Friday, January 22, 2016

EPL 2015/16 - Week 23

Norwich v/s Liverpool - Away win
Crystal Palace v/s Tottenham - Home win
Leicester v/s Stoke - Home win
Man Utd v/s Southampton - Home win
Sunderland v/s Bournemouth - Home win
Watford v/s Newcastle - Home win
West Brom v/s Aston Villa - Home win
West Ham v/s Man City - Draw
Everton v/s Swansea - Home win
Arsenal v/s Chelsea - Home win

I see Watford's losing run coming to an end against Newcastle. Ighalo is due a goal soon and he could very well get one or more against a usually-suspect Newcastle defence which just got worse off with new injuries to Dummett and Mbabu. The Magpies will do well to snatch a point out of this encounter but I think Watford will outright win this.

Arsenal hosts Chelsea  but the fiery tempers will probably be tampered because the Special One won't be there anymore to face arch-nemesis Wenger. Arsenal are welcoming back Ozil and Sanchez which gives them much-needed ammunition for the title run-in. I see their free-flowing football causing a lot of trouble for Chelsea's old legs and I just can't see an away win here. Most likely, it's the hosts that will rejoice with the 3 points in the end.

Friday, January 15, 2016

EPL 2015/16 - Week 22

Spurs v/s Sunderland - Home win
Bournemouth v/s Norwich - Home win
Chelsea v/s Everton - Away win
Man City v/s Crystal Palace - Home win
Newcastle v/s West Ham - Home win
Southampton v/s West Brom - Home win
Aston Villa v/s Leicester - Away win
Liverpool v/s Man Utd - Home win
Stoke v/s Arsenal - Home win
Swansea v/s Watford - Draw

Spurs should be able to bounce back from their last defeat against Leicester and comprehensively beat Sunderland. Harry Kane is due a goal soon having come close in his last couple of matches. Sunderland were lucky to have 4 past an under-manned Swansea in their last match. I don't reckon Defoe will get the same opportunities against his former club.

I see Leicester building on their last away win at White Hart Lane and pile more misery on Villa. The latter finally won last time out, albeit due to a lucky goal against Palace. Maybe lightning can strike twice but the Foxes are so hard to score against that I sense that they can very well find at least a goal with the likes of Mahrez or Vardy and outscore the worst team in the league.

Monday, January 11, 2016

EPL 2015/16 - Week 21

Bournemouth v/s West Ham - Away win
Aston Villa v/s Crystal Palace - Draw
Newcastle v/s Man Utd - Away win
Chelsea v/s West Brom - Home win
Man City v/s Everton - Home win
Southampton v/s Watford - Away win
Stoke v/s Norwich - Home win
Swansea v/s Sunderland - Home win
Liverpool v/s Arsenal - Home win
Tottenham v/s Leicester - Home win

Liverpool will certainly make it hard for Arsenal to come away with something at Anfield. While it is true that the Kops have looked more comfortable on the road rather than at home under Klopp, they seem to conjure their best matches against major opposition. Arsenal have done arguably well since the loss of Sanchez, Coquelin and Cazorla to injury but you can decipher in their recent matches that their energy levels have dipped and could do with fresher legs. Ozil is the player carrying them at the moment and if you take away his assists, the stats are not that flattering for the league leaders. At current odds, Liverpool look excellent value either as an outright win or as a draw-no-bet.

I think the Villains will drop this year as Garde hasn't made the team better in any way. They are not playing with any confidence and only a good stretch of winning matches will save them as they are running out of time. Visitors Crystal Palace are oh-so comfortable and ruthless on their travels and I can easily see them coming away with either a point or the full 3 points.

Saturday, January 2, 2016

EPL 2015/16 - Week 20

West Ham v/s Liverpool - Draw
Arsenal v/s Newcastle - Home win
Leicester v/s Bournemouth - Home win
Man Utd v/s Swansea - Home win
Norwich v/s Southampton - Draw
Sunderland v/s Aston Villa - Draw
West Brom v/s Stoke - Away win
Watford v/s Man City - Draw
Crystal Palace v/s Chelsea - Home win
Everton v/s Spurs - Away win

Van Gaal is the manager under pressure at the moment after a terrible December spell. However, the Red Devils' last draw against Chelsea bears hope that the team is picking up the pieces and on its way to a more favorable spell. I think the visit of hapless and manager-less Swansea is an auspicious one for them to start a winning run although they have been beaten by the Swans in their last 3 league encounters. I see Old Trafford getting some buzz back on Saturday.

For Arsenal to win the title, they have got to put away struggling teams like Newcastle. Sure they still are missing a few key players but they have enough quality to grind out a result against Steve Mc Laren's side. Ozil is involved in most of the Gunners goals and the Magpies will need to stop him to get a result. Thing is, he's one of the most intelligent players out there to get into space and make the through pass. Although they are on a good run, I cannot see Newcastle coming out with something from the Emirates and this should be a straight win for the home team.