Looking ahead to the return of the EPL - November 24/25/26
Nov 22, 2018 3:47:36 GMT
darkshines likes this
Post by staggerstag on Nov 22, 2018 3:47:36 GMT
There are six 3pm kick-offs on Saturday with no lunchtime game but a 5.30pm set-to for your enjoyment.
Let's get the first two out of the way, both of which I see as strong non-event contenders.
Brighton, coming off the back of two away defeats against Cardiff and Everton will be glad to get back on home turf for the visit of Leicester who drew a blank v Burnley last time out. Two places and three points separate the sides with the Foxes superior, and last season's H2Hs bode well for the visitors who won both ties 2-0. Leicester arrive as 6/4 favs with Brighton on offer at 9/5.
The last time Everton and Cardiff met in the EPL was in 2013-14 with the Toffees bagging four points. Everton ground out a feisty draw at Stamford Bridge last time out while Cardiff have carved out two wins from their last four outings. You'll get a stingy 2/5 for the home win while Cardiff are 6/1.
Now the 3pms start livening up : You knew the time was coming for Jakanovic and plans were undoubtedly in place for his replacement some time before Fulham's loss at Anfield. Claudio Raneiri takes over a side that has conceded 31 pots in 11 games but the good news is that they host a Southampton team that has managed just 2 goals in their last seven games, an outrageous statistic that may go some way towards the likely-looking dismissal of Mark Hughes, now 4/6 hotshot to be next to go. It's 6/4 the home, 9/5 the Saints.
Despite José Mourinho's rehearsed protestations that his side were "in the game" for the first eighty minutes of the Manchester derby, Man Utd were wholly outclassed at The Ethiad in their last outing with some City showboating the like of which you'll not soon see again, anywhere. You just cannot understand where comments like this come from anymore : "It is football and for me it is even more football when we have a week where we play three consecutive matches away and Manchester City play three consecutive games at home." More football? No more football than anyone else in the top flight, unless you're Huddersfield or Newcastle. Maybe that's why he needed to take time out at his London home after the 2-2 draw at Chelsea this time last month - rather than travelling back up north with his players. Utd (4/11) host Crystal Palace (13/2) It doesn't bode well for Hodgsy's boys who have not beaten United in 12 top flight meetings since 2004.
* Mrs Doggett's Daily Double : United to win and Zaha booked for simulation, 5/1.
Watford, with the best squad in the Premier League - LOL, sorry but I can't let Gracia's now three week old statement go that easily - grabbed a hotly disputed draw at Southampton last time out (with Saints' Charlie Austin escaping FA punishment for his frenzied VAR rant after the game) and sit pretty in 7th spot. They entertain one of those clubs that, according to Gracia, does not have the best squad in the EPL : Liverpool, who sit 2 points behind leaders City. It was a 3-3 thriller here last season with Britos grabbing a 93rd minute leveller for the Hornets who had twice conceded the lead to Liverpool that day. Watford are a big 5/1 to grab the spoils while Liverpool are a thin 4/9. You keep waiting for Pool to slip up, don't you? Well, I do. It'll happen, it must do, but when and where? But they just look so goddamnably good (Red Star aside) Who's brave enough to predict anything but an away win, I wonder. Possibly only Mr Furious in his ever-modest and deferential fashion.
There are some big names in these 3pms (which I suppose usually means a not so Super Sunday) and none bigger than Man City. 13th placed West Ham are their hosts and they'll be mindful of the last three H2Hs in London : 1-4, 0-4, 0-5 (cup) The Hammers - who just now have reached agreement with their landlord E20 to increase stadium capacity to 66,000 (well, the Rolling Stones have gotta play somewhere, what?) - are a huge 12/1 (biggest home odds so far this season?) while Man City rock up at 2/9.
It could be a proper ding-dong at Wembley in the late kick-off with Spurs (17/10) welcoming Chelsea (6/4) Alonso's brace last season here secured the points for CFC but Spurs took revenge five months later at the Bridge with a 1-3 thumping, Deli Alli potting a brace of his own.
Both sides are in fine form and let's hope they've cleared up the pitch at Wembley following the assault on it by the NFL players a few weeks ago. A word about 40 year old Didier Drogba, ex CFC hitman and all round lunatic, who has confirmed his retirement from playing professional football. He ended his career in Arizona playing for, who else, Phoenix Rising. I dare say he'll retain a vested interest in that club seeing as how he owns half of it. Phoenix finished 4th in the USA Pro League, Drogba potting in his penultimate appearance in the 2-1 victory over Orange County SC, but rounding it all off with a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Louisville City earlier this month. But what you'd give for a Drogba up front now. Talking of big hitmen, the biggest mistake that Antonio Conte made, whatever personal grievances were festering away out of the public's view, was a text message to Diego Costa informing him he was surplus to requirements at a time when there was little back-up in the way of hitmen. But let's see what happens at Wembley.
Giroud has been voicing his commitment to the cause up front but Sarri seems intent on abiding with Morata, who has now decided, after changing his shirt number to #29 following the birth of his twins on July 29th of this year, that another solution to goal famine should be pursued. And, laughably, it seems that he is now under a psychologist, someone who will compel him to score goals, because the twins thing hasn't worked. You can almost visualize his missus, sweaty and make-up-less in her hospital maternity bed, casting a defiant eye over her newly inspired husband : "Wait. You want to change your shirt number because of our new baby children? Are you sure?" She squirms in post-birthing discomfort as nursie wipes her fevered brow. "You can't be serious. What? Yes, it is a lovely gesture and it might get the fans on your side for a while but why not just go out there and score some f***ing goals like they want?!"
Or just go for hypnosis, man. I know a bloke just off the Fulham Road who tried but failed in hypnotizing Andriy Shevchenko but whose reputation is still good for the occasional after-dinner speech and round of golf. Give him a go, for crissakes.
I'm pretty sure Eddie Howe won October Manager of the Month, didn't he? And as is sometimes cruelly the case after picking up the award, the subsequent few matches for you can go to sh*t. Chris Hughton, I seem to recall, was a prime example of this misfortune at some point during last season. Bournemouth have lost both their games in November but can get back on track for the 1. 30pm Sunday square-up with Arsenal at Dean Court where last season the Cherries came back to secure a 2-1 win. Arsenal have picked up just three points from their last three games, drawing all three, but they have a 4 point cushion in 5th spot and it's Bournemouth who are feeling the brunt of that cushion below them in 6th. A battle to relish, I fancy. The 12/5 for the home win stands out like Colleen Rooney in a University Challenge seat and must surely be considered. The Arsenal are a straight 1/1.
The 4pm kick-off sees Wolves, who somewhat arrested their freefall by claiming a point at Arsenal last time out, host beleaguered Huddersfield. Well, I say beleaguered, but they have pulled off 4/6 points in their last two. To my eyes, though, they still look inextricably bollixed. And what's the deal with Wagner? Has he got some kind of hold over Huddy chairman Dean Hoyle, or maybe he's got the goods on club CEO Julian Lewis....because I can't see how his odds for the chop haven't dipped below 20/1 in weeks and months. Maybe the bookies know something we don't because the fellow seems to still have his feet jammed tightly under the table at the John Smith's Stadium. At any rate, Wolves, albeit without hitherto ever-present defender Jonny Otto who did his knee in the Spain/Bosnia friendly on Sunday, should see them off at just 4/9 while a Huddy happy ending comes at 13/2.
Monday Night Football consists of an 8pm kick-off at Turf Moor. The league table, I have to say, just doesn't look right without Burnley stuck in that 7th spot, as they were for the best part of last season, unmovable/immovable, permanent residents. But with two points from their last five games Burnley are absolutely f***ing sh*t, there's no other way of putting it. How long is this so-called Europa League hangover going to continue? You can't use that anymore, it's long gone. They're currently in 15th and one place above them are their opponents Newcastle, two wins and a draw in their last three and with something of a steely edge to them these days. Burnley edge it as favs at 7/4 with Toon bringing up the rear at 8/5.
That's it, except to say that Friday Night Football is back next week and that next week's Super Sunday is a belter with Chelsea v Fulham (12pm) Arsenal v Spurs (2.05pm) and Liverpool v Everton (4.15pm) all nicely spaced out for us.
Latest Title book :
Man City 1/4 (yes, that's right,1 to f***ing 4)
Liverpool 4/ 1
Chelsea 20/1
Spurs 40/1
125/1 BAR
Let's get the first two out of the way, both of which I see as strong non-event contenders.
Brighton, coming off the back of two away defeats against Cardiff and Everton will be glad to get back on home turf for the visit of Leicester who drew a blank v Burnley last time out. Two places and three points separate the sides with the Foxes superior, and last season's H2Hs bode well for the visitors who won both ties 2-0. Leicester arrive as 6/4 favs with Brighton on offer at 9/5.
The last time Everton and Cardiff met in the EPL was in 2013-14 with the Toffees bagging four points. Everton ground out a feisty draw at Stamford Bridge last time out while Cardiff have carved out two wins from their last four outings. You'll get a stingy 2/5 for the home win while Cardiff are 6/1.
Now the 3pms start livening up : You knew the time was coming for Jakanovic and plans were undoubtedly in place for his replacement some time before Fulham's loss at Anfield. Claudio Raneiri takes over a side that has conceded 31 pots in 11 games but the good news is that they host a Southampton team that has managed just 2 goals in their last seven games, an outrageous statistic that may go some way towards the likely-looking dismissal of Mark Hughes, now 4/6 hotshot to be next to go. It's 6/4 the home, 9/5 the Saints.
Despite José Mourinho's rehearsed protestations that his side were "in the game" for the first eighty minutes of the Manchester derby, Man Utd were wholly outclassed at The Ethiad in their last outing with some City showboating the like of which you'll not soon see again, anywhere. You just cannot understand where comments like this come from anymore : "It is football and for me it is even more football when we have a week where we play three consecutive matches away and Manchester City play three consecutive games at home." More football? No more football than anyone else in the top flight, unless you're Huddersfield or Newcastle. Maybe that's why he needed to take time out at his London home after the 2-2 draw at Chelsea this time last month - rather than travelling back up north with his players. Utd (4/11) host Crystal Palace (13/2) It doesn't bode well for Hodgsy's boys who have not beaten United in 12 top flight meetings since 2004.
* Mrs Doggett's Daily Double : United to win and Zaha booked for simulation, 5/1.
Watford, with the best squad in the Premier League - LOL, sorry but I can't let Gracia's now three week old statement go that easily - grabbed a hotly disputed draw at Southampton last time out (with Saints' Charlie Austin escaping FA punishment for his frenzied VAR rant after the game) and sit pretty in 7th spot. They entertain one of those clubs that, according to Gracia, does not have the best squad in the EPL : Liverpool, who sit 2 points behind leaders City. It was a 3-3 thriller here last season with Britos grabbing a 93rd minute leveller for the Hornets who had twice conceded the lead to Liverpool that day. Watford are a big 5/1 to grab the spoils while Liverpool are a thin 4/9. You keep waiting for Pool to slip up, don't you? Well, I do. It'll happen, it must do, but when and where? But they just look so goddamnably good (Red Star aside) Who's brave enough to predict anything but an away win, I wonder. Possibly only Mr Furious in his ever-modest and deferential fashion.
There are some big names in these 3pms (which I suppose usually means a not so Super Sunday) and none bigger than Man City. 13th placed West Ham are their hosts and they'll be mindful of the last three H2Hs in London : 1-4, 0-4, 0-5 (cup) The Hammers - who just now have reached agreement with their landlord E20 to increase stadium capacity to 66,000 (well, the Rolling Stones have gotta play somewhere, what?) - are a huge 12/1 (biggest home odds so far this season?) while Man City rock up at 2/9.
It could be a proper ding-dong at Wembley in the late kick-off with Spurs (17/10) welcoming Chelsea (6/4) Alonso's brace last season here secured the points for CFC but Spurs took revenge five months later at the Bridge with a 1-3 thumping, Deli Alli potting a brace of his own.
Both sides are in fine form and let's hope they've cleared up the pitch at Wembley following the assault on it by the NFL players a few weeks ago. A word about 40 year old Didier Drogba, ex CFC hitman and all round lunatic, who has confirmed his retirement from playing professional football. He ended his career in Arizona playing for, who else, Phoenix Rising. I dare say he'll retain a vested interest in that club seeing as how he owns half of it. Phoenix finished 4th in the USA Pro League, Drogba potting in his penultimate appearance in the 2-1 victory over Orange County SC, but rounding it all off with a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Louisville City earlier this month. But what you'd give for a Drogba up front now. Talking of big hitmen, the biggest mistake that Antonio Conte made, whatever personal grievances were festering away out of the public's view, was a text message to Diego Costa informing him he was surplus to requirements at a time when there was little back-up in the way of hitmen. But let's see what happens at Wembley.
Giroud has been voicing his commitment to the cause up front but Sarri seems intent on abiding with Morata, who has now decided, after changing his shirt number to #29 following the birth of his twins on July 29th of this year, that another solution to goal famine should be pursued. And, laughably, it seems that he is now under a psychologist, someone who will compel him to score goals, because the twins thing hasn't worked. You can almost visualize his missus, sweaty and make-up-less in her hospital maternity bed, casting a defiant eye over her newly inspired husband : "Wait. You want to change your shirt number because of our new baby children? Are you sure?" She squirms in post-birthing discomfort as nursie wipes her fevered brow. "You can't be serious. What? Yes, it is a lovely gesture and it might get the fans on your side for a while but why not just go out there and score some f***ing goals like they want?!"
Or just go for hypnosis, man. I know a bloke just off the Fulham Road who tried but failed in hypnotizing Andriy Shevchenko but whose reputation is still good for the occasional after-dinner speech and round of golf. Give him a go, for crissakes.
I'm pretty sure Eddie Howe won October Manager of the Month, didn't he? And as is sometimes cruelly the case after picking up the award, the subsequent few matches for you can go to sh*t. Chris Hughton, I seem to recall, was a prime example of this misfortune at some point during last season. Bournemouth have lost both their games in November but can get back on track for the 1. 30pm Sunday square-up with Arsenal at Dean Court where last season the Cherries came back to secure a 2-1 win. Arsenal have picked up just three points from their last three games, drawing all three, but they have a 4 point cushion in 5th spot and it's Bournemouth who are feeling the brunt of that cushion below them in 6th. A battle to relish, I fancy. The 12/5 for the home win stands out like Colleen Rooney in a University Challenge seat and must surely be considered. The Arsenal are a straight 1/1.
The 4pm kick-off sees Wolves, who somewhat arrested their freefall by claiming a point at Arsenal last time out, host beleaguered Huddersfield. Well, I say beleaguered, but they have pulled off 4/6 points in their last two. To my eyes, though, they still look inextricably bollixed. And what's the deal with Wagner? Has he got some kind of hold over Huddy chairman Dean Hoyle, or maybe he's got the goods on club CEO Julian Lewis....because I can't see how his odds for the chop haven't dipped below 20/1 in weeks and months. Maybe the bookies know something we don't because the fellow seems to still have his feet jammed tightly under the table at the John Smith's Stadium. At any rate, Wolves, albeit without hitherto ever-present defender Jonny Otto who did his knee in the Spain/Bosnia friendly on Sunday, should see them off at just 4/9 while a Huddy happy ending comes at 13/2.
Monday Night Football consists of an 8pm kick-off at Turf Moor. The league table, I have to say, just doesn't look right without Burnley stuck in that 7th spot, as they were for the best part of last season, unmovable/immovable, permanent residents. But with two points from their last five games Burnley are absolutely f***ing sh*t, there's no other way of putting it. How long is this so-called Europa League hangover going to continue? You can't use that anymore, it's long gone. They're currently in 15th and one place above them are their opponents Newcastle, two wins and a draw in their last three and with something of a steely edge to them these days. Burnley edge it as favs at 7/4 with Toon bringing up the rear at 8/5.
That's it, except to say that Friday Night Football is back next week and that next week's Super Sunday is a belter with Chelsea v Fulham (12pm) Arsenal v Spurs (2.05pm) and Liverpool v Everton (4.15pm) all nicely spaced out for us.
Latest Title book :
Man City 1/4 (yes, that's right,1 to f***ing 4)
Liverpool 4/ 1
Chelsea 20/1
Spurs 40/1
125/1 BAR
