WEEK 28
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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 28 February 27,28, March 1st
All times are Mountain Standard Time
LAST WEEK’S SUMMARY
Week 26
Neither of the two new managers managed to start their tenures on a positive note. Vitor Pereira at Nottingham Forest had a more promising debut with his team, showing some fighting spirit in the first half and holding a sub-standard Liverpool in check for much of the game, only to lose in the last seconds of injury time. A far cry from the disaster at Spurs. If anything, they seem to be getting worse. Manchester City were the Gold Star Pick, and even if they did beat Newcastle, they could only do it by the one goal, so the bet was a push. The three points that they earned still keeps them in the hunt after Arsenal. Now for my favorite subject: Timo Werner. Our out-of-form German has signed with the San Jose Earthquakes, as it looks like RB Leipzig couldn’t use him. To quote the great retired American goalkeeper Tim Howard, “(Werner) couldn’t hit the ass of a horse with a banjo”. Also, someone online said if Timo is true-to-form, he’ll miss the plane. That, dear friends is why we have The Timo Werner Trophy, to be awarded at the end of the season to the most useless professional footballer in the Premier League.
WEEK 28 GAME 1 – Fri Feb 27th 1:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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WOLVERHAMPTON |
ASTON VILLA |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: With all the problems Aston Villa seem to have, I wouldn’t be putting a lot of money on the outcome of this. Wolves are putting together some spirited efforts of late, but Villa should have this in the bag. Aston Villa -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: What could be worse than a Tottenham supporter? An Aston Villa follower. They started out the season very slowly, but they seemed to get it together for an eventual third position in the League. But then it all turned to crap. Captain, John McGinn, looked to be out for the season with a knee injury, but since then it’s been all downhill. Such a dramatic drop-off should not be attributed to one player, but that seems to be what happened. To get beaten by a side that has only managed one win so far this season has to be, let’s be fair, disgraceful. Villa were the definition of useless in this game. Everyone associated with this abomination should not only be sacked, but tied to a stake and set alight, Just my humble opinion! | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 2 – Sat Feb 28th 5:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BOURNEMOUTH |
SUNDERLAND |
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| Odds – 1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds + 1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This looks like a draw to me. The Cherries are not a model of consistency, and Sunderland need to get back amongst the points. The Black Cats are getting a 1/2 goal advantage, so I’ll go with them to at least snag a point. Sunderland +1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Bournemouth have now gone eight games unbeaten, and as good as that statement sounds, they still find themselves dead center in the table at number 10. This game ended up much as I predicted, with a draw and therefore Sunderland’s odds, +1/2 a goal, made them the winner. The Cats started the game with intent and deservedly went ahead in the 18th minute with a goal by Eliezer Mayenda. Bournemouth started to get back in the game, but in fits and starts, and it took a goal by substitute Evanilson halfway through the second half to bring the Cherries level. If you just take into account Sunderland’s awful pass accuracy 67% plus their 39% percentage possession, it could be said that they were lucky to grab a point. One would have to take into account the fact that Bournemouth couldn’t take advantage of this discrepancy. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 3 – Sat 28th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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NEWCASTLE |
EVERTON |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Newcastle have only won one game in the last six outings, and the one win was against Tottenham. I think it’s about time they got back in the winner’s circle. Everton seem to do better on the road, but not this week I fear, and with the Magpies at home it’s going to be a good day for the Geordies. Newcastle -1/2. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Alexander Isaks contribution to Newcastle in the months before he left were dwindling to say the least, so it can’t be the loss of their main striker that is causing the problems on Tyneside. But problems do exist obviously. Everton are not the most dynamic of teams, but somehow the Magpies made them look a lot better than they are. With 2/3rd’s possession and over 90% pass accuracy, they should have dominated this game. As it was, they were always playing catch-up. Newcastle went one goal down in the 19th-minute but equalized on the half-hour, only to go one goal down again 2-minutes later. Their second equalizer at the 82-minute mark was wiped out even quicker, within 90 seconds, when the Toffees scored their third, and winning, goal. That gave them three improbable points and to leave Newcastle to ponder what in hell is going on for the Northeast club that at one time showed so much promise. |
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WEEK 28 GAME 4 – Sat Feb 28th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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LIVERPOOL The Reds |
WEST HAM |
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| Odds -1 | O/U 3 1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: There is no reason that Liverpool shouldn’t wipe the floor with West Ham. Granted the Hammers have improved greatly over the past few weeks, and the Reds have made hard work of their recent results. The bottom line is Liverpool have much more talent at their disposal, and I see them taking all the points. Liverpool -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 5-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: West Ham were 3 goals down before they posed much of a threat. Even then Liverpool didn’t look like they had much to worry about. The Reds let the visitors have the ball for as long as they liked, but what has become the norm for the Hammers, they couldn’t do much with it. They did manage to get a couple back in the second period, but the nail was put in the coffin when Axcel Disasi put one in his own net for Liverpool’s fifth goal and an easy three points. West Ham’s mini revival took a bit of a dent, but I don’t think they expected much from a visit to Anfield. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 5 – Sat Feb 28th 8:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BURNLEY |
BRENTFORD |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Burnley are showing signs of life. They are not giving up on their quest to escape the drop but drop they will. With saying that, at home to an erratic Brentford, and with a 1/2 goal advantage, the home team looks like the bet. A draw is what I would expect therefore the 1/2-goal edge might be the difference. Burnley +1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-4 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Burnley looked to have at least saved a point when the score was 3-3. They were three goals down and it took a supreme effort to get them back in the game. Mikkel Damsgaard scored his second goal three minutes into injury time to deny the Clarets a small consolation for all their hard work. Even then, with 100 minutes on the clock, Burnley had the ball in the net to bring the score to 4-4 but it was eventually over-ruled by VAR and the home team was left with nothing. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 6 – Sat Feb 28th 10:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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LEEDS |
MANCHESTER CITY |
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| Odds +1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds –1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This might be tougher than it seems for City. Leeds are hard to beat at home and even if Manchester are chasing Arsenal for the lead in the table, I think the one-goal handicap is where this game will end. This would be best left alone I’m thinking. No Bet | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: City did not have this all their own way. Leeds are tricky customers at home and despite lots of pressure from the visitors, the Whites kept them at bay for most of the game. Antoine Semenyo scored the only goal of the game two minutes into injury at the end of the first half. Without their star player Earling Haaland, out with a minor injury, Manchester were stymied by a rugged defense, and if the game had ended in a draw, Leeds would have been well satisfied. Leeds manager, Daniel Farke, was shown a red card at the end for arguing with an official, not sure what that will mean eventually, As it turned out, City’s pursuit on Arsenal continues and with Aston Villa’s dramatic drop-off, it looks like they are the only team that could possibly catch the League leaders. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 7 – Sun Mar 1st 7:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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FULHAM |
TOTTENHAM |
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| Odds PICK | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds PICK | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Spurs desperately need this game, well that could be said for just about every game they have played since the turn of the new year. If new manager Igor Tudor is going to make an impact, it has to happen soon, and they won’t get a much better chance than at Craven Cottage. Don’t spend any money that you need for more important things. Tottenham PICK. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Tottenham didn’t do their fight against relegation any favors by getting beat at Fulham, but nobody around them did much better so things pretty much stay as they were. Spurs were 2 goals down going into the half, but the second period saw some improvement, but really not enough until subs Richarlison, Sarr, Tel and Souza were introduced to the game. Tottenham started to put some moves together and were rewarded with a goal by Richarlison in the 66th-minute. The players that were replaced were almost no-shows. Xavi Simmons, Kolo Muani, Bissouma, and Sarr were next to useless, and I don’t remember Solanke ever touching the ball. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 8 – Sun Mar 1st 7:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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MANCHESTER UNITED |
CRYSTAL PALACE |
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| Odds -1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Manchester United looked like crap against Everton last week, while Crystal Palace are just plain crap most of the time. United were lucky to escape with the win, even if they didn’t look good doing it. I’ll take them to beat Palace, as I can’t see them playing that bad two weeks in a row. Manchester United -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Manchester United climb one spot up the table to third place after beating ten-man Crystal Palace, and Aston Villa going down to Wolves. Palace were on the board before United had even got their boots laced with a 4th-minute goal by defender Maxence Lacroix, and there the score stayed until the same player was sent off for pulling down Matheus Cunha in the penalty area. Bruno Fernandes converted the penalty, and Ben Sesko scored 8 minutes later to make it 2-1. At times, United still struggled to contain Palace even being a man short. On their recent form, Manchester have to feel lucky to be in the position they are in. Going by their last few outings, it’s a wonder that they are where they are. I don’t think it will last, and I see third place as the pinnacle of their season. Not just the pinnacle, but it’s all downhill from here. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 9 – Sun Mar 1st 7:00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BRIGHTON |
NOTTINGHAM FOREST |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Brighton showed promise at the start of the season, but have dropped off lately. At home they can be tricky and Forest are looking to conjure up a few tricks of their own. They played the first half against Liverpool last week with a renewed vigor but faded in the second half. This could be a close one, but I will take Brighton for a modest wager. Brighton. -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: This was a close one and all the goals were scored in the first 15 minutes. Brighton came out swinging and were one goal up after 6 minutes. Morgan Gibbs-White had the game equal 7 minutes later, only to have 35-year-old Danny Welbeck put the Seagulls in front again 2 minutes later. Both teams seemed to lose their creative spark in the second half with Forest looking second best most of the time. Nottingham are only 2 points clear of the relegation zone, and with commitments in Europe this season, is not going to get much easier. | |||||||
WEEK 28 GAME 10 – Sun Mar 1st 9:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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ARSENAL |
CHELSEA |
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| Odds -1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Well, this should be the match of the week. Chelsea have only managed a draw against their last two opponents, but Arsenal, discounting the debacle at Spurs last week. haven’t been exactly setting the world on fire with their recent performances. The Gunners are at home, but I don’t see that as much of an advantage. There will probably be as many Chelsea supporters there as Gooners. I’m taking the Blues for what some might say is an upset. Chelsea +1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: True to form, Chelsea received their seventh red card of the season when Pedro Neto was sent off. Up to that point they were very much in the game, even being one goal down. Being a man down didn’t stop the Blues from pressing and some fine goalkeeping from David Raya kept the Blues from the equalizer. As usual, Arsenal’s goals came from corners and even Chelsea’s goal came from a corner that was put into the net by an Arsenal player. In the end, Chelsea sealed their own fate by bringing on Garnacho as a substitute, effectively going down to 9 men. He did touch the ball once by sending in a useful looking cross towards goal that came to naught, but that was his sole contribution to the game. Arsenal extend their lead but have played one extra game, and the race continues. | |||||||