Matchday 17

[RossFC]

First up we have Burnley vs Stoke. Burnley had a big win over Watford to retain 7th spot while Stoke got whipped 5-1 by Spurs. If Stoke fail to get a point, Mark Hughes should be under some pressure.

Can Watford bounce back after their 1-0 loss to Burnley which made them drop to 9th? Palace drew 2-2 with Bournemouth after Benteke bottled a very late pen and are now bottom. It may prove costly in the long run.

Chelsea had a shock defeat to inform West Ham but will they get back on track with all 3 points against Huddersfield who won 2-0 against Brighton thanks to a Mounie double.

Soton managed a point against Arsenal with Charlie Austin having a top performance, Leicester moved up to 8th after scraping past a poor Newcastle outfit. This will be a tougher test for the Foxes.

Everton also snatched a point against rivals Liverpool and will look for another 3 against Newcastle who are a complete rabble at the minute.

Swansea had a very important win against West Brom via a Bony goal but with Man City (who are 11 points clear and have the title all but won) coming to town, 15 PL wins in a row for City looks likely.

Spurs will be hoping to put some more pressure on the top 4 against Brighton after a fantastic 5-1 win against Stoke. Harry Kane got a double and is 2nd in the golden boot race.

Man United have just taken a big blow in their title hopes losing 2-1 at home to Man City. Bournemouth (who drew 2-2 with Palace, with Defoe getting a double) come down to Old Trafford but I feel the red mancs should account for them easily.

Liverpool (who dropped 2 points against Everton due to Lovren giving a pen away) are at home to West Brom. If Liverpool are serious about finishing top 4 then a win is a must here. Mo Salah added another goal to his tally making it 19 in all comps and is leading the golden boot.

Match of the round: West Ham vs Arsenal. There is a heartbeat down at West Ham! In the last 2 games Moyes has turned this unit around against quality sides like City and Chelsea and even managed 3 points. Arsenal on the other hand didn't look too flash against Soton but Giroud bailed them out with a point. I recommend having ArsenalFanTV at the ready.

My Picks:
Burnley vs Stoke 1-0
Huddersfield vs Chelsea 0-2
Palace vs Watford 1-1
Swansea vs Man City 0-3
Newcastle vs Everton 1-2
Soton vs Leicester 2-2
Man United vs Bournemouth 2-0
Liverpool vs West Brom 3-1
Spurs vs Brighton 4-0
West Ham vs Arsenal 1-1

 

[jd2010]

Stoke are so gash

Hughes has to go. It's probably their best squad since he's been in charge but they are nowhere near looking like a top half side.

Hopefully west ham can go on a run and get some more points off top 4 challengers. Can't see any other result than 3 points for Liverpool United and Chelsea

We've got to score in the first half against Brighton. Break that belief early and we should win by 3+

 

[Jatz]

Really jd2010 ? Troy Deeney? Really?

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Surely the Puel derby is match of the round given the options? Although Newcastle-Everton should be fun.

Surely Vardy takes the cake. England's number 2, the best team performer, and need I say literally a title winner?

That said, Charlie Austin and Troy Deeney, now that's two comparable points. First season back, and it seemed to be a Austin v Vardy battle (with many favouring Austin, because he was up there for top goalscorer). Deeney was always a wanted target ever since we got promoted, in fact, even now, there were some interest in trying to get Prune Face in (no idea what role he would've played, though, don't we learn?) Prune Face is good value. Glad to see he's staying loyal to Watford, and is showing some of that Watford spirit.

Puel's criticism's at Soton is a weird one. He only played with the cattle he got. Yes, he had a window, but I feel like he was getting somewhere with Soton. Who is to say that he couldn't get them playing attacking if given more of a chance. 8th place, despite the football, is nothing to sneeze at.

I'm just hoping we push for Europa, but at the same time, it would be nice if we can get a bit of a rift between us and the chasing pack. Once you get in there, it becomes a bloodbath!

 

[jd2010]

Really jd2010 ? Troy Deeney? Really?

Purely for his verbal slap down he gave Arsenal after they beat them earlier this year

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Bench super Jan please Mauricio. Don’t be stupid and play him.

Really jd2010 ? Troy Deeney? Really?

dissed Ar*enal. Fair enough choice for that alone

Hopefully west ham can go on a run

You and I need to talk. Pull yourself together man

 

[RossFC]

Surely the Puel derby is match of the round given the options? Although Newcastle-Everton should be fun.

Newcastle are really crap I couldn't have picked that game. I picked West Ham/Arsenal because West Ham have been pretty competitive lately.

As for evenness Soton vs Leicester is a tough game to pick. Before Austin came back Soton looked toothless, different story now.

 

[jd2010]

Bench super Jan please Mauricio. Don’t be stupid and play him.
dissed Ar*enal. Fair enough choice for that alone

You and I need to talk. Pull yourself together man

Just a run until the weekend.

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Newcastle are really crap I couldn't have picked that game. I picked West Ham/Arsenal because West Ham have been pretty competitive lately.

As for evenness Soton vs Leicester is a tough game to pick. Before Austin came back Soton looked toothless, different story now.

To be fair, they had bits of life in them. Everton's going alright, and it would've been interesting, or at least I thought it would've been.

Our game is certainly the most even. Every other game clearly favours one side, and without any flavour text to go with it. At least our game has flavour text! Even if some think Puel is as bland as a Plancque of wood.

Spoiler

His assistant Pascal Plancque:

 

[Gosha]

Who was it that Pool fans wanted over Salah in the off-season? Was it Brandt?

 

[Fryer Tuck]

Who was it that Pool fans wanted over Salah in the off-season? Was it Brandt?

Though, to be fair...

 

[SM]

Clearly FAITH a lot more knowledgeable than Jod.

 

[Power Raid]

no hope of anyone challenging City now

all decided well before xmas

 

[spookism]

no hope of anyone challenging City now

all decided well before xmas

This doesn't exactly upset me...

 

[Fryer Tuck]

no hope of anyone challenging City now

all decided well before xmas

Weirder things have happened.

If its the kick up the backside needed to improve the quality at the top, so be it.

The interesting thing is that Pep's had pretty much made most of the players already at the club better players. Yes, they cost a crapton, but Stones and Sterling looked hapless until the... Pep Talk. Even Delph looks like a World Beater... is this what people thought of when they saw Danny Simpson win a PL medal?

 

[Power Raid]

This doesn't exactly upset me...

I must admit, I have a soft spot for city and really enjoying how they go about it.

 

[go you pups]

Spurs will be hoping to put some more pressure on

Shut up DH

 

[RossFC]

Shut up DH

haha forgot that I wrote that. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

6:30 Kick off, then work, nap then midnight star wars.

Im going to regret this on thursday morning

 

[largebus]

Like all midweek games, * barca and * this time zone

 

[TheKanga]

Burnley vs. Stoke - 1-1
Crystal Palace vs. Watford - 0-2
Huddersfield vs. Chelsea - 1-3
Southampton vs. Leicester - 1-2
Newcastle Utd vs. Everton - 2-0
Swansea vs. Man City - 2-4
Tottenham vs. Brighton - 3-0
Man Utd vs. Bournemouth - 4-0
Liverpool vs. West Brom - 2-1
West Ham vs. Arsenal - 2-2

 

[Cruyff14]

We will probably drop more points.

 

[go you pups]

Like all midweek games, **** barca and **** this time zone

Prime time premier league football on the weekends though, while the rest of Australia is sleep deprived, particularly on Monday's, would rather your situation in the west for PL/European football.

 

[largebus]

Prime time premier league football on the weekends though, while the rest of Australia is sleep deprived, particularly on Monday's, would rather your situation in the west.

It's literally the only downside of being relevant in Europe again

 

[go you pups]

It's literally the only downside of being relevant in Europe again

I go to the gym early morning sometimes between Wed-Fri just for CL/EL as my gym has Foxtel, just sit on the bike for half an hour or so in front of the TVs. Do the same on Saturday afternoons in footy season.