Pots and Pans! How Could the Season Pan Out? Pt 1


By dixon9
April 5 2007

There’s not too much going on at the moment, so, as in the words of Basil Fawlty, I thought I might have a few “aimless thrills” speculating on how the season might pan out and who might win what pot!

This is LONG!  But I had some time to kill!

 

I didn´t want to keep it to just Man Utd and Chelsea, there are also some interesting battles ahead with regard to 3rd and 4th place which means the difference between playing 1 or 2 pre-qualifying matches for next seasons  Champion’s League, and then there are the UEFA positions to consider.  Then we also have the Champions League and the UEFA Cup.

 

With all this in mind, I’ve kept matters to the current top 9 teams (up to Portsmouth) who, in my view, have the most realistic chances of achieving the above objectives.

 

Of course, whilst trying to be objective, I may be guilty of the odd “blue tinted spectacles” moment – but I’ll do my best not to wear them!  The other problem is that any future and possible key injuries can’t be foreseen.  I´m almost certainly going to put a curse on us now!

 

I think there may be a problem actually printing any fixtures in list form on the network due to some copyright infringement so I’ll have to put the matches within the paragraphs (which is a shame):

 

 

So, here’s the current table:

 

1          Man Utd                    75

2          Chelsea                    69

3          Arsenal                     55

4          Liverpool                 54

5          Bolton                       47

6          Everton                    46

7          Spurs                        45

8          Reading                   44

9          Portsmouth             42

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE   Saturday, 31t March 

This weekend Pompey face Fulham – a draw; both sides are fighters.  Portsmouth have UEFA to play for. I reckon a scraped win for Bolton against Sheff Utd; the home side are in contention for UEFA and Utd are more likely to fight off relegation better at home. 

 

Liverpool v Arsenal is an interesting one;  Liverpool have a CL away match on Tuesday and Arsenal have maybe 2 big games left (of which this is one) in a  barren season.  The psychological state of the north London side will hugely influence the outcome of their remaining fixtures but they are likely to have automatic motivation in this type of match.  Liverpool also will want to recover some dignity after the double trouncing received not so long ago.  I’ll chicken out and go for a draw!

 

Man Utd against Blackburn; rumours that Ronaldo may miss this one and the Mancs have a CL away match to Roma to think about on Wednesday.  Hughes’s side are fighters normally.  I reckon this could well be the first dropped points for Ferguson’s side – a draw!

 

Chelsea away to Watford – we will rotate some players but I think we’ll be too strong for them anyway.  Chelsea win and therefore, 4 (5) points behind the lead.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE   Sunday, 1 April 2007

Spurs v Reading is a difficult one to predict as both are fighting for UEFA places.  Spurs have a tough match against Sevilla on Thursday.  Jol could rest some players and the team may get complacent – a perhaps surprising draw.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE   Monday, 2 April 2007

Everton away to Villa?  Everton are also looking to consolidate their UEFA position but they’re away.  Tough one – a draw.

 

 

CL QUARTER FINALS 1ST LEG  Tuesday, 3 April 2007

PSV v Liverpool; No Alex but a side difficult to break down.  Liverpool will settle for a draw away from home confident of the return leg at home.  The scousers also have a tendency to raise their game more in Europe against bigger teams than PSV.  0-0 makes for a dangerous 2nd leg at Anfield.

 

4th April 2007

Roma v Man Utd;  Roma are in form in Europe and are at home.  A 1-1 draw won’t worry the Mancs too much with the return leg at Old Trafford.

 

Chelsea are at home to Valencia; we’ll make it difficult for ourselves – we’ll win but by conceding as well – 2-1 win.  Essien is one yellow away from suspension; IF we go ahead by 2 goals I won’t be surprised if he gets booked in this one.

 

 

Thursday, 5 April 2007  UEFA Cup Quarter Finals 1st Leg

Sevilla v Tottenham; Tough, tough game for Spurs but will probably be the most entertaining and open of all the European matches this week.  Both seem to score and also concede for fun at the moment.  3-2 to Sevilla – possibly 4-3.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE   Friday, 6 April 2007

Everton v Fulham – home win to Everton although Fulham will push them all the way as they are trying to avoid relegation.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE   Saturday, 7 April 2007

Arsenal are at home to the hammers who are fighting for survival.  West Ham will give Arsenal a scare and I’m wondering just how motivated the Arsenal players will be - but I’m going for a 2-1 home win.

 

Portsmouth v Man Utd; a very difficult away fixture which could be a draw.  To avoid the blue tinted spectacles I’ll say a controversial, narrow win for the Mancs (although I could well be getting the earlier Blackburn game and this one the wrong way round).

 

Chelsea at home to Spurs who will be keen for revenge BUT knackered after their exertions only a day a half earlier – Chelsea win.

 

Reading v Liverpool and Wigan v Bolton – an away win and a draw respectively.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Monday, 9 April 2007

Bolton against Everton is difficult to predict, both are fighting for UEFA – a home win for Big Sam.  Charlton against Reading means Pardew facing his old club.  The Valiants are in form – a home win. 

 

Newcastle, with a slim, slim chance of a UEFA place facing an Arsenal side who probably won’t be much up for this one – a draw.

 

Watford will probably know that they can’t avoid relegation when they play Portsmouth who will be tired after playing just 2 days earlier, although Watford with the burden of knowing lifted off them could actually make them play better.  A surprise home win and an angry Redknapp!

 

 

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2ND LEG  Tuesday, 10th April 2007

Man Utd v Roma;  They’ll struggle a bit after feeling the effects of their away match to Portsmouth and will need to keep Totti quiet.  I’ve a feeling it could all go off in this one during extra time – Man Utd to scrape through.

 

Chelsea away to Valencia will be a highly charged affair.  We’ll struggle past them but again, it could all go off in this match as well!  A 1-1 draw.

 

Wednesday, 11th April 2007

Liverpool at Anfield against PSV; this, on paper, should have been an “easy” proposition for the scousers against a side lacking their best player in Alex, but as I said before, Liverpool are better in Europe against the top sides.  Koeman is no mug tactically.  This may well go to extra time and more!  Liverpool with suffer BUT go through.

 

 

UEFA QUARTER FINAL 2ND LEG - Thursday, 12 April 2007

Tottenham v Sevilla at the Lane.  Another exciting match.  It will go off on the pitch!  Spurs to win by 1 goal and win on away goals.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Saturday, 14 April 2007

Arsenal v Bolton; No love lost between these sides – an incident packed draw with an angry Wenger and Sam at the end!

Man City at home to Liverpool; Liverpool very tired against a “Citeh” team fighting relegation – a shock home win.

 

Portsmouth v Newcastle – a Pompey win against unmotivated Geordies and Reading v Fulham a home win.

 

 

FA CUP SEMI FINALS  Saturday, 14 April 2007

Watford v Man Utd; this is Watford’s most important match of the season and they will fight all the way in this one.  I can see them playing well against a more jaded Man Utd side and, with the league as a priority, the Mancs have a match on the Tuesday.  

 

Almost fairy-tale FA Cup stuff but with Watford losing this heartbreakingly and with an unfair decision against them.

 

Sunday, 15 April 2007

Blackburn v Chelsea; Very tough match.  We can rotate players with the league in mind but this is going to be difficult.  Hughes’s team will put everything into this.  A narrow win in extra time but a couple of injuries for us.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Sunday, 15 April 2007

Everton at home to Charlton will be an interesting match with one fighting for UEFA and the other PL safety.  A Charlton win!

 

Wigan v Tottenham; Wigan can be fighters at home and Spurs will be tired – a draw.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Tuesday, 17 April 2007

Arsenal too strong for Man City – home win.  An even tired Man Utd should make mincemeat of Sheff Utd – home win.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Wednesday, 18 April 2007

Liverpool at home to Boro – home win….or a draw?  No.  Home win.

West Ham will probably be at their lowest ebb facing impossible odds against relegation when facing Chelsea – we’ll win this one.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Saturday, 21 April 2007

Bolton v Reading – a surprising draw, Liverpool to beat Wigan and Everton to win away to West Ham.

 

Man Utd v Middlesbrough – Boro extra motivated because of the revenge factor?  Hmmmmmm…..Blue tinted spectacles – a draw!

 

Heated derby at the Lane.  Spurs to pull out the stops against Arsenal – a Spurs win.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Sunday, 22 April 2007

Aston Villa v Portsmouth?  A draw.

 

Us away to the Geordies.  Nasty feeling about this one.  A draw.

 

 

CL SEMI-FINALS 24 25 April 2007

Chelsea v Liverpool and Bayern Munich v Man Utd

 

UEFA SEMI-FINAL 1st Leg  Thursday 26 April 2007

Spurs to face who?  After beating Sevilla they’ll be ready for any of the remaining teams.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Saturday, 28 April 2007

Chelsea v Bolton; a home win,  Everton to lose but with a fight against Man Utd, Spurs to lose away to Boro (too tired) and Portsmouth v Liverpool a draw.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Sunday, 29 April 2007

Arsenal v Fulham – home win.

 

 

PREMIER LEAGUE  Monday, 30 April 2007

Reading v Newcastle – Coppell’s team will get a draw – No!  A win!

 

 

CL SEMI-FINALS 1 and 2 May 2007

Law of averages – we’ve had bad results against Liverpool in cup games – we WON´T lose again.

 

I reckon the Mancs will face Bayern Munich and go out!

 

 

UEFA SEMI-FINAL 2nd Leg  Thursday, 3 May 2007

Spurs to get to the final.

 

 

So, where am I now?  See Pt 2 if you´ve got this far!<