EPL 2014/15 - Game Week 12

It is loud and clear! Chelsea will win the title. It is theirs to lose. From the beginning, you can see Jose Mourinho' squad taking shape. The signing of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa in particular completed their jigsaw. 

It helped that while Chelsea is almost steamrolling everyone, everyone else was beating everyone. Man City have stumbled. Arsenal are struggling. Liverpool are a pale shadow of their former glory of last season. Man Utd have been poor, poorer than when Moyes was in charged and Everton too are finding it hard to maintain momentum. Watch last week's goals:

(EPL Week 11 Goals):
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=818805791495347&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater

The rest will need to wake up before Chelsea runs away.

Chelsea v WBA - Chelsea remain undefeated and though they looked like slowing down recently were still too good for Liverpool. WBA was looking sharp when they drew a blank at home to the Magpies and conceded twice. It is quite hard to imagine anything than a home win here but then WBA have a proud record against Chelsea. In their past 5 meetings, they won twice, lost once and drew twice against Chelsea and the draws were last season, 2-2 away and 1-1 at home. Somehow Chelsea may have to slip some time? Is this the time? It may be close but Chelsea to prevail. 2-1.

Everton v West Ham - By their own high standard of last season, Everton are not having a good time. Now they are hosting a much improved and very confident West Ham who were undefeated for the last six matches and sitting in 4th position at Goodison Park. Everton have defeated the Hammers 4 out of 5 times they have met in the past, the other being a draw. West Ham seemed hard to beat a this point in time. Draw. 1-1. 

Leicester v Sunderland - The Foxes have been cursed in a downward spiral since beating the Red Devils. The Black Cats are doing better of late and may even ace this match but I shall pick a draw for Leicester's home ground's sake. 1-1.

Man City v Swansea - City may be still third and 8 points behind leaders Chelsea but their performance have not been convincing. Last time out they were troubled by QPR. You would not expect Swansea to be 5th by now. After losing narrowly to Liverpool, they held Everton away and then had Arsenal beaten at home. Gary Monk has done a good job. Give him a pay raise. Last season, City won both matches - for this tie 3-2 and at home 3-0. Can Swansea disrupt City's play like they did to Arsenal? Or will City rise to the occasion? I take a City win at 2-1.

Newcastle v QPR - The Magpies have quickly jumped not only to safety but to 8th position. QPR have improved their play a lot but still languishing in 19th. Newcastle look unstoppable winning 5 on the trot. The bad news for QPR is that they are the visitors and have never beaten Newcastle in their last 5 meetings. 2-1.

(QPR v Man City)
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=818516431524283&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater

Stoke v Burnley - Stoke showed that they were made of sterner stuff when they claimed full points at White Hart Lane with a 2-1 win and quickly moved up the table to 9th. Burnley too deserved credit for their first win of the season when they had Hull beaten 1-0. In the last 4 years they met 5 times with 3 draws and 2 Stoke victories the last time being in 2010. Stoke have been conceding goals this season so Burnley could score here but expect a home win. 2-1.

Arsenal v Man Utd - This should be a cracking game based on the philosophies of both managers. They are noted for boldness and vividness just like Vincent van Gogh who was born in the Netherlands but lived in France. Both are scoring teams but leaking goals with the Gunners having a 12-6 goal difference in their last 5 matches while the Red Devils have 6-3. When they have met previously Arsenal have not won in 5 attempts with Utd winning 3 and there were never more than 3 goals like a 2-1 score line. Based on both sides time together Arsenal could win this one but they their killer instinct seemed to have deserted them. Will this one go more than 3 goals. I think highly possible. Draw. 2-2.

Palace v Liverpool - Palace are in relegation zone but they gave a good account of themselves at Old Trafford only for a Mata goal to save the visitors. Liverpool is having a nightmare season. Without Suarez and then Sturridge nobody fears them meaning they do not have to defend deeply and could attack Liverpool. In case you are no aware, the Reds have lost 3 matches in a row. Needless to say, Brendan Rodgers need a good performance and more importantly a good result. They played their best match this season against Chelsea but obviously it was not enough. They should be thankful to be meeting Palace than some other teams. Still I believe Liverpool have a little more than Palace and maybe Sturridge may play. 1-2.

(Liverpool v Chelsea):
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=818377478204845&set=vb.266828596693072&type=2&theater

Hull v Tottenham - The Tigers and the Cockerels are just 3 points apart. Steve Bruce's influence has been waning? What about Pochettino? Must have wished he has stayed at Southampton. Both teams are fragile now - Hull lost to lowly Burnley and Tottenham lost at home to Stoke. Hull have not scored for 3 matches and the only advantage is that this is a home match. Last season they were even with 2 draws  (1-1 and 2-2). As inconsistent as Tottenham have been, I expect them to win with the players they have. 1-2.

Villa v Southampton - If we were to just compare each team results in their last five matches, Villa were LLLLD while Southampton were WWWWW! Their historical results are even. While Villa have been losing to every team, the Saints have been beating everyone except that they have yet to meet the big boys. After this, Southampton shall host Man City, then visit Arsenal and host Man Utd. If they go through these 3 matches unscathed, they have definitely arrived but first they must beat Villa and they should. 0-2.