Looking ahead to the EPL weekend - August 25/26/27
Aug 21, 2018 14:29:17 GMT
MrFurious and Carl LaFong like this
Post by staggerstag on Aug 21, 2018 14:29:17 GMT
Man City kick off at lunchtime on Saturday (along with Liverpool they are having at least their first four league games televised live) away at Wolves (10/1) They'll be seeking to improve on their already impressive +7 GD and are a mere 2/9 to come away with the points. Wolves were hard done by at Leicester in their last outing having hit the woodwork three times and having an attempt cleared off the line and I expect them to give a decent account of themselves. Okay, what does that exactly mean when you're up against Man City? Who am I kidding here? A Wolves win, almost certainly not. A point apiece, that's still pushing it. What I'm saying is that we are unlikely to see a thrashing here, that's my belief going on what I've seen of Wolves so far.
The four 3pm kick-offs will hardly have you salivating in anticipation (unless you're an Arsenal fan awaiting your first point) They're at home to West Ham (13/2 - in from 15/2 since Monday) who threw away a lead v Bournemouth last week and were roundly booed off the field at the end of it. Arsenal (4/11) must be expected to win this. Anything less than three points could see them in the relegation zone from where they are currently just one place away.
5th placed Bournemouth (8/5) have impressed so far, as have 6th placed Everton (7/4) There was some decent flowing play from the Toffees in their win over Southampton and this will be a good early test for both sides. Not surprisingly the draw comes in at a skinny 11/5.
And what of Huddersfield? (in to 5/4 from 13/10) The fixture list's first two appointments for them were less than gentlemanly, and they've managed to leak nine goals in two games. But now they've an opportunity to regain some steadiness with the visit of Cardiff (a stingy 12/5) The Bluebirds are the only Premier League side yet to pot and if Huddersfield can show the same sort of play here as they did in the first half against Chelsea it may be three games without a goal for Warnock's boys. Despite the 6-1 drubbing at the Ethiad, Huddy keeper Hamer pulled off a couple of fine saves and he'll be guarding his area with rifle drawn, you can be sure of that. I can't see past the home win and for above even money Huddy are worth serious consideration.
Southampton (13/10) have been predictably indifferent so far and Mark Hughes (steadily making his way up the Sack Race odds ladder) needs to rock the boat somewhat more vigorously than he has been. He can be grateful that Vardy will be absent for Leicester (11/5) following the striker's red card for his Mad Max challenge on Doherty of Wolves last week. Leicester won that game regardless and may well hand a start to recent signing Caglar Scyunci, the Turkish international defender who got his work permit through last Thursday. Who they'll replace Vardy with is another matter. I'm edging towards the draw on this one at 11/5.
As I said, along with Man City, Liverpool will have at least their first four games broadcast live and they are slotted in for the 5.30pm kick-off at home to Brighton. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp came away from south London on Monday with all three points following, in his words, an "ugly win" over Crystal Palace. 'Pool come in at an anorexic 1/6 while the Seagulls, fresh from humbling Man Utd last week, are a whopping 14/1. Fancy a turn up? It's 6/1 the draw.
High-flying Watford (6/4) kick off Sunday's action at 1.30pm with the visit of a Crystal Palace side (15/8) coming off the back of that battling 0-2 loss to Liverpool on Monday. It could be a cracking derby, this, with the Hornets looking to make it 3 wins out of 3 and Palace seeking to keep themselves in the upper half of the standings.
There are two 4pm encounters. Fulham (in to 1/1 from 23/20) are another side still awaiting their first point and they host Burnley (out to 3/1 from 13/5) who showed signs of Europa League fatigue in the 1-3 home defeat against Watford. And Burnley are at it again on Thursday, facing Olympiakos, so this can only bode well for Fulham and thus the home win here is mighty tempting although 3/1 for the visitors is not to be sniffed at if Dyche can Psych 'em up.
Newcastle (4/1) narrowly missed out on a last minute winner against Cardiff with Chelsea loanee Kenedy fluffing his spot-kick. He'll of course not play for the visit of CFC (a meagre 4/6) And I've just realized that Newcastle too will have at least their first four games televised live. They're up for next Saturday's late kick-off at Man City.
Monday's game should be a belter at Old Trafford where out-of-sorts Man Utd (17/10) take on Tottenham (13/8) Try splitting those odds for a favourite : Well, it's United by a hair's breadth - just. Kane broke his career-long duck last week and looked so much sharper than in the 2-1 win at Newcastle in their opening fixture. United may have Sanchez fit again, I'm not sure, but Mourinho has simply got to pull off something here against a well-oiled Spurs outfit. If he doesn't, well, the press will have a field day as usual, Mourinho will start complaining that the wallpaper in his hotel quarters is having a detrimental effect on his match-day tactics and Ed Woodward will be scratching his head even harder than he was at full time against Brighton. This should be a cracker to round off the weekend's fixtures.
* Latest : Man Utd now into 6/4 and Spurs drifting out to 9/5.
If you're a fan of Monday Night Football make the most of it - the next one isn't until September 17th.
And for those subscribers thinking of taking Sky to court over the Trades Description Act, go for it - my edition of The Oxford Popular English Dictionary lists 'super' as being 'excellent' and 'superb' and the online Collins Dictionary describes it as 'outstanding' and 'exceptionally fine' but there again, the following Super Sunday games may turn out to be all of those things. And to be fair, the alternative fixtures over the next six weeks or so don't throw up too many 'super's anyway (Spurs v Liverpool, Sat lunchtime, 15th Sep; Chelsea v Liverpool, Sat early evening, 29th Sep) Depends on who His Honour supports and judges as super really. He could be Burnley for all you know.
SUPER SUNDAYS
27th Aug :
Watford v Palace
Fulham v Burnley
Newcastle v Chelsea
2nd Sep :
Cardiff v Arsenal
Watford v Spurs
TWO WEEK INTERNATIONAL BREAK
(England v Switzerland, Poland v Ireland, Scotland v Belgium - Wales and N Ireland nothing doing as yet)
16th Sep :
Wolves v Burnley
Everton v West Ham
23rd Sep :
West Ham v Chelsea
Arsenal v Everton
30th Sep :
Cardiff v Burnley
7th Oct :
Fulham v Arsenal
Southampton v Chelsea
and, finally, a meeting of two traditionally Top Six sides : Liverpool v Man City
The four 3pm kick-offs will hardly have you salivating in anticipation (unless you're an Arsenal fan awaiting your first point) They're at home to West Ham (13/2 - in from 15/2 since Monday) who threw away a lead v Bournemouth last week and were roundly booed off the field at the end of it. Arsenal (4/11) must be expected to win this. Anything less than three points could see them in the relegation zone from where they are currently just one place away.
5th placed Bournemouth (8/5) have impressed so far, as have 6th placed Everton (7/4) There was some decent flowing play from the Toffees in their win over Southampton and this will be a good early test for both sides. Not surprisingly the draw comes in at a skinny 11/5.
And what of Huddersfield? (in to 5/4 from 13/10) The fixture list's first two appointments for them were less than gentlemanly, and they've managed to leak nine goals in two games. But now they've an opportunity to regain some steadiness with the visit of Cardiff (a stingy 12/5) The Bluebirds are the only Premier League side yet to pot and if Huddersfield can show the same sort of play here as they did in the first half against Chelsea it may be three games without a goal for Warnock's boys. Despite the 6-1 drubbing at the Ethiad, Huddy keeper Hamer pulled off a couple of fine saves and he'll be guarding his area with rifle drawn, you can be sure of that. I can't see past the home win and for above even money Huddy are worth serious consideration.
Southampton (13/10) have been predictably indifferent so far and Mark Hughes (steadily making his way up the Sack Race odds ladder) needs to rock the boat somewhat more vigorously than he has been. He can be grateful that Vardy will be absent for Leicester (11/5) following the striker's red card for his Mad Max challenge on Doherty of Wolves last week. Leicester won that game regardless and may well hand a start to recent signing Caglar Scyunci, the Turkish international defender who got his work permit through last Thursday. Who they'll replace Vardy with is another matter. I'm edging towards the draw on this one at 11/5.
As I said, along with Man City, Liverpool will have at least their first four games broadcast live and they are slotted in for the 5.30pm kick-off at home to Brighton. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp came away from south London on Monday with all three points following, in his words, an "ugly win" over Crystal Palace. 'Pool come in at an anorexic 1/6 while the Seagulls, fresh from humbling Man Utd last week, are a whopping 14/1. Fancy a turn up? It's 6/1 the draw.
High-flying Watford (6/4) kick off Sunday's action at 1.30pm with the visit of a Crystal Palace side (15/8) coming off the back of that battling 0-2 loss to Liverpool on Monday. It could be a cracking derby, this, with the Hornets looking to make it 3 wins out of 3 and Palace seeking to keep themselves in the upper half of the standings.
There are two 4pm encounters. Fulham (in to 1/1 from 23/20) are another side still awaiting their first point and they host Burnley (out to 3/1 from 13/5) who showed signs of Europa League fatigue in the 1-3 home defeat against Watford. And Burnley are at it again on Thursday, facing Olympiakos, so this can only bode well for Fulham and thus the home win here is mighty tempting although 3/1 for the visitors is not to be sniffed at if Dyche can Psych 'em up.
Newcastle (4/1) narrowly missed out on a last minute winner against Cardiff with Chelsea loanee Kenedy fluffing his spot-kick. He'll of course not play for the visit of CFC (a meagre 4/6) And I've just realized that Newcastle too will have at least their first four games televised live. They're up for next Saturday's late kick-off at Man City.
Monday's game should be a belter at Old Trafford where out-of-sorts Man Utd (17/10) take on Tottenham (13/8) Try splitting those odds for a favourite : Well, it's United by a hair's breadth - just. Kane broke his career-long duck last week and looked so much sharper than in the 2-1 win at Newcastle in their opening fixture. United may have Sanchez fit again, I'm not sure, but Mourinho has simply got to pull off something here against a well-oiled Spurs outfit. If he doesn't, well, the press will have a field day as usual, Mourinho will start complaining that the wallpaper in his hotel quarters is having a detrimental effect on his match-day tactics and Ed Woodward will be scratching his head even harder than he was at full time against Brighton. This should be a cracker to round off the weekend's fixtures.
* Latest : Man Utd now into 6/4 and Spurs drifting out to 9/5.
If you're a fan of Monday Night Football make the most of it - the next one isn't until September 17th.
And for those subscribers thinking of taking Sky to court over the Trades Description Act, go for it - my edition of The Oxford Popular English Dictionary lists 'super' as being 'excellent' and 'superb' and the online Collins Dictionary describes it as 'outstanding' and 'exceptionally fine' but there again, the following Super Sunday games may turn out to be all of those things. And to be fair, the alternative fixtures over the next six weeks or so don't throw up too many 'super's anyway (Spurs v Liverpool, Sat lunchtime, 15th Sep; Chelsea v Liverpool, Sat early evening, 29th Sep) Depends on who His Honour supports and judges as super really. He could be Burnley for all you know.
SUPER SUNDAYS
27th Aug :
Watford v Palace
Fulham v Burnley
Newcastle v Chelsea
2nd Sep :
Cardiff v Arsenal
Watford v Spurs
TWO WEEK INTERNATIONAL BREAK
(England v Switzerland, Poland v Ireland, Scotland v Belgium - Wales and N Ireland nothing doing as yet)
16th Sep :
Wolves v Burnley
Everton v West Ham
23rd Sep :
West Ham v Chelsea
Arsenal v Everton
30th Sep :
Cardiff v Burnley
7th Oct :
Fulham v Arsenal
Southampton v Chelsea
and, finally, a meeting of two traditionally Top Six sides : Liverpool v Man City
