WEEK 6
HINT: Use Landscape for best viewing on mobile device.
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 6 September 27-29
All times are Mountain Standard Time
LAST WEEK’S SUMMARY
Week 5. Out of 7 predictions last week, I got 5 right, 1 push and only I wrong. The odds that I post are the early lines and are subject to change as the game day approaches. I explain that a little more in my Sunderland v Aston Villa analysis of last week. Out of the 5 correct predictions, one of those was my Gold Star Pick, Crystal Palace to beat West Ham! Don’t forget to sign up on my Homepage to receive my Gold Star Pick in your email before each week’s matches!
WEEK 6 GAME 1 – SAT SEP 27th 05:30 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
BRENTFORD |
MANCHESTER UNITED |
 |
||||
| Odds +1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Even with an emerging star in Josh King, I don’t see Brentford surviving this season in the Top Flight. Manchester United are starting to settle down and I see this as a clean sweep for the visitors. Manchester United -1/2< | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Manchester United were two goals down before they had even warmed up. A pair of strikes by Igor Thiago within 20 minutes left them with a steep hill to climb. Last year, I said that there would be a lot of new faces at Man United this season, apparently not enough. Mbeumo has yet to find his groove and Matheus Cunha who cost around 70mil this summer from Wolverhampton played like he was wearing someone else’s boots. Cunha was probably Wolves best player, but being the best at Wolves obviously doesn’t cut it in the rest of the league. Benjamin Sesko gave Manchester some hope with a scruffy goal before the Bees nailed the coffin shut with one one right at the end. It didn’t help that Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty, but that about sums up United’s game. To lose 3-1 to a Brentford team that really doesn’t have a clue is shocking. As it was, there were no shortage of shocks this week. One I’m not proud of, I thought Josh King played for Brentford for some reason instead of Fulham. Sorry about that. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 2 – Sat Sept 27th 8:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
LEEDS |
BOURNEMOUTH |
 |
||||
| Odds -PICK | O/U 2-1/2 | Odds PICK | |||||
| PREDICTIONS. Bournemouth have shown that they are not to be trifled with. They are currently fourth in the League standings, and while I think that when the dust settles they will be further down the table. This week could see them take all three points from a confident Leeds’ side. Bournemouth. Pick ’em. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Leeds chalked up their 23rd home game without being beaten on Saturday against the Cherries. They were unlucky not to bag all three points, and that was the way it looked until the third minute of injury time when Eli Kroupi popped up and scored the equalizer to give Bournemouth a share of the spoils. Bournemouth continue to solidify their position in the Premier League and Leeds have had a respectful start to their return to the Top Flight. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 3 – Sat Sept 27th 8:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
CHELSEA |
BRIGHTON |
 |
||||
| Odds -1/2 | O/U 3 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Chelsea at home should get this done. Brighton are like a fine wine, they don’t travel well, even if it is a short hop from the South Coast up to London. I’ll take Chelsea here, but they are not going to get a lot of respect from me after their poor showings of the last two weeks. Chelsea -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-3 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Cole Palmer will still be out for a couple of weeks, but methinks even his return won’t be enough to improve Chelsea if they continue to play like this. They went in at halftime one goal to the good but shortly after the restart, Trevor Chalobah was sent off, the second expulsion in as many weeks. This is off the top of my head, but I think Chelsea have wracked up more cards than any other team so far this season. This shows a lack of discipline and composure. Nursing a slim lead, the wheels came flying off in the final minutes. Danny Welbeck equalized in the 77th minute and Brighton scored twice more in injury time; OK there was over 10 minutes of added time but still. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 4 – Sat Sept 27th 8:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
CRYSTAL PALACE |
LIVERPOOL |
 |
||||
| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2-1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Now this is interesting. As I have stated previously, I think Palace are punching above their weight and Liverpool, even though they have taken all the points available, they are not playing up to their potential. Maybe this is the week they get clipped just a little. If this was a one goal difference, I would take the Eagles. If the odds stay like this, I’ll say no bet but if they go out to +1 goal in Crystal Palace’s favor I’ll take them, as it is I’ll say . No Bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 2-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: If you look at the stats, this result was ridiculous. Palace had a full 28% of possession and yet with a goal right at the beginning and at the end, took all three points. It may take a few weeks for newcomer Alexander Isak to settle in, and even after this loss Liverpool are still top of the league. I had a feeling that The Reds may be heading for a fall because grabbing results at the last minute is not a long time strategy. Crystal Palace are now the only unbeaten team in the League, and at six games into the season, that is a statement that I thought I would never say. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 5 – Sat Sept 27th 8:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
MANCHESTER CITY |
BURNLEY |
 |
||||
| Odds -2 | O/U 3 | Odds +2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: This is another one that should be a no brainer. But given Burnley’s defense I’m not taking the bait on this. I don’t expect Burnley to win, but City by three clear goals? I don’t think so. No Bet. | |||||||
| RESULTS: 5-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Never feels good putting the ball in your own net, got to feel a lot worse doing it twice. Burnley defender Maxime Esteve scored two for the other team after intense pressure from a fired up City side. Even without his contribution, the Citizens’ three other goals would have settled the affair. Earling Haaland is in grand form, but had to wait for the closing minutes to thump in a brace. Burnley’s only real strength is their defense, and if this performance is any measure, they need to be worried about the rest of the season. | |||||||
WEEK6 GAME 6 – Sat Sept 27th 10:30 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
NOTTINGHAM FOREST |
SUNDERLAND |
 |
||||
| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2-1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Can The Black Cats get any kind of a result here? Notts Forest are still not where they want to be, and even if they improve there will never be a better chance of a result while they are in a rebuilding phase. I’ll take Sunderland and the 1/2 goal advantage. Sunderland +1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 0-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Notts Forest failed to have a shot on target in the first half, and went in at the break a goal down. The second half saw improvements on both sides of the ball, and if it wasn’t for an excellent display by Sunderland ‘keeper Robin Roefs, the Tricky Trees could have easily snatched the lead. Granit Xhaka seems to have matured a bit since his tenure at Arsenal, and doesn’t look like the Whirling Dervish he did while dominating the midfield for the Gunners. He looks like an excellent fit for Sunderland. Ange Postecoglou has yet to record his first win for Forest, but it’s coming. Each week Sunderland look more solid and this was their first away win for the newly-promoted side this season. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 7 – Sat Sept 27th 1:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
TOTTENHAM |
WOLVERHAMPTON |
 |
||||
| Odds -1 | O/U 2-1/2 | Odds +1 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: To me it looks like Wolverhampton are a lost cause. They sell their best players, they do need the money, and don’t replace them with anyone worth mentioning. Spurs are at home and after last week’s disappointment at Bournemouth, will be looking to make amends. Tottenham -1 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
|
ANALYSIS: What did we learn from this? Well it wasn’t that Wolves are improving! How about that? There’s still lot’s of work to do at Tottenham if they are to be taken seriously. In a word, this was absolute crap from Spurs. For half of the game they looked like they were going to concede to the, arguably worse team in the League. It wasn’t until the last gasp that the wayward Spurs snatched a point with a Joao Palhinha goal. Another ridiculous result in a ridiculous week. Here’s a team that goes to Manchester City and wins, and yet a few short weeks later nearly gives it all up to Wolverhampton’s bunch of misfits.
|
|||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 8 – Sun Sept 28th 7:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
ASTON VILLA |
FULHAM |
 |
||||
| Odds -1/2 | O/U 2-1/2 | Odds +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Fulham have to be feeling pretty good after beating Brentford 3-1 last week, but remember it was only Brentford. The Cherries are going to be one of this season’s punching bags. Fulham now have two wins in a row and Aston Villa are a disaster at the moment; so for me it’s Fulham +1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 3-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Another result that defies logic, what a week! Within three minutes, Fulham had the lead and then Aston Villa woke up. As far as the stats go, it was a pretty even match; similar possessions, shots, shot’s on goal, pass efficiency yada, yada. If these two played again tomorrow, I’d still take Fulham, and the day after that. Maybe Aston Villa have finally woken up; I’m not betting on it. I can’t explain how this happened. To me, it makes no sense, then again perhaps I’m not as clever as I thought. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 9 – Sun Sept 28th 9:30 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
NEWCASTLE |
ARSENAL |
 |
||||
| Odds +1/2 | O/U 2-1/2 | Odds -1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Newcastle may be good at keeping clean sheets but although they are at home, I see them falling back and trying to defend their goal instead of trying to score. 1/2-goal handicap should be no problem for the Gunners, and I’ll take them to go home with all the points. Arsenal -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-2 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Only the second one I got right this week. Arsenal were one goal down for most of the match. The Gunners had a few questionable decisions go against them and it took until the dying embers for the visitors to equalize, and then score the wining goal to give Arsenal all three points to take home. As to be expected, it was set plays that gave Arsenal the edge, but fairs fair: the Gunners had 64% possession, and over twice the amount of shots on target. Actually the Magpies were lucky to be in this game as long as they were. They still are not firing on all eight, Alexander Isak’s replacement Nick Woltemade did score the first goal but Newcastle are still missing a beat. | |||||||
WEEK 6 GAME 10 – Mon Sept 29th 11:00 |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | AWAY | ||||||
 |
EVERTON |
WEST HAM |
 |
||||
| -1/2 | O/U 2 1/2 | +1/2 | |||||
| PREDICTIONS: Even with Graham potter gone west ham still have the same useless players. Going into Everton’s new home wont do them any favors. I’m taking the Toffees for a big bet as the rest of the week has been a bit of a bust. Everton -1/2 | |||||||
| RESULTS: 1-1 | |||||||
| ANALYSIS: Everton went out to an early lead and were all over the Hammers from the get go. Michael Keane’s 18th-minute goal seemed like just the opening for what was going to be an easy victory for the Toffees. West Ham were their usual ineffective self under the tutelage of new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, and it looked like a bloodbath for much of the game. By the end, Jarrod Bowen (the only decent player West Ham have) scored in the 65th minute to secure a point for the visiting team. For Everton to have let this game slip away from them shows that they are a ways down the street and not even close to turning the corner. Much like their normal behavior, they resemble the team that has flopped around the Premier League for years, only one step in front of disaster. As for West Ham, a new manager is not going to improve their outlook for the rest of the season, as they are neck deep in said disaster. | |||||||