WEEK 20
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Predictions will generally be posted by Friday each week,
AND the analyses should be up by Wednesday following each weekend’s games.
The odds that I quote on each game are the first available and are quite
possibly subject to change as the game day approaches.
WEEK 20 January 3 rd and 4th
All times are Mountain Standard Time
MID-SEASON REVIEW &
TIMO WERNER AWARD
I’m writing this before all the games have been played on week 19. The games are coming so fast that there may be some delays. I have posted my predictions for week 20 below.
As promised my candidates for The Timo Werner Award* are currently —- First; Alejandro Garnacho – He came across from Manchester United because he was useless there, and his game hasn’t improved since he’s been at Chelsea. He runs up and down but gets very little accomplished, in fact he was brought off at half time in Chelsea’s last game against Bournemouth. Next up, Milos Kerkez – Liverpool acquired him from Bournemouth, and that should have been a warning. If The Cherries couldn’t use him, how was he ever going to bring anything to a team like Liverpool. He keeps getting playing time, but for most of it he just looks shell-shocked. His favorite play is a backwards pass or failing that, giving it up to the opposing side. He has scored one goal but that was more of a accident than anything. the ball just bounced off him into the net, and at the time he was standing in front of the goal like a statue. My third choice is; the entire West Ham team. Most of these jokers should be finding something else to do with their time, ’cause football doesn’t seem to be working out for them.
Now for the Big News. On my website, hotshotharryspremierleague.com, the Shop is Open! At the moment, you will find the perfect gift for any Premier League fan or maybe even yourself. These are unique, made-in-the-U.S., must-haves for anyone who is serious about the best Football League in the world. All 20 teams are represented, yes even the ones that will no longer be with us next year, so enjoy. Thank Youuuu
- Timo Werner Award – special award for the most useless player in the Premier League.
WEEK 20 GAME 1 – Sat Jan 3rd 5:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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ASTON VILLA |
NOTTS FOREST |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: I’m writing this early so without the results of the mid-week games things might have changed somewhat. As it is Aston Villa at home should take care of the Foresters. Villa are still chasing the leaders and a 1/2 goal disadvantage should not stand in their way. Aston Villa -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: The difference of time of possession in this game was stunning. Aston Villa had the ball 76% of the time. The promise that new manager Sean Dyche brought to Notts Forest seem to be fading fast. Villa needed a convincing win here after being beat up by Arsenal the previous week, and they got it. Ollie Watkins scored on the stroke of half-time to cap off 45 minutes of complete domination by the home team. A second was added shortly after the game resumed when Captain John McGinn scored. He added to that with a second 14 minutes later. In the meantime, Morgan Gibbs-White had pulled one back for the Trees. Strangely enough when the stats were tallied up, they showed Forest had more shots on target than Villa, 5 to 4. With this result Notts Forest next game against West Ham on Tuesday has even more significance. Presently they are four points clear of the Hammers, if they don’t get a result in East London then they will be dragged back into the relegation quagmire. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 2 – Sat Jan 3rd 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BURNLEY |
BRIGHTON |
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| Odds +1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Brighton may win this, but they are playing away and if this was just 1/2 a goal handicap, I would say the Seagulls might be the bet. To see them go to Burnley and win by two clear goals I’m not so sure. Not going to bet the farm on this but I’ll take the home team here. Burnley +1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Burnley’s problems continue. They offered very little in the form of resistance to a Brighton team that really needed to get their train headed in the right direction after a very disappointing, and fruitless, December. They didn’t find much of a challenge in a Burnley team that looks to have given up all hope of staying in the Topflight this season. It will be interesting to see if Brighton have truly regained their previous promise when they travel up to Manchester City in the week, who have a serious point to prove after last week’s sub-par effort against Chelsea. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 3 – Sat Jan 3rd 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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WOLVERHAMPTON |
WEST HAM |
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| Odds Pick | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Tweedle Dumb playing Tweedle Dee. How can you possibly pick between these two hopeless candidates. At this point West Ham are only slightly less useless than Wolves even if they have a few more points. I can only think that as they have the home field advantage that might favor Wolves, but this game won’t be seeing any of my money. No Bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: They may have had 2/3rds of the ball but with zero shots on target it’s going to be hard for any team to get much of a result. I’m talking about West Ham here. The dye was cast just four minutes into the game when Jhon Arias scored for Wolverhampton. By the time 45 minutes had passed West ham were already 3-0 down. Wolves have had to wait until halfway through the season to register their first win, and why it’s probably much too little too late it must come as a welcome relief. As for West Ham, and manager Nuno Santos, things look bleak. A home game against Notts Forest is next for the Hammers and if they can’t get a result in that game, I’d say their goose is cooked. |
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WEEK 20 GAME 4 –Sat Jan 3rd 10:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BOURNEMOUTH |
ARSENAL |
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| Odds +1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This should be an easy pick-up for Arsenal. Bournemouth are all adrift and while The Gunners are not what you would describe as “a well-oiled machine,” they should gobble up the Cherries, see what I did there. Arsenal -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Arsenal were not at their best against a Bournemouth side that has consistently underperformed this season. This should have been much easier for the Gunners than it was. In the end they did come away with all three points, and after all that’s all that matters, and the win puts them six points clear at the top of the Table. They were a goal down within ten minutes, although Jesus Gabriel had them all square six minutes later. Declan Rice scored two goals in the second half to make it look more comfortable for the visitors. Then Eli Junior Kroupi scored a second for Bournemouth with 15 minutes to go and Arsenal had to marshal their resources to hold on to the lead. In the end they prevailed but the made a meal out of it and really didn’t look like the team that beat Aston Villa a couple of weeks ago 4-1. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 5 – Sun Jan 4th 5:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 LEEDS |
LEEDS |
MANCHESTER UNITED |
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| Odds Pick | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Leeds at home to Manchester United. Leeds have to have one of the best home game records in the Premier League (without taking too much time looking it up). Manchester have slowly climbed the table, but they look like a house of cards to me. If they can only manage a draw against Wolves last time out, I wouldn’t be giving much for their chances here. I don’t see them getting much from an “in form” Leeds side with their hometown supporters giving them the edge. Leeds. PICK. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Leeds enviable record at home continues. So does Manchester United’s erratic form. That being said, the cobbled together team that is the best United can offer right now, put up an entertaining performance. The game was end to end for much of the time but with precious little to show for all that industry. That is until the until the 62nd minute when Brenden Aaronson gave Leeds the lead. It was almost immediately nullified by Matheus Cunha who scored for Manchester just three minutes later. A draw was probably a fair result in the end. The big news was that Manchester’s manager, Ruben Amorin, was fired after the game. I have to say that alongside Enzo Maresca being given the boot from Chelsea last week these moves make little sense to me. Granted both these teams have underperformed of late but they are sitting at 5th and 6th in the table. Seems that the only thing that will secure job safety these days is instant success. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 6 – Sun Jan 4th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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FULHAM |
LIVERPOOL |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This could be a close one. Fulham have started to have a few breaks go their way of late and they could give The Reds something to think about. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was an upset, and because of that I’ll go with The Cottagers to squeak out a draw, but not by much, a very modest bet here. Fulham +1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: A defensive mistake by Liverpool gave Fulham the lead as Harry Wilson scored in the 17th minute. In the first half Liverpool were slow to get started but came out for the second 45 minutes with renewed vigor. Florian Wirtz had the game tied up at the 57th minute mark and the game looked to be headed for a 1-1 draw. But then added time added another level of excitement. Cody Gapko scored for The Reds at four minutes into injury time and looked to have all three points wrapped up. Then Harrison Reed stepped up and stunned Liverpool with a goal at seven minutes into injury to split the points between both teams. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 7 – Sun Jan 4th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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TOTTENHAM |
SUNDERLAND |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Time for Spurs to start collecting some points at home. By this stage of the season, we have all seen how tenacious Sunderland can be, but Tottenham should overwhelm the visitors with lots of possession and many attacks on their goal. With that being said, I would expect the home team to win by just the one goal. Tottenham -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: An unlikely goal by defender Ben Davis gave Tottenham the lead 1/2 hour into the game. They looked to find a second for much of the remaining game but couldn’t find the back of the net. Then ten minutes from time Brian Brobbey scored for Sunderland to rescue a point for the Black Cats. Tottenham still have problems with their home form while Sunderland claws out another point that marks their excellent return to the Premier League. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 8 –Sun Jan 4th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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EVERTON |
BRENTFORD |
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| Odds -PICK | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds PICK | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Everton managed to take out Notts Forest last Tuesday, which was quite an accomplishment considering they were the away team. Without risking too much on the outcome, I’ll take the Toffees at home against Brentford. Everton PICK. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-4 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Igor Thiago, who has been shut out for much of December, scored a hat-trick for Brentford that takes his tally to 14 goals so far this season. Nathan Collins added one more to give the Bees a comfortable 4-2 win over Everton. It’s not often you see four goals put past Jordan Pickford, but he must have had an off day, as did much of the Everton team. Beto scored for The Toffees and Thierno Barry grabbed a second in injury time to give the home team some respectability but that did not appease the fans who booed off their team at half-time when they were only 2-0 down. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 9 – Sun Jan 4th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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NEWCASTLE |
CRYSTAL PALACE |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Newcastle had some lucky breaks against Burnley last time out and I think Crystal Palace are starting to feel the strain of an overfull dance card. As The Magpies are at home, they should send the Eagles back to London empty-handed. Newcastle -1/2. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Newcastle brushed aside Crystal Palace on Sunday who really couldn’t expect much after only registering one shot on target. They did hold the Magpies until the 71st minute and then Bruno Guimaraes, and then seven minutes later Malick Thiaw, scored to give the home team all three points. Palace a wracked by injuries and absentees and threw newcomer Brennan Johnson in the deep end having only just arrived at Selhurst Park literally hours ago. Unfortunately, it’s going to take more than him to right this ship that is rapidly taking on water. | |||||||
WEEK 20 GAME 10 – Sun Jan 4th 10:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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MANCHESTER CITY |
CHELSEA |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: I’m just about done with Chelsea. If the best they can manage is a home draw against a clueless Bournemouth, then their hopes of a top four finish are over in my book. Manchester City should wipe the floor with them considering their current form, so without hesitation, I’ll take City. -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Manchester City had this game won with a strike by Tijani Reijnders a little before half-time. It was the culmination of intense pressure by City who had all of their previous efforts blocked by a very efficient Chelsea defense. If they had kept up the pressure in the second half more goals would have surely come, but for some reason they let Chelsea back into the game. Missing key players, Marc Cucurella, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and Moises Caicedo, lost because of suspension, and without a manager Chelsea were there for the taking. Indeed, their first half game plan was to just try and contain City and didn’t look like they were really interested in attacking. With a lack of any desire to take control in the second half on Cities behalf Chelsea became a little more adventurous. They created more chances in the second period, but it was headed for a not unexpected loss for The Blues. Then in the fourth minute of injury time Enzo Fernandez push home the equalizer for a most unexpected result. This was a game that Manchester should have won easily and at the end of the season their lack of commitment may prove very costly. | |||||||