Man City v Fulham Preview
Posted on | February 4, 2012 | No Comments
It was only a few years ago that both of these sides were seen as very similar in standing, but of course that is definitely not the case now. Having unexpectedly lost their last fixture, some supporters at Man City are starting to get slightly worried as neighbours Man Utd edge closer. Fulham on the other hand are sat in a very comfortable position, with the Cottagers occupying 13th spot and in no danger of being pulled into a relegation dogfight.
A lot of people thought Man City had the title well and truly wrapped up several weeks ago, although as experienced Premier League followers should know, it is certainly never wise to think like that. Having lost their last game 1-0 to Everton, City are now level on points with 2nd place Man Utd and it is just goal difference that is keeping them in top spot. A lot of people were surprised to see City fail to make any substantial purchases in the January transfer window, instead recruiting veteran David Pizzaro who is sure to provide competition as Yaya Toure serves his national country. It is clear that Toure’s absence is having an extremely negative effect on Roberto Mancini’s men though, with the club losing three of their last six games since he departed for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Fulham meanwhile are experiencing another comfortable season and it looks as though the Cottagers are set for a moderate mid-table position. With nine points separating them from the drop zone and thirteen from the European places, it looks as though Martin Jol’s men will have to be contempt with an uneventful campaign. Their recent form can be described as reasonably impressive, with the Craven Cottage outfit losing just one of their last six despite opponents including Newcastle, Chelsea and Arsenal. Their form away from home is slightly suspect though, with the club’s last away victory occurring in October.
As for team news, Roberto Mancini is sweating on the fitness of Vincent Kompany and Micah Richards who have both been struggling with knocks over the past week. Mario Balotelli remains suspended, but Mancini could decide to hand a debut to new signing David Pizzaro. Fulham on the other hand have several absentees, with Steve Sidwell and Andy Johnson both injured while Pavel Pogrebnyak is ineligible. On a more positive note, Martin Jol will be able to select Mark Schwarzer and Mousa Dembele who have both recovered from their spells on the treatment table.
In terms of a prediction, our tip is going to be the obvious. Man City have been very impressive throughout the campaign and while there have been a few shaky moments in recent weeks, they are up against a Fulham side who struggle on the road. With that, we expect a comfortable 2-0 victory for Roberto Mancini’s men.
West Brom v Swansea Preview
Posted on | February 4, 2012 | No Comments
Considering the fact that both of these sides were tipped to battle against the drop this season, both sets of supporters will be incredibly happy at the situation their clubs find themselves in. Having amassed twenty six points so far, West Brom sit in 15th position while their opponents are one point and one place better off.
While the position of 15th may not sound too impressive to a lot of people, the fact that West Brom are seven points away from the relegation zone at this stage of the season is simply fantastic. Roy Hodgson is once again highlighting his superb credentials as a Premier League manager and while there is still a long way to go, his sights must be aiming for the mid-table reaches of the division. However, while their overall position is very promising, their form at The Hawthorns is worrying. The Baggies have some of the worst home form in the Premiership, having won just two games on their own patch all through the campaign. The club will approach this game with some confidence, having collected four points from their last two games. However, having not won a league match at home for five games, their supporters have the right to be slightly apprehensive.
Swansea are also experiencing a grand season, even though many thought they would be the division’s whipping boys. However, their problem is the complete opposite to their opponents, with the Swans having some dreadful form away from home. The club have just won one fixture away from the Liberty Stadium, meaning that incredible pressure is on their shoulders when they do play at home. In terms of overall form, the club have fared reasonably well in recent times. They drew their last game at home to Chelsea, while prior to that they had lost just one of their last five in the league.
Having signed Liam Ridgwell and Keith Andrews in the build-up to the transfer deadline, Roy Hodgson is expected to hand at least one of these new signings a start. However, Hodgson still has plenty of players on the treatment table, with the likes of Shane Long, Steven Reid, Jerome Thomas and Paul Scharner poised to miss out. It’s a little quieter for the Swans on the other hand, although Brendan Rodgers won’t be able to rely on the services of Ferrie Bodde and Andrea Orlandi as the duo continue to struggle on the side-lines. Following Curtis Obeng’s recent move from Wrexham, the Swans may decide to hand him a debut though.
This game is almost impossible to predict, with West Brom having hopeless home form while Swansea are poor on the road. Bearing this in mind, we will sit on the fence with our prediction and tip an uneventful goalless draw.
Brighton v Leicester Preview
Posted on | February 4, 2012 | No Comments
Expectations for both of these sides were completely contrasting at the start of the season, with newly-promoted Brighton tipped to struggle while big-spending Leicester were seen as clear favourites for the title. With that, the league table is simply unbelievable to look at, with Brighton sat several places higher than their opponents in 11th as Leicester occupy 13th.
Having started the season frantically, some people thought that Brighton could surprise all and launch a serious bid for a second successive promotion. However, their form did tail off and on current viewing, it looks as though Gus Poyet’s men will have to be contempt with a mid-table position. Of course, the more optimistic Brighton supporters may be looking towards a top six place, with the Seagulls currently sat just four points away from the playoffs. There is no doubt that confidence at the Falmer Stadium is sure to be high at the moment, with the club putting together a superb run through January that saw them remain unbeaten. Having also won five games through that period, it could be said that supporters have every right to be optimistic and they should be looking at the top places as we enter the final few months of the season.
Leicester on the other hand have raised more than their fair share of eyebrows this season, with everybody gobsmacked at the way their multi-million pound stars just haven’t clicked. If there ever was a case of money failing to buy success, this is it, with the Foxes nowhere near the promotion picture as seven points keep them away from the top six. It has to be said that the club’s form has improved slightly over recent weeks, with the King Power Stadium outfit losing just one of their last eight games. Some supporters may also be encouraged by the fact that Nigel Pearson’s men have managed to take four points off high flying Middlesbrough and Southampton over the last couple of weeks.
There’s plenty of good news to report for Brighton ahead of this clash, with Gus Poyet first having to decide whether or not to hand starts to new signings Gonzalo Jara Reyes and Joe Mattock. Poyet will also be able to select both Kazenga LuaLua and Mauricio Taricco after they recovered from spells on the treatment table. Leicester are in a similar position, with Nigel Pearson having no fresh concerns. Pearson could decide to hand debuts to new signings Wes Morgan and Ben Marshall, who both joined the club in the run up to deadline day.
As for a prediction, our tip is going to be a Leicester victory. While Brighton’s form over recent weeks has been superb, we think the Foxes are slowly improving and we expect Nigel Pearson’s men to record a narrow 1-0 victory.
