Fixture Focus - Spurs (20 February 2009)

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Spurs (Round of 32, 1st Leg)

Spurs will face a crucial spell of games in the next 10 days starting with the 1st leg of their Round of 32 UEFA Cup matches this Thursday morning in the Ukraine. They then fly back to play at Hull on Monday and then back to the Lane for the 2nd leg against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.  Then comes the Carling Cup final against a formidable Manchester United over the weekend at Wembley.

With these matches in mind, Redknapp faces a tremendous squad selection headache, trying on one hand to rest key players and picking from players that are not injured or cup-tied. Our strike options against Shakhtar, for example, are severely limited with Bent and Campbell as the only 2 choices.  With one eye on EPL survival and the other eye on the Carling Cup, I will not be surprised if key players are reserved for these 2 games, which then means that we take a "come what may" attitude in the UEFA Cup matches.
 
Although Shakhtar are still in their mid-season winter break, I do not see us winning this leg.  They are after all in the UEFA Cup competition because they dropped out of the Champions League competition.  But if Spurs play with an intensity like they did against the Gooners a fortnight ago, a draw would be a great result quite honestly.

COYS!!!

Midweek Review (19 Feb 2009)

Manchester United vs Fulham

"There are too many uncanny similiarities in the Treble Run and the current season."

- Gary, 19 Feb 2009

So Man Utd disposed Derby with ease to progress to the Quarter-final with a meeting with Fulham or Swansea.

Now we face Fulham for the game in hand.

I think i have to retracted the comments that i have make during the pre-season where Man Utd will not win the Premier League title for the 3rd time this season. They are currently on an unbeatable run, 13th win on the row since the last defeat against Arsenal. Im not counting on the only League Cup semi-final loss against Derby, it's only the Premier League that counts, no? Another fact that i discovered during the Treble run in 98/99 season, Man Utd only lost 3 games. This season, they only lost 2 games, against Arsenal and Liverpool. Well, there is a possibility of losing one more game.

There are too many uncanny similiarities in the Treble Run and the current season. Opponents for Champions League for both seasons are Inter Milan. Prehaps the next opponents, provided we did win against Inter, will be Juventus?

How about one more fact, though not related, was Man Utd won the Treble after the Asian Financial Crisis? If Man Utd really win 4 titles, wont it be the credit crunch in the USA? Anyway, just facts for reference.

Man Utd Team News: Gary Neville, Anderson are out. Wayne Rooney could be given a run-out for match fitness.

Fulham Team News: Diomansy Kamara is the only absentee.

Odds and Analysis: Man Utd is giving 1.5 ball. Take Man Utd and maybe a little side bet of Edwin van der Sar beating the world record in keeping the clean sheet.

Disclaimer: This review is entirely on my own views and opinion. I didn’t point a gun at you to ask you to follow. If you want to bet on this game, do so at your own risk. Pls bet within limits. Good luck.

EPL Prediction League Match Weekend 21 - 22 Feb 2009

EPL45: SAT 21/2 Aston Villa vs Chelsea at 8:40pm SIN/HKT

EPL46: SUN 22/2 Fulham vs West Brom at 9:25pm SIN/HKT

GAME ON!

Scoring System
3-Points for a correct outcome (Win, Lose or Draw)
1-point each for correct score on each side.

Double Entry
Later submission shall override earlier submission.

Penalty
Submissions after kick-off will not be admissible. (Disqualification)

Blogger/Blogspot Blackout
This Prediction League will be played here but if in the event Blogger/Blogspot servers go down, we will automatically carry on the league over to the personal blog of Voxeros at
http://jaywalk.blog-city.com. Please bookmark this or at the very least stay in touch with one of us as we will also be helping all stay in the loop via the various channels like MSN, Skype, email as well as SPUG Off-Topic Chat.

Weekend Review (15 Feb 2009)

Derby County vs Manchester United

"So what record are we going to break next? Making Old Trafford a fortress? Or stay unbeaten in a league like Arsenal?"

-Gary, 15 Feb 2009

This week sports headlines hit a new high when Chelsea sacked Scolari after just 7 months in England. There would be alot of reasons and rumors for the sacking like Stamford Bridge not a fortress anymore, players power, etc. Ultimately, you need a mentally strong man-management to handle those rich and egostic players. Sadly, Scolari was not one of them as he is a good tactican. If players power do play a part, then i foresee Mark Hughes would be the next manager to get the sack. Manchester City and Chelsea have one thing in common and that is rich owners want instant results.

Coming back to Man Utd, it hit all the right reasons. Edwin break 2 more records in keeping a clean sheet. Oddly enough, the record still stands when he did not play or was conceded by Thomasz Kuszczak or Ben Foster. Edwin have to hit one more world record held by Abel Resino.

Ok, so what record are we going to break next? Making Old Trafford a fortress? Or stay unbeaten in a league like Arsenal?

Derby County Team News: No injuries or suspensions i suppose.

Man Utd Team News: Rooney will not be rushed back to play.

Odds and Analysis: Man Utd is giving 1.25 handicap. If Fergie still remember the 1-0 defeat in the League Cup Semi-Final first leg at Pride Park, i think he would ensure it wont happen again. I wont take the risk.

Disclaimer: This review is entirely on my own views and opinion. I didn’t point a gun at you to ask you to follow. If you want to bet on this game, do so at your own risk. Pls bet within limits. Good luck.

EPL Prediction League

There wont be any prediction games this weekend due to FA Cup.

Results - Games 07 - 08 Feb 2009 EPL Prediction League 2008/2009

We have a bumper crop of Marksmen here as four of our chaps got the Aston Villa match right.

On the race at the top, Everton continues to stay at the top and pulling away one point at a time.

Well done, guys!

Housekeeping Notes:

All of this season's tables will be kept in Flickr's photoset. Click Here.


EPL Prediction League "Perfect Score" Hall Of Fame
Perfect Score = 2 correct-score predictions in a single weekend and hence the award of the full 10 points.

1) redherring (20 Oct 2008)
2) weiming (19 Jan 2009)

Marksmen Board (Number of Exact Predictions)
6 Games - weimeng, delay
4 Games - ianrush, david.hvp, ihawk98, hotdog, everton
3 Games - redherring, Voxeros, limyengchuan, edwinsng, necroastr
2 Games - cool402, Bedokian
1 Game - cha dum yen

Scoring System
3-Points for a correct outcome (Win, Lose or Draw)
1-point each for correct score on each side.

Double Entry
Later submission shall override earlier submission.

Penalty
No points for submission after kick-off. (Disqualification)

Blogspot Blackout
The EPL Prediction League will be played here but if in the event Blogger/Blogspot servers go down, we will automatically carry on the league over to my personal blog at http://jaywalk.blog-city.com. Please bookmark this or at the very least stay in touch with one of us as we will also be helping all stay in the loop via the various channels like MSN, Skype, email as well as SPUG Off-Topic Chat.

Prediction League Past Winners

Copa America 2004 - WeiMeng
EPL 2004/2005 - Friday13
EPL 2005/2006 - ianrush
World Cup 2006 - EdwinSng
EPL 2006/2007 - Voxeros
EPL 2007/2008 - Cool402
Euro 2008 - Voxeros

As usual:

1) If you have spotted a mistake, please let me know where and what so that I can amend them accordingly.
2) Please check your scores for accuracy as soon as possible before I update the table during the next round of scores. Once the table has been updated, the old table will be overwritten.
3) In case you are still seeing the old table even if I have announced a new update, please refresh your browser to reload the table.

Fixture Focus - Spurs (8 Feb 09)

Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal FC

It's here again, the famous North London derby, to be held at White Hart Lane itself. Expect no love lost for this one.

A few reasons, though, for the "no love lost" comment. Spurs are still in the danger zone, with the (been mentioning about this umpteen times) last 9 positions of the league still as elastic as ever, they needed a win, and a win bad. Arsenal, on the other hand, had lost their "Top 4" label to a NKOTB - Aston Villa, and they would want to catch up on points fast, before the Champions League comes knocking again. Last but not least, it's a North London derby, after all....

It would be a cracker in this game - Spurs has welcomed their latest old boy - Robbie Keane - back. Arsenal, too, has just got the attacking maestro Arshavin, and he may be potentially in the starting lineup.

How is this game going to fair? As I had said previously, it would be no love lost. Footballing sense, it would be cracker, and expect the intensity of the previous 4-4 meeting at the Emirates Stadium.

COYS!!!!!

Weekend Outlook (08 Feb 2009)

West Ham United vs Manchester United

"...Games at Upton Park has always triggered the memory of 14 May 1995 where we were held to a 1-1 draw courtesy of Steve Bruce's late defensive mistake, to hand the league title to Blackburn Rovers on a silver platter, despite the latter losing their final game...."

- JayWalk, 07 Feb 2009

What a month of January as we finally finished the crazy fixtures of 8 games and see us back on top of the table, two points ahead and a game in hand!

It was a nail biter toward the end of the month as we were really stretched thin with injuries but I was glad many of our brave soldiers managed to shake off the sick bay and come through for us.

Thereafter, we had a well deserved week of rest as we did not have a mid-week schedule for this week.

February would be a relatively relaxed month for us as we start our preparation for the resumption of the ECL where we travel to San Siro to take on Inter Milan for the second round 1st leg.

It will be a very tough match as the current English leader meets their Italian counterpart. Expect this to be a real cracker.

Also looking ahead, quite a bit of deja vu where we meet Spurs in the FA Cup only to have to meet them in the Final of the Carling Cup. Same goes to Derby County where we killed them off in the Carling Cup semi-final only to have to meet them against in the FA Cup next week.

Strange coincidence, huh?

JayWalk The Talk: Neville is out with a virus while Rooney and Evra are expected to return to the squad with Brown looking very likely to be picked to start for the Red Devils.

Edwin Van der Sar will be looking to his defenders for help as he is aiming to keep a clean goal for at least 75 minutes if he wishes to break the all-time British clean sheet record of 1,196 minutes. Good luck.

Dyer, Gabbidon and Ashton are out injured while Kovac and Savio are likely to be making their Premiership debut against ManUtd for West Ham.

JayWalk The Walk: Games at Upton Park has always triggered the memory of 14 May 1995 where we were held to a 1-1 draw courtesy of Steve Bruce's late defensive mistake, to hand the league title to Blackburn Rover on a silver platter, despite the latter losing their final game.

Upton Park also triggered memory of Joe Cole who made his senior debut in 1998, coincidentally against ManUtd. This was a young lad that I was hoping ManUtd would buy but alas Cole choose the money route only to fade into the blue oblivion of Stamford Bridge.

Anyway, bookies are making ManUtd give up 0.75-ball handicap and a decimal odds of an easy 1.825 to beat it. Wagers are skewed in favour of ManUtd to beat the handicap at 69%.

We used to travel to Upton Park with caution as it is a place where getting 3 points is not easy. However, that was during Redknapp's time. Zola, as much as I admire this compact sized Italian, is nowhere near the genius of Redknapp when it comes to managing West Ham.

It will be a win for ManUtd. Go and give the handicap while we keep out fingers' crossed that Liverpool will drop more points given that they are very weak in the striker's department without Keane, Gerrard and Torres.

Disclaimer: The above views are purely my own two-cents' worth. In other words, I cannot and will not guarantee that my predictions are accurate. If you want to bet on the game, do so at your own risk. Also, please bet responsibly and within your means regardless of how "sure thing" that game may appear to be. As the old saying goes, "The Ball Is Round". Good luck.

EPL Prediction League Match Weekend 7 - 8 Feb 2009

On Saturday, Big Sam's team will take on the visiting Aston Villa.  Would Blackburn continue their hotstreak?

On Sunday, it is the North London Derby as struggling Spurs, now with Captain Robbie Keane returning, take on their arch nemesis at White Hart Lane.

EPL43: SAT 7/2 Blackburn vs Aston Villa at 10:55pm SIN/HKT

EPL442: SUN 8/2 Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal at 9:25pm SIN/HKT

GAME ON!

Scoring System
3-Points for a correct outcome (Win, Lose or Draw)
1-point each for correct score on each side.

Double Entry
Later submission shall override earlier submission.

Penalty
Submissions after kick-off will not be admissible. (Disqualification)

Blogger/Blogspot Blackout
This Prediction League will be played here but if in the event Blogger/Blogspot servers go down, we will automatically carry on the league over to the personal blog of Voxeros at
http://jaywalk.blog-city.com. Please bookmark this or at the very least stay in touch with one of us as we will also be helping all stay in the loop via the various channels like MSN, Skype, email as well as SPUG Off-Topic Chat.

Results - Games 31 Jan - 01 Feb 2009 EPL Prediction League 2008/2009

Don't see the solitary point no up as it is what it took for Everton to pip weimeng to the league table.

Congrats to delay who caught up with weimeng in the Marksmen Board to tie at 6 correct predictions apiece.

Well done and it's on to the next weekend!

Housekeeping Notes:

All of this season's tables will be kept in Flickr's photoset. Click Here.


EPL Prediction League "Perfect Score" Hall Of Fame
Perfect Score = 2 correct-score predictions in a single weekend and hence the award of the full 10 points.

1) redherring (20 Oct 2008)
2) weiming (19 Jan 2009)

Marksmen Board (Number of Exact Predictions)
6 Games - weimeng, delay
4 Games - ianrush, david.hvp, ihawk98, hotdog
3 Games - redherring, everton, Voxeros
2 Games - cool402, necroastr, limyengchuan, edwinsng, Bedokian
1 Game - cha dum yen

Scoring System
3-Points for a correct outcome (Win, Lose or Draw)
1-point each for correct score on each side.

Double Entry
Later submission shall override earlier submission.

Penalty
No points for submission after kick-off. (Disqualification)

Blogspot Blackout
The EPL Prediction League will be played here but if in the event Blogger/Blogspot servers go down, we will automatically carry on the league over to my personal blog at http://jaywalk.blog-city.com. Please bookmark this or at the very least stay in touch with one of us as we will also be helping all stay in the loop via the various channels like MSN, Skype, email as well as SPUG Off-Topic Chat.

Prediction League Past Winners

Copa America 2004 - WeiMeng
EPL 2004/2005 - Friday13
EPL 2005/2006 - ianrush
World Cup 2006 - EdwinSng
EPL 2006/2007 - Voxeros
EPL 2007/2008 - Cool402
Euro 2008 - Voxeros

As usual:

1) If you have spotted a mistake, please let me know where and what so that I can amend them accordingly.
2) Please check your scores for accuracy as soon as possible before I update the table during the next round of scores. Once the table has been updated, the old table will be overwritten.
3) In case you are still seeing the old table even if I have announced a new update, please refresh your browser to reload the table.