WEEK 4
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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 4 September 13-14
All times are Mountain Standard Time
WEEK 4 GAME 1 – Saturday Sept 13th 07:30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST The Tricky Trees |
ARSENAL |
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| Odds +1 1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1 1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Nottingham Forest’s pathetic performance last time out against against a useless West Ham team does not look good for a team that showed a lot of promise last season. If the best they can do at home against a team that doesn’t know which side of the globe the sun sets is to lose 3-0 then it’s going to be a long hard season for the Tricky Trees. Arsenal at home against this collection of underachievers should not have to much of a problem. Since I initially wrote this manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been fired and Ex-Spurs gaffer Ange Postecoglou has taken the reins at Notts Forest. It may be too early to see a dramatic change but once Ange finds his footing I think Forest will be on the ascendance again. In the meantime I’ll still take The Gunners -1 1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Not much of a welcome back to the Premier League for Ange Postecoglou as Arsenal cruised to an easy win over the hapless Foresters. New boys Martin Zubimendi (2) and Viktor Gyokeres (1) scored the goals that gave the Gunners three easy points. Martin Odegaard had to retire early in the game with what looked like a recurrence of a shoulder injury after a clash with one of his own players. As much of a blow that was for the home side it didn’t slow them down. Another newcomer Eberechi Eze had a very productive game and gave the Forest defense plenty of problems down the left side. For the first 30 minutes Arsenal were thwarted by the anchor in the back line, Murillo, but he was forced off in the 37th minute with an injury. After that Arsenal gained the upper hand and didn’t let go. Big Ange has a lot to do if he is to bring a modicum of success to Notts Forest but it will take some time and Premier League management has little patience these days. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 2 – Saturday 13th Sept 10.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BOURNEMOUTH The Cherries |
BRIGHTON |
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| Odds. Pick | O/U 3 | Odds. Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: I think this comes down to weather you are a Cherries fan or a Seagull. Not much to choose between these two. I guess that’s why it’s a pick. I wouldn’t put any serious money on the outcome of this. It may be an interesting game therefore it may be fun to watch but I wouldn’t be putting any serious money on it. No Bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: This game could have gone either way but on the day Bournemouth deserved the win. They looked the most composed side in contrast to Brighton who looked disjointed at best.I was expecting a somewhat entertaining game but it turned into lackluster, almost boring, contest. Bournemouth are starting to look like a team to be taken seriously and Brighton’s performance could be best described as sporadic. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 3 – Saturday 13th Sept 10.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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NEWCASTLE The Magpies |
WOLVERHAMPTON The Wolves |
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| Odds -1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Wolves have yet to win a game this season but then neither have Newcastle. Both teams have a problem with scoring having lost their respective net finders to transfers. The Magpies are favored by one goal which means to win this bet they would have to score by two clear goals. They way they are playing I wouldn’t be betting much on that happening. If Wolves are ever going to get it together now would be a good time to start. For a very modest gamble I will take Wolverhampton to keep it close. Wolves. -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: New signing Nick Woltemade scored the only goal of the match to give Newcastle their first win of the season. The 6’6″ German rose above the Wolves defense to head home his first goal at the 27th minute mark and that was all that was needed to secure all the points. It remains to be seen if he will be a suitable replacement for Alexander Isak but he’s off to a good start. Almost as impressive, at the other end, The Magpies have recorded their third clean sheet of the young season with their defense looking particularly strong. The misery continues for Wolverhampton who have yet to register a win this year. If next week doesn’t show a light at the end of the tunnel, against Leeds, then this could be the last season we see the Wolves in the Premier League for a while. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 4 – Saturday Sept 13th 10.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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FULHAM The Cottagers |
LEEDS The Whites |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Leeds have gotten off to a pretty good start for a newly promoted team. One win, one draw and one loss. Fulham, not so much. The Cottagers were robbed in their last match and have had some questionable decisions go against them. As they are at home this week-end I think their fortunes will change and they should be able to overcome a 1/2 goal penalty. Fulham -1/2. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: At last Fulham get out of the gate. It took an own goal by Gabriel Gudmundsson in the 4th minute of overtime to bring home the spoils for the Cottagers. Leeds had their chances but couldn’t find the back of the net until a fierce shot by newcomer Kevin was tipped over the bar and the ensuing corner resulted in a heartbreaking own goal by the Leeds defender. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 5 – Sat Sept 13th 10.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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EVERTON |
ASTON VILLA |
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| Odds Pick | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds Pick | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Aston Villa. Another set of underachievers. Normally I would take Aston Villa to beat Everton but with the emergence of the talents of Jack Grealish and the fact that The Toffees are playing their second match in their new home stadium I will take the home team to prevail. Everton. Pick | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Not only winless but haven’t even scored a goal yet in this new season of Premier League football. Not sure whats happened to this team but they are a shadow of who they were last year. Everton had full possession of the game and despite Jack Grealish and Ilimans Ndiayd’s best efforts couldn’t find anyone to put the ball in the net. That being said, in contrast to Aston Villa The Toffees look like a different team altogether than last year. Maybe they wont have their annual dance with relegation but their still needs to be lots of improvement before they can be taken seriously. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 6 – Sat 13th Sept 10.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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CRYSTAL PALACE |
SUNDERLAND |
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| Odds -1 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Crystal palace shouldn’t be getting the results they are. Beating Aston Villa at their home ground 3-0 last week has to put a spring in their step and with a draw against against Chelsea and Notts Forest they look a lot better in the Premier League standings that they deserve. Sunderland may give them a fight but the Eagles need to win by two clear goals. I don’t see that happening so It’s Sunderland for me. Sunderland +1. | |||||||
| RESULTS: | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Defying all odds Crystal Palace are still unbeaten this year. Sunderland came to play and weren’t intimidated by the Londoners. The outcome may have been very different if it wasn’t for Sunderland’s goalkeeper Robin Roefs. He pulled off six outstanding saves and at only 22 years looks like a star in the making. Both teams had chances but obviously couldn’t make any of them count. The Black Cats continue to keep their head above water and if they can maintain this kind of form may just be able to survive their return to the Top League. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 7 – Sat 13th Sept 12.30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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WEST HAM |
TOTTENHAM |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Tottenham need to erase the stigma of last weeks defeat at the hands of Bournemouth. What better team to do it against than West Ham. Anyone can have a bad game but 10 out of 11 ( the only exception being goalkeeper Vicario) will be a little hard to replicate. I see Spurs giving West Ham a spanking and 1/2 goal disadvantage should be nothing to hold them back. Tottenham -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: As I said half-way through last season “if this is the best West Ham can do they don’t deserve to be in the Premier League”. After what I’ve seen so far this season I’ll stand by that assessment. They were already a goal down when Thomas Soucek was sent off which didn’t do the Hammers any favors going down to ten men. Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven scored the goals and Christian Romero had a perfectly good goal disallowed. Spurs looked like a much improved team from their last match at Bournemouth and even with long running injuries to James Madison and Dejan Kulusevski they finally looked like a team with many options in all positions. West Ham were pathetic what more can you say. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 8 – Sat 13th Sept 1.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BRENTFORD |
CHELSEA |
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| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: In my book Brentford are a lost cause. I wouldn’t give a fiddler’s fart for them to stay in the Premier League this season. If Chelsea can’t dispatch this collection of misfits then they don’t deserve to be contenders either. It’s early, but they better take this lot out in no short order. Chelsea -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Although they were one goal down going into the half Chelsea had over twice the amount of shots and 66% of possession. Cole Palmer came on as a substitute and was on the score sheet in the 61st minute, when Moises Caicedo scored a second late in the game (85th minute) Chelsea looked to have the game sown up. The celebrations didn’t last long as 8 minutes later, 3 minutes into injury time a series of shoddy defending let Brentford score the undeserved equalizer. For Chelsea to let this game slip away brings up some serious questions. This should never have happened against this team and even though it’s still early yet I think my pre-season analysis of Chelsea’s chances of success this season will stand. Their almost non-stop schedule during the summer break will come back to haunt them. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 9 – Sun 14th Sept 9.00 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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BURNLEY The Clarets |
LIVERPOOL |
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| +1 1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds -1 1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Well this should be a forgone conclusion. But as I have learnt over the years when it looks too good to be true it generally is. I’ll take Liverpool to win and cover the spread but I wouldn’t be wagering my life savings on it. Liverpool may not lose but Burnley might just keep it close. Nevertheless. Liverpool -1 1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Never let it be said I didn’t warn ya. It took a penalty in the 5th minute of injury time to secure the points for The Reds The stats were ridiculous. 81% possession to just 19% for Burnley and 27 shots on goal to Burnleys 3, yes that’s right 27. Burnley are of course known for their defensive capabilities having conceded only 16 goals all last season. Their excellent goalkeeper went back to Manchester City ( he was on loan) so Dubravka in the Clarets goal has big shoes to fill. Against League champions it should have still been an uphill struggle for the home team but they managed to hold Liverpool back for 95 minutes. I though it may be a closer game than it appeared on paper but Liverpool don’t have much to be proud of even if they did gab all three points in the end. | |||||||
WEEK 4 GAME 10 – Sun 14th Sept 11.30 |
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| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
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MANCHESTER CITY |
MANCHESTER UNITED |
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| Odds -1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Two loses in a row! City need to get this turned around and they won’t get a better chance against cross town rivals United. The Red Devils still don’t seem to have gotten it together and at times look like the dismal outfit that they fielded last season. Their new players will come into their own but in the meantime City will not wait for that to happen. Speaking of last season City are showing signs of the same dismal mistakes from last year but I think they have a lot more talent on display at the moment. Manchester City -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-0 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Things are not looking good on the other side of Manchester. If I was manager Ruben Amorim I wouldn’t be taking any long term loans out and using my job as collateral. United should have stayed in their part of town and not even bothered to turn up. Phil Foden scored his first goal since January to open the way for Erling Haaland to register two more. This was always one-way traffic with United never looking like they would ever get back into it. One exception was a a great save by new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from a Bryan Mbeumo effort. As is often in these cases of one team dominating another City could have added more goals but ultimately 3 were enough. One bright note Mbeumo seems to be settling in and more of a contribution from him will be forthcoming. On the other side of the coin Luke Shaw had a game he would rather forget and whether Altay Bayindir between the sticks will solve United goalkeeping problems remains to be seen. This was my Gold Star Pick of the Week! If you would like to get my Gold Star Pick each and every week in your email, make sure and sign up by clicking HERE!!! | |||||||