WEEK 31
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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 31 March 20–22
All times are Mountain Standard Time
LAST WEEK’S SUMMARY
WEEK 30
Well, there were some topsy turvey results last week. Newcastle should never have beaten Chelsea. Unbelievable that West Ham would get a draw with Manchester City. Arsenal were extremely lucky to get a win against Everton and Tottenham finally got their game going in the right direction. West Ham have come a long way in the past few weeks, but watching their games they still don’t seem to actually have improved that much. I still think they are candidates for the drop along with the other two teams that have been keeping them company in the cellar all season. With Manchester only getting a draw at West Ham, their challenge to catch Arsenal has all but evaporated, and it will take a colossal change of fortune to stop the Gunners from winning the league.
WEEK 31 GAME 1 –Fri Mar 20th 2:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BOURNEMOUTH |
MANCHESTER UNITED |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This might go against conventional wisdom, but I really don’t think Manchester United deserve to be were they are in the table. With that being said, Bournemouth are one step above rubbish. I just see a different result coming here. I’m going with the home team for no real solid reason. Bournemouth -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Manchester United let Bournemouth back into the game twice, in a game that really didn’t come alive until the second half. If United were to live up to their third position in the Table, they should have had this game in the bag. The Cherries are not the best team in the world (far from it), and yet they stole two points from the Red Devils. Manchester are a much better team than last year, but not good enough to be were they are positioned in the League. At the death, I see Aston Villa and maybe even Liverpool or Chelsea overtaking them. | |||||||
WEEK 31 GAME 2 – Sat Mar 21st 6:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BRIGHTON |
LIVERPOOL |
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| Odds PICK | O/U 3 | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Maybe the Seagulls can be tricky at home, but Liverpool need to atone for last week’s collapse against Tottenham. At this moment, the odds are set at Pick. Liverpool are not going to let this slip away. I’m taking the Reds. Liverpool. PICK. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Liverpool managed to self-destruct yet again. Danny Welbeck’s two goals gave the Seagulls their victory, and when the only Liverpool goal was scored by Milos Kerkez, your team is in real disarray. Ekitike went off early with an injury and was replaced by Curtis Jones. While real game changers, Chiesa and Rio, were left on the bench. Slot’s management of Liverpool this season, including a fortune spent on new players, has been nothing short of dismal. He inherited the team from Jurgen Klopp, and they swept all before them. This year, we are starting to see the real Arne Slot team, and it ain’t pretty. Brighton were by far the better team here, and the only question is why they didn’t win by more goals than they did. | |||||||
WEEK 31 GAME 3 – Sat 21st Mar 9:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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FULHAM |
BURNLEY |
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| Odds -1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Time for the fantasy to stop. Despite Burnley’s brave attempt to avoid the drop (not that it ever was a realistic goal), they are going to get beat here, and by more than one goal. Fulham -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Burnley put up their normal toothless performance, but even managed to score first. Their joy didn’t last long, seven minutes to be exact, as Fulham took a grip on the game and moved up a gear. Goals by Josh King, Harry Wilson and a penalty by Raul Jimenez put the game beyond reach for the Clarets. Josh Laurent for Burnley was sent off in injury time which led to the penalty. Despite their early lead, Burnley were never really in it. |
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WEEK 31 GAME 4 – Sat Mar 21st 11:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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EVERTON |
CHELSEA |
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| Odds Pick | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Chelsea might be erratic, but I can’t see them going down to an Everton team that have no claim to be where they are in the Table. They are just not that good. I’m taking the Blues to go North and take it all. Chelsea. PICK. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Chelsea look well and truly lost. The absence of captain and inspiration, Reese James, may have something to do with it, but that can’t be the whole story. They haven’t been in the running for a crack at the top spot for most of the season, but they seemed to be on the right track to climb a few rungs up the ladder just a few weeks ago. The talent is there and so are the stats: 65% possession, 90% pass accuracy and 9 corners with nothing to show for it. New manager, Liam Rosenior, looks out of his depth. With the possible exception of Aston Villa, most of his successes have come against very inferior opponents. Chelsea did have a few chances but, always reliable Jordan Pickford was there to produce his special kind of magic between the sticks. It’s hard to believe Everton are three goals better than Chelsea because all things being equal, they’re not, and yet here we are with The Toffees looking at a place in Europe next year, and Chelsea wondering where to go from here. | |||||||
WEEK 31 GAME 5 – Sat Mar 21st 2:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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LEEDS |
BRENTFORD |
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| Odds Pick | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Leeds at home! A Brentford side that needs to be brought back to reality and Leeds are not about to give any quarter. The Whites need this game to escape the pressure from below. I think they will get it. Leeds. PICK | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Even after recording their 4th successive game without a goal, the single point that Leeds earned here will be very welcomed. The fans were disappointed as they could see their team going six points clear of the relegation zone with a win. Proving they are always tough customers when playing at Elland Road, they frustrated Brentford in a drab, uneventful and uninspiring match. The Whites tried to pile on the pressure towards the end of the game, but The Bees held on for the other point. If Leeds are to survive another year in the Premier League (assuming they get through this one), they are in desperate need of a top-grade goal scorer. Unless they get that sorted, they will not last much longer in the Top-Flight. | |||||||
WEEK 31 GAME 6 – Sun Mar 22nd 6:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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NEWCASTLE |
SUNDERLAND |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This could be tricky. Lots of factors to consider here, or maybe not! One of the biggest rivalries in the Premier League. Sunderland won the first meeting between these two earlier in the season, but it was close. I think now it’s the Magpies turn to even up the score. Newcastle. -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Sunderland pulled off the double this season against their old rivals, Newcastle. Safely nestled in the center of the table, the Black Cats have had a very successful return to the Premier League against many nay-sayers who thought they would be candidates for a quick return to the lower reaches. Newcastle had the upper hand in the early part of the game, and it was underscored by an Anthony Gordon goal in the tenth-minute. Sunderland started to gain a foothold. After the break Chemsdine Talbi evened the game at the 57th minute mark and both teams went all out for the winner. As the game was running out of time, Brian Brobbey scored The Cats’ second goal in the 90th minute. |
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WEEK 31 GAME 7 – Sun Mar 22 8:15 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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TOTTENHAM |
NOTTINGHAM FOREST |
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| Odds PICK | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds PICK | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Spurs seem to have woken up at last, but the points at stake here are vital to each team. When it comes to overall quality, Tottenham have the edge and even if they are at home, which is not generally a plus, I will take Spurs to take all the spoils. Tottenham. PICK | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Tottenham’s woes deepen. In a game that they had every expectation of gaining some much-needed points, they collapsed in the second half. Spurs dominated the first half, although it was in injury time before they registered their first on-target shot. It was after the third goal had gone in that they managed a second. They basically fell apart after the first Forest goal from Igor Jesus, then Morgan Gibbs-White, and finally Taiwo Awoniyi sealed their fate. Lots of chatter about Igor Tudor being shown the door, but when is it going to dawn on whoever is responsible for these decisions, that it’s not the manager’s fault, it’s the useless collection of, so- called professional players. Granted losing Dejan Kulusevski and James Madison for most of the season didn’t help, but all teams have to deal with injured players. The shower that are taking the field week after week are just not up for the job. | |||||||
WEEK 31 GAME 8 – Sun Mar 22nd 8:15 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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ASTON VILLA |
WEST HAM |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: As off form as Aston Villa have been of late, they have to be better than West Ham. The Hammers have put together some impressive results lately in the attempt to put right their horrible start to the season. They obviously need these points, but I don’t think Villa is going to oblige them. Aston Villa -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Aston Villa finally got the train back on the tracks. West Ham may have put together some impressive results lately in their bid to escape the drop, but this week though, reality came knocking. The Hammers were always second best, and looked like the side that put them in this predicament in the first place. A win would have pulled them clear of the relegation area, but it never looked like happening. Villa were never really troubled, and looked pretty good even after playing in the Europa League less than 72 hours earlier. The Villans have been in a slump of late, and maybe this will be the spark they need to finish the season on an uptick. I still think West Ham are history. | |||||||