WEEK 15
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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 15 December 6-8
All times are Mountain Standard Time
LAST WEEK’S SUMMARY
WEEK 14
A quick recap of the mid-week results is as follows. Pep Gaurdiola has got to be incensed as his team went from 5-1 up against Fulham to almost having to concede a draw in the final minutes. Sunderland scored an all important point against a Liverpool team that seems to have lost its compass. Chelsea fell badly playing Leeds, and if this is what one can expect from the Blues, then even a top four finish may be out of reach.
Manchester United displayed a different kind of useless against a pathetic West Ham side with a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford. Also, Aston Villa, after a horrible start to the season, have started to emerge and are serious contenders for the top spots.
WEEK 15 GAME 1 – SAT DEC 6 5:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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ASTON VILLA |
ARSENAL |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U | Odds | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This could run close. Arsenal are 6 points clear of Aston Villa and while Villa are going from strength to strength, the Gunners are showing a few cracks. I’ll take the home team to keep it close. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: The Gunners got beat for the second time this season with the last kick of the game. Up until that point it had been a pretty even game and looked to be headed to a 1-goal apiece draw. Emi Buendia put the ball in the net after a goalmouth scramble at the absolute last second. The win puts them within three points of the league leaders, and they currently sit in third place in the Table. With what should be a relatively easy trip to Wolves next week, they will continue to put pressure on Manchester City and Arsenal. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 2 – SAT DEC 6 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BOURNEMOUTH |
CHELSEA |
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| Odds | O/U | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Chelsea slipped up last week at Leeds, but they are super tough at home. Bournemouth have lost a step, and getting beat last week by Everton is not a good sign. I think Chelsea will need to make amends if they are to keep in the running for the top spots. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Chelsea have now dropped four points in their last three games and even with the long awaited return of Cole Palmer, they failed to get the job done on the South Coast. The Cherries had the ball in the net in the 5th-minute, but it was negated by VAR after Evanilson was judged to be marginally offside. Palmer may need a little more time to regain match fitness as he was subsituted after about an hour. All in all it turned into a very frustrating afternoon for the Blues. As for Bournemouth, they should be pleased with a point since their last few games have not produced much to be proud about. | |||||||
WEEK 14 GAME 3 – SAT DEC 6th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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EVERTON |
NOTTS FOREST |
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| Odds | O/U | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Notts Forest are slowly making progress with their last two wins. Everton are not the most consistent of teams. If Jordan Pickford and Jack Grealsh are on their game they can be tough. Pickford always seems to turn up. Grealish is not as consistent. I think I’ll avoid this one. No bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Notts Forest slip right back towards the danger zone with this loss. They would have been happy with a draw, but Everton had other plans. The game couldn’t have started worse for the Foresters. Conceding an own goal after just two minutes put them behind the eight ball from the git-go. The Tricky Trees are a long way from where they need to be after a largly lackluster performance. They strangely had more of the ball, 58% v 42% but couldn’t make it pay. This result only goes to show what an anomaly their 3-0 win over Liverpool was. After that win there looked to be a light at the end of the tunnel, but now it just looks like an oncoming train.The win puts Everton into heady territory, for them, at number 7 in the league. A position they shouldn’t get used to, as the real world will soon catch up to them. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 4 – SAT DEC 6 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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MANCHESTER CITY |
SUNDERLAND |
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| Odds Pick | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds Pick +2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: It doesn’t matter how many goals you score if the other side scores almost as many. City can score, but if the defense is as porous as a wet paper bag, you’re going to have problems. Sunderland are not intimidated by anyone at this stage and given a 2-goal advantage, I’ll take the Black Cats. Sunderland +2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Manchester City basically overwhelmed Sunderland. Two goals in rapid succession ( 31st and 35th minutes) by Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardol put the Citizens two up going into half time. More of the same continued into the second period as Phil Foden notched a third at the 65th minute.The Black Cats offered very little resistance and only registered one shot on goal the entire match. To add to their humiliation Luke O’Nien was sent off right at the end after only coming on as a last minute substitute. He lasted just eight minutes before he was sent packing after a reckless challenge on Mathues Nunes. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 5 – SAT DEC 6 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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NEWCASTLE |
BURNLEY |
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| Odds +1-1/2 | O/U | Odds | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Newcastle were unlucky to concede the equalizing goal in the dying seconds of their game against Tottenham. It’s nothing but an uphill struggle for Burnely. I don’t see the Clarets getting much from this game. Therefore – Newcastle +1-1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Newcastle continue their steady climb up the Table at the expense of a floundering Burnley. The Magpies scored first with a corner kick taken by Bruno Guimaraes that ended up sailing into the far corner of the Burnley net. The Clarets problems were compounded by having Lucas Pires sent off just before Newcastle scored their second from an Anthony Gordon penalty. In the second half it could have, and should have, been a lot one sided. Newcastle dominated most of the game and should have claimed more goals, but somehow allowed Burnley some kind of consolation by giving up a penalty in the dying minutes. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 6 – SAT DEC 6 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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TOTTENHAM |
BRENTFORD |
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| Odds | O/U | Odds | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Well the first thing is don’t put any money on this one. Spurs are useless at home and Brentford are just useless. I had them pegged for relegation at the start of the season and I haven’t seen much to change that view. No bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS:Quite simply, Brentford were outclassed by a Tottenham side that had only won once before at home this season. This game had more going on it than just a win for the home team. If Thomas Frank, Tottenham’s new manager, had fallen at this hurdle against his former team, his future may have looked a lot more dicey. Spurs always looked in control; they’ve been in that position before and managed to screw it up, but not this time. Xavi Simons up until this point, has been somewhat of a disappointment, but maybe this game was what the ex-RB Leipzig player needed. He finally had an excellent game: setting up Richarlison’s first goal and bagging one, his first for Spurs, for himself. Maybe he will start to justify the $60 Mil pricetag he cost Tottenham in the off season. Archie Gray started in place of Joao Palhinha and produced a solid performance in mid-field. Brentford produced almost nothing with only one shot on target. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 7 – SAT DEC 6 10:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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LEEDS U |
LIVERPOOL |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Leeds put on a great show last time out against Chelsea, beating them 3-1, and Liverpool were still less than convincing managing only a 1-1 draw with Sunderland. As note elsewhere, Leeds are tough at home and this could well end in a draw. So for a modest bet, I would say Leeds +1/2. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: As has been stated many times before, Leeds at home are formidable. You can never count the Whites out even after being two goals down and precious little time to put things right. The first half didn’t produce much of note, but the second period exploded. Liverpool went two up with a brace by Hugo Ekitike just two minutes apart, and it looked like an away win for the Reds at that point. But then Leeds began to fight back. A 73rd-minute penalty was pushed home by Dominic Calvin-Lewin, and then two minutes later Anton Stach had the game all tied up. Then ten minutes from time, Dominik Szoboszai scored Liverpools third to retake the lead. With nine minutes of extra time to play, Leeds mounted another attack. Six-minutes in, Stach floated a corner into the goalmouth, and Ao Tanaka had the ball in the net to tie the game up again. Alexander Isak still managed to go close in the remaining three-minutes, but to the delight of the home crowd, it wasn’t to be. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 8 – SUN DEC 8 7:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BRIGHTON |
WEST HAM |
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| Odds -1 | O/U | Odds | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Brighton were just edged out last time in a goal-fest; 4-3 with Aston Villa. West Ham were lucky to grind out a draw with a less than convincing Man United. The Seagulls were eyeing a top Four Finish and they need all three points here to maintain their momentum. Brighton -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: An uncharacteristic lame performance by Brighton almost ended with West Ham claiming all three points down on the rain soaked South Coast. As anyone may have noticed I have very little respect for the Hammers and still think they are relegation fodder. Brighton had two-thirds of the possession, and yet couldn’t find anything to show for it. Jarod Bowen scored a most improbable goal for West Ham with 73 minutes gone and it wasn’t until injury time that the Seagulls managed to salvage a point with a goal by Georginio Rutter. West Ham even had a chance to win it with seconds remaining, but in typical fashion found a way to screw it up. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 9 – SUN DEC 7 9:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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FULHAM |
CRYSTAL PALACE |
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| Odds | O/U | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Fulham came alive last week coming back from 5-1 down to end up losing 5-4 against Man City. I don’t think they will be that lucky this week. Fulham are not the worst team in the world, but Palace at the moment are better. Crystal Palace Pick. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: On the heels of an almost heroic comeback against Manchester City in the week, Fulham were ultimately unlucky, as so often is the case with this team. The Cottagers equalized in the 38th-minute with an excellent strike by Harry Wilson that negated Eddie Nketiah’s earlier strike. Shortly after the break, Fulham had the ball in the back of Palace’s net but it was eventually ruled offside by a whisker. Fulham were always in the game and it looked to be headed to a draw until Marc Guehi, three minutes from the end, whipped the ball in the net from close range, to give the visitors all the points and leave Fulham to curse their luck for the upteenth time this season. | |||||||
WEEK 15 GAME 10 – MON DEC 8 1:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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WOLVERHAMPTON |
MAN UNITED |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Wolves are still chasing their first win, and Man U slipped up last week with letting West Ham escape with a point. Even after that poor showing, they should win this, but need to by 2 clear goals. I don’t think I’ll be risking too much on this. No bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-4 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: With 36% possession and only two shots on target you really can’t expect much. But I think Wolves gave up on expecting much a long time ago. With selling their best players to try and infuse much needed funds by a team that has had financial problems for many years could only end one way. They escaped the dreaded drop last year, but it has been on the cards for a while now. The fans’ chants of “you sold the team, now sell the club” directed at the owners, about sums up the sentiment at Molineux. They are going down and it will take a new attitude and probably new ownership for them to bouce back. As for the game, Manchester United did not really need to be in top form to dispatch this sorry bunch. Bruno Fernandes scored two plus one each by Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount to put the cap on this. United still don’t look that good. They produce results in fits and starts but they are a long way from impressing anybody. | |||||||