EPL 2014/15 - Game Week 9

The Premier League table look familiar yet strange after 8 matches - (1) Chelsea (2) Man City (3) Southampton (4) West Ham (5) Liverpool (6) Man Utd (7) Arsenal, especially (3) and (4). 

Are all forgiven for Sam Allardyce by the Hammer's fans? The Saints must by now be our favourite team. How on earth did they lose 5 top players - Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren, Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Callum Chambers, rebuild so quickly and still play so well all this season? Ronald Koeman must surely be brilliant for his astuteness and leadership. I certainly hope they can go all the way.

West Ham v Man City - West Ham are enjoying a great spell and Sam Allardyce is surely glad for people not to be on his back. They troubled Liverpool and nearly repeat that on Man Utd but they are meeting Man City who themselves have been coming along nicely and Sergio Aguero affectionately known by me as "Agu'' is definitely one of world's if not Europe's top strikers when he put in four last week. The Hammers have a poor record against their visitors as they lost in every meet in their last 5 meetings conceding 11 goals and scoring none in their last 3 previous meets. Can the home team spring a surprise? Will their aggression put City off? Judging from their recent performances, West Ham will not be a walkover but City may just have too much quality. 1-3.

Liverpool v Hull - Liverpool looked terrible when they undeservedly won at Loftus Road over QPR. Every department was bad. When they lost Suarez we knew it would be tougher then Sturridge got injured and they became worse. Balotelli has been ineffective. If this continues, The Reds are going to be in for a long season. Hull are Tigers not minced meat as Arsenal found out last week. Liverpool had 2 wins in a row and are sitting on 5th. Hull do not win lots of matches, they just draw them. Their home record against Liverpool is good but not at Anfield. Last season they lost 2-0 at Anfield but this season Liverpool are not as good. If Liverpool play badly and yet eke out small wins then they are stretching their luck. Unless they are angry over the 0-3 spanking by Real Madrid in the Champions League which was in truth not unexpected since they do not have Suarez and Sturridge to worry Real's defence what is there to stop the Champions?A much improved performance must be ordered. Another narrow win. 2-1.

(QPR v Liverpool)
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=806941596015100&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater

Southampton v Stoke - Southampton have been nothing short of amazing. They are winning games habitually. They are second top scorers with 19 goals in the EPL and boasted the EPL's meanest defence having conceded only 5 goals. They press up high, win the ball and attack with pace and are delightful to watch. Stoke were cleanly beaten 3-1 by Sunderland who got walloped 0-8 by the Saints but were rather impressive when they beat Swansea 2-1. Their last four meetings were all draw. 3-3, 1-1, 1-1 and 2-2. This will be tight but with such confidence and ability I think Southampton should prevail. 2-1.

Sunderland v Arsenal - Is this a good time to visit the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland? Their morale is at its lowest ebb after that infamous 0-8 hammering by Southampton or will they bounce back with a vengeance? Meanwhile, the Gunners left it late to overcome Anderlecht 2-1 away. Arsenal must get a win here as they have been drawing too many matches. Otherwise, it will be the same auld lang syne. Still I think Arsenal will be too good for the host. The last time Sunderland won was at home in 2012 and also drew in that same season after which were straight losses. Last season they lost 1-3 here and then 1-4 away.  1-3.

WBA v Palace - The Baggies were on a good run with 3 wins on the trot before the 1-2 loss to Liverpool but must surely be credited for that 2-2 home draw with Man Utd. Palace showed true grit and gave visitor Chelsea a little fright last week going down 1-2 but their season goes bobbing up and down like a coconut floating in the sea, However, they have a good record against WBA who managed only one win and one draw in 5 meetings. Last season WBA lost 0-2 at home and 1-3 away. This time it will probably be a draw. 2-2.

(WBA v Man Utd)

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=807635782612348&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater
 

Swansea v Leicester - The Swans's flawless start ended a few matches ago. Leicester themselves never got over the high of beating Man Utd. 5-3 like a golfer who got a birdie and went on to have a double bogey and then a double par but the Foxes have a fairly good record against the Swans. Dyer and Sigurdsson needs to be flying again if Swansea hope to win at home while Ulloa needs to get back his goals. There have been an over-reliance on Ulloa so Vardy and other should step up. It is likely to be close but the Foxes may have to wait for the home match for revival. 2-1.

 

Burnley v Everton - Burnley have not won a single match yet in the EPL and they have scored the fewest goals - 4. Everton are among only three teams to have scored in every match this season together with Chelsea and Hull and finally got a good 3-0 win over Aston Villa recently. Although Everton leaked goals this season Burnley will have a hard time even though it is a home match.  Everton have awaken from their slumber. Away win. 0-2.

Tottenham v Newcastle - It will be a game of mixed fortune. Tottenham crashed at Man City last week while Newcastle registered a narrow win over Leicester. Historical record slightly favours the home team at 3-2 wins. Meetings between the two never ends in a draw and it has been so for 17 times. Tottenham tend to score in the first half and Newcastle in the second. Last season Tottenham lost this tie 0-1 at home and won 4-0 away. Tottenham have scored just a goal in their last four matches while Newcastle have started to score goals especially Papiss Cisse. The trend of no draw will continue but just. Watch out for Harry Kane who got a hattrick and Eric Lamela. 2-1.

Watch this Rabona from Lamela:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=809219372453989&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater

Man Utd v Chelsea - This will be a cracking game and one where the Red Devils can benchmark themselves how far they have come since LVG took over. There are no better team to out yourselves to the test than Chelsea. Utd's attack can trouble Chelsea but their back line remains weak and in their last 5 meetings Utd have not won. They drew twice at home, lost one at home and two away. Chelsea is capable of winning if Diego Costa plays but he is injured and Chelsea is not complete without him. Man Utd have concerns of their own as their scorer, goal-maker and talisman Angel di Maria may not recover in time from an injury. I feel it will end in a draw with goals.  2-2.

(Palace v Chelsea)
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=806500692725857&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater

QPR v Villa - Both have identical poor results. QPR lost 4 and drew 1 in their last 5 matches. Villa last scored in their 1-0 upset away win at Liverpool and have since lost 4 in a row without scoring a single goal and conceding 11 goals. QPR played so well against Liverpool without getting what they deserved. A repeat performance by Harry Redknapp's old men could be fruitful here. With home advantage and a weak visitor, this is their chance for an all out win. 2-1.

The table will look not much different after this weekend.