EPL 2015/16 - Game Week 35

It is hard to believe to find our very own Hassan Sunny voted in the world's top twenty goalkeepers but I am not surprised that he was voted tops. What is more, he came in 18th and that is one position than Stoke and England goalie Jack Butland. Butland is the best goalkeeper in the EPL this season based on statistics. I have always said that Hassan Sunny is the better keeper than Izwan Mahmud. He has been in great form playing for his Thai club. Hope to see him playing more for Singapore.

Arsenal have an excellent chance this season with City, United and Chelsea all fumbling but they seemed to have failed yet again to capitalise. There is a joke that even if there were only two teams competing Arsenal would still end up fourth. But this is not funny as the Gunners could be caught if they do not start picking up. They are an excellent team playing beautiful soccer but they have become too predictable. Wenger has been too stubborn about not adding a few top players in a few key position. 

Meantime, although Rooney is England's all time top scorer, he has been a spent force, hardly played and was very ordinary. Do you still take him to France for the European Championship? If he goes, then all these talks about picking the best and in form players are nonsense. Imagine Rooney was not injured and continued to be fielded by LVG, then you will never have discovered a Marcus Rashford. Now this boy is really good and is a reminder of how good Rooney was as a 18/19 year old. Rashford is a gem for United and England. So whether you are managing a soccer team or a business organisation there is no difference - always pick the better or best performer not a reputation. Talking about England, sometimes you just wonder if there were bias. To me, West Ham's Mark Noble is probably the best midfielder who has never played for England. How about Aaron Cresswell. Did you see his goal against Leicester last week? Better than some striker's goal! Both are having a fine season for the Hammers. Is Hodgson listening? To me, whether you are judging me or I am assessing others, it is always the same. I do not care for past reputation or favourtism. You are only as good as your last deal.

Talking about West Ham, they have a player named after a word I used to call some of my weird, awkward or off-beat friends - Obiang. Then there is Jedinak of Palace. Some days when hsi beard got longer, I though he is from ZZ Top.

(Jedinak):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBgBfgkyDEs

(ZZ Top):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIZWjItReI

Refereeing

Some folks thought Jon Moss has got balls to give those penalties to Leicester and West Ham. The first yellow for Jamie Vardy should not have been. Others including Alan Shearer thought Vardy dived and deserved the yellow. I disagree. Vardy has always picked himself up without looking for a penalty but he is really fast and hard to catch. At the speed he was going a touch could send him flying. At that moment there was a slight entanglement but was dislodged. This can certainly trigger a fall. I felt the referee may have realised his mistake and then in return awarded a penalty against Andy Carroll which again should not have been. Referees should be folks who have played soccer before then you will knwo better.

Tottenham's 4-0 away hammering of Stoke was highly impressive and in menacing form. Their remaining matches are WBA (H) so this is a win, Chelsea (A) it could be a win but let's say it's a draw and go on to beat Southampton (H) and Newcastle (A) so that would be ten points added to their current 68 = 78.

Leicester kept so many clean sheets till they met the Hammers last week but they clawed their way back with a precious point which could be the decider. They have been winning 1-0 and now Vardy is back to scoring he sits out a one match suspension. Their remaining matches are Swansea (H) so I pick a win, Manchester United (A) they could win but I pick a draw, Everton (H) I choose a win and Chelsea (A) I guess a draw so that is eight points added to their current 73 points = 81. Even though both deserve to win, the Foxes being champions is to me a greater story! 

This week there are the F.A Cup matches - Manchester United v Everton and Crystal Palace v Watford. Lucky United, if they do not make it then it is really their fault.

Manchester City v Stoke - City has overcome PSG, showed class against Chelsea winning 3-0 away but then were held 1-1 away to Newcastle. Perhaps it just showed the Magpies have improved since they unexpectedly thrashed Swansea last week. Stoke City have seen a shocking decline when they were soundly beaten 4-1 by Liverpool followed by a 4-0 bashing by Tottenham at home. Stoke have previously stole points from City but City will do all they could muster to get three points here to prevent Arsenal or their neighbour to catch them. Kevin de Bruyne is such a marvellou s player. Two-footed, he creates and scores goal. Every time he plays well and have an assist or score a goal, it is a slap on Mourinho's face.  3-1.

Bournemouth v Chelsea - It was nice to see the Cherries commemorating Hillsborough when they hosted Liverpool last week and yet lost to the youngsters that Liverpool fielded. Depending on Chelsea's motivation, they still have the better players that could change a game. Away win. 1-2.

Liverpool v Newcastle - The Reds are in fine form and have scored the most goals in 2016 but the Magpies have improved and belief as shown in their last two matches. Daniel Sturridge is back to his clinical best and this is Anfield! Can their ex boss Benitez pull a rabbit out from his hat? Liverpool can still have a shout to climb over a few teams in the table. They have not kept clean sheets but they can score. Home win even if Origi is out injured, as Sturridge seemed to have found it and back to his best. 2-1.

Aston Villa v Southampton - Once mighty Villa has gone down. What a pity. There is no worse time to go down as next season's money is going to be huge. The Villans has a poor record against the Saints and in their current state will find it hard to win. Away win for Southampton. 0-2.

Sunderland v Arsenal - Sam Allardyce's Black Cats stunned the Canaries 3-0 away from home. If Palace could hold the Gunners, so could Sunderland but this pairings history suggested otherwise very strongly in favour of Arsenal. So Wenger's side climbed back to stay third after a 2-0 win over WBA. Sunderland will give the Gunners a run for the money as they battle for survival. 0-2.

Leicester City v Swansea - The Foxes deserved to be champions. Their results and table position does not lie. It is now their title to lose as they led Tottenham by five points with four matches remaining. Win three matches and they are home. That come back against must have boosted their belief or will their nerve fail them? Swansea were soundly thrashed at Newcastle's St. Jame's Park but though Swansea could at times surprise, I saw them crumble at Newcastle (3-0) and the Magpies do not score many but Leicester are without their suspended top-scorer Jamie Vardy. Can Ulloa do the trick? 2-0.

Tottenham v WBA - Tottenham are in champions form and playing at White Hart Lane against a rapidly declining WBA who have just lost 0-2 to Arsenal. Though the Baggies have a good record against Spurs they have won just once in twelve matches. WBA hardly score these days so it all points to a clean sheet for Spurs and yet another win. It has to be. Question is will Harry Kane score another couple and will Dele Alli add to them. However, WBA is built to be not so easily beaten so maybe they will be restricted to just two goals. 2-0.

(Stoke v Tottenham):
http://www.footlivestream.net/stoke-city-vs-tottenham-full-highlights/