Due to a little development in Cape Town Friday morning. (International vintage sailing convention.) I'm rattling off the usual Premier League preview/picks a little earlier so it doesn't get buried.
Here are a couple nuggets to hold you over.
* Currently slogging through "Soccernomics." Some of it is fascinating, the rest is skippable. The writers like to cite Michael Lewis' "Moneyball" constantly, but perhaps they fail to realzie that under Billy Beane the Oakland Athletics have never won a playoff series. Then again there isn't a postseason in the Premier League (or most soccer leagues) and Beane does run Oakland like a mid-table team, trying to buy low and sell high.
* One note that made my eyes pop out in the book, it basically calls Freddy Adu a straight bust.
* A tale of two Merseysides. If you're Everton, the Europa League is now your season. If you're Liverpool, it's the ghost of season's past.
* Diniyar Bilyaletdinov might as well just request "Bily" on the back of his jersey, since nobody wants to either say or more specifically pronounce his name. (Remember Andy Gray at Euro 2008?)
Saturday:
* Portsmouth v. Burnley -- (Live, ESPN2, 7:45 a.m.) -- Two-straight HD games from Fratton Park? On paper this is a snooze-through match, yet Burnley certainly have the propensity for exciting, goal-filled matches. Plus it's the worst home team -- Portsmouth vs. the worst road team -- Burnley. Something has to give, the Premier League on ESPN! (Hey, the Worldwide can make the most meaningless, dull mid-season college hoops game sound entertaining, why not two midsized soccer clubs featuring a collective zero household names between them.) From a sporting standpoint, if either Arune Didane or Frédéric Piquionne could actually put a shot on target, Pompey might not be rotting at the end of the table. ... Portsmouth 3, Burnley 1
* Arsenal v. Stoke City -- (Live, FSC, 10 a.m.) Arsenal must lament those international fixture breaks. The one a couple weeks ago seemed to suck the life out of the Gunners. It's like the Gunners went off to their various home locales across the globe as Cheerios and returned as the generic, store brand Honey-Os. Something is amiss. Stoke City isn't exactly a pushover and Ricardo Fuller has given Arsenal problems in the past. Logic says Arsenal should roll, but I don't think it'll be easy. ... Arsenal 1, Stoke City 0
* Aston Villa v. Hull City -- Weird Hull City quirk, the Tigers have given up the most shots on target and taken the fewest. Make you think their recent signs of life will be short lived. Seems like I say this every week, but Aston Villa simply cannot afford to let Jimmy Bullard sink them at home and drop any points here. Villa haven't kept a clean sheet in nine matches, which makes you worry about the defense. Can John Carew, Gabby Agbonlahor, et al, continue to outscore opponents? ... Aston Villa 1, Hull City 0
* Blackburn Rovers v. Liverpool -- Wonder if Blackburn's PK triumph over Chelsea in the Carling Cup will carry over into this match. If Blackburn shows some effort, they could make it hard for Liverpool. Maybe the squad is truly inspired by the off-the-field health problems of Sam Allardyce, but that seems like a lazy sportswriter cliche. Liverpool? I still don't have a read on them. ... Blackburn 1, Liverpool 2
* West Ham United v. Manchester United -- (Live, Setanta, 10 a.m.) West Ham have given up at least two goals in five matches since the start of October. You might be able to get away with that against the lesser teams, but you still can't get into a arms race type match against the likes of Manchester United. West Ham simply doesn't have the firepower. ... West Ham United 0, Manchester United 2
* Wigan Athletic v. Birmingham City -- If you're a connoisseur of midtable scraps, this is like a vintage wine from the 1800s. ... Wigan 1, Birmingham City 1
* Wolves v. Bolton -- Wolves haven't won since September. Bolton has gone four without a win. Yes, desperation should rule the day. Bolton at least still has players who've made an impact on the Premier League in the past, Wolves doesn't. ... Wolves 0, Bolton 1
* Manchester City v. Chelsea -- (Live, FSC, 12:30 p.m.) Sort of a big match? Kind of a big match? On its day, City could beat Chelsea. The way its going now? Hard to say. Do you value a Carling Cup win over Arsenal? Does that give the team a little juice during a string of seven-straight league draws?
This would be a salvo, if City found a way to win. It would re-open the title chase and reestablish City as a legit top four contender.
The problem here, is that City still doesn't seem to have an identity. Kolo Toure and Jolean Lescott in the middle of the defense hasn't set the world on fire. Emmanuel Adebayor seems to come and go as he pleases. Robinho? Please.
To me, if Mark Hughes had his druthers the squad would be hard and physical that wins a lot of games 1-0. The players currently purchased by City? They don't exactly fit that mold.
Chelsea? We know what the Blues are. How City, like every team, keeps them off the scoresheet is a mystery. ... City 1, Chelsea 3
Sunday:
* Fulham v. Sunderland -- Who doesn't get ramped up by a early December possible Europa League place fight? ... Fulham 1, Sunderland 1
* Everton v. Tottenham -- (Live, FSC, 11 a.m.) I haven't gotten a good look at Everton, so I'm curious to see have David Moyes team actually looks like. Spurs? There probably isn't as fun a team to follow week-in, week-out since you never know what to expect. It may lead to an early grave, but it's never boring. ... Everton 1, Spurs 2
Last week: 5-5
Season: 74-64
Here are a couple nuggets to hold you over.
* Currently slogging through "Soccernomics." Some of it is fascinating, the rest is skippable. The writers like to cite Michael Lewis' "Moneyball" constantly, but perhaps they fail to realzie that under Billy Beane the Oakland Athletics have never won a playoff series. Then again there isn't a postseason in the Premier League (or most soccer leagues) and Beane does run Oakland like a mid-table team, trying to buy low and sell high.
* One note that made my eyes pop out in the book, it basically calls Freddy Adu a straight bust.
* A tale of two Merseysides. If you're Everton, the Europa League is now your season. If you're Liverpool, it's the ghost of season's past.
* Diniyar Bilyaletdinov might as well just request "Bily" on the back of his jersey, since nobody wants to either say or more specifically pronounce his name. (Remember Andy Gray at Euro 2008?)
Saturday:
* Portsmouth v. Burnley -- (Live, ESPN2, 7:45 a.m.) -- Two-straight HD games from Fratton Park? On paper this is a snooze-through match, yet Burnley certainly have the propensity for exciting, goal-filled matches. Plus it's the worst home team -- Portsmouth vs. the worst road team -- Burnley. Something has to give, the Premier League on ESPN! (Hey, the Worldwide can make the most meaningless, dull mid-season college hoops game sound entertaining, why not two midsized soccer clubs featuring a collective zero household names between them.) From a sporting standpoint, if either Arune Didane or Frédéric Piquionne could actually put a shot on target, Pompey might not be rotting at the end of the table. ... Portsmouth 3, Burnley 1
* Arsenal v. Stoke City -- (Live, FSC, 10 a.m.) Arsenal must lament those international fixture breaks. The one a couple weeks ago seemed to suck the life out of the Gunners. It's like the Gunners went off to their various home locales across the globe as Cheerios and returned as the generic, store brand Honey-Os. Something is amiss. Stoke City isn't exactly a pushover and Ricardo Fuller has given Arsenal problems in the past. Logic says Arsenal should roll, but I don't think it'll be easy. ... Arsenal 1, Stoke City 0
* Aston Villa v. Hull City -- Weird Hull City quirk, the Tigers have given up the most shots on target and taken the fewest. Make you think their recent signs of life will be short lived. Seems like I say this every week, but Aston Villa simply cannot afford to let Jimmy Bullard sink them at home and drop any points here. Villa haven't kept a clean sheet in nine matches, which makes you worry about the defense. Can John Carew, Gabby Agbonlahor, et al, continue to outscore opponents? ... Aston Villa 1, Hull City 0
* Blackburn Rovers v. Liverpool -- Wonder if Blackburn's PK triumph over Chelsea in the Carling Cup will carry over into this match. If Blackburn shows some effort, they could make it hard for Liverpool. Maybe the squad is truly inspired by the off-the-field health problems of Sam Allardyce, but that seems like a lazy sportswriter cliche. Liverpool? I still don't have a read on them. ... Blackburn 1, Liverpool 2
* West Ham United v. Manchester United -- (Live, Setanta, 10 a.m.) West Ham have given up at least two goals in five matches since the start of October. You might be able to get away with that against the lesser teams, but you still can't get into a arms race type match against the likes of Manchester United. West Ham simply doesn't have the firepower. ... West Ham United 0, Manchester United 2
* Wigan Athletic v. Birmingham City -- If you're a connoisseur of midtable scraps, this is like a vintage wine from the 1800s. ... Wigan 1, Birmingham City 1
* Wolves v. Bolton -- Wolves haven't won since September. Bolton has gone four without a win. Yes, desperation should rule the day. Bolton at least still has players who've made an impact on the Premier League in the past, Wolves doesn't. ... Wolves 0, Bolton 1
* Manchester City v. Chelsea -- (Live, FSC, 12:30 p.m.) Sort of a big match? Kind of a big match? On its day, City could beat Chelsea. The way its going now? Hard to say. Do you value a Carling Cup win over Arsenal? Does that give the team a little juice during a string of seven-straight league draws?
This would be a salvo, if City found a way to win. It would re-open the title chase and reestablish City as a legit top four contender.
The problem here, is that City still doesn't seem to have an identity. Kolo Toure and Jolean Lescott in the middle of the defense hasn't set the world on fire. Emmanuel Adebayor seems to come and go as he pleases. Robinho? Please.
To me, if Mark Hughes had his druthers the squad would be hard and physical that wins a lot of games 1-0. The players currently purchased by City? They don't exactly fit that mold.
Chelsea? We know what the Blues are. How City, like every team, keeps them off the scoresheet is a mystery. ... City 1, Chelsea 3
Sunday:
* Fulham v. Sunderland -- Who doesn't get ramped up by a early December possible Europa League place fight? ... Fulham 1, Sunderland 1
* Everton v. Tottenham -- (Live, FSC, 11 a.m.) I haven't gotten a good look at Everton, so I'm curious to see have David Moyes team actually looks like. Spurs? There probably isn't as fun a team to follow week-in, week-out since you never know what to expect. It may lead to an early grave, but it's never boring. ... Everton 1, Spurs 2
Last week: 5-5
Season: 74-64
Labels: English Premier League, Prem Picks, Soccer
0 Responses to “Pre-draw picks”
Post a CommentLinks to this post
Create a Link