Liverpool FC

King Kenny reigns, long live the king. There was not a lot happening on the pitch as far as the Premier League was concerned. Plenty of cup action though and no Liverpool did not progress under, new manager, Kenny Dalglish’s management. A penalty conceded in the 2^nd minute was enough for Manchester United to take this match. A lot is being asked of Dalglish to take a shaky team out of the doldrums. I fear that the Liverpool fans will have to be happy with simply managing to stay in the Premier League this season.

Newcastle United

Newcastle are also not living the dream and they will take no further part in the FA Cup. They were summarily despatched by Stevenage by 3 goals to 1. This was the classic ideal of convincing your team that it your 11 versus another 11. There was no respect for the might of Newcastle, nor their talent. However the talent was in short supply for this game. I have seen this time and again when the big clubs show no respect for the minnows or in this case Stevenage who are sitting 15^th in League Two. Let’s take bets on how far Stevenage will go in this tournament this year.

Derby County

I felt that I had to mention this other pathetic performance by Derby County. Sitting 13^th in the middle of the NPower Championship, Derby should have made short work of non-league Crawley Town. However, again they pay the price for showing no respect to the non-league team. Maybe if the players of Derby County spent less time playing bingo online and more time practicing they could improve their performance! Crawley sitting second in the Blue Square Bet Premier League are in a strong position to secure promotion into the football league next season.

This weekend

Chelsea v Blackburn

Blackburn visit Chelsea on Saturday. At 13/1 Blackburn are not the fancied team. However Chelsea have not been entirely consistent of late. However there is a matter of 7 goals against Ipswich Town in last week-end’s cup game. Chelsea are 30/100 to win and no doubt bolstered by their annihilation of Ipswich. At 9/2 for a draw I would not be surprised if Blackburn pulled this off.

Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers

This is probably too much to ask from Wolves. Come on Mick think of Stevenage. Manchester City are 1/3 while Wolves are placed at 11/1 and the draw sitting at 9/2. My theme for the week-end is that it is simply 11 men versus another 11 men. Don’t measure your standards by what you perceive theirs to be. Enough of the psychology go for the draw at best.

We finish the week-end round up with a look at the top goal scorers to date

 Happy punting.

Yes you read it correctly. These are the full Premier League results for last week-end. Only two games survived the extreme and unusual freezing and blizzard conditions.

Sunderland 1 – 0 Bolton Wanderers

The result sums up the positions of both teams in the Premier League with Sunderland sitting 6^th and Bolton in 7^th place. Danny Welbeck made a fine header in the 32^nd minute to give Sunderland the points and to leap-frog Bolton from 7^th to 6^th place before a crowd of 35,101. Sunderland travel to Manchester for their Boxing Day match with Manchester United. Man Utd are clear favourites at 30/100 with Sunderland at 12/1. The draw could be a possibility at 5/1. Bolton Wanderers meet West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day in what should be a close fought match. Bolton are favourites at 6/5 with West Brom on 3/1. The draw at 5/2 is worth a bet.

Blackburn Rovers 1 – 1 West Ham United

Blackburn should have made a better job of this fixture given their relative positions in the Premier League. Blackburn are 12^th while West Ham are at the bottom of the league. In other words this is a pretty good result for West Ham. However sitting at the bottom of the league is not a good place to be. You only get a view of everyone else’s back side. Blackburn scored first though Ryan Nelsen in 51 minutes. West Ham responded in the 78^th minute through Junior Stanislas. As you might appreciate, the Blackburn fans were not best pleased. Caretaker manager Steve Kean did not improve his prospects of landing the full-time job at Ewood Park. Blackburn meet Stoke at the week-end with both team sitting 12^th and 13^th respectively. Blackburn are 5/4 favourites with Stoke on 12/4. The draw at 12/5 is worth consideration given Blackburn’s slip-up this week-end.

Coming Week-End Choices

The week-end fixtures if it happens will look like this for me.

Blackpool v Liverpool

As you know I have been following both of these teams and my loyalty is a bit divided for this match. Liverpool are just ahead of Blackpool at 9^th and 10^th place respectively. This is a close match on paper with Liverpool favourites at 4/5. Blackpool are 4/1 and the draw is forecast at 3/1. This Premier League is so up-in-the-air and Liverpool are still fragile that this game could go any way. I would go for the draw on this occasion, if it happens.

Fulham v West Ham United

This bottom of the table fixture is a must for West Ham. They need to dig in and get the points if relegation is to pass them by. We are almost at the half-way stage and it is time to think about (avoiding) relegation. Fulham are evens for this match with West Ham on 100/30 for the win. The draw is 5/2 and this would be my bet of the week-end. Go for it.

We finish the week-end round up with a look at the top goal scorers to date

Have a good week-end and happy punting.

Newcastle United 1 – 1 Chelsea

Andy Carroll scored in the 6^th minute to put Newcastle into the lead in this match which was more notable for the rumours that Roman Abramovich was about to replace Carlo Ancelotti with Pep Guardiola the Barcelona coach. If this didn’t unsettle Ancelotti then Carroll’s goal probably did. Newcastle sitting 9^th in the Premiership saw the score levelled in the 45^th minute from a Malouda pass which set up Kalou for the equaliser. With other events unfolding in the Premiership over the weekend this result saw Chelsea drop from the top spot for the first time this season.

Manchester United 7 – 1 Blackburn

Only Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, and Jermain Defoe have scored five goals in a Premier League match until Dimitar Berbatov seemingly woke up from his ten game hibernation to join them with five goals against Blackburn in the 2, 27, 47, 62 and 70 minutes. Park (23) and Nani (48) picked up the other two goals. Christopher Samba got Blackburn’s consolation goal in the 83^rd minute. Looking a bit like a tight rugby union score Blackburn withered under this blitz with their fans chanting that they wanted a refund of their ticket money. This result put Manchester United 2 points ahead of Chelsea at the top of the Premiership.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 3 – 2 Sunderland

Mick McCarthy saw his team take victory at Molineux which on paper should have been Sunderland’s for the taking Wolves sitting 19^th in the relegation zone. McCarthy’s players are 100% behind him saying that the win was as much for him as anyone else.

Coming Weekend Betting Choices

Birmingham v Tottenham

Spurs have the clear advantage away to Birmingham and there is no doubt that Alec McLeish’s men will have to be playing above themselves for this tie. Birmingham are 11/4 to win with Spurs 6/5 favourites. The draw is forecast at 5/2. My prediction is Birmingham 1 – 2 Spurs.

West Brom v Newcastle

This will be a tough encounter with West Brom sitting at 11/8 to win and Newcastle on 12/5. The draw is the same at 12/5. This is too close to call and I am going for a 1 – 1 draw.

Blackburn v Wolverhampton

Can Wolves repeat their success of last week-end against Sunderland? Will Blackburn have recovered from their hammering at the hands of Manchester United last week-end? One team with their tails up another with their tails between their legs. Blackburn are fancied at 5/6 to win with Wolves coming in at 4/1. A draw will get you 11/4. I’m going to stick my neck out on this one with a result for Wolves – 1-2.

BOLTON WANDERERS 0 – 1 LIVERPOOL FC

I had to stick with Liverpool to see if they could get themselves out of the relegation zone.
This they did achieve lifting themselves to a more respectable 12th in the Barclays Premier League, with the same points tally as Bolton who are in 10th place.

The Liverpool performance left a lot to be desired but the gods looked kindly on them to give them the 86th minute winner from Rodriguez.

I am not keen on the defensive 4-4-1-1 formation that Roy Hodgson is sending the team out.  It simply leaves strikers in hope of getting a crack at goal because they are isolated when the ball eventually lands at their feet.

Liverpool (3/1) face a big test on Sunday when they meet Chelsea (11/10). Draw (12/5)

Come on Roy let’s get this team firing on all cylinders.

Newcastle United 5 – 1 Sunderland

Sunderland suffered their biggest defeat on Tyneside since 1956 when they were trashed 6 – 2. The young Sunderland team having played their last seven games without defeat were no match for a Newcastle team who were on fire. The goal scorers were Nolan (26, 34, 75), Ameobi in the 4 minute of additional time in the first half and a penalty in the 70th minute.
Bent for Sunderland managed a consolation goal in the 90th minute.

Coming up This Weekend

BLACKBURN V WIGAN

This should be an interesting game as both teams hold 17th and 18th position in the league. Both are also sitting on 10 points with Wigan having the goal difference advantage.

The odds are 10/11 for a Blackburn home win, 4/1 for a Wigan win and 11/4 for the draw. I think Wigan could be good for this one.

FULHAM V ASTON VILLA

This match has the hallmark of a tough encounter with the odds standing at 7/5 for a Fulham win, 9/4 for Aston Villa and 12/5 for the draw. Both teams are on 12 points with Fulham sitting 9th in the league and Aston Villa sitting at 13th.

Fulham may enjoy the home advantage.

This would be my game of the weekend and I think that Fulham will pull it off.

Most recent meetings

30/01/2010 Fulham
0-2 Aston Villa
30/08/2009 Aston Villa 2-0 Fulham
09/05/2009 Fulham
3-1 Aston Villa

He was a great football coach who with Joe Mercer brought in one of the most successful periods for Manchester City from 1967 to 1970. His football career was spent mainly with West Ham United playing 250 games for the team. “Big Mal” spent his final years in care homes and suffered from dementia.

LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

The long drawn out saga at Liverpool FC seems to have run its course although the two amigos are still threatening legal action. Let’s hope that this great club can begin to focus on what they are good at. I.e. play football. I know they didn’t show it at the weekend.

Last Weekend Fixtures

Thinking back to last week’s blog, I believe I can hold my hand up and say “I told you so.”

My chosen games were Manchester United v West Brom, Newcastle v Wigan, And Bolton Wanderers v Stoke

I did say that the Bolton Wanderers v Stoke game was too close to call. In the end it was the home advantage that gave Bolton the edge to take the three points. Meanwhile Manchester United gave away a two goal lead to let hard working West Brom share in the points. My preferred game at Newcastle likewise saw Wigan throw away a two goal lead to let the home side equalise and once again share in the points.

Premiership Betting tips

West Ham v Newcastle

If past form is anything to go by West Ham should be able to capitalise on the home advantage at 6/4 to win while Newcastle are coming in at 11/5 to win. The odds are 12/5 for the draw. Newcastle showed some tenacity in coming back against Wigan last weekend. This is my bet of the weekend

Most recent meetings

10/01/2009 Newcastle 2-2 West Ham
20/09/2008 West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
26/04/2008 West Ham 2-2 Newcastle

Liverpool v Blackburn

Can Liverpool begin to get their act together against Blackburn on Sunday? Think of it lads, a win will lift you out of the relegation zone and could perhaps dump Blackburn into it. The bookies are looking favourably on Liverpool at 4/5 to win against Blackburn’ s 9/2 with a draw being forecast at 11/4. I think Liverpool can pull this off.

Most recent meetings

28/02/2010 Liverpool 2-1 Blackburn
05/12/2009 Blackburn 0-0 Liverpool
11/04/2009 Liverpool 4-0 Blackburn

Leading goal scorers to date are:

6 Berbatov (Manchester United)
6 Drogba (Chelsea)
6 Malouda (Chelsea)
6 Tevez (Manchester City)
5 Bent (Sunderland)
4 Elmander (Bolton Wanderers)
4 Carroll (Newcastle United)
4 Walcott Arsenal)
4 Cahill (Everton)
4 Kalou (Chelsea)

Aston Villa v Blackburn- Villa are unbeaten at home so far this season and Blackburn have drawn their last two Premiership games.  Blackburn last won at Villa Park in 2004, this is their only win in 7 games away to Villa. 

Betting tip (Winner)- It’s tempting to go for the draw here just like last year, but I do believe that Aston Villa can take all three points, they are priced at 1.69 currently on Betfair.  I’m tipping ’Over 2.5 goals’ in this match, you can currently get a price of 1.97 on Betfair.

UPDATE- Well we’ll start with the amazing match at the Emirates stadium, it’s fair to say that this match had 4-4 written all over it….even after 65 minutes!!!  On to the betting tip, the Villa v Blackburn produced 5 goals, which meant the over 2.5 goals tip was a winner, a great way to just abut double your money midweek!!

Newcastle 2-1 West Brom
Arsenal 4-4 Tottenham
Aston Villa 3-2 Blackburn
Bolton 0-1Everton
Fulham 2-0 Wigan
Hull 0-3 Chelsea
Liverpool 1-0 Portsmouth
Man Utd 2-0 West Ham
Middlesbrough 2-0 Man City
Stoke 1-0 Sunderland