WEEK 37
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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 37 May13th, 15th, 17th, 18th
All times are Mountain Standard Time
LAST WEEK’S SUMMARY
WEEK 36
Very controversial VAR decisions last week for both West Ham and Spurs. And the relegation battle still rages on with the final result going down to probably the last game. This week’s action is spread over four days with no games being played on Saturday due to the FA Cup final. Three games will be played on Monday, but no times or odds have been posted yet, as soon as they are, I will update this website.
MAKE UP GAME – Wed 13th May 1:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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CRYSTAL PALACE |
MANCHESTER CITY |
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| Odds +2 | O/U 3 1/2 | Odds -2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This is a Wednesday game and it’s one that should have been played earlier in the season. City should have no trouble taking out Palace, but -2 goals can be a tall order; as to win this bet Manchester have to win by 3 clear goals. No doubt in my mind they will win, but I’m going say. No Bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: For some reason the odds for this game changed before kickoff. City went to -1 1/2. I thought they could beat Palace by two goals so in the end I did place a small successful bet. With 73% possession, City never looked as though they were going to let this one slip. Almost constant pressure gave them a 2-0 lead at half time. But in the second period they dropped a couple of gears and started to coast. Manager Pep Guardiola was going nuts on the sideline as he witnessed his team going to sleep. They finally got their focus back and scored the third goal to put the game out of reach for Crystal Palace, not that it ever was in reach. On this performance they looked like rubbish and none more so than Brennan Johnson. More on him next week. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 1 – Fri May 15th 1:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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LIVERPOOL |
ASTON VILLA |
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| Odds PICK | O/U 3 | Odds PICK | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This is a tough one to call. Even if Aston Villa are at home, I think Liverpool just might have the edge. A Pick seems about right as I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends in a draw. If you have nothing else to do with your money, I’d say, go for the draw, you’ll get better odds. Liverpool v Aston Villa. Draw. |
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| RESULTS: 2-4 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Aston Villa’s win assures them Championship football in Europe next year. Liverpool still have to wait for the last week’s results to see if they qualify. A very frustrating season for the Reds, considering their runaway season last year. The takeaway from this year is Arne Slot is no Jurgen Klopp. Last year’s team was a left-over from Klopp’s last season at the club and if he was still in charge, I don’t see a Liverpool side losing 12 games (so far). Granted they have had some unforeseen problems. Alexander Isak joining the team looked like a masterstroke, if it wasn’t for injuries that kept him out of the team for most of the season. Hugo Ekitike looked to be their salvation for a time, but injuries also kept him from realizing his full potential. Villa themselves have been very spotty. They had a slow start to the year, but after a strong run they again began to give up games they should have won. Ollie Watkins’ return to form especially, his two goals in this game, will give the Villans confidence in their Europa Cup final in Istanbul on Wednesday. Virgil van Dijk’s two goals shows that Liverpool are not completely dead, and with the return of Isak and Ekitie, maybe next year will look a little brighter. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 2 – Sun May 17th 8:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST |
MANCHESTER UNITED |
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| Odds +1 | O/U 3 | Odds -1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Nottingham Forest have put together some pretty impressive results lately and even if United are at home I see the Tricky Trees giving them a run for their money. Forest have all the momentum right now so I’m taking the goal advantage. Notts Forest. +1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: An entertaining match from these two teams saw United come out on top in a game that could have gone either way. Manchester’s second goal should have been disallowed, as Bryan Mbeumo clearly handled the ball before Matheus Cunha scored. The ref, and VAR, didn’t see it that way, and the goal stood. Forest gave as good as they got and there were chances at either end for both teams. With this result, The Red Devils will clinch third place in the League this season and consider themselves very fortunate to end the season were they have. Nottingham Forest pulled themselves out of the quagmire of relegation with some impressive results in the tail end of the year, and will live to fight another year in the Premier League. |
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WEEK 37 GAME 3 – Sun May 17th 8:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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SUNDERLAND |
EVERTON |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Sunderland can be tricky. They don’t score a lot of goals but they can be hard to break down. All Everton could do last week was a draw at Crystal Palace. A result that does not inspire confidence. I’ll take the Black Cats to keep it close. Sunderland + 1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Never a side to drop their heads when things go against them, Sunderland fought back from one goal down to take all the points from an Everton side that has settled squarely in the center of the Table, exactly hwere they belong. A mid-season flurry of results, after new manager, David Moyes arrived, saw them climb to # 8 in the league for a few weeks, but lately they have started to slip, and they should end the season just below the half-way mark. Sunderland could not have expected a better season and when the dust settles, there is a chance that they could be competing in Europe next year. Everton’s fans were not happy with their team’s final appearance this year at their new home stadium, and they booed them off at the end. As I have said many times before, if it wasn’t for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, they would be staring up at the Premier League from the the confines of the Championship League. |
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WEEK 37 GAME 4 – Sun May 17th 8:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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FULHAM |
WOLVERHAMPTON |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Fulham should regain their winning ways against soon to be departed Wolverhampton. If not for some very unfortunate luck at the beginning of the season Fulham would be a lot further up the Table. They will end the season squarely in the middle. for this game I’ll say Fulham -1/2. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Fulham played like they had just about given up on the season, with Wolves having given up many weeks ago. In the end The Cottagers were lucky to share a point, which means nothing to either team. In fact, if it wasn’t for Wolves horrendous passing at 69% accuracy, the home team may have claimed all three, equally useless points. Fulham’s chances of being in Europe now have decreased from ” highly unlikely” to “you must be kidding” and with a middle-of-the-table finish assured, they go into next year with the task of either improving their squad or facing the very real threat of joining their Wolves opponents with demotion to the Championship League. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 5 – Sun May 17th 8:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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CRYSTAL PALACE |
BRENTFORD |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Crystal Palace go across London to face Brentford. The Bees should have this. Palace are just one step ahead of useless and Brentford at home gives them a chance to grab a few more points, and an invitation to Europe next year. Brentford -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Dango Ouattara scored twice to save a point for a Brentford team that looked like it was going to get beat right up to a couple of minutes from time. Brentford are clinging onto the hope of a place in the UEFA Conference League, Europe’s third tier competition, next year despite having won only one of their last nine games. They gave up an early penalty and Ouattara’s first goal had very little to do with skill on the striker’s part. An attempted clearance just bounced off his face into the net. His second goal was an intended header. Brentford were below par for this game, and the Palace pass accuracy was abysmal, 72% by some reckoning 67% by another. Bringing on Brennan Johnson for the second half did nothing to improve The Eagles’ chances, as usual, and he is a strong candidate for the most useless player in the Premier League, The Timo Werner Award. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 6 – Sun May 17th 8:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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BRIGHTON |
LEEDS |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Leeds are at home, that’s always a problem for the visiting side. Brighton are favored by 1/2 a goal. The Whites seem to be safe from the drop and Brighton are pushing for a big finish. A draw would seem most likely so I’m going with the team that is getting the edge. Leeds +1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Leeds delivered a major blow to Brighton’s hopes of European football next year with a 1-0 win in their final home game of the season. Leeds’ confidence has steadily grown over the season, and it can be viewed as a successful return to the Top Tier. Brighton came to play, but their first half efforts fell a little flat. They piled on the pressure in the second half and ended the game with 18 shots, 7 on target, 2/3rd possession and 88% pass accuracy. As everyone knows Leeds are hard to break down and all it took was 1 shot on target to give the win to the Whites. A very bad looking ankle injury to Anton Strach saw him stretchered off, but initial reports say that it might not be as serious as was first thought. Maybe him missing the last game of the season against, by then maybe an already relegated West Ham, won’t be such an important setback. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 7 – Sun May 17th 10:30 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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WEST HAM |
NEWCASTLE |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: I don’t see West Ham getting anything here. Newcastle have had a disappointing season, not as disappointing as West Ham, so perhaps they can put The Hammers out of their misery. The Magpies at home for me. Newcastle -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: A typical game for both of these sides. For Newcastle, a strong initial showing and two goals within a couple of minutes of each other. William Osula looked to have the game out of reach for the visitors with his second goal at the 64th-minute mark. West Ham, a game full of missed chances and lousy finishing. As I have said before, they may have put together some good results of late, but their style of play and lack of any real talent shines through every time. But in true Newcastle form, they almost let the game slip away from them. a late goal by Valentin Castellanos gave The Hammers some hope, and they came at The Magpies with renewed vigor. Another goal may have spurred them on to grab an equalizer, but it was not to be. All Spurs need is one point from their last two games to ensure safety and leave West Ham staring into the abyss | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 8 – Mon May 18th 1:00 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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BURNLEY |
ARSENAL |
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| Odds +2 1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -2 1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Arsenal may have the beating of Burnley, but they would have to do it by 3 clear goals. Arsenal have a tendency to lay back once they are in front, therefore I’m going to say no bet on this one. No Bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Well, this hardly looked like the top team playing the worse. Arsenal did look the better team, but as usual they were less than impressive. If they do go on to win the League, I can’t think of a more a more unimaginative, boring and unexciting side. Even the likes of Wolves try and put up a more interesting game than this lot from North London. Kia Havertz scored from a corner and that was all it took. Not the best game I have ever witnessed, but the Arsenal fans will be happy with it nonetheless. All the Gunners have to do now is go across London and beat Crystal Palace next week and the Title is theirs. They also have a date in Budapest with Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Champions League Cup. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 9 – Tue May 19th 12:30 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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MANCHESTER CITY |
BOURNEMOUTH |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Bournemouth are flying high right now. City have played a lot of games over the past couple of weeks but the dept of their team should be able to handle the pressure. I’ll go with the Citizens to take all the points on the South Coast. Manchester City -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Before going into this game, Manchester’s chances of catching Arsenal were slim, not anymore. The draw gives Arsenal the Championship and City will finish the season in second. If it wasn’t for an injury time goal by Erling Haaland, his 27th of the season, they would have left the South Coast empty handed. Maybe they were a little hungover from their FA Cup victory at the weekend, but they seemed to lose some of their spark and composure. An excellent result for Bournemouth who are finishing the season on a definite up note. | |||||||
WEEK 37 GAME 10– Tue May 19th 1:15 |
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| AWAY | HOME | ||||||
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TOTTENHAM |
CHELSEA |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: The last game of the week on Tuesday. Spurs go to Chelsea. Chelsea haven’t won a game in at least 7 matches and Tottenham desperately need this to stay in front of West Ham. If Spurs win here and the Hammers lose at Newcastle the relegation race is over, if not it will go to the last match of the season next week. Tottenham+1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Spurs couldn’t get it done and so it goes to the last match of the season. One point would have been enough against a side that hasn’t won since March 4th. A look at the stats shows that the game was pretty even, except for the one stat that matters, goals. Tottenham didn’t look much different than they have for much of the season, and even if they do avoid the drop, there needs to be a complete overhaul of their playing personnel. All they need is a draw at Everton next week to be safe, but that could be a tall order. | |||||||