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Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Weekend
WOW!
Southampton continued their strong run against Chelsea whilst Tottenham underlined their Champions League potential and qualification with a fine win at Swansea. Ok, with his team selection Blues interim boss Rafael Benitez did show his priority lies in adding another European trophy to his CV rather than staying in the top four of the league. Andre Villas-Boas will appreciate Rafa's preference as his side sit in third, two points clear of their London rivals. But no disregarding Mauricio Pochettino's work. Nigel Adkins' replacement has done a brilliant job in getting the Saints, an already very promising side, to excell themselves and reach their full potential. So far so good.
OMG!
It was a game of two halves at Villa Park. Aston Villa dominated most of the first half and took the lead when Gabriel Agbonlahor's lay-off found Christian Benteke, who fired home gratefully. But Liverpool came back strongly from the restart, Jordan Henderson levelling the score two minutes into the second half with a nicely taken chip past Bradley Guzan. And with half an hour to go, Steven Gerrard netted the winner from the spot after Nathan Baker had clumsily brought down Luis Suarez in the box. The home side had plenty of time and chances to get something out of the game, but after Andreas Weimann's high-blast miss and Gerrard's breathtaking clearance of Benteke's header off the line, it just wasn't Villa's day. Paul Lambert
can draw positives from this game but after such a positive start he was still left picking up the pieces in the end. The Scotsman needs to work on the back line
especially to avoid his side to drop more goals and points like this in
the relegation battle.
TOP!
Manchester United are breaking one record after the other: At Sunderland Sir Alex Ferguson's men recorded their 25th win of the season, after only 30 games, which has never been achieved before in top-flight history. The Red Devils are unbeaten in 18 games, winning 50 out of 54 points, remaining 15 points clear of local rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table with eight games remaining. The big Manchester derby is next on the fixture list, but one feels it will be more pride than any point in the title race to play for. Roberto Mancini's men have been nowhere near the quality and challenge they were last season which brings to mind the question of what will happen over the summer, who will stay and who will go...
FLOP!
Adkins has taken on a job-and-a-half at Reading. They were taken to pieces by Arsenal at the Emirates. The 4-1 thrashing was The Royals' sixth consecutive defeat, that is 18 points dropped, leaving them bottom of the table on goal difference (two goals worse off than Harry Redknapp's QPR) and seven points form safety. Brian McDermott's sacking this late on in the season will make Adkins' job nigh on impossible. The former Saints manager will have to drag and pull the team together and make them fight. Meanwhile, Arsenal remain in fifth, closing the gap to Chelsea in fourth down to two points, keeping them in the race for Champions League qualification.
HERO!
Dimitar Berbatov's double ended up sinking QPR to their second consecutive defeat, leaving them down in 19th, seven points from safety with seven games to go. It was the fourth consecutive Premier League game the Bulgarian scored in for Fulham and takes his tally to six in his last six games. The striker capitalised on two Christian Samba mistakes and a Clint Hill own-goal made it 3-0 to the home side. Adel Taarabt and Loic Remy reduced the deficit to one and got the Rangers' hopes up. Fulham's Steve Sidwell was sent off late on too, but QPR were unable to grab a late goal and Martin Jol's men held on for the win, keeping the Cottagers in tenth, three points clear of West Ham in eleventh and one point behind Swansea in ninth.
ZERO!
All the media attention went to a certain temperamental Italian and his antiques this week, to the relief of some other (usual media favourite) managers (Benitez & Co). Sunderland's sacking of Martin O'Neill hours after their defeat against United and hiring of Paulo Di Canio may seem for some to be a very late and pointless shocker with only seven games remaining. However, the move grabbed all the media attention, distracting and taking pressure of any other internal problems and leaks and if all fails and the Black Cats go down after all, the board can cover their backs and say they tried and did everything they could to keep the side up. Nice cover-up indeed.
My Predictions => Actual Results:
Sunderland 2-1 Man United => 0-1
Arsenal 1-2 Reading => 4-1
Man City 2-1 Newcastle => 4-0
Southampton 1-3 Chelsea => 2-1
Swansea 1-1 Tottenham => 1-2
West Ham 1-1 West Brom => 3-1
Wigan 0-0 Norwich => 1-0
Everton 1-1 Stoke => 1-0
Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool => 1-2
Fulham 2-2 QPR => 3-2
Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Week
WOW!
Southampton kept possession and pressure high against Manchester United, the stats were stunning! Even Sir Alex Ferguson knew his side were fortunate to escape with three points! That doesn't happen all too often at Old Trafford! Saints opened the scoring and made it 0-1 after just two minutes when Jay Rodriguez got the better of David De Gea after Michael Carrick's screwed-up pass back. Wayne Rooney equalised soon after off a nice loft in by Shinji Kagawa who hit woodwork minutes later. The former Evertonian then tapped in Patrice Evra's header off Robin van Persie's free kick to make it 2-1, United's 1600th Premier League goal. Both goalkeepers were kept busy till the end. De Gea spilled Rickie Lambert's free kick after Adam Lallana was fowled by Carrick, but the keeper reacted nice and quick after that to avoid the worst. Artur Boruc blocked a couple of chances aswell, including a great save off RVP, who also had a goal disallowed for offside. Rodriguez was blocked by Nemanja Vidic and De Gea got across to save Lambert's free kick to deny Saints a single point.
OMG!
The Emirates saw great chances for both sides and a great comeback by Arsenal. With the defensive shambles of the Gunners, it could have been 3 or 4-0 to Liverpool! But the visitors stayed too deep and eventually lost their lead. We certainly saw the best and worst by both. Luis Suarez scored the opener finishing the job after slips and mess ups all over the place by the Arsene Wenger's men. Suarez and Daniel Sturridge were both far and fast ahead. Pepe Reina had to produce a couple of splendid saves against Theo Walcott at the other end too. But sloppy play ended up costing Arsenal again. Daniel Agger's header off a corner was cleared off the line before Jordan Henderson saw his shot high, Wojciech Szczesny was very lucky as he was off his line. Henderson's next shot was half-blocked by sub Andre Santos before it ricochet in to make it 0-2. But it took the Gunners only three minutes to come back into the game, Olivier Giroud heading in Jack Wilshere's free kick, unmarked, 1-2 and Walcott smashing in the equaliser from the right. Late action included Giroud's booking for simulation, messing up a walk-in chance and Suarez pulling a last-minute save out of Szczesny, both sides ending up dropping two points rather than winning one!
TOP!
It was a huge win for Fulham against West Ham at Craven Cottage! Dimitar Berbatov was brilliant and could have had a hat-trick!!! Damien Duff's free kick was squeezed in by the the Czech striker with a fine header from a very tight angle, 1-0. The goal looked offside, even he himself looked over to the linesman! Kevin Nolan put the Hammers level from a quickly taken free kick, Fulham were caught napping, 1-1. Seconds later, Hugo Rodallega headed in Duff's cross beating three defenders, 2-1. Berbatov saw a couple of chances go wide before Andy Carroll pulled a block-save out of Mark Schwarzer. At the other end, Rodallega pulled save out of Jussi Jaaskelainen before Mladen Petric hit the post off the rebound and Joey O'Brien eventually saw it into the back of his own net, JUST over the line to make it 3-1 and three points to Fulham!
FLOP!
Norwich were much better than the side that flopped against Liverpool and Luton, whilst Tottenham disappointed until Andre Villas-Boas got his changes, notes and influence going. Wesley Hoolahan stroked the ball into an empty unguarded net after a fine one-two, one-touch build-up, to make it 1-0. Tottenham were nowhere. A handball appeal against Jan Vertonghen was not given. Norwich were on top before Spurs sub Lewis Holtby came on with a couple of notes for the team. The notes worked their magic, Gareth Bale equalising with a top-draw left-foot smacker after a fine run ten minutes from time. Gylfi Sigurdsson pulled brilliant last-minute save out of Mark Bunn, keeping one point for Norwich, dropping two for Spurs.
HERO!
With five late goals in last three games, 10 in 13, Adam Le Fondre has been stunning for Reading once again! He pulled the first goal back against Chelsea with a sweet finish off a beautiful ball in to make it 1-2 three minutes from time. Adam Federici produced a fine leap-save off Ramires before taking late free kick deep into injury time for Le Fondre to curl in the equaliser after a couple of headers across the box. Super sub, or what?! It seemed like same old, same old for Chelsea, dropping goals and points late on, just like against the Saints the other week. And the Blues made such a strong start when Juan Mata was in off Fernando Torres, 0-1, showing off some top-class one-touch football! Frank Lampard claimed the second, seeing his header deflect in off a corner to double the lead. Oscar missed some golden chances, it could have been 3 or 4-0! Interim boss Rafael Benitez will be left scratching his head and wondering...
ZERO!
Brilliant saves by both keepers denied both QPR and Manchester City to alter the scoreboard, the prior being the happier winning the point whilst the latter will see it as two crucial points dropped in the title race. This clash was very different to the other goalless draw of the week between Sunderland and Swansea, the Welsh visitors creating more, but the whole game not having much to write home about.
My Predictions => Actual Results
Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle => 1-2
QPR 1-2 Man City => 0-0
Stoke 2-1 Wigan => 2-2
Sunderland 2-0 Swansea => 0-0
Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool => 2-2
Everton 2-0 West Brom => 2-1
Norwich 2-3 Tottenham => 1-1
Fulham 2-2 West Hame => 3-1
Man United 4-3 Southampton => 2-1
Reading 1-2 Chelsea => 2-2
