RADIO
Another week in the English Premier League and as predicted here at http://www.rotoballer.com/, Tim Sherwood has become the latest managerial casualty. We have a full weekend of fixtures in the EPL starting with a super seven of matches this Saturday and the question now is, do we have another managerial change in the offing?
Editor’s Note: Be sure to check out all of our articles, and read more about the EPL and Spanish La Liga at http://www.rotoballer.com/category/premier-league-bpl-epl-soccer
Predictions And Star Performers
Chelsea 0 v Liverpool 1 Star Player: Philippe Coutinho (Midfield)
Crystal Palace 2 v Manchester United 1 Star Player: Wilfrid Saha (Midfield)
Manchester City 5 v Norwich City 0 Star Player: Kevin De Bruyne (Midfield)
Newcastle United 0 v Stoke City 1 Star Player Ryan Shawcross (Defense)
Swansea City 0 v Arsenal 2 Star Player: Olivier Giroud (Forward)
Watford 0 v West Ham United 2 Star Player: Dmitri Payet (Midfield)
West Bromwich Albion 1 v Leicester City 0 Star Player: Boaz Myhill (Goalkeeper)
We start with a fascinating encounter between Chelsea and Liverpool. Whilst Jose Mourinho has not lost the dressing room, nor support of the away fans, judging from the events at Stoke in midweek, the fact remains that they lost again. In reality however the only person who matters at Chelsea is the owner, Roman Abramovich, and we think a loss this weekend, or anything less than a win against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League and the manager will be replaced. We have a hunch that Liverpool, who are defending now with considerable speed, and have under Jurgen Klopp become the hardest working team in the EPL statistically speaking, can keep Chelsea out. The Reds have the potential to hit Chelsea on the break to secure the win that will, we feel, close the second coming of Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.
We have a theory, some might say a conspiracy theory, that this is actually the outcome that Mourinho is looking for. He has an enormous new contract behind him with substantial compensation due on dismissal. He likes to win domestic league titles in different countries and it would not surprise us if he actually ended up in Paris, taking PSG to a Lique 1 triumph and maybe even help them make a Champions League charge. His conduct this entire season seems, even by his standards, to be bizarre bordering on indifference and almost as if he wants to be dismissed. He may have manufactured all, or at least some of these issues, to simply get his wish.
Crystal Palace and Manchester United both lost in midweek. United are an enigma, a team that is highly competitive in the EPL table but which continues to play in a style which runs very much contrary to the expectations of the Old Trafford faithful. The rather pragmatic style of Louis Van Gaal is winning few friends, but whilst he continues to get results and remains in the race for the Premiership, who can argue? We think that the all out attacking flare of the home side will put United under considerable pressure and in Wilfrid Saha, Palace have a player who will be extra keen to show his former club what they are missing out on. Palace get more penalties than anyone else so don't be surprised if they get another one this weekend.
Manchester City brushed Palace aside with, what was by their standards, a somewhat makeshift team. They will do a similar thing to Norwich City, who on the back of defeats at Newcastle and at home to West Bromwich Albion cannot be looking forward to this fixture. Kevin De Bruyne has only been in the EPL for a few weeks, but we think he is already the leading candidate for Player of the Year. We expect him to continue to create goal scoring opportunities and to score goals and will probably do both this weekend.
An intriguing match up is the one between Newcastle and Stoke. They both lost last weekend although Newcastle dominated the first half of their game before a controversial penalty and sending off at Sunderland changed their match irretrievably. Confidence remains in short supply, despite the opening win of the season at home to Norwich City, and Stoke, who will be boosted by the return of Ryan Shawcross, will take advantage of any frailties. Shawcross is not just a dominant force at the back, but can be a match winner on set pieces and we think he can make an immediate impact on this game.
Arsenal have the worst injury record statistically over the last decade of the EPL. They have lost Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for at least three weeks, and this follows on from the loss of Aaron Ramsey last weekend. It is critical to their chances of winning the league, to be able to maintain their performance levels despite these setbacks. Arsene Wenger was the only manager in the major European leagues not to sign a single outfield player in the transfer window, and this could come back to haunt him. Nevertheless, it is another chance for Olivier Giroud to continue, what we consider to be, an impressive scoring record and for Arsenal to overcome a Swansea side that, in the past, have gotten the better of 'the Gunners.' Swansea surely relished playing Aston Villa last week, but a win against a side so lacking in confidence doesn't disguise their own recent poor form and Arsenal must take all three points in this kind of match if they are to be genuine title contenders.
Watford had a much needed boost with an away victory at Stoke last week. This was, arguably, the shock of the weekend and makes the task of playing West Ham a little more difficult, or maybe it will serve as a welcome reminder of their need to focus and perform at the levels they have played at recently to sustain their own run of victories. There is never an easy match in the EPL, Aston Villa aside!! We do however expect Slaven Bilic to get the performance from his players and another West Ham win away from the Boleyn Ground is on the cards.
Leicester City are the side that continue to baffle the experts. Every week they seem to get themselves into impossible positions only to come back and secure points. In Jamie Vardy they have the hottest player in the League and he has become the Daniel Murphy of the EPL with his consecutive scoring exploits. However, we expect that West Bromwich Albion will be his Kansas City Royals and he will find it much more difficult against a resolute Albion defense likely to play deeper to prevent his explosive pace from becoming too much of a threat. West Bromwich Albion have won their last two matches 1-0 and we think they can make it a hat trick with Saido Berahino likely to be the difference in this match.
