EPL Game Week 28

AVB is no more. Should clubs be more like Chelsea or Arsenal? Both are from London. Can you imagine Chelsea without Europe?

Bolton v QPR - Bolton (20 points) and QPR (22 points) could switch position by the weekend depending on who wins. Bolton lost their last four games scoring just a goal. At least QPR scored six in their last five games. Time for Bolton to score 1 and QPR to score 2 so it is 1-2. They could both be going down.

Villa v Fulham - When Villa is not winning, at least they are scrapping for single points which over time should see them just survived. Meanwhile, the Cottagers have scored 9 and conceded 5 goals in five games. Fulham is very strong at home but sometimes do falter away but Villa just can't win. Villa's best result here is a draw scoring a goal while 8th placed Fulham could get one or two. I say 1-2 to the visitor. 

Chelsea v Stoke - 9th placed Stoke could not ask for a better time to visit Stamford Bridge. Before beating Bolton 3-0, Chelsea haven't won in five matches then they fell 0-1 to WBA with a goal difference of 7-7. Stoke is at 4-5. Maybe Chelsea is happier now to play without AVB but the damage has been done. They may not find it easy to beat Stoke. It is all about application and Chelsea has not been applying themselves this season and to suddenly want it, it may just not come despite their 2-0 win over Birmngham in the FA Cup to reach the last 8 in which Terry, Lampard and Drogba were left out. Meanwhile, Torres could not hit a barn door. You just won't know when he might score again. 1-1 for me.

Sunderland v Liverpool - Sunderland has the smarts when they started aggressively against Newcastle not allowing the home team to find their rhythm in their Derby game last week. It was a game where you can learn and yet be amused by why player made those silly tackles really. Sunderland will make a tough game for anyone these days.

Except for that 0-4 thrashing by WBA they have been doing really well including that 2-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup. Liverpool has the second best defence (25) after Man City (19) while they are only better than four other teams in terms of goals scored (30). That is terrible for a team with aspiration. They have a scoring problem and when you don't score you can't win. They could dominate but can't convert. Luis Suarez for all his cunning will score once every 15 shots while van Persie will score 9 every 15. This could be a tight game 1-1.

Wolves v Blackburn - Both are hovering at 22 points and a record of W-D-L of 1-2-4. It is a case of not needing to outrun the bear but to outrun the other for survival. Wolves are at home while Blackburn has Yakubu. A draw is just postponing the inevitable yet it shall be. 2-2. Both teams could go down the slippery road.

Everton v Tottenham - Everton is having a great run drawing four and wining two including 1-0 over Man City and 2-0 over Chelsea while high-flying Tottenham after their emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Newcastle came crashing down 2-5 to Arsenal then 1-3 to Man Utd. It is not going to be so straight forward anymore. Can Spurs get back their belief in time? If Everton can down both City and Chelsea at Goodison Park, why not Tottenham? If Gareth Bale returns from injury then 2-2.

Man Utd v WBA - WBA has a record of 4-1-2 (WDL) and won their last three matches and scored 10 times including a 1-0 win over Chelsea. The greatest thing about Man Utd is of their mentality especially in chasing lost causes (think 2-1 over Liverpool) and where it matters (3-1 over Tottenham). They can't afford to drop points at this stage and they could smell blood. I like to think WBA will give them a nasty surprise which they well might but it should go the Red Devils way 3-1. If WBA wins or draws this one, appoint Roy Hodgson as England manager! By the way, if only Ashley Young could play and score for England like he did especially that second goal for Man U last week, then he is up to another level.

Swansea v Man City - Swansea won 2-0 away to Wigan but before that their results have not been great. City can't drop points and it is their title to loose. If they win all their games, they are the new champs. Silva who was rested will be back to orchestrate things. Their Agu (Aguero) is better than our Agu (Cashmir, not the loan shark or pimp at Geylang).  It will be too tough for Swansea. 0-2.

Norwich v Wigan - Norwich is stronger than Swansea and Wigan lost 0-2 at home to Swansea and now face the Canaries at their home venue. Wigan scored 5 conceding 11 in their last 7 games with a 1-2-4 (WDL) record. I think our former S-League boys Zak Whitbread and Grant Holt will condemned them to another loss. 2-0. Looks like Wigan is going down.

Arsenal v Newcastle - Arsenal has an aerial weakness and defending set pieces that Liverpool failed to exploit. Newcastle has Demba Ba who is imposing. Time for Ba to score as he has not done so in his last two. Arsenal is going great guns now. Going down to Spurs and making a great comeback, they repeated it at Anfield. Song can be guilty of losing possession some times but that dipping chip to Robbie van Persie had the latter polishing his boots in goal celebration.

If you have ever played soccer as a striker, you will agree with me how great that winning goal was. Judging that chip and running to meet it with a first time volley from an acute angle. Wow! It was also a cardinal sin for a goalie to concede a goal at his near post and despite being a great goalie, Pepe Reina did just that. The Gunners will rue over their European misadventure as they nearly overturned their 0-4 deficit with a 3-0 win over Milan and RVP scored again. Nothing can stop RVP now. Just give him the ball. 2-1.

Liverpool v Everton - This was postponed due to Liverpool's FA Cip Final. Everton has not lost recently. Depending on their result against Spurs and this being a derby at Merseyside, it will be no-holds-barred. It will be tough and tight. 1-1.