying the Olympic Committee for a long damn time.
So, for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics - the Canadian men's and women's hockey teams will be sporting new jerseys - certainly for the first time in my memory. I'm excited to see what they come up with, but sad to have witnessed the end of an era.
August 19, 2009: UPDATE - Team Canada's Vancouver 2010 jerseys are here
The IOC has finally cracked down on Canada's national hockey jerseys.
This summer I noticed something odd - the American footie side at the Olympics played their first few matches with masking tape over the logo on their kit. I found out later it was because no jersey, in the Olympics, is allowed to have that national sport's federation logo on the jersey.
To make it easier to understand what I tried to just say: you're allowed to have your flag, or the words USA, or whatever you want - but they can't have the United States Soccer Federation's logo on the kit during the Olympics.
You may have noticed that, for (at least) the past 10 years, Team Canada hockey has had Hockey Canada's logo on the front of their jerseys.
Well, the IOC has finally decided this practice must end, apparently us Canadians have been defying the Olympic Committee for a long damn time.
So, for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics - the Canadian men's and women's hockey teams will be sporting new jerseys - certainly for the first time in my memory. I'm excited to see what they come up with, but sad to have witnessed the end of an era.
Winners and losers
This week's winners
Hull City
My prediction of four Manchester United goals was right - but I didn't foresee the three goal clawback from the Potters. The eventual implosion of Hull City that most of us expect is refusing to happen. Why? They are well-managed, refreshing in their positive approach, yet pragmatic and modest. They could well steal a spot from Blackburn or Manchester City in 7th or 8th when May comes along.
Amr Zaki
Wigan's Egyptian striker remains the league's top scorer and looks a quality find, though anyone who watched the Africa Cup of Nations last January will have been impressed by his blend of physicality and lethal finishing. More importantly, he has the mentality of Alan Shearer - fearless and determined. Modern football (2002 on) may have killed off the 30-goal-a-season striker, but Zaki is one of a new generation who have been a symptom (and cause?) of the 4-5-1 system.
FC Barcelona
Pep Guardiola can afford to be happy. The Barca manager's team sit top of La Liga after beating Malaga 4-1. Samuel Eto'o (who Barca tried so hard to get rid of over the summer) is back on form, Lionel Messi is the most mesmerising player on earth yet again and Thierry Henry is quietly contributing a great deal. The maturing of the promoted youth team players is astonishing, and Sergi Busquets looks like he may be a key player much sooner than expected.
This week's losers
Arsenal
My red card prediction was spot on, yet it was simply a question of knowing the Arsenal mentality. The fury of injustice is just fine, but morality is not one of the columns in the Premier League table. Arsenal need to get tough - perhaps this will never happen under Arsene Wenger. In terms of the more spiritual side of football, Arsenal still gets A+, but the team can only succeed once these sides are reconciled. Tony Adams entering management again is very good news for us...it may be a look into the future.
Manchester City
They may have Robinho, but as I said last week "Man City are simply too easy to press with their 4-1-4-1 formation". And that's exactly what happened at Bolton. They should have read this blog. That is all.
Carlos Tevez
It looks like his time at United may be up since Dimitar Berbatov's arrival - I believe that from January he will not be attached to any club and will simply be owned by Kia Joorabchian's MSI company, who want about 30million for him after his two-year loan in Manchester. It's a shame because he's one of the hardest working players in that team, but perhaps Fergie will look to Manucho to fill the void. Don't bet against Sir Alex spending the money, though, as he wouldn't want "the boy" Tevez to fall into the wrong hands.
That's all for now. I will be back tonight or tomorrow morning with a preview of this week's Champions League action. And perhaps a US election prediction, as sport and politics are almost exactly the same thing.
Hull City
My prediction of four Manchester United goals was right - but I didn't foresee the three goal clawback from the Potters. The eventual implosion of Hull City that most of us expect is refusing to happen. Why? They are well-managed, refreshing in their positive approach, yet pragmatic and modest. They could well steal a spot from Blackburn or Manchester City in 7th or 8th when May comes along.
Amr Zaki
Wigan's Egyptian striker remains the league's top scorer and looks a quality find, though anyone who watched the Africa Cup of Nations last January will have been impressed by his blend of physicality and lethal finishing. More importantly, he has the mentality of Alan Shearer - fearless and determined. Modern football (2002 on) may have killed off the 30-goal-a-season striker, but Zaki is one of a new generation who have been a symptom (and cause?) of the 4-5-1 system.
FC Barcelona
Pep Guardiola can afford to be happy. The Barca manager's team sit top of La Liga after beating Malaga 4-1. Samuel Eto'o (who Barca tried so hard to get rid of over the summer) is back on form, Lionel Messi is the most mesmerising player on earth yet again and Thierry Henry is quietly contributing a great deal. The maturing of the promoted youth team players is astonishing, and Sergi Busquets looks like he may be a key player much sooner than expected.
This week's losers
Arsenal
My red card prediction was spot on, yet it was simply a question of knowing the Arsenal mentality. The fury of injustice is just fine, but morality is not one of the columns in the Premier League table. Arsenal need to get tough - perhaps this will never happen under Arsene Wenger. In terms of the more spiritual side of football, Arsenal still gets A+, but the team can only succeed once these sides are reconciled. Tony Adams entering management again is very good news for us...it may be a look into the future.
Manchester City
They may have Robinho, but as I said last week "Man City are simply too easy to press with their 4-1-4-1 formation". And that's exactly what happened at Bolton. They should have read this blog. That is all.
Carlos Tevez
It looks like his time at United may be up since Dimitar Berbatov's arrival - I believe that from January he will not be attached to any club and will simply be owned by Kia Joorabchian's MSI company, who want about 30million for him after his two-year loan in Manchester. It's a shame because he's one of the hardest working players in that team, but perhaps Fergie will look to Manucho to fill the void. Don't bet against Sir Alex spending the money, though, as he wouldn't want "the boy" Tevez to fall into the wrong hands.
That's all for now. I will be back tonight or tomorrow morning with a preview of this week's Champions League action. And perhaps a US election prediction, as sport and politics are almost exactly the same thing.
Ovular domination ends so soon, but continues so strong
So, Queen's dominating ovular-ball-game-teams went 1 for 2 this weekend. (For non-Queen's sports stuff, scroll down).
Our football team had a pretty shitty performance at Richardson in the semifinal, falling to the University of Ottawa GeeGees 23-13, ending Yates and Vanier dreams.
This brings up my major problem with this first-round bye business. Yes, it's nice to not have to play a game when everyone is, but it makes for some serious focus issues. Games allow teams to center and focus in a way that practice can't. Queen's hadn't played a game for two weeks before the game against Ottawa, and they came out absolutely flat. A play-by-play rundown of the game can be found here. I was hoping that the punt-block safety at the end of the game would be the momentum turner our boys in gold needed, but unfortunately they just never got it going and fell into shambles. Dream season turns into nightmare I suppose.
Our rugby team, on the other hand, continued it's kickassery with a convincing smashing of the Western Mustangs, in a repeat of the game I traveled down to London to cover (see game report here and here). Western played the exact same game it did during the regular season, but Queen's didn't react. This gave Western no opportunity to exploit Queen's being a man-down, and the Gaels pushed forward for a 19-8 win, setting up a second final featuring the Gaels. They'll be playing in Markham against the McMaster Mauraders next weekened - I encourage all Queen's sport fans to travel down on the fan bus to watch what must be Queen's best varsity squad.
In pro-sport news:
Spurs are rolling! 'Arry is fucking fantastic, we took a 2-1 win over Keano's new side Liverpool at the lane over the weekend. Mind, it was on a late goal by Pavlyuchenko, and the other Spurs goal was a Carragher (sp?) own goal, but whatever, I'll take it! 7 points on 3 matches is a definite improvement from the start of the season, where the Lilywhites couldn't be counted on to get 3 points from 7 matches. On a related topic - how on-target were Phil's predictions?? Jesus!
The Leafs (I hate to, but I have to put it in*) had an amazing comeback against the Rangers on Saturday, one that actually got me out of my seat. I like the Rangers (see below), don't get me wrong, but that was one hell of an exciting performance. The Leafers have been putting on a pretty decent show this year, and I couldn't be more pissed.
The Sens took one point out of the weekend after a shootout loss to Tampa, leading to an incredibly interesting article on the Sens Army blog regarding the game and our shootout lineup which, frankly, is retarded. Also, I've come to like Ruutu. The world might be imploding.
Finally - my dominance in NHL 09 has been qualified by a tournament win. The Rangers (Yours truly), Sabres (Apps), Capitals (Eric) and Flames (Conal) went head-to-head in a round robin/knockout tournament over the weekend. The Rangers were weak on defense, but the offense was their saving grace, allowing 10 goals but scoring 13 in the round robin, this compared to most games ending 1-0 or 2-1 over 3 games. The final was fought out between the Rangers and Sabres and, in a dramatic overtime plagued by ill discipline by the Sabres, the Rangers put the game home to take the first ever NHL 09 gold. Another tournament should follow, here's hoping the result is the same!**
----------
* That's what she said
** This entire paragraph was unneccesary
Our football team had a pretty shitty performance at Richardson in the semifinal, falling to the University of Ottawa GeeGees 23-13, ending Yates and Vanier dreams.
This brings up my major problem with this first-round bye business. Yes, it's nice to not have to play a game when everyone is, but it makes for some serious focus issues. Games allow teams to center and focus in a way that practice can't. Queen's hadn't played a game for two weeks before the game against Ottawa, and they came out absolutely flat. A play-by-play rundown of the game can be found here. I was hoping that the punt-block safety at the end of the game would be the momentum turner our boys in gold needed, but unfortunately they just never got it going and fell into shambles. Dream season turns into nightmare I suppose.
Our rugby team, on the other hand, continued it's kickassery with a convincing smashing of the Western Mustangs, in a repeat of the game I traveled down to London to cover (see game report here and here). Western played the exact same game it did during the regular season, but Queen's didn't react. This gave Western no opportunity to exploit Queen's being a man-down, and the Gaels pushed forward for a 19-8 win, setting up a second final featuring the Gaels. They'll be playing in Markham against the McMaster Mauraders next weekened - I encourage all Queen's sport fans to travel down on the fan bus to watch what must be Queen's best varsity squad.
In pro-sport news:
Spurs are rolling! 'Arry is fucking fantastic, we took a 2-1 win over Keano's new side Liverpool at the lane over the weekend. Mind, it was on a late goal by Pavlyuchenko, and the other Spurs goal was a Carragher (sp?) own goal, but whatever, I'll take it! 7 points on 3 matches is a definite improvement from the start of the season, where the Lilywhites couldn't be counted on to get 3 points from 7 matches. On a related topic - how on-target were Phil's predictions?? Jesus!
The Leafs (I hate to, but I have to put it in*) had an amazing comeback against the Rangers on Saturday, one that actually got me out of my seat. I like the Rangers (see below), don't get me wrong, but that was one hell of an exciting performance. The Leafers have been putting on a pretty decent show this year, and I couldn't be more pissed.
The Sens took one point out of the weekend after a shootout loss to Tampa, leading to an incredibly interesting article on the Sens Army blog regarding the game and our shootout lineup which, frankly, is retarded. Also, I've come to like Ruutu. The world might be imploding.
Finally - my dominance in NHL 09 has been qualified by a tournament win. The Rangers (Yours truly), Sabres (Apps), Capitals (Eric) and Flames (Conal) went head-to-head in a round robin/knockout tournament over the weekend. The Rangers were weak on defense, but the offense was their saving grace, allowing 10 goals but scoring 13 in the round robin, this compared to most games ending 1-0 or 2-1 over 3 games. The final was fought out between the Rangers and Sabres and, in a dramatic overtime plagued by ill discipline by the Sabres, the Rangers put the game home to take the first ever NHL 09 gold. Another tournament should follow, here's hoping the result is the same!**
----------
* That's what she said
** This entire paragraph was unneccesary
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Premier League predictions
As another week draws to a close, the excitement of football begins again. Friday, to a football fan, is only exciting because it’s the day before Saturday. This weekend is also exciting for me beyond sporting matters – I am basking in my newfound credibility as a formal contributor to this blog, having emerged from the shadows of the comments sections.
You can expect some half-decent analysis on English and Spanish football and occasionally other less civilised leagues, mixed with a smattering of features on broader football issues that are either controversial or under-researched. It won’t be boring, I promise!
But for today, let me keep it straightforward. Football is a business as much as it is a sport – and as with any business there is a need to predict as well as a bizarre pride taken in correctly predicting things. So, I’ll get straight to giving you my predictions for this weekend’s round of Premier League matches:
Chelsea v Sunderland
Chelsea simply have too much depth in defence, so expect a clean sheet. Sunderland have been playing quite naively of late while for Chelsea Deco is back and Lampard in his best ever form.
Chelsea to win 3-0.
Everton v Fulham
Everton have shifted up a gear, not to a particularly high one, but last month they didn’t even remember how the gearshift worked. They can’t keep a clean sheet, but Fulham are atrocious away from home. Don’t watch this game.
Everton to win 2-1.
Manchester United v Hull City
All the underperforming teams are shifting gears upwards, and United are really heading towards top speed. Sometimes at Old Trafford it’s almost too easy – this could get embarrassing for Hull City if they aren’t careful. United will slack off and probably concede one brilliant goal – a Geovanni free kick maybe? This will be the game of the weekend.
Manchester United to win 4-1.
Middlesbrough v West Ham
What a truly awful game this will be.
A boring 1-1 draw.
Portsmouth v Wigan
Portsmouth are solid at home, but Tony Adams is likely to persist with a defensive mentality even if both Defoe and Crouch play. Amr Zaki may be the league’s top scorer, but Wigan are not yet playing that well. Still, they are well organised and may win this. Also, football is a funny old game.
Wigan to win 2-1.
Stoke v Arsenal
My dear Arsenal will probably play football to make Johan Cruyff proud: flowing, passing, contemplating, playing, passing, conceding, scoring, conceding and scoring again. The great Dutchman preferred 6-5 to 1-0, and with our below-par centre backs we really have no choice in the matter. Arsenal will probably get really mad at an early goal Stoke score from a set piece – and there will probably be a red card somewhere in this game.
Arsenal to win 4-2.
Tottenham v Liverpool
Ah yes, ‘Arry’s To’enham ‘Otspur. Liverpool are a shocking team to me – they will not win the title, let that be very clear. Watch out for Luka Modric, he will keep Mascherano busy. As much as I hate to say it, Darren Bent may just score. This is a game to watch.
Tottenham to win 2-1.
West Brom v Blackburn
I admire WBA’s principles, but Blackburn are tough, so Paul Robinson may not get a chance to concede. Where are the goals going to come from you ask? To use Adidas language, it’s going to be Santa Cruz + 10.
Blackburn to win 2-0.
Bolton v Manchester City
Bolton are phillistines and deserve to lose, yet Man City are simply too easy to press with their 4-1-4-1 formation. Wright-Phillips doesn't get much credit, Steven Ireland is hitting new heights and Robinho is living up to his name. Maybe they can win, but don't look for a clean sheet.
Manchester City to win 2-1.
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Villa are my second team, so I have an affection for them. I am also a third generation Villa "supporter" so they have a special place somewhere near my heart. Anyone who looks at the firepower on offer there and compares it to Newcastle's defence would probably give you an exaggerated scoreline. Villa beat the teams they should beat but often struggle against anomalies like Newcastle. Plus Joe Kinnear isn't such a bad manager.
A 2-2 draw.
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