Premier league weekend 3

Burnley v Man Utd:

Burnley has had a difficult start to the season. Having to play Chelsea and Man Utd in the first three games isn’t ideal to try and get early points on the board. Despite they are still yet to earn a point they’ve had some encouraging performances. Against Swansea they had several chances to get a couple goals and perhaps they had only themselves to blame for not taking them. In the championship you get more of these chances, but they come along far less frequently in the premier league so when you get them, you have to take them or else you get punished and that’s what happened against Swansea. Burnley has been how i expected they would be. They work extremely hard, but lack bit of little premier league quality to really punish teams. This fixture is another chance for fans and players to enjoy the occasion and play with no pressure. Once again, more pressure heaps on Utd. Man Utd should see this as a banker, but they’ve been very poor so far. They’ve been beaten by Swansea and drew against Sunderland (who could have got more from that match). They weren’t even unlucky not win these games, they just weren’t good enough. They’re so far off the pace it’s unbelievable. I couldn’t believe it when i heard that they’ve already spent a record amount in a transfer window (even before Di Maria joined). I think they need to buy almost a completely new team. I don’t like the formation they’re trying either, it doesn’t work for them. The three centre backs and wing backs only works when you have the right players and the wing backs are a really weak point for Utd. They’re trying to play players who can’t play in these positions. Valencia has the energy to get forward and back but he lacks the defensive solidity they need. Ashley young is a total liability at left back but Shaw could fit this better... if he gets fit at all. It’s a tough position to play wing back, it’s like a specialist position, not anyone can plug the gap. The centre backs aren’t good enough either. Burnley will look forward to this one because no one is talking about them at all, it’s all eyes on Utd again this weekend. Moreover, this is the last weekend and last chance to sign some players before deadline day on Monday.

Verdict: Man Utd need to improve and quickly, if they don’t beat Burnley pressure will go sky high. They won’t be able to just turn up and get three points; they’ll be made to work in this game. Even though the Man Utd defence is weak at the moment, i can’t see Burnley scoring, whereas, Utd still have Rooney, Mata and RVP up front and i think they’ll manage to get a couple goals between them. I can see another unconvincing performance from Man Utd, but i can see them scoring a couple goals and that should be enough in this game. Man Utd to win 2-0.       

QPR v Sunderland:

This another big chance for both teams to get their first three points of the season. QPR were poor against Spurs, comprehensively beaten. If they play like that in this game, they’ll lose again. On paper it should be quite even, but i still see a lack of premier league quality in the QPR team. I don’t see Harry Redknapp as a tactical manager either, he’s man manager so he relies on having talented players, and i don’t see him as being able to make an average team with average players any better. No doubt Harry will work his magic on the final days of the window to get some more players in, and he’ll know he has too. For me, the problem with QPR is i’m not sure what they’re best quality is. They don’t seem solid in defence, they’re not good passers, not even a long ball team, they just seem below average everywhere. Sunderland gave another good performance against Man Utd. They’re such a different team this season compared to the beginning of last season. Brown and O’Shea have the premier league experience to be solid at the back (as long as they can keep fit), but i’m still not totally sold on them. At times they can be guilty of making crucial mistakes. Cattermole was always a liability, he’s so prone to the red card but in the games i’ve seen so far, he seems more conservative in the tackle which is great. He can really provide good cover for the defence. I can’t see where the Sunderland goals will come from, Flether, Wickham and Altidore don’t look like a constant goal threat in any games and this will worry Poyet.

Verdict: Mainly because they’re at home, i think this game is bigger for QPR. I’ve been impressed with Sunderland so far though so i think i can see this being a draw. 1-1.

Swansea v Brom:

Swansea has gotten off to a good start. Beating Man Utd really made people realise they still have some good players and can still play good football. Against Burnley they weren’t able to dominate, but lets give credit to Burnley for that. However, also credit Swansea for managing to get the three points, because ultimately points are more important than performances at this stage. The more i see Swansea, the more they impress me. They have a lot of quality in areas of the field that matter. In terms of teams that will be in the second half of the league, they have better players in the important positions than most other teams. Bony is reliable to score every couple of games, the wingers are very consistent, their midfielders are very creative and good on the ball, and they have some solid defenders. My early predictions for them have changed already; they’ll be safe this season. Brom still look shaky, they seem better this year than last but i still haven’t seen enough to really pass much judgement on them. It’ll be an even match up but i can see more creativity and goal threats coming from the home team.

Verdict: Swansea to keep up their winning start, 1-0.

    

Everton v Chelsea

Everton are looking as consistent as ever. Outside of the big teams like Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea they always look among the best, but they never seem threaten to break into that champions league spot and i can’t see it again this year. They’ve got off to a good start and i think they’ll continue like this. They do, if nothing else, seem consistent. Most the players give a solid performance each week and that’ll be enough for them to have a good top half finish this year. People may argue that playing Arsenal was the first big team to visit Goodison this season, but playing Chelsea this weekend is a totally different sort of test. Unlike Arsenal, Chelsea are ruthless, they have really strong physical players, technical players and players that will literally run all day. Chelsea can switch the style of play to adapt to how the other team is trying to stop them. They keep them guessing. This is something Arsenal lack. Chelsea have got off to a good start too, however, playing two of the newly promoted teams will have been on Mourinho’s wish list, so this will inevitably be one of their biggest tests so far. This game should make for an entertaining watch. Everton are usually strong at home and they threw it away more so than being outplayed against Arsenal. They’ll need to play solid and flat out for the full 90 mins against Chelsea. Because of Chelsea’s strength in midfield, it’ll be important for Everton wide players not to get too obsessed with attacking and staying up the field, they’ll need to work hard to get back behind the ball... then work even harder to get up the field for counter attacks. Lukaku will need to play well, he’ll need to hold the ball up whenever he gets it and allow the Everton players to get up and support him. This could swing either way really but on paper you’d have to fancy Chelsea.

Verdict: Decent start for Mourinho, but you’d expect this from playing Burnley and Leicester. Everton will be a new test, a genuinely good team with plenty of premier league experience. It will be interesting to see if Costa can continue his form playing against top premier league defenders. Chelsea will nick it 0-1. 

Man City v Stoke

Man City looks title favourites already. They got a big win against Liverpool and had some real moments of class which is where it was won and lost. Jovetic basically won them the game because if you take him out, the teams were both pretty equal. They haven’t made too many new signings which could really help them, they know the manager more, and he knows the players more. They’ve signed a new defender, which they needed, and a new midfielder who seems to have slotted in just fine. Clever business because they didn’t really much of anything else. Sometimes more new players can rock the boat a bit much and upset the existing players. If ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Stoke haven’t really got off to the start people expected. It’s only two games in, but with games Villa and Hull, we may have expected more than just a single point. Even then, they were very lucky to get that point against Hull with the dodgy throw in decision. As aggrieved as Steve Bruce will feel, Hughes will feel a sense of relief. He needs to get them playing better soon, but i don’t think it’ll start this weekend. If they do try to out play Man City, they’ll be opened up so many times and they’ll take a hammering. They need to be solid at the back, don’t try to be fancy, when a ball needs clearing... just clear it! No square passes that can leave you susceptible to being attacked quickly. Just get the ball up to crouch and support when you can. Basically, defend for your life and hope not to concede a cricket score. There’s no shame in playing this way aginst city at home, most teams will do the same.

Verdict: Man City win, can’t see anything else. 3-0.   

Newcastle v Crystal Palace

Newcastle fans will be expecting three points from this game. The fans expect a lot from their team and i think they’ll get the points this weekend. Lots of new players have come in and most seem to have fit in ok. The game against Villa was far from a box office classic but none-the-less they got a point from it. However, when you hear that Villa have had four shots on target in their last four games, i bet Newcastle fans will all of a sudden think this one point gained is actually two dropped. I still wonder where the goals will come from for Newcastle, and if they’re defensively strong enough to keep clean sheets. After such a god performance against Arsenal on the opening day, Palace will be disappointed they played so poorly against West Ham. West Ham completely out played them. They have a new manager now, and a one they knew well in Neil Warnock, maybe the fresh manager may give them some life because they’ll need it at Newcastle. Not sure they have the team to really hurt Newcastle this weekend, but the big question is can they stay solid against and defend well enough to take some points back to London.

Verdict: Newcastle win. I think they have more creative layers but perhaps lack the players really able to score the goals. But Palace didn’t defend well at all last week so maybe Newcastle can steal a goal to win it 1-0.

West Ham v Southampton

Decent start by both teams. West Ham was very impressive last weekend, really played well and fully deserved the win. Mark Noble is one of the most under rated players in the league. He can dictate play from centre midfield as good as anyone. He’s neat and tidy on the ball, and a good passer. Last weekend they passed the ball through the midfield and used Noble to do this. They also had Mauro Zarate up front who was a constant menace. He’s a very typical Argentine striker. Small in stature, good dribbler and with a low centre of gravity, he’s tough to push off the ball. He frequently came deep to collect the ball, then turned and ran at defender. This happened most the game and when they done that, they weren’t able to play the long ball they usually would have. As a consequence, they played some really tidy football and it was a good attacking performance from West Ham. Southampton on the other hand, despite a good performance against Liverpool, they will have been disappointed not to beat Brom at home. These games are highlighted on the calendar as three pointers. But they still didn’t lose it, and got another point. Both teams will fancy a win from this game. I was really impressed with Zarate and think he could be really big player for West Ham this season. I think we’re still waiting to see how Southampton will fair at the moment.

Verdict: If West Ham can play the same way as last weekend, saints will struggle and it could be another three points for West Ham. But Southampton are better than Palace so i can see a tougher test for West Ham so it’ll be a draw.

 

Villa v Hull

After a decent victory against Stoke i thought Villa may surprise me a little since i tipped them to struggle. I’ve seen a little more of them and i feel my instincts may have been correct. Stoke haven’t started too well either and this may have been influential in Villa’s win. Delph and N’Zogbia have a lot to prove this season. They both started off in their careers looking like having fantastic potential, and then they both just went off the boil. If Villa can get the best out of them, they’ll make their case against survival much stronger. They relied so heavily on Benteke for goals last season, and they look like they’re really missing him. I can’t see where goals will come from... and the recent stats certainly don’t help them. Hull going out of Europe in the first round could actually be a blessing in disguise. We see so many teams suffer in the league because of a packed European schedule, and the financial benefits aren’t great either. They still have a good team and they’re slowly, one by one, picking up some real bargains to add some more quality. Moreover, what is pleasing to see, is Steve Bruce is investing in the English market, buying English players. The fans will enjoy seeing this. English players usually cost a great deal more than other players from other countries, but he’s managed to get players like Michael Dawson, Huddlestone, Livermore, Ince, and Curtis Davies all for decent prices. And these guys are all good players. Steve Bruce should be happy with his business and i thoroughly hope they do well this year. With such a good strong, consistent and organised core of a team, i can’t see Hull struggling too much this year and they may just surprise a few people these coming years. In this fixture i can see Hull having more play in the middle of the field. Huddlestone is as good as anyone at bossing the play, i also think Hull are much more solid in defence and Villa aren’t offering much at the moment up front. However, the pace of Agbonlahor is incomparable. They need to try and utilise this more often, get him running in behind defenders. Unfortunately, Hull are still missing that striker they crave since Long went and without him they may lack some fire power this weekend. Despite Hull possibly having better play, Villa may be good enough in defence to stop them.

Verdict: Could swing either way this game, i do fancy a draw though. I just think if Hull had a guy to really put the ball in the net they would nick a win here. They have until Monday night to get one, and they’ll need to i think. Villa needs a few players and some better consistency. Tactically they could improve too. Draw 0-0.  

Leicester v Arsenal

Even though they’re at opposite ends of the table, and will be most the year, you’d have to say that Leicester have made a better start to the league than Arsenal. Not much was expected from Leicester, whereas, much more was expected from the gunners. Leicester have had two hard fixtures against Everton and Chelsea so far and done really well in both games. They’re a good model to demonstrate how good organisation and hard work can pay off. You don’t always need flair players, a lot of time these players can try something to extravagant, lose the ball and put their team in danger. These sorts of players are great in bigger teams where you can try it every now and then and if doesn’t come off you’ve got the defenders behind you to sort it, or you can rely on scoring a few in a game. Teams like Leicester can’t boast that, so they don’t risk having those players. That’s their strong point, hard work and organisation and so far it looks like it could pay off. I still think with this endeavour, it doesn’t always keep you up. Big question is whether it can pay off and get enough points against teams around them. They’ll set out against Arsenal similar to how they did against Chelsea. They’ll try to defend deep and hit on the break. They’ll find it easier than they did against Chelsea, because Arsenal aren’t as good as Chelsea. I really wanted to see Sanchez play up front, and he did last weekend... he didn’t touch the ball once in the box. That’s not good enough. When Giroud came on he was all action and desperate to get in the box, and that’s why they scored two and looked better in the second half. The fact that he’s out for a long time will be a huge blow for Wenger. He’ll need to tell Sanchez to get in the box more if he’s gonna be his main striker now. Ozil and Wilshere aren’t impressing at the moment either. They’re two of Arsenals main players in midfield, and they need to learn from Ramsey, because he’s the only guy going the extra mile at the moment. You barely realise either are playing sometimes. Leicester will set up to really try to bully and disrupt the Arsenal play, and the way Arsenal are playing right now, that could easily happen. They’ll have a tough time at Leicester it’ll take a few moments of magic from some big players to break down the Leicester defence. Compare Sanchez to Costa last week. Costa stood up to the big Leicester defenders and gave them a real run for their money, he was physical, strong and really up for the battle... i can see Sanchez, Ozil and co perhaps spending most of their evenings trying to avoid get hurt from Wes Morgan.

Verdict: Tough game for Arsenal. They’ll have most the ball for sure but they’ll find it tough make chances. They should have enough quality in the team to sneak a goal or two with all the possession. It’s hard to keep so organised and work so hard with out the ball and surely Leicester may just lose that concentration once or twice. 

Tottenham v Liverpool

Another big game, biggest game of the weekend for most i’d imagine. Spurs have been decent so far but this will be their first major test against one of the big teams. I think we’ll learn a lot from Spurs in this game, if they really can compete with teams around the top spots. They were excellent against QPR. I know people will argue that QPR didn’t play well, really poorly may be more accurate, but none-the-less Spurs were excellent. Adebayor gave a really good performance up front, he was the centre of so much and he looks like he has his appetite for the game back. That is only a good thing for Spurs. They seem to have a more solid look about them and i think the brand of football Pochettino will try to implement will really work and the fans will enjoy it too. Liverpool is a good team though, i personally think they’ve added some really good players this year and look stronger than last season. That being said, i can’t see them finishing second again, but i can see them being in the top four. Markovic was excellent when he came on and he should have a very good year. Balotelli, well, he’s box office isn’t he, that’s about all you can say. His talent is undeniable, but his temperament is torrid for managers, players and fans. For £16m, it’s not such a big gamble, especially as Borini looks like he’s leaving for around £12-14m. He could be such a talisman for Liverpool, then again, he could be more trouble than he’s worth, personally i think he’ll be a decent signing and will do well. For me Spurs still seem a little bit “work in progress”, but they’re still a very good team and will cause Liverpool problems, but i do like some of the players Rodgers has brought in. I can see Liverpool just edging this game.

Verdict: A really close game, spurs are always improving, but i think Liverpool have a stronger team and seem a more complete prospect at the moment. I can see Liverpool winning it by a single goal (1-2) but it’s so close to call, i wouldn’t be surprised if Spurs prove me wrong.       

Second round fixtures

Aston Villa v Newcastle

Aton Villa picked up a good win against Stoke last weekend. I’m not sure whether i expected more from Stoke, or Villa were better than i thought they would be, either way it was an important win for Villa at a ground i still think most teams will find tough to visit. However, despite this win, it will take more than just this match to convince me that Villa have enough to keep them safe from relegation. That win will really give the Villa fans hope for this game too. Weimann is probably Villa’s best hope of scoring goals at the moment. With no Benteke they’ll need his hard work. He seems to be at the heart of most good moves and will chip in with a few goals and assists but that might not be enough for Villa. Villa will fancy their chances against Newcastle. On the other hand, after watching their team put in a hearty performance against last season’s champions, i’m sure Newcastle fans will fancy three points against Villa too. That’s what makes this fixture so appealing. I thought Newcastle were slightly unlucky against Man City. They gave a lot of new player’s debuts and some of those looked like they may pay off. Cabella looks like he’ll excite the fans. He’s good on the ball, likes to dribble and take on players and has a trick or two. However, although we all love to see it when a piece fancy play comes off, the problem is when players try these tricks they often overcomplicate a move and frequently ruin it. Fans will not like this especially when a simpler technique would be more effective. Ayoze Perez came off the bench and almost made an immediate impact. What an entrance that would have been. He looked lively and seemed to impose more of a goal threat than Riviere did. Riviere worked very hard, chased a lot of loose balls seemed to give it his all. However, with all that hard work he did seem to lack a bit of composure and technique. Maybe this is just early season rust or nerves. I think getting a goal or two in the next two or three fixtures will help him a lot and get the fans on his side because even with all the hard work the fans will like to see, they’ll demand he scores goals too.

Verdict: Got to go for a draw. Both teams will push for winners and perhaps with Villa picking up that win last weekend they may try to push that little harder, but ultimately i can see this being either 0-0 or 1-1.

Swansea v Burnley:

Swansea won the performance of the weekend in most people eyes. I didn’t give them much of a chance against Utd, but they really showed a lot of class. I honestly didn’t expect it but they were solid, organised and still passed the ball around like the Swansea of old. If they can maintain this sort of form for even half the season, i think they’ll stay up. Although they lost a few key players, they’ve replaced them with some guys who are more than capable keeping them safe. Sigurdsson was very good. He’ll be a key player for them. Ki coming back after such an impressive stint at Sunderland was a good call too. Those two will provide some real composure and class in the middle of the field. Bony is a constant threat up front and can certainly score a goal or two, and they still have Dyer and Routledge on the wings. These guys work so hard and are real old fashioned wingers. They’re fast, direct and tricky. To give them some competition they signed Montero who at times in the world cup looked brilliant. I think he could be real good piece of business for Swansea. I doubt many full backs will find it easy to defend against any of them this season. Burnley had the toughest start to the season by playing Chelsea. Who would have ever thought they would have been winning 1-0? But it didn’t last long and class really shone through. Burnley were always going to be second best in this fixture so I don’t think we can judge them too much from this game because they’ll be competing at very different ends of the table. This was more for the fans and the players. The fans needed to just enjoy the occasion of being back in the premier league and hosting one of the biggest teams in the division, whereas, most players in the Burnley team won’t have played a premier league game in their careers. It wasn’t a total catastrophe at all. They had some decent moments, but even when they were winning briefly, they still never looked like they’d get much from the game. As i said last week, their season will start here, unfortunately, Swansea don’t look half bad against Utd. This won’t have been what any Burnley fan will have wanted to see. They would have preferred playing a Swansea team that just got a pasting from Utd.

Verdict: Swansea will be flying high on confidence after their win. I thought this may have been a closer game to call, but because Swansea surprised most of us with that win last weekend, i think they’ll come out on top. Burnley will find it easier than playing Chelsea, but still won’t come away with anything, 1-0 Swansea. 

Southampton v West Brom

Similar to Swansea, i never really gave Southampton much of chance against Liverpool. Just like how i thought Swansea had lost their key players and manager, i thought the same would have happened to Southampton. Credit where credit is due, Southampton should be really proud of their performance and they were very unlucky not to take points instead of just positives from this game. Southampton looked really composed on the ball, organised and well drilled. You have to give Ronald Koeman the credit for this. To get this sort of organisation from such a new group of players demonstrates real tactic awareness and manager prowess. Dusan Tadic looked a very good player. I think their fans will be looking forward to this fixture because, no disrespect to Brom, they’ll genuinely expect three points. Koeman will still be hoping to bring in another one or two players (especially if they lose Schneiderlin) but Southampton fans should be encouraged from the Liverpool game. West Brom will be a little disappointed in not beating Sunderland and their disappointment will stem from two main reasons. Firstly, Sunderland at home is a game fans want to be winning. Secondly, they never really out played their visitors. West Brom have a decent team with some good players so they will have looked at playing Sunderland and then Southampton as a favourable start to the league, but they need to get more settled. I think using Anichebe as a target man is a guy who can really hold the ball up will be a good outlet for them. He can really make life hard for centre backs, but the big question of his, is can he score enough goals?

Verdict: Another evenly matched game i think, very difficult to call. Based on the opening day alone, i think Southampton will just sneak a win here, but Brom will never be out of the game. 1-0 saints.      

Chelsea v Leicester

Chelsea got off to great start, well almost, but they responded quickly to calm any nerves. They looked good in this game, even if they were playing the team that’s favourite to go down. Fabregas looked right at home back in premier league and Costa was always a handful. I think with these two signings, Mourinho knew exactly what he was getting, and he got exactly that on Monday night from them. Personally, if you take out Man City’s forwards, Chelsea has the strongest team. They’re spoilt rotten for midfielders. Finding the right combination, as well as keeping them all happy will be Mourinhos biggest challenge. They couldn’t have wished for a better start than playing two of the promoted teams and they’ll expect to put out a marker for the rest of the season by getting another convincing three points this weekend. Leicester gave a really good performance against Everton. I fancied Everton to sneak a winner in this game but the Leicester players really dug deep and managed to get a good point from the game. I think most fans will be pleased with what they saw, especially seeing their new signing (Ulloa) scoring on his home debut. I’m sticking to my initial expectations and think they will struggle and may lack a little bit of quality through the season. First few games and especially their first home game back in the top league, players will raise their levels of commitment but not many teams can compete like this all through the season.

Verdict: Leicester will come with a game plan to defend deep, keep it narrow and try to make it hard for the Chelsea midfielders to get any time and space, but they've got some of the best players in the world and i don’t think Leicester will be able to stop them. Chelsea 3-0.     

Crystal palace v West Ham

Crystal Palace was another team to surprise people this weekend. Not many people (including myself) gave them much of chance against Arsenal, but they nearly pulled it off, and didn’t play badly either. Yes, you can debate that perhaps Arsenal weren’t in great shape themselves but let’s not take credit away from Palace who were left in a tricky situation with their manager leaving only two days prior to the game. The home form of Palace will be key this season. Part of the reason they stayed up last year was because they try to make Selhurst Park a fortress. The fans will be right up for this derby too. I still think Palace lack a lot of quality on paper which is why i think they’ll struggle. Hangeland has been such a good defender over the last few seasons, but last year he was shaky and that was apparent again against Arsenal. Yes, he scored a great header, but he was also perhaps at fault for the Arsenal goals too. However, this game will suit him more. The Palace defenders won’t have enjoyed technical Arsenal players running at them all and passing around them day, but they’ll cope better with the direct, long ball tactics West ham try to employ. West Ham got off to a tricky start. Losing against Spurs isn’t the most shameful of results, especially when they missed a clear scoring chance from the spot, but i think they looked poor all round. They need to get a manager who the fans and the board openly back, and also need some reinvestiment because they’re squad is not good enough either. If i was a west ham fan, i’d be worried, there seems a real lack of unity throughout the entire club and that can lead to serious problems through the season. Both teams will clearly fancy themselves to win this game. I would say that both teams are in poor situations and should fizzle out to be draw. It will be blood and guts in this game as both teams lack some quality and will rely on hard work and endeavour.

Verdict: Should be horrible game to watch for the neutral. Just because of the team spirit and the way they set out against Arsenal, i can see Palace nicking a 1-0 win here. James Collins will be sorely missed for West Ham, even if he is prone to getting sent off every game!

Everton v Arsenal

I think most people will have fancied Everton to beat Leicester last weekend, but this result certainly wasn’t a failing on Everton’s behalf. Give credit to Leicester, especially to come back from behind shows courage. Not many signings in the preseason so far from Martinez but that can sometimes help a team start the league, because they already know each other, their styles of play and the manager generally doesn’t have to try new things to find his best tactics. Everton looked the same decent team as last year, however, the news that Barkley could be out for a while is a blow. I think all Everton (and England) fans will have wanted to see more of him this season. My biggest concern for Everton is in two areas. Firstly, who else can challenge Lukaku for the starting spot? What if he loses form or gets injured? And because he is such an important part of their play, his form is key for Everton. Secondly, do they have the correct cover for the centre backs? Although Distin has been one of the premier leagues most consistent centre backs, he is getting older. This match should provide some really nice, short sharp passing. In oppose to the Palace v West ham match, this should be a very technical and easy on the eye match. Despite winning the match, Arsenal didn’t turn up against Palace. They’ll need to up their performance this weekend for sure. I was extremely surprised to see Sanogo start instead of Giroud. Giroud had a good year last season, even if the goals seemed to dry up a little. He’s a great target man, whereas, Sanogo seemed a little lost up front and never really threatened the Palace defence. All eyes were on Sanchez and he done ok. He got on the ball and i still think he’ll be class act this season. I would like to see him through the middle a little more though. Every now and then for Barcelona we would play this position and he looked really dangerous. From the middle he can often drift out wide and almost has a free role, a little similarly to how Henry used to find himself on the left. The return of Ozil and Mertersacker for Arsenal this weekend will be pleasing for fans too. Think this will be a really close game to call.

Verdict: Can’t call this one easily. If arsenal don’t improve from the Palace game they’ll lose against Everton who will be rallied by a home crowd. Ultimately i think it’ll end 1-1 because Arsenal will mildly improve.  

Hull v Stoke

Hull will be happy at beating QPR last weekend. Although it’s always nice to beat the big teams, there’s nothing more convincing and more important than beating the smaller teams who are expected to struggle. It’s important to beat the teams who are predicted to finish around the same positions as you so both these teams will going all out looking for a win here. After selling Long Hull will need a new striker but what is encouraging is that Steve Bruce has openly came out and said that and seems to be actively searching for one. I’d be confident they’ll get one too. Other than a striker, i don’t think Hull will be looking for much else and i don’t think they’ll need to either. Playing in Europe can really hinder teams progression but if they manage the players they have appropriately, they can do ok in Europe and still survive in the premier league. I think Steve Bruce knows how important survival is too and he won’t sacrifice one for the other. I think Stoke will be disappointed in not beating Villa and they’ll be looking to put on a better display here. I can’t emphasis enough how important it is to get points against teams in the same bracket as you, and when you’re at home you really need to raise your game and win them. It’s when you lose these sorts of games you find yourself fighting relegation so it’s important Stoke don’t get into a habit of losing these sorts of fixtures. Despite the fact that Stoke lost, it’s too early for them to lose moral so they’ll be pumped up for it and will certainly make it an entertaining fixture. It seems to have gone slightly dead on the transfer front for Stoke so perhaps they’re business is concluded, but don’t rule out a cheeky loan signing on deadline day, this is where most business is done when teams and managers being to panic.

Verdict: One paper this game should be close and both teams may go out with some free flowing stuff. Again, to close to call so i’ll say a 1-1 draw. However, you’d be crazy to rule out a single goal winner from either side.

Sunderland v Man Utd

Sunderland seems to enjoy playing Man Utd of late and they’ll be looking forward to this game too. Not that i’m expecting Sunderland to guarantee a home victory at all, but Man Utd are a wounded animal at the moment and another week has gone by where they have failed to sign any players (although it is looking increasingly likely they’ll get a few in). Sunderland got off to a good start last week. Despite the fact they didn’t win the game against Brom, they looked like the better side and still got a point away from home which i think is very encouraging. There’s no pressure on the Sunderland players for this game either. Go out and enjoy playing against them, exhibition stuff. The same cannot be said for Utd. After the result last weekend, and more so the performance, the pressure is really on already and the fans will be demanding a win in this game. Van Gaal seems to look like he’ll handle pressure well but the only way to ease that pressure is to win games, and they’ll only do that when they sign some key players. Somehow, the side from last week looked even weaker than it did last season so it needs to happen fast. I honestly think Man Utd will not find this game easy either. Sunderland is different team to last year and Poyet has been making his mark on them. They play decent football and are much more organised than previously. As well as a few good signings, Man Utd needs Van Persie back soon too.  If i was Sunderland i wouldn’t be worried about playing Man Utd this weekend, i’d be excited because they’ll fancy getting a result here. That fear factor has gone with Man Utd and that’s a huge thing to lose when you’re a big team in the league.

Verdict: Sunderland may pull something off here, perhaps getting a draw. Even though Man Utd is struggling at the moment they’ll need to perform to a high standard throughout the whole game, unfortunately i can see Man Utd snatching a win in an unconvincing manner. This may relieve some pressure, but i can’t see a good enough performance to completely ease the fans concerns. 

Tottenham v QPR

Spurs are a team i just can’t put my finger on at the moment. In previous seasons they’ve looked almost certain to finish around the 5^th-7^th positions, but i’m not sure how it’ll go this season. Whatever happens, they need to stand by Pochettino. He’s a good manager and will need a little time even if it is next season when they begin to move up. I’d still eb concerned if i were a Spurs fan as they seem to have barely anything upfront. I wouldn’t rely on Adebayor. At times he can be a world beater, but when he’s bad, he’s dreadful. When you’re pushing for places at the top you need a striker that will be a hell of a lot more consistent than him. Unfortunately they haven’t got much better off the bench at the moment either. As good as what he was in Spanish football with Valencia, Soldado just hasn’t adapted to English football and doesn’t seem to be improving a great deal. He requires balls being whipped into the box and a fast pace, but the way Spurs play with a patient build up doesn’t suit his assets. Confidence is everything to a forward. When you have it, it makes you look like a totally different player and i’d be concerned that Soldado’s has gone completely. The only way to get it back is by scoring goals and he isn’t going to do that on the bench. It’s a tough situation for Pochettino, personally i’d go out and buy another striker, perhaps Remy. Lamela was another player tipped for things almost as big as his price tag, and he hasn't adapted either. Last week he didn’t have a good game either. No doubt, Spurs will fancy this match. Spurs fans always travel in numbers and at a London derby they’ll get right behind them. I still fancy QPR to struggle. On paper, they’re not good enough and Harry being Harry won’t start and do his business until around 11:00pm (British time) on the 31^st of August. Dunne and Ferdinand at the back could struggle a little this year too, they’ve been fantastic in the past but neither is exactly mobile these days and they’ll rely on the youth and physicality of Caulker. They don’t particularly convince me of any position on the field and i think they’ll need a number of players to come in to help them out. Losing against Hull won’t have helped last weekend either.

Verdict: Spurs fans will be demanding three points this weekend. I imagine QPR will be hoping for a draw out of this game so they’ll try to be solid and hard to break down. Looking at last weekend, West Ham was the same and Spurs only just got a winner in the last minute. If Spurs can get a good performance from Adebayor they’ll win, but if he fails to show up then a QPR could get a 0-0 draw. I’m still going for a 1-0 Spurs win.   

  

Man City v Liverpool

First big game of the season! Last years top two teams. Liverpool will be looking to get revenge, whereas, City will want to prove they really were the best. City weren’t overly convincing against Newcastle at the weekend, i don’t want to take anything away from a hearty Newcastle performance but City should be playing better with the squad they have. When Zabaleta and Aguero come back in they’ll improve again. Aguero is one of, if not the best striker in the league, he’ll improve any squad in the world. Again, i think Cities business is done and they have a good team to really compete in the league and Europe in my eyes. Liverpool also didn't really impress much against Southampton, who similar to Newcastle, really performed well. To get anything from this game they’ll need to play well but Liverpool are capable of it. They have some good players and i think Sterling could be immense for them. He’s so quick and energetic he’ll give defenders a torrid time but with all that energy, he’s also got talent. At times last year he looked a little raw but he’s improved a lot on the technical side of things. Sturidge scored the winner, but he didn’t seem the same lethal force as he was with Suarez next to him. As good as what Suarez was that shouldn’t be a surprise. I still think he’ll score a few goals this year, but they’ll need another guy to help with a few goals too. Hence the return of Mad Mario. For £12m he could be a decent signing. If they can keep him happy he shows real class and had a great season for Milan last year, but try keeping him happy. What is important for both these teams is that despite not playing well, they both managed to get three points and being able to win when you don’t play well is a trait clubs that win leagues have.

Verdict: Excellent game, really looking forward to it, should be really entertaining. I think it’ll be a close game but city may just come out on top because of the strike force they have. They also have a phenomenal home record. City to win 2-1.     

Opening weekend fixtures

Man Utd v Swansea

This will be interesting for both clubs as both seem to be going through a bit of new transition. We all know how Moyes faired at Man Utd, whose fault that was is peoples own opinion, but it’s over now, and the Van Gaal period is beginning from here. No doubt he’ll improve it, not because i think Moyes is a bad manager, i just think Van Gaal fits the Utd mould better. He’ll get them organised and ruthless. During the world cup he got an average Holland side pretty far by making hard to beat and organised, and he’ll do that at Utd too. I’m a little surprised he hasn’t spent more money so far, but he’ll make a few signings before the end of the transfer window for sure. With that in mind, this could be good time to play Man Utd, but with it being his first home game a full crowd will make a huge difference.

The success of the Spanish Armanda Laudrup brought in seems to be changing very quickly with Garry Monk getting rid of some key players for Swansea. I’m so surprised good players with the likes of Michu, Chico and Hernandez followed Laudrup to Qatar but that shows how big an influence a manager can be. I think Swansea will struggle this year to be honest. They never looked the same as the team since Laudrup left and Monk took over. He’s got a hard job. They were looking strong, playing great passing football and moving up the league and into European competitions, but it started to go downhill and never really got back going again. It seems more players have gone out than came in which is never very encouraging. Sigurdsson is a good signing but they will need a lot more to avoid a relegation scrap. Saying that, the pressure should be off and as with most teams this year, if they get anything out of this match, it’s a plus.

Verdict: Mainly because i think Swansea will struggle this year, it’s got to be a comfortable win for Man Utd 2-0.

Stoke v Villa

The old Stoke we were used to watching at the Britannia under Tony Pulis is fading away. Once over, stoke loved nothing more than to be playing at home on a cold, windy, rainy night where they could bully teams into submission with long balls and a physical style of play, but Hughes is trying to get them playing neat and tidy football and it’s working. He’s gradually brought in some talented, technical players and last year they done well. Not much has changed so there’s no reason why they won’t continue to stay around that 12-15^th spots. Villa on the other hand, i can’t say the same. Nothing much has changed from last year and i don’t think they weren't good enough then. They’ll be without Benteke, who is easily there key man, and they will find it hard to keep up with most of the teams this year. They relied heavily on hard work and grinding out results last year and i personally thought they would drop. Sadly, no real game changers have came in except Joe Cole (who has a last chance to prove himself) and without Benteke, and possibly Vlaar going, they will find it tough. They could go down in my eyes which is a shame because with the right backing Lambert is good manager and could do well.

Verdict: Stoke will win it in the second half, but Villa will not go down without a fight, they may just lack that individual talent that stoke now have. Home advantage will help too 2-0.

QPR v Hull

QPR are in a better position this season than they were last time they were in the premier league and that’s because of Harry Reknapp. Harry has been neat and tidy in the league, but they’ll still need more. Ferdinand is an interesting choice and whether he is still a good enough defender to do it in the premier league, in a struggling team, and whether he can stay injury free will be big for QPR. As big a signing as Ferdinand may seem, the signing of Caulker is brilliant. He was sensational for Cardiff last year and he’ll be easily as reliable for QPR this year. He’s solid and i think he could have gone to a bigger club (no offence to QPR). They’ll need more in midfield and probably up top with Remy looking likely to go (and that would be a big loss for them), but we all know Harry will pull off some cheeky business deals come 31^st of August. With that in mind, playing QPR before Harry gets to bring in these players might be good timing for Hull. Last season Hull stayed up against odds, and never looked in trouble. Steve Bruce should be delighted, they were organised, hard working and with Huddlestone and Livermore in midfield, they provided that premier league class that got them dictating play from the midfield which is so important in the premier league. Keeping a hold of those two is good, as i thought some other clubs may have fancied taking them away. Tom Ince will be a good signing but if they lose Long, they’ll need to hunt out another striker. I can see hull staying up again but it won’t be as comfortable as last year.    

Verdict: Both managers will fancy this as a potential 3 points on the calendar, or at least not losing 3 points. I think QPR will struggle this year, but i can see them nicking a 1-0 win on the weekend. The small and tight Loftus road pitch is tough to play on and they need to utilise that this season. 

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

Arsenal finally looked the real deal last year after spending a record fee on Ozil,... then injuries occurred and the form of Giroud and Ozil, in particular, subsided and they slowly fell by the wayside. Ramsey was class. He was one of the best midfielders in the world last season, never mind the premier league. I think keeping key players injury free is key and with Sanchez potentially being my signing of the season, they’ll be stronger this year and i except them to mount a bigger challenge.

Palace was everyone’s favourite to go down, if they say they weren’t, they’re lying to you. Tony Pulis replaced Holloway and he got them playing exactly how you’d expect a Tony Pulis team to play... not pretty at all, but tough, physical, and hard to beat. They’ll still be all that this year too, but they haven’t done much in the transfer window when i think they needed too. Same as Villa, hard work and organisation only goes so far in the premier league without that individual flair and spark from a few players. It only takes one lapse in concentration, and that can happen to even the best players from time to time, and that organisation becomes undone and you’re punished. Palace will be kicking round the bottom i think.

Verdict: Arsenal needs to win this one and everyone expects it for sure. They should win it comfortably 3-0. Saying that, Arsenal like to slip up on the opening day, you ask villa fans from last year.

West Brom v Sunderland

Not many changes at West Brom this pre-season, a few signings namely Joleon Lescott. I think he could be a decent signing for them. He made a good partnership with Kompany at Man City, but then he seemed to slip down the pecking order, so if he can recapture some of that form, he’ll be a solid acquisition for Brom. I also think they need to stand by their managers, either that or make a decision that they’re prepared to back. Recently they’ve not really gave any managers they’ve appointed a great deal of confidence. They were always so consistent with backing their managers but the sacking of Steve Clarke sparked worry i think. West Brom struggled last year, but they’ve got some good players and i expect them to be more comfortable this year. There are certainly 3 worse squads in the premier league than West Brom.

Gus Poyet achieved the almost impossible with Sunderland last year, they can back from an almost dyer situation, but they had a good run of form towards the end. One thing is for sure, Sunderland need to begin beating the teams around them, in the league especially at home and i think that was their big problem last year. However, if one thing came of out of the end of last year, was the form of Adam Johnson. He was a showing the form we always knew he could. If they bring back Borini too that would be huge bonus because he was inspirational too. What will be big for Sunderland is keeping consistency going. O’Shea and Brown need to keep fit and solid (which they can be), Johnson needs to stay fit and on form, but also Fletcher and Altidore need to start scoring goals! They could hardly hit the net between them last year, but i think they’re both capable of it. If they get a good start to the year and score a few goals, themselves, and Sunderland will find it a much improved season.

Verdict: Both teams will fancy at least point out of this game, and i think both will get a point.1-1. 

Leicester v Everton:

Leicester stormed the championship last year, with relevant ease. This year will be different. They’ll find it hard and i’m not sure they’ll survive the drop. They've done some business but nothing that changes my mind. Nugent and Vardy were a great partnership last year, they chased every ball and worked so hard, but that won’t get them far in the premier league, the step up is huge these days, i can’t see them having much luck against top defenders. They’re other big signing, Ulloa, i’m reserving judgment for, but at the moment, i think he’ll struggle to find the right service to score goals. Pearson is a good manager so i’m completely writing them off yet.

Martinez done a great job at Everton last year. He had a difficult task to replace Moyes and he did a better job of replacing Moyes, than Moyes did replacing Ferguson at Utd. He revamped their playing style, made the team his own and it worked a treat. They’re main permanent signings so far have been the loan signings they had last year, but both Barry and Lukaku were brilliant last year, so that’s good business. Everton will be as solid as last year and i think they’ll be comfortably in that top 10, whether that’ll be enough for Everton fans we’ll have to see.

Verdict: Everton win for me. Although, Leicester will give it their all and the fans will keep their team working hard. Everton to sneak a goal in the second half to win it 0-1.

West Ham v Tottenham

West ham went through most of the season without a striker last year and the hammers fans were called for “Big Sam’s” head for most of it. I don’t think the pre-season has really quietened those fans down either as most still seem to want him gone. The main reason is because of the brand of football he opts to play which isn’t exactly pretty, but can be very effective, especially when you have the ideal tool. Andy Carroll is that ideal tool. Unfortunately, they don’t have that tool because it’s always injured. This won’t help Sam’s case with the fans on the pitch or off the pitch and i think he’ll be the first manager to be sacked this year. West Ham haven’t really strengthened much, only a few players of note have came in, Enner Valenica arrived for £12m so already there’s pressure on the new guy to hit the ground running. I think they’ll find themselves in and around the drop zone, but if they keep Sam, i can’t see them getting relegated, even if they don’t like how they stay up!

It seems like yet again another season and another big chance for spurs to push on. Daniel Levy certainly isn’t a man to give managers bedding in periods! Last season, after receiving a world record fee for Bale, they spent it badly. They went and tried to buy any player who was available, instead of who was right. A few players moulded but most didn’t. Another new season, and this time they have a new manager, but pretty much the same squad. I think the squad is strong but they may need to add another striker (perhaps Remy?) but they have a good manager in Pochettino. Levy needs to stand by this guy as he proved his worth doing wonders with Southampton. I think he’s going about his business properly too. He knows they have good players so hasn’t went out and bought quickly and rashly, he’s going to evaluate what he has and buy where he needs, like what good managers do. I think Spurs will do ok this year, they’ll be in the top 10 comfortably probably similar to Everton. However, if Levy wants champions league football, he’s not going to get it this year, and he’s certainly not going to get it changing managers and squads so quickly! I expect Pochettino to get more from Soldado and Lamela this year too.

Verdict: Tottenham to win this one narrowly or maybe a draw... 0-1 Spurs!   

Liverpool v Southampton:

A lot to write about this fixture. Firstly, what a season Liverpool had last year. I think every neutral wanted to see Liverpool clinch the title on the last day and for so long they looked they would. Brendan Rodgers will be gutted, because not only did he come so close to winning the title, i’m sure if he was honest, he’d tell you they won’t have a better chance to win it in the next couple of years or so. Like him or loath him (generally the latter), Suarez was a class act last season, he finally got his down and showed the world how good he was at football without all stupid incidents that usually gets himself the headlines... then he does it again. Not dwelling on it, but i for one am happy he’s gone and think Liverpool, as a professional sports club deserve a lot of credit for getting rid (and at a handsome price) of that bad egg employee. He’s bad for the club... but he’ll be missed. Now Sturridge has a lot on his shoulders and the big question is can he do it alone, because at the moment he’s not got a load of other strikers to compete with him. Lambert is decent but he’s not the sort of signing a champions league club would make in my eyes. They spent a lot on Lallana and Markovic. We’ll see how the fit in, but without any European football and only the premier league to focus on, last year was their year to do it. They’ll still be strong and will be up with the best going for a champions league spot, but i can’t see them coming as close this year. Let’s hope they do it for Gerrard after the commitment and career he’s had.

Southampton... where to start, naturally, the (close to) £100m kitty they got for selling... nearly their entire team, and losing their manager who was the centre of the good football they played. Sorry Saints fans but remember last year fondly because this season will be different i think. Koeman is a good manager, but like all managers, he needs to tools to work with. What was good about Southampton last year was they had a solid spine of the team. Fonte and Lovren were great in defence, Wanyama and Schneiderlin were tidy in midfield, Lallana was a creative force and Lambert was working hard up front... thinking that Schneiderlin will eventually leave, not many of those are left and that should be a concern for Southampton. Although i’ll reserve judgement on the new signings, i can’t see Southampton anywhere close to how good last season was. I can see them hovering around that 15^th spot.

Verdict: Liverpool to win 3-0. I think Liverpool will want to show people that last season wasn’t a fluke and put on opening day feast for the kop. Saints will struggle to adjust to big changes.    

Burnley v Chelsea:

David versus goliath right here and Burnely fans won’t get a harder task all season. This is free game for them, the fans just need to enjoy the spectacle of hosting Chelsea and opening day will be a great occasion for them to do it. Who knows, they may pull off an upset, but if they do, it’ll be the biggest upset for the entire season. Burnley know how hard it will be and i’m sure even the most die hard fan will expect them to go straight back down, but they’ve got a hard working team and if the fans get behind them, they could get Turf Moor rocking. It’ll be important for the players to enjoy the occasion and keep moral up, but the fans will need to do their part too, they need to support their team and not to get on players backs easily, because that’ll make things worse for sure. Mourinho is doing it again, give him parts to make a tank, he’ll make you a tank but if you give parts to make a Ferrari, he’ll still make you a tank! He’s starting to put a stamp on his team too. Losing Lampard will be big, but getting Fabregas to replace him is a stroke of genius. No one better to replace him in my mind, he’ll be a star, just like he was for Arsenal and just like he was for Barcelona. Don’t be surprised to see him score around 15 or more goals this year. Barcelona’s lose is certainly Chelsea’s gain. Diego Costa was brilliant last year, had a season to remember. He showed class to step up and fill the main strikers role after Falcao left Atletico and he almost single handily scored the goals to make Atletico champions of Spain. With his style of play and his characteristics, he should fit in fine and score goals but we know how some big money Chelsea strikers have fared poorly in the past, and one of them is still there. If Fernando Torres didn’t cost £50m, he’d be gone by now, it’s only because they don’t want to make such a huge loss on him that he still has a shirt number. Chelsea will be battling with the best and be right in the mix for the title this year.  

Verdict: Chelsea win 0-3, but Burnley shouldn’t take anything too negative from this game. Their real season starts next week when they play Swansea. Unlike a lot of clubs who are still looking to do business, Chelsea seem to have done all there’s (except maybe another centre back) which means they should hit the ground running from the start, bad news for Burnley.

Newcastle v Man city:

Newcastle is the hardest team to predict. Sometimes they’re world beaters sometimes they look dreadful. Last season they were the typical Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. After a distinct lack of business in the summer, they began last season well and Remy was immense. But in the second half of the season, they can consider themselves lucky they got so many points previously because if they didn’t they probably would have went down. There’s no coincidence this timing coincided with Cabaye leaving, Remy getting injured and Cisse being, well, useless. But they've added some good players this year (apparently, i’ve never heard of), bought in positions that needed strengthening (namely that centre midfield void left by Cabaye), but most importantly they brought in a few forwards and the Geordies will want to see how they do because they love nothing more than a good forward at Newcastle. In keeping with recent times, Newcastle haven’t went out and bought big European names that’ll cost a lot, those days are behind them, but they do generally buy really effective players, that often get sold on for much bigger sums of money. Don’t be surprised to see this new crop of players do a similar job. Newcastle will be comfortable in my eyes. With such an influential crowd, they play a big role. If they get behind their team, they’ll carry them far, get on top of the team and they’ll push into trouble. Hard to predict but i think they’ll be safe, around the mid table mark.

Man city is becoming a machine, but they nearly threw away the title last year and they’ll want to make a firmer stamp on it this time. They've added Mangala who may finally be the consistent centre back partner for Kompany and Fernando who will strengthen up the midfield. They’ll rely on Aguero to keep fit, and if he does, he’ll score goals. Yaya Toure staying is as big as signing another player but they need him happy and playing well because he’s unstoppable when he’s on form. I expect city to sign maybe one or two more players but even if they don’t they’ll be challenging for the league.

Verdict: City to win 2-1 but it’ll be a close encounter with a strong Newcastle crowd!