At last we can get back down to the business end of the season. Hopefully all the Arsenal players are fit and ready for the games coming thick and fast. Surely this weekend will be kind to us? Well here are Dan’s predictions for this weekend…
Fulham 1 -4 City
It’s squeaky bum time with no more international breaks to disrupt the title race. Pep probably couldn’t have picked a better away game then this to put all the pressure on Liverpool for Sunday. While form goes out of the window at this stage of the year, with so many sides battling for different things, Fulham have accepted relegation. Their last 10 minutes against Liverpool summed up their campaign. Decent in attack but undermined by a defence who have lost all confidence.
Brighton 1-1 Southampton
Brighton might feel safe if they win here, then they can focus on their trip to Wembley (if they win the FA Cup, boy will they look at their equaliser at Millwall as their moment of destiny). Southampton though have a manager who, the longer he has with the group on the training field, the fitter he makes them. Apparently for away games, he bans wifi to stop his squad playing computer games till 3.am. You could just remind them that they get thousands of pounds a week to kick a ball, so one night not on your PlayStation shouldn’t be too much of a sacrifice?
Burnley 1-0 Wolves
Just when I think Sean Dyche had found his mojo, his team lose four on the trot. Wolves though can be bullied in these type of fixtures. They have individuals who have flown around the world and are beating Watford away from being in a cup final. A case of Burnley simply needing this more?
Palace 1-0 Huddersfield
If the Terriers lose, they could be relegated by the next time they kick a ball. A nightmare game for Hodgson who would much rather be the underdog so he can be conservative. I see the home side wasting loads of chances but maybe Batshuyai making the difference
Leicester 2-1 Cherries
With the Old Firm Derby this weekend, I wonder if Rodgers still does not regret waiting till the summer to leave Scotland, he’s turned down another title for a run in where the Foxes can only finish mid table. Maybe he’s too busy having a bromance with Jamie Vardy to have noticed? Didn’t take long for the cringy moments to happen? 2 sides who ship goals, who love to attack. Gone for home win but wouldn’t be shocked if it ended 3-3.
Man Utd 2-2 Watford
The irony of Solskjaer being made permanent manager is his team were really poor at Wolves. In the fickle world of football, drop points this weekend and talk will start if Ed Woodward has made a mistake. I take nothing away from the job he has done but being interim manager of the biggest club in the world compared to full time, they are two different jobs entirely.
West Ham 2-0 Everton
Hardest game of weekend to predict. Two teams are like a bag of revels, so how do you know if either will show up? Their win over Chelsea summed up where Everton are at. Scared in the first half, then realising they couldn’t keep being so negative. So, there is every chance they will freeze at the London Stadium, which at least is beginning to garner a bit of an atmosphere.
Cardiff 0-2 Chelsea
The arrogance of the media. Hudson Odoi plays decent against average opposition and is valued at 100 million, despite never starting in the Premiership. The one positive for Chelsea concerning their impending transfer embargo, is it will force them to play the talented youngsters they have. I would rather though the press talk more about the disrespectful behaviour of Cardiff, who continue to try and distance themselves from the Salah tragedy. Chelsea are starting to lose even when they play well but Cardiff have started leaking goals at the worse time of the year.
Liverpool 2-2 Spurs
A game neither dare lose, with a loss mentally impacting the run in? It’s who will be braver. If Liverpool start well, they will be fine but the longer the visitors stay in the game, Anfield will go quiet.
Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle
While our away form is too poor for anyone to call our run in easy, I am confident when it comes to the Emirates.
Newcastle have shown a bit more flair recently with Perez having one of his hot streaks but Rafa’s not the type to treat any game like a free swing. He will show zero ambition playing straight into our hands.I think Emery is settled now on his best 11. Just a shame one he froze out for 8 months, the other he thought was not worth a new deal.
Dan Smith
Think Pool does the spuds 2-1. They will get picked apart and troubled by liverpool’s pace like everyone else. No way spuds score 2 with VVD on the pitch.
They feel the weight of our shadow and will fizzle out like only they can.
Goes perfect with that invisible trophy case they have and the VIP section for all the creditors they accumulated building that monstrous toilet in London.
Haha yeah Durand VVD will have Harry Kane in his back pocket ??
He’ll have a job getting that nose & chin in his pocket ??
He’ll score a hat-trick now Sue ?
??
4-1 Liverpool West ham 2-2 I’d rather Everton pick up a point as a wounded animal is dangerous! Man city look like scoring in every attack and only 9 minutes have gone.
I hate Liverpool don’t want them to win the league but,there’s no way I would want spurs to beat them these two team are the darlings of English media that has got even to the heads of referees Kane and salah dives at will to get penalties without getting punishment.A lot of publicity also on the Tottenham stadium but no one cares about the sacrifice they have to make to pay creditors
i’ll rather see liverpool battered spuds, manure draw against watford, arsenal beating newcastle on monday, who cares bout the other results?
Unai Emery + Mesut Ozil
A Golden Opportunity
If arsenal wins the Europa league this would mean that ozil would only need the premier league to become one of the world’s most famous interms of trophy won. Could Mr. Emery use this as a motivational strategy in getting the best from this player and moving the team forward.
And Emery in return would be winning the Europa league for the fourth time which would be a great achievement also.
Sorry to go off topic but through out the late 90’s and 2000’s this is the time of the year where we’ve always got the bad decisions, the time for Mike Riley and the powers that be to bend the rules to suit themselves and their beloved clubs. Do you honestly believe it’s a coincidence that Manchester United play Watford this week just before a semi final and that their away game with Wolverhampton Wanderers has been brought forward to just a few days before Wolves semi final hoping they play weakened teams. Also Brighton being brought forward and forced to play Chelsea days before their semi final against Manchester City. Believe me I’m desperate for a top four finish but watch out for some bad decisions against us including games being squeezed together depriving us of rest and refereeing mistakes that cost us points, however I promise you one thing, as always nothing will favour us. You’ve been warned
You’re absolutely spot on Kenny! We also have to play a Monday night before traveling to Italy to play Napoli on a Thursday it’s an absolute Joke! Had that been the other big 5 they’d of had that game put back a day or 2. I’m convinced the fa would rather have Man utd or Chelsea in the champions League than us!
Thank you John, you’re absolutely right about the Monday, Thursday and Sunday games, three games in six days, it’s started already. Considering with just finished an International break why couldn’t they have put Celtic v Rangers on a Monday night.
I absolutely agree with you Kenny.. correct me if I’m wrong didn’t the French fa help Rennes out during they’re European campaign? There is absolutely no reason why the fa couldn’t do the same but as I’ve said the fa do us no favours! It isn’t the first time this season either Kenny, if I remember correctly we played Leicester on a Monday night, followed by a Thursday night game in Lisbon! Like many Pundits the FA have they’re favourites and we certainly aren’t one of them! An SPL game on a Monday night with neither club involved in European competitions makes alot more sense but tell that to the FA.
Sky Sports and television media run the football in this country. The FA, The Premier League and Mike Riley’s PGMOL who control referees are their puppets and yes John you we’re right, the French FA did help Rennes with extra rest before the Arsenal game.
You only got to look at the Kane incident at Stamford bridge, no case to answer! 3 days later they play Arsenal, 4 players offside penalty to Tottenham and Kane who shouldn’t have been playing scores! Davison Sanchez kicks out at a floored Koscielny.. no action taken! Lucas Torreira sent off and must serve a 3 game ban, Davison Sanchez no case to answer! It’s sickening Kenny and that’s just 2 recent incidents.. but you make an excellent point about games being squeezed together and bad decisions, I’m also waiting for it to happen! And like you Kenny, I won’t be in the least bit surprised.