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Tottenham v Manchester United

September 10th, 2009

The game of the day takes place at White Hart Lane on Saturday, as Harry Redknapp’s high flying Spurs side take on Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United team in what promises to be an epic battle. Spurs have already put Liverpool to the sword this season at White Hart Lane and will be hoping to deal out the same fate to United.

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Tottenham have made their best ever start to a Premier League season, recording four wins from their first four games. The above mentioned home victory against Liverpool took place on the opening day, and was followed up by victories at Hull (5-1), West Ham (2-1) and then at home again 2-1 against Birmingham City. It remains to be seen whether the enforced international break came at a bad time for the Spurs team, or whether they can continue where they left off a couple of weeks ago.

Sir Alex’s side have made a stuttering start to their season, at least form wise anyway, although they have notched up three victories from four games. Their rather fortuitous first day home victory against Birmingham City by 1-0 was followed up by the surprise result of the season so far when they travelled to Turf Moor and lost 1-0 to Burnley.

Normal service was resumed in the following match away to Wigan when they ran in five goals against the hapless home side, and last time out they entertained Arsenal at Old Trafford, eventually winning 2-1 despite falling behind in the score and not playing particularly well.

Saturday’s match promises to be a great spectacle full of passion and endeavour, with both teams fighting hammer and tong for the three points.

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Posted in Football Pre Match Review, General, Man U, Premier League, Tottenham

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Sunderland v Hull City

September 10th, 2009

Two teams that have made an average start to the current Premier League campaign go head to head at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, as Sunderland and Hull City fight it out for the three available points.

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With six points to their name, Sunderland have made the more positive start to the season and have notched up two wins from their first four games; losing the other two. They won the first game of the season 1-0 away to Bolton, and followed that up with a 3-1 reversal to Chelsea in their first home game. They had another home encounter in their next game, beating Blackburn 2-1, and followed this up with a 1-0 defeat away to Stoke City. New Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will be more than satisfied with his team’s endeavours so far this season and will be looking to Saturday’s game to add another three points to the teams tally.

Hull City were unfortunate enough to face the Premier League’s two current leaders in their first two games of the season, losing both – 2-1 (rather unluckily) away to Chelsea in the opening game, and then being comprehensively routed 5-1 at home by Tottenham. Since these two defeats though, they have played another two games, securing four points from a victory at home to Bolton and draw away to Wolves last time out.
Both managers realise the value of the three points on offer even at this early stage in the season, so will be demanding noting less than 110% from their respective players.

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Posted in Football Pre Match Review, General, Hull City, Premier League, Sunderland

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Stoke City v Chelsea

September 10th, 2009

Chelsea travel to resilient Stoke and the Britannia Stadium on Saturday looking to continue their very impressive start to this current Premier League season. With four wins from four games so far, Carlo Ancellotti’s team are brimming with confidence and head the table on goal difference from fellow London side Tottenham.

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Stoke City have also started the season well, currently occupying fifth spot in the league table with seven points; points that have come from two wins (both at home) one draw away to Birmingham, and a rather comprehensive 4-0 defeat at Anfield by Liverpool.

With both teams coming into the game after the two week international break, Stoke will feel they will have the “fresher” options as most of Chelsea’s squad will be flying in from around the world just a day or two before the clash. Nevertheless, Ancellotti knows the strength of his current squad and will be confident that whatever team he puts out on Saturday afternoon will be well equipped to deal with the pressures at hand.

Stoke manager Tony Pullis this week welcomed former Thailand boss Peter Reid to the Britannia Stadium as the teams new assistant manager, and he will be hoping that Reid’s vast experience in the game can benefit the club further. With two wins out of two so far this season at home, Stoke look well equipped to see out the current campaign without any major relegation hitches hanging over their heads.

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Posted in Chelsea FC, Football Pre Match Review, General, Premier League, Stoke City

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Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers

September 10th, 2009

One thing is definite about Saturday’s encounter between Portsmouth and Bolton as the Premier League resumes after the international break – one, or both, of the teams will break their duck. The pair are stuck at the bottom of the league table as the only two teams that are pointless, but whereas hapless Portsmouth have played four games, Bolton have only played three.

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The way things have started for Portsmouth this season, both on and off the pitch, suggest that the team are going to struggle badly this term and will be facing a battle for their Premier League lives. All the off-field shenanigans over the ownership of the club, and the exodus of players during the wrangle, have seen the side decimated with manager’s Paul Hart’s hands well and truly tied.

With players of the calibre of Glenn Johnson, Peter Crouch, Sean Davis and Sylvan Distin all being allowed to leave over the summer, and the loss of Jermaine Defoe in last January’s transfer window, Portsmouth have had to make up the numbers with a rash of free signings and loans which have not gone down too well with the Pompey faithful.

Bolton have also started the season poorly and manager Gary Megson is already under early pressure. After losing the first two games of the current campaign 1-0 (to Sunderland at home and then Hull away), the team faced a Liverpool side at the Reebok last time out that was rumoured to be in turmoil, and these rumours looked well founded when Bolton took a 2-1 lead in the game. Nevertheless, Liverpool are renowned for their comebacks and eventually won the game 3-2, sending the Bolton fans home in despair.

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Manchester City v Arsenal

September 10th, 2009

With the resumption of the English Premier League after the international break, Manchester City face their first major test of their new-found status as genuine top four challengers when Arsenal come to town on Saturday afternoon. City have started the season positively and have recorded three victories from their first three games so far.

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Arsenal on the other hand had started the season in rampant style, knocking in ten goals in their first two games, but the reversal at City’s bitter rivals United last time out, albeit rather unluckily, may have taken the wind out of their sails. Nevertheless, the game is eagerly anticipated by not only the fans of the two teams involved, but also fans from the rest of the country so they can gauge for themselves just how high City’s credentials are this season under Mark Hughes.

Manchester City and their team of superstars in the making couldn’t have asked for a better start to the new campaign. They have played three games so far and won each of them – one at home and two away, all without conceding a single goal. Saturday’s game though will be the sternest test they have faced so far, with all due respect to Portsmouth, Wolves and Blackburn who have all tried to match City and failed this season.

For their part, Arsenal were flying until they played at Old Trafford last time out. Despite playing well enough, they ended up losing the game to Manchester United by 2-1 and it remains to be seen what affect this will have on team spirit ahead of this Saturday’s game at Eastland’s.

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Posted in Arsenal, Football Pre Match Review, General, Manchester City, Premier League

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Liverpool v Burnley

September 10th, 2009

Rafa Benitez’ Liverpool side face Burnley at Anfield on Saturday afternoon as the English Premier League resumes after the enforced international break. Although Liverpool have made a stuttering start to the new season by their standards, the win away to Bolton last time out showed the character and determination of the current squad, and with a victory on Saturday the whole “bad start” thing will be well and truly put to bed.

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A lot has been made of the fact that Liverpool have lost as many games in the first four encounters of this season’s campaign as they did in the whole of last season, and as such will not win the league because they have already shown weakness. This assumption by many pundits is actually quite laughable and you only have to look at the fact that Manchester United won the league last season while still losing four games during the campaign.

With most of the squad away on international duty, Benitez will only have one day to train with his team and formulate the tactics for the Burnley game. He will, though, be quietly confident that Liverpool can continue where they left off from the great 3-2 win at Bolton last time.
For their part, Burnley are showing two sides to this current campaign – the Burnley that play great at home (played two, won two, including against Man Utd), and the Burnley that plays away (played two, lost two, scored none, conceded five). Everything points to the fact, then, that Owen Coyle’s boys may find life a little too hot for their liking at Anfield on Saturday.

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Posted in Burnley, Football Pre Match Review, General, Liverpool, Premier League, Premiership

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Blackburn v Wolves

September 10th, 2009

Blackburn Rovers host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Ewood Park on Saturday looking for their first win of the new Premier League season. Rover’s manager Sam Allardyce has not been too impressed by the start his team have made this season and will be looking at Saturday’s game to hopefully grab the three points on offer and kick-start their season.

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Mick McCarthy’s Wolves team, on the other hand, have managed to win one game out of their four played so far this season, and with a draw and two defeats from the other three games, McCarthy knows that every single point his team can muster this season could prove to be vital come next May.
Blackburn have played one fewer game than their opponents on Saturday, with two defeats and one draw the total sum of their efforts.

They have only managed to score one goal as well and that was in the second game of the season in a 2-1 away defeat to Sunderland. Allardyce’s boys faced Manchester City at home on the opening day of the season, losing 2-0, while playing West ham at home last time out, only managing a tame 0-0 draw. They currently occupy 18th position in the league table with their one point; only Bolton and Portsmouth are below them, both pointless.

Wolves have played relatively well since their opening day 2-0 home defeat to West Ham. They followed that with a trip to Wigan, winning 2-0, then an unlucky narrow 1-0 defeat at Manchester City and last time out drew 1-1 at home with Hull. They are thirteenth in the table with four points to their name.

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Posted in Blackburn Rovers, Football Pre Match Review, General, Premier League, Premiership, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wolves

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Chelsea v Burnley

August 28th, 2009

Chelsea host Burnley at Stamford Bridge this Saturday and will be hoping to make it four wins out of four so far this season. Burnley themselves are not doing too badly either, with six points out of a possible nine to their credit, including the now famous 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Turf Moor.

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Chelsea have started off the season in fine form, promising a bright, new future under new boss Carlos Ancellotti. With maximum points from their first three games, they share top spot with fellow Londoners Tottenham, with Saturday’s game giving them every chance of sitting pretty at the top come Saturday evening.

Last Sunday Chelsea had the West London derby against Fulham to deal with, but came through the game with flying colours, leaving Roy Hodgson’s team to mull over a 2-0 defeat. With Didier Drogba and Nicholas Anelka the Blues two scorers, Ancellotti will be happy in the knowledge that his striking options have started the campaign on full throttle.

Burnley’s first foray back in the top flight for over thirty years has started better than they could have expected, especially as they have faced Manchester United and Everton in the first three games. The victory against United last week will probably be the Clarets most memorable game of the whole season but nevertheless puts them in good spirits for the rest of the campaign. They will have to be mindful however, that Hull City also started life in the top division well last season, but were almost relegated!

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Posted in Burnley, Chelsea FC, Football Fixtures, Football Pre Match Review, Premier League, Premiership

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Bolton v Liverpool

August 28th, 2009

Two clubs in the grip of a “mini-crisis” go head to head at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday. Bolton, winless and pointless after two games of the current Premier League season take on the pre-season title favourites Liverpool, who look anything but at the moment. With two defeats from their first three games, the Reds have now lost as many games as they did in the entire 2008-09 campaign.

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Although many point to Rafa Benitez’ decision to sell Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid in the summer as the catalyst for their poor form so far (although this could be a contributing factor), it is the once solid defence that are taking all the flak for the worrying displays, having conceded five goals in their first three games.

The lack of cash on offer for Benitez to buy a couple class players, despite the £30million received for Alonso, is all too evident, but to his credit the Liverpool boss is not using this as an excuse. Although too early to write off Liverpool’s chances of winning the league, they will have to improve dramatically if they don’t want to find themselves cut off from the leading pack.

Gary Megson’s Bolton are also struggling for form this season. In their first two games they have lost both 1-0; the first one at home to Sunderland on the opening day of the season, and the second away to Hull. They did enjoy a midweek victory – by 1-0 – away at Tranmere in the Carling Cup.

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Wolves v Hull City

August 28th, 2009

Mick McCarthy’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side face Phil Brown’s Hull City on Saturday in a battle of the slow starters. Both teams have only one home win to their names so far this season, and both will be seeing Saturday’s encounter as the ideal match to put things right. Obviously it will be Wolves that begin slight favourites seeing as they are the home team, but both outfits will be fighting all the way for the three points on offer.

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Both teams came through their midweek Carling Cup ties with victories, although Wolves were made to suffer before eventually seeing off Swindon Town 6-5 on penalties. Hull had no such bother at home to Southend, seeing off the Essex seasiders 3-1.

Wolves first league game of the season was at home to Gianfranco Zola’s West Ham side, who went back to London with the three points thanks to a 2-0 victory. Wanderers then travelled to Wigan, seeing off the hosts 1-0, before making the journey to the City of Manchester Stadium last week to face Manchester City’s superstars, losing that one 1-0, albeit after a decent performance.

Hull kicked off their season at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea, only losing to an injury time goal giving Chelsea the 2-1 victory. They then entertained high-flying Tottenham and were thumped 5-1, before hosting Bolton last weekend and winning that game 1-0.
As a consequence of these games, both Wolves and Hull have three points apiece, Wolves occupying fourteenth position in the Premier League table and Hull one place below in fifteenth.

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Posted in Football Fixtures, Football Pre Match Review, Hull City, Premier League, Premiership, Wolves

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