Premier League
This is the final round of
Premier League games for 2013, in what looks to be a very open season at both
ends of the table. There are just three points separating first from fourth in
the title race, while the team in thirteenth is only three points away from the
relegation zone, so plenty can change in the second half. This is yet another
gameweek where two teams in the top four play, as Liverpool go to Chelsea,
while Arsenal’s title credentials will be tested to the max at in-form
Newcastle. We will see how the Cardiff team react to Malky Mackay’s sacking
when they take on Sunderland, who may be bottom of the table, but recently got
a shock win at Everton.
West Ham vs. West Brom
Every team who was in the bottom
three prior to Thursday’s games got a Boxing Day away win, and this has put
West Ham in a vulnerable position. They were punished for missing two or three
gilt-edged chances against Arsenal when a goal up, and conceded three goals in
the last twenty minutes. The Hammers have three crunch games now. Trips to
Fulham and Cardiff are coming up, but on Saturday they host a West Brom side in
the process of appointing a new manager. The Baggies have somewhat halted the downward
slide under caretaker manager Keith Downing, snatching a late equalizer against
Hull and picking up a welcome point at Spurs. A third draw from three would suit
the Baggies for now, but West Ham have won just one of their last eleven and
that cannot continue. 1-1.
Aston Villa vs. Swansea
Problems have continued at Villa
with a fourth consecutive defeat, but fans wanting Paul Lambert’s head are
being too reactionary and short-sighted. It would be foolish to dismiss
Lambert’s long-term plans for Villa over a few poor results, and the foreign
players he has brought in this summer, such as Luna and Kozak, still need time
to adjust. Swansea are not in the best form themselves, having won just one of
their last eight in all competitions. They had most of the possession against
Chelsea, but they seem to be lacking that extra spark of energy needed to
create chances, when they have the ball. A draw would not be a bad result for
either side. Swansea might settle for a point away from home, while Villa could
do with simply stopping the cycle of defeats. 1-1.
Hull vs. Fulham
When Hull went 2-0 up against Man
United after fifteen minutes, you might have fancied them to hold out. They had
only conceded three goals at home up to that point, but they could not maintain
their defensive record against the champions, due to a couple of basic errors. Fulham
took their second win under the guidance of Rene Meulensteen, getting three
points at Norwich thanks to a late belter from Scott Parker. Similarly to West
Ham, Fulham have a key run of fixtures, with home games against the Hammers and
Sunderland next up. The Cottagers have a good chance of taking three points
here, too. Hull could be slightly demoralized by the defeat to United, while
Fulham’s win at Norwich might just spark life into their season. 1-2.
Man City vs. Crystal Palace
This should be a comfortable win
for Manchester City. However, from this game we might find out a little bit
more about Manuel Pellegrini’s approach, and the team’s strength in depth. They
go to Swansea on New Year’s Day, a team who try to drain the opposition by
keeping hold of the ball. You wouldn’t necessarily want to go into that match
having fielded a first choice eleven on the Saturday. This is where Pellegrini
will earn his spurs by making judgement calls about certain fringe players who
might deserve a run out, whilst also making sure they win the match. Crystal
Palace climbed out of the bottom three for the first time since August with a
win at Aston Villa, keeping a fifth clean sheet in eight games. A combination of
Palace’s defensive strength and the possibility of Pellegrini rotating his
side, means the scoreline might not be quite as emphatic as it normally is at
the Etihad. 2-0.
Norwich vs. Man Utd
Norwich went down to a
disappointing home defeat to Fulham, which keeps them only three points above
the drop zone. If there is a positive for the Canaries, it is the form of Gary
Hooper, who has scored four goals in his last six games and is beginning to
repay the £5 million transfer fee. Man United have won their last five games in
all competitions, but it is inaccurate to say that because of those results, they
are back in the title race. The teams they have beaten are all bottom half
opponents, and the Red Devils are still only seventh in the table. There are at
least three teams who pose stronger threats at the moment. 1-2.
Cardiff vs. Sunderland
The inevitable has happened.
After a 3-0 home loss to Southampton, Malky Mackay has been sacked as manager
of Cardiff. This is a ‘chicken-and-egg’
situation, because the bad result came as a catalyst for the sacking. On the
flip side, the players might have performed better if there was not this cloud
of uncertainty hanging over them at the time, and Vincent Tan has not given
Mackay a fair chance. The significance of Sunderland’s win at Everton remains
to be seen. Gus Poyet’s side have kept three consecutive clean sheets, but on
the other hand, they have failed to score six times in their last nine league
games. The Black Cats need an experienced, proven striker in January, but if
they are at the bottom you have to question who they would be able to attract,
that would not rather go to a club in a safer position. The two teams are the
joint-second-lowest scorers in the Premier League, and neither have a decent
striker who can make the difference, so a goalless draw is a real possibility.
0-0.
Everton vs. Southampton
Everton lost 1-0 at home to
Sunderland on Boxing Day, which is a result nobody could have expected. They
battered Sunderland’s goal in the second half despite a man disadvantage, and
would have possibly won had it not been for Vito Mannone in the opposition
goal. Martinez spoke optimistically after the game, but that defeat represents
a big opportunity missed, because Everton would be in fourth and two points
above Liverpool had they won. Southampton won 3-0 at Cardiff, with a welcome
first clean sheet since October, and that should establish them in the top half
of the table this season. Everton must win this to keep up the pace with the
top four. 2-1.
Newcastle vs. Arsenal
After Man City, Newcastle are the
Premier League’s form team. Putting a few goals past a side with only nine men
does not necessarily tell us much about a team’s quality. However - more
tellingly - the Magpies have taken twenty-two points from a possible
twenty-seven. They cannot stop winning. This is the ultimate test then, for
title-chasing Arsenal. The Gunners went to the top of the table after a 3-1 win
at West Ham, coming from behind in the second half. A positive is the return of
Lukas Podolski, who grabbed a goal and an assist after coming off the bench.
However, there were times in that match when their defence looked quite vulnerable,
and it will face an even sterner test with Gouffran, Remy, Ben Arfa and Cabaye
all impressing lately. When these teams meet it always produces goals, though this
match may not be quite as dramatic as the 4-4s and 7-3s in recent seasons. 2-2.
Chelsea vs. Liverpool
Chelsea have kept a clean sheet
in their last two matches, despite having had less possession, as Arsenal and
Swansea settled on a patient approach against them. That may not be the best
way to play against Mourinho’s men. This season, teams seem to have more
success when they go for Chelsea’s throats. They look more vulnerable when
opponents constantly attack and are not too concerned about keeping the ball,
Newcastle and Stoke being classic examples. Their spine does not pose the same
physical threat as it used to. Lampard, Terry and Mikel have all looked a
little sluggish this season, while Luiz can be found out of position. With so
much pace around Suarez’s world-class intelligence, Liverpool have a real
chance of opening Chelsea up if they attack from the off. The Reds might just
upset the Stamford Bridge crowd. 1-2.
Tottenham vs. Stoke
It has been a mixed start to Tim
Sherwood’s reign at Tottenham, with a win, a draw and a defeat. The transfer
window arrives after this round of games, but Tottenham should be one of the
quieter teams. They brought in a lot of players this summer, so the issue is
not so much the depth of their squad and more giving the men they brought in
time to gel. Panic-buying is the last thing they should be doing. A strong
first half of the season for Stoke became tinged with sourness on Boxing Day.
They had two men sent off, their manager was charged with improper conduct,
their goalkeeper was ruled out for six weeks – oh, and they lost 5-1. That was
certainly not a good day for Stoke, and Tottenham will look to take advantage
of their loss of key players. 3-1.
The Championship
Most of the key action is in the battle to beat
the drop. Two teams at the bottom of the form book go head-to-head, as Neil
Harris has his first game in football management, away to goal-leaking
Doncaster. Another caretaker manager is in the fray, Stuart Gray takes his
Sheffield Wednesday team to Charlton, who recently enjoyed victory over
Brighton. Play-off contenders Nottingham Forest and Leeds do battle, with both
having kept a number of clean sheets in recent weeks.
Barnsley vs. Derby
If they want to stay up, this is a
game Barnsley need to try and win. You might have expected Danny Wilson’s
arrival to provide a ‘honeymoon period’, but they have not scored in either of
his first two games in charge. If they could get a win unexpectedly, against a
team near the top, then perhaps that would generate some momentum. A win on
Saturday certainly would be unexpected. Derby are in excellent form, having
only lost once since Steve McClaren took over, although their seven match
winning streak ended with a draw at Huddersfield. Having led for most of the
match, and missed a penalty in the first half, they let their lead slip with
just four minutes to play. The one concern for Derby may be the fitness of Will
Hughes, who picked up a knock in that match, but this game should not be a
problem for the Rams. 0-2.
Blackburn vs. Birmingham
Blackburn have only lost once in
their last ten games at Ewood Park, although a 0-0 draw at home to Sheffield
Wednesday is a poor result. This is the last match before the January transfer
window opens, so top scorer Jordan Rhodes could be playing for his move to a
Premier League club. Birmingham are eight matches unbeaten and are the
Championship’s away specialists, having taken eleven points from their last
five on the road. The Blues are beginning to look like a solid unit with Burn
and Bartley at centre-back, because they did not allow Wigan any chances in a
0-0 draw, despite going down to ten men in the second half. This could be a
tight game. 1-1.
Blackpool vs. Brighton
Blackpool’s disciplinary problems
continued on Boxing Day. Kirk Broadfoot picked up his second red card in four
games, and Blackpool’s sixth this December. Thankfully for the Tangerines, the
incident happened in the closing stages, so their run of four straight defeats
ended with a 1-1 draw against Leeds. Brighton were near the top of the form
book just a few days ago, but they have dropped points with a draw and a loss
against Huddersfield and Charlton respectively. However, in the 3-2 defeat at Charlton,
the Seagulls saw an excellent return to action for Leandro Ulloa. Having been
injured for two months, Oscar Garcia gave Ulloa his first start since picking
up a foot injury back in October. Ulloa grabbed a brace, and if he can gain
some form now, that is good news for Brighton’s play-off ambitions. Very often,
they only require one goal to win a game. 0-1.
Bournemouth vs. Ipswich
Ipswich are the Championship’s
form side, after Derby County. Following a 3-0 win at Doncaster, they have
taken fourteen points from their last six games, David McGoldrick’s goals being
key to this sequence of results. Bournemouth have been doing well lately themselves.
They have won three of their last four, Matt Ritchie has put in some very
impressive displays, scoring a brace in the 3-0 win over Yeovil. If you have
watched Ritchie over the last month, you would not have guessed that he had
just recovered from a long-term injury, and had not played since April. Ipswich
will have a glint in their eye going into this one, just one point off the
play-offs, while Bournemouth are already ten points clear of the drop zone. This
match holds more significance for the visitors. 1-2.
Charlton vs. Sheff Wed
Charlton got a 3-2 home win over
Brighton on Thursday, thanks to two goals from the rare source of right-back
Laurie Wilson. That was their first win since November, and a very encouraging
one. They came from behind against Brighton, who do not concede many goals.
However, the Addicks are just three points above the drop zone, and cannot afford
to rest on their laurels when they play relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls kept their second clean sheet under Stuart Gray at Blackburn, but the
problem is going forward. In five games with Gray at the helm, Wednesday have
only had twelve shots on target, which is a very poor record. To stay up, they need
a manager who will show more attacking ambition. 1-0.
Doncaster vs. Millwall
A meeting of two teams right at
the bottom of the form book. Doncaster have shipped three goals in each of
their last four games now, and their 2-1 win against QPR at the end of November
seems a very long time ago. The Rovers are just two points above the drop zone,
and their next opponents are hardly in a better position themselves. Millwall
sacked manager Steve Lomas after a 4-0 defeat at Watford. Lomas was arch rivals
West Ham’s captain for eight years, so perhaps his immediate successor will be
slightly more popular with Lions fans. Club legend Neil Harris has becomes caretaker
manager. Harris might well get the backing of the fans, yet he has no management
experience, having only began his coaching role at the club this summer. To go
from retirement straight to managing a team might be too much of a challenge
for him. Millwall need to appoint a new manager quickly. 3-1.
Huddersfield vs. Yeovil
After a brief spurt of three
straight wins, Huddersfield are now without a win in four. Goalscoring is a
worry, as James Vaughan has only netted once since 1st October, and
is looking a shadow of the striker he was in the first couple of months. When
they went four games unbeaten, Yeovil seemed capable of breaking out of the
drop zone. Back-to-back defeats have knocked them back again, particularly in
the manner of their 3-0 loss at Bournemouth. With such a young squad it will be
difficult for them to recover quickly enough. 2-1.
Leicester vs. Bolton
Dave Nugent scored his twelfth
goal of the season, as Leicester beat Reading on Boxing Day. With that result,
the Foxes went to the top of the table, three points clear of third place. They
are improving defensively, thanks
partially to good performances from young Liam Moore, having conceded just seven
goals in their last ten games the 20-year-old has played. Bolton’s away record
continued with a win at Barnsley, but the other teams they have beaten on the
road were Birmingham, Bournemouth, and Watford who were out of form. A trip to
Leicester is a different proposition. 2-0.
Middlesbrough vs. Reading
Karanka looks to be improving
results on Teeside. The start to his Middlesbrough career was mixed, at best,
but after back-to-back wins Boro are now eight points clear of the relegation
places. They can now start to look up the table, rather than down it. Reading
have lost three of their last four and do not seem to be creating enough
chances at the moment. With Pogrebnyak, Sharp and Le Fondre in the squad, they
do not lack natural goalscorers, but have not got enough passing quality in the
centre. Middlesbrough have won their last two, Reading have lost their last
two, and both sequences could be extended. 2-1.
Nottm Forest vs. Leeds
Nottingham Forest are rediscovering
the defensive solidity they had in August, despite being without Kelvin Wilson
and Danny Collins. They have kept four straight clean sheets after a 2-0 win
over QPR, but arguably, Forest have the opposite problem to Reading. Despite
plenty of creative players in midfield, they have only had one goal from their
strikers in their last five games. Leeds dropped two points in the second half
against Blackpool, however, they have kept three clean sheets from their last
five. The chances are, this will be a relatively low-scoring game, with
Nottingham Forest possibly edging it. 1-0.
Watford vs. QPR
In 2011, this was the fixture
which effectively sealed QPR’s promotion to the Premier League, barring the possible
points deduction saga. This time, the match has different connotations, as QPR
have slipped to third and cannot afford to fall further behind Burnley and
Leicester. They have lost their last two games, against Leicester and
Nottingham Forest, and have failed to score three times in their previous four.
Watford got just the start Giuseppe Sannino will have wanted, a 4-0 win over
Millwall in his first home game. Troy Deeney has now scored four goals in his
last four games, and is starting to propel himself back among the top
goalscorers in the division. For all QPR’s defensive talent, they do not score
enough goals, which is poor given how much Fernandes has spent on the squad. 1-1.
Wigan vs. Burnley
Burnley missed a chance to go top
when they lost at Middlesbrough, and a problem for the Clarets is that they have
not won away since October. And this stat could still be in tact after they
have played Wigan. The Latics have taken seven points from Rosler’s first three
league games in charge, although they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to
Birmingham on Boxing Day. There is an eleven point gap between the teams, yet on
paper Wigan have a better, and bigger, squad than Burnley. Over the Christmas
period, Burnley’s squad might struggle playing so many games in such a short
space of time. Their task will be made harder at the DW, because Wigan will
play at a quick tempo, which might unhinge the Burnley defence. 2-1.
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