Dan’s EPL Predictions – Can Arsenal beat Leeds to go 10th in table?

This is Arsenal’s last game before Benfica away (in Italy) and we can’t afford to go into that with 4 games without a win.

Think back to Boxing Day though, when beating Chelsea 3-1 came out of nowhere and led to a small winning sequence. We need that win again to get the players some confidence.

As things stand it’s looking like the title race and relegation look decided?

Leicester 2-2 Liverpool
Not sure I agree with Roy Keane that Liverpool have been bad champions, but it’s turning into a bad season for Klopp’s image.

Jose Mourinho gets criticized when he’s aggressive to the media, well Klopp is passive aggressive which is worse. Some will say, show me a great loser and they will show you a bad winner, but let’s make something clear ……. it’s not a choice to be respectful to another human being, it should be standard.

There are other managers who lose more frequently then Klopp who have to face the press after a defeat. That’s part of his job. If he can’t with dignity talk to a camera after a loss, then tell your club not to take the millions that broadcasters give to pay his wages!

Sir Alex Ferguson said a measure of a great boss is not when things go well but how you handle adversity. Perhaps no squad in the country gets more out of their coach’s personality than the Champions. So equally when they need some confidence, do they need their gaffe picking fights?
It’s a good time to play the Reds but I feel we said that before, and Leicester let themselves down when the chance is there to take the next step .

Palace 0-1 Burnley
A real simple prediction.
Is there a team who rely on one player like Palace do Zaha? In their last 19 games without the winger, they have lost 17! I’m going with the odds.

Man City 2-0 Spurs
So we know what tactics Jose will try to implement (and therefore make this a dull game to watch) but even for him, it’s hard to get your defence organised 3 nights after conceding 5 goals. City might have to be patient but will win.

I do think we have to be careful that we don’t forget to give the League leaders credit. Yes, Liverpool have been unlucky with injuries, but Pep’s men have Still won 15 games in a row, largely without Aguero and recently De Bruyne.

Brighton 0-1 Villa
So Brighton are awesome in beating Spurs and Liverpool, but then find themselves hanging on for a point at Burnley? That’s football for you!

Villa have that added bit of quality in the final third.

Arsenal 1-1 Leeds
You know how we forced Arsene Wenger out because ONLY finishing 4th wasn’t good enough, and how the grass would be so much greener once he left?

It’s February and we need to beat Leeds to be in the ……… top half! Say that to yourself out loud.

Not the qualifying positions for the Champions League or even Europa League. No we have to win to be in the top 10 (even if we did Leeds have a game in hand). Even worse, for this match to be entertaining you probably are putting the emphasis on Leeds and not us. Since when was that a thing?

How Bielsa sets up though, we should make chances? We certainly need a win to take some confidence into the Benfica tie.

West Bromwich 0- 3 Man United
I said it last week, the way Big Sam is talking is like a man who’s quickly accepted he can’t keep this squad in the division and his worst-case scenario is he gets a nice pay off at some point.

Where once you could rely on Big Sam to have at least by now made a team more organized, that hasn’t happened.

United can make hard work of games but if they score early, it should be a comfortable afternoon.

Everton 2-1 Fulham
There are clubs who disrespect the FA Cup and then there are those where the idea of being in a QF is huge, it gives you something to dream for (although that’s died down now they have drawn Man City).

That’s why the midweek win against Spurs felt like a big moment for Everton and they will take that momentum into this weekend.

Another match where Fulham play well but don’t win?

West Ham 1-1 Sheffield United
I can’t be too critical of a team currently 6th in the table but I do feel West Ham have had opportunities recently where they could have been more positive, Man United in the Cup, Fulham away, Liverpool at home. Because of their negative style it means the opposition are always in the game.

Saints 2-0 Wolves
This will be the second time these two face in 5 days. Normally I would say Saints winning in the Cup will have zero bearings for Monday. Yet these two are so out of form I decided to just go with whoever won on Thursday.

Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle
It wasn’t just the 3 points last Saturday that were big for Steve Bruce, but with his players battling with 9 men, it showed they are still fighting for him.

Callum Wilson being out for 6 weeks is a blow, but you feel his goals are already enough to keep Newcastle up as they have a 10-point gap between them and the bottom three. Mike Ashley in the summer would have bitten your hands off for that scenario in February. That’s why Bruce’s job is safe. The owner only cares about survival which ensures TV revenue.

The Toon’s ambition will be to contain Chelsea but little else.

LAST WEEKS PREDICTION RESULTS

Considering on average most players were scoring 6 points, Declan’s total of 15 is very impressive and puts him in contention to win the whole thing?

Kev 82 and Buchi with 10 points was the closest to Declan. A few players got 9 points – KTISX, Gunnerey, Kenya, Famochi, Dotash, Prince and BT…

There are few players who voted on the Saturday with two games in the second half
Those are straight away voided.

Top 24 qualify for Euros
Dan Kit 134
Sue 126
ME 121
Declan 117
Shakir 113
Highbury Hero 113
Khadii 109
lykmatt 108
Terrah 107
KSTIX 107
Dunchirado 106
Buchi 102
Easyguys 101
Davars 100
Samson 99
EDU 96
SJ 95
Dhoni 94
Davars 93
Joe Gunner 93
Arsha 92
EM 90
Sagie 89
Dotash 87
Sid 86
Olushorlar 85(
Kenya 001 81
Okobino 76
FFO 74
Herbz 74
Admin 73
MTG 72
Sue P 69
Phenom 69
Rusty 66
BT 66
Wyoming 65
Ernie Blaze 63
I 59
Baron 51
Kev 82 51
Tom 50
Famochi 46
Gibson Power 45
006 39
Once Great 36
Jimmy Bauer 33
Ash 32
Prince 30
Ackshay 28
Anie 25
Babasola 25
Gunner Rey 24
Frank Brady 24
Bob 22
Mambo 21
S Emirates 20
Quincy Okereke 19
Gunner 4 life 19
Instrooments 19
Illiterate 16
Toney 15
Vinod 14
Classy Gunner 13
Jay 13
Musa 12
Third Man jw 12
Kelvin 11
Nuisance 10
Elvis 10
ICW – 9
Invader Zim 8
Rain 7
Gerylo – 7
Ba Thea 7
Gold 7
Splendid 7
Dendride – 7
Omwabu Robinson 4
Collins otanchi masea 6
Khgondroidx- 6
Sean Williams 6
Mark 6
Eastside Gooner 5
Durand 5
Deluded One 5
Labass 5
Innit 5
EDI 4
Kuhepson 4
Uzi Ozil 4
Nifty 4
One and Only Making Love OnCampus 4
Seroti 4
Cletus
Chairman Gallani 1
Anti- kev 1

Good luck peeps

Dan

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