Weekend Football Picks 2014- Champions League Final (May 24-26)

The World Cup is fast approaching now and much of the media attention has turned to the festival of football that begins in a little under three weeks from now, but first there is the small matter of the 'richest game in football' as the Championship Play Off Final is contested and the European Champions League Final to be completed.

Both of those games look like making fantastic viewing on Saturday, but there will still be a couple of other loose ends to tie up before the end of the Bank Holiday as both League One and League Two Play Off Finals will also be completed.


It has been a decent season and one that improved on last year which is all you can hope for, but football is always a tough sport to end with a winning performance. May has been a solid month too and will hopefully end this weekend with a final flurry of positive results that ensures another winning month.

That'll keep the season results intact and I can then begin concentrating on the World Cup which I will have any outright picks and previews of the Group out the weekend before the event begins.


Derby County v Queens Park Rangers Pick: The Championship Play Off Final has been called the 'richest game in football' because of the vast financial incentives on offer for playing in the Premier League as shown by what Cardiff City received this season despite finishing bottom of the table.

Both clubs could be set up even with one season in the top flight, but both Derby County and Queens Park Rangers have bigger ambitions than a sole season in the Premier League. They have two managers that have coached at extremely high levels with Steve McClaren a former England manger and also having won titles in Holland and Germany while guiding Middlesbrough to a UEFA Cup Final.

Harry Redknapp had vast success with Tottenham Hotspur in reaching a Champions League Quarter Final and also won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and both managers will feel they should be coaching in the Premier League.

However, it is up to the players on the field to perform on Saturday in what is a tense game with so much hard work being put into getting into this position. A long season can feel a total disappointment if promotion is not achieved now and that is where Queens Park Rangers may have the edge in terms of their player experience.

On the other hand, Derby County have youth and pace on their side and they have scored so many goals that they will feel they can punish Queens Park Rangers in this one. Derby County have been in better form heading into the Play Offs and were much more impressive in their Semi Final win over Brighton than QPR were against Wigan Athletic.

The feeling is also that Derby have enough confidence and goals that they could potentially recover even if they fell behind in the game, while Queens Park Rangers could also be exposed on the bigger pitch with older legs in the team.

One other factor could be that Steve McClaren actually worked with Queens Park Rangers to open this season before taking the Derby County job- that inside information may help him form enough of a tactical game plan to earn an advantage in this Final.

Over the last eight years, the team that has finished 3rd in the Championship has won promotion through the Play Offs five times and Derby County have looked the better team. That just helps lead me to backing the Rams to get back to the top flight and help Steve McClaren earn a little more redemption in his reputation with the fans in England.


Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid Champions League Final Pick: This looks to be the Final that made the most sense with the way these teams have played in the Champions League this season and there are so many stories surrounding the game.

Can Real Madrid win their tenth European Cup, the first team to reach double digits, or can Atletico Madrid do the 'impossible double' of winning the top European trophy and adding it to the La Liga title they won last weekend?

Most people seem to be expecting a tight battle in this Final, but their previous meetings this season suggests it may be a little more exciting than that. The only issue is that both teams like to play a counter-attacking brand of football and might be worrying about over-committing when they do have the ball in possession.

Real Madrid have the individuals that can create a bit of magic in Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, although there are question as to how healthy they are having missed a few games at the end of the season. However, it is too simplistic to think of them as a team of individuals with the way Carlo Ancelotti has set them up and made Real Madrid a solid, organised team.

The absence of Xabi Alonso is a big miss for Real Madrid, but Atletico Madrid could be missing Diego Costa who is arguably more important to their style of play. Diego Simeone has done an excellent job of plugging the gaps and the team is set up to play together that they can make up for pieces that are missing, but Costa's goals are going to be hard to replace.

Atletico Madrid have shown no fear of playing the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid this season, except in the Copa Del Rey Semi Final when the latter proved to be too good. I expect Atletico will try and make life difficult for Real Madrid and the possession should be dominated by the latter, but this will come down to the chances and who is more likely to take those.

If Costa is missing, or not at 100%, Atletico Madrid may find it harder to finish off their opportunities, while a returning Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking to add to the 16 Champions League goals he already has. I also believe Real Madrid have been preparing for this game ever since they beat Bayern Munich in the Semi Final and Atletico Madrid have had to tough out the Spanish title race.

I believe a moment of magic will end up handing the Champions League trophy to Real Madrid for the tenth time.

MY PICKS: Derby County @ 2.40 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
Real Madrid @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)

May Update: 12-13, + 6.60 Units (44 Units Staked, + 15% Yield)

April Final: 16-17, + 2.33 Units (58 Units Staked, + 4.02% Yield)
March Final: 26-22, + 13.94 Units (83 Units Staked, + 16.80% Yield)
February Final: 12-28, - 16.74 Units (61 Units Staked, - 27.44% Yield)
January Final: 17-24, - 3.18 Units (62 Units Staked, - 5.13% Yield)
December Final: 19-16-2, + 13.34 Units (66 Units Staked, + 20.21% Yield)
November Final: 17-19-1, + 0.50 Units (56 Units Staked, + 0.09% Yield)
October Final: 20-16-1, + 12.94 Units (51 Units Staked, + 25.37% Yield)
September Final: 13-12, + 1.24 Units (39 Units Staked, + 3.18% Yield)
August Final: 13-26, - 12.13 Units (54 Units Staked, - 22.46% Yield)

Season 2013/14: 152-170-3, + 12.24 Units (530 Units Staked, + 2.31% Yield)
Season 2012/13: + 4.42 Units (415 Units Staked, + 1.07% Yield)

Weekend Review (September 22-23)

My views on the Manchester derby from a predominantly Manchester United view can be found on the latest 'United Corner' which can be read here.

These are just some of my thoughts from the last weekend of football.

Liverpool's early start: In a world of social media like Facebook and Twitter, you can really see the 'giddy-o-meter' of fans and track the ups and downs of where a team is and one such team was Liverpool after the first month of the season.

At that point, Liverpool had won three straight games, albeit with the aid of a Stoke City penalty miss on the opening day of the season, and there were some murmurings that Liverpool could make the top four and a Champions League place or maybe even challenge for the title that they haven't won in 23 years.

There didn't seem to be too many worries about the fact that the side had won all three League games by the same 1-0 scoreline, but they have failed to win a game since September 1st and have now lost their last couple of games, one in the League Cup by 1-0 scores.

Luis Suarez' return will help the Liverpool side in terms of goals, but the loss of Philip Coutinho is a major miss over the next month and I think they will return to the mean and that is likely going to be more dropped points in the coming games. I'm not a big fan of Daniel Sturridge despite the hot start to the new season and I just think fans should take it easy before jumping on a bandwagon that may not be moving.


Hull City potential for survival: Steve Bruce has prior experience of helping teams survive in the top flight and he has seemingly put together a squad at Hull City that could potentially do the same despite a lot of people tipping them to go straight back down.

The result at St James' Park last week was impressive, but Hull also performed very well at Manchester City and were arguably unfortunate to not pick up any points from that game. A lot will likely depend on their form at home and so the game against West Ham United this weekend could be a very important one as I am sure Bruce will look at games like those as ones he has to win.

Hull would have seen the 1-1 home draw with Cardiff City as two dropped points and while it is still too early to make snap judgements, there does seem to be enough about the newly named Tigers to ensure a second season in the top flight.


Crystal Palace's problems: While Hull City fans can perhaps look ahead with some positive thoughts about the season, I think it is a lot harder for Crystal Palace fans to be feeling the same way.

There have been times when I have been impressed with what Palace have brought to the table and they certainly pushed Tottenham Hotspur while looking fairly solid until having a man sent off against Manchester United.

Positives from those games were erased though in the manner they were outplayed so easily by Swansea at Selhurst Park last Sunday and that has to concern Ian Holloway as to whether his squad have enough quality to survive in the top flight after losing players like Wilfried Zaha to Manchester United and Glenn Murray to injury.

Goals are going to be a problem if the early games are anything to go by and they face a big test of their credentials to stay in the Premier League when they travel to Southampton this week.


Manchester City's performance: I was actually surprised to read in some quarters that Manchester City's performance in the Manchester derby was good, but not great and a lot of the game was more to do with how ordinary Manchester United looked.

I would disagree with that sentiment completely as the pace and tempo that City used in that game was the difference and they are the first team that made some of the United players look 'old' as it was put to me while watching the game.

There won't be too many teams that can live with City if they can replicate that performance in other games this season and I don't think anyone should try and downplay what they did last weekend and just accept it as a top performance and move on.


Queens Park Rangers favourites for promotion: It has always been said that teams that don't play well but pick up positive results are destined for big seasons and Queens Park Rangers fit into that category in the early stages of the Championship.

They are winning a lot of games 1-0, but you have to be impressed with the signings made and I think it will take a few more games for them to click as a team and then Rangers will be very tough to stop. Tom Carroll could really show his quality at this level and he will dictate play, while the likes of Andrew Johnson and Charlie Austin will score goals.

A quick look at the squad shows the talent that is available for Harry Redknapp and the squad wouldn't look out of place in the Premier League and I do think QPR are going to be tough to stop. Of course, I could look a fool in three months time predicting anything in a Division like the Championship which has so many strange results every weekend, but Queens Park Rangers look a little too good for their rivals and I would expect them to earn automatic promotion.

Weekend Review (August 17-19)

The first weekend of the Premier League is always too soon to make snap judgements for what is going to happen for the next nine months- I mean the top three contenders for the Premier League title all won, the three promoted sides from last season all lost.

That doesn't mean anything in the long run, but there were still a few things that caught my eye from a long weekend of football and these are below.


Sergio Aguero staying fit could bridge the gap to Manchester United: As a Manchester United fan, I would be the first to tell you that Robin Van Persie's decision to move to Old Trafford rather than Manchester City was a major reason for the title coming back to Manchester United last season.

Van Persie's goals were critical and United managed to score 20 goals more than City over the course of the Premier League season and that definitely made the difference between the teams and is a real reason for such a gap at the end of the season between the two top sides.

Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez have both left Manchester City over the last year, while they have signed Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo have been brought in to help the team get back to scoring ways, but it may be most critical for them to keep Sergio Aguero fit.

Aguero started 22 games last season and was a substitute for a further 8 games, while scoring 12 goals for City, but he had been suffering with a knock during the course of the year and he has the goalscoring knack that could make a big difference in the title race this time around.

I also think City will be boosted by the more attacking mentality that Manuel Pellegrini will employ compared with Roberto Mancini- with the talent they have in forward positions, I think they will score a fair few more than the 66 goals they managed last season and may just make the difference in bridging the 11 point gap between themselves and United.


Arsenal fans booing ridiculous: It is very much a feature of the new world that instance success is all that fans want to see and social networking makes it easier for everyone to voice their opinions.

While reading Twitter is down to each individual, Arsenal fans have a tendency to bring their negative vibes to the Emirates Stadium. It isn't the first time the team have been booed off at home, but that isn't the only reason I find it quite ridiculous.

They boo their OWN players when they may be under-performing... Did anyone else find it quite ironic the cheers and claps Emmanuel Eboue got during a pre-season friendly against Galatasaray, yet this was the same player they would ridicule and boo while he played FOR Arsenal.

Theo Walcott has received the same 'adulation' during his poor runs of form, and it just feels ridiculous that one game into a season they are already on the players backs. Granted there are frustrations in what has been a quiet summer on the transfer front, and the result against Villa was a poor one, but it seems to be a far quicker negative reaction in this stadium than any other.

I don't know whether that is simply down to the fact that the new stadium has only been built in the last few years and the increased attendance from the Highbury days has allowed more 'Soccer Am' watching fans turn up, but the booing comes far too quickly at that stadium.


Promoted sides all lose but some positive signs: I said above that it is too quick to make snap judgements after one game of the season, but I do think all three promoted sides will take some positives from their opening Premier League game.

Cardiff City struggled at West Ham United, but Upton Park is one of the tougher places to play in the Premier League and I think the team will be looking to their home form to provide the real foundation for survival. They will certainly feel better now that the tension of the first game is out of the way, although the next game against Manchester City may give them another rude awakening of the challenges that lie ahead.

While Cardiff have fewer positives, both Crystal Palace and Hull City will feel they showed enough to think they can snare some points this season. Hull were outclassed for the first half at Chelsea, but the second half performance suggests they have made some astute signings, particularly Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore from Tottenham Hotspur.

Steve Bruce has experience and I think Hull City will surprise some if they take their second half performance on. Crystal Palace also played well in their game against Spurs, although I do wonder if they have enough goals in the side to survive in the top flight.

Over the last twenty years, all three promoted sides being immediately relegated is almost unheard of and even two of the sides going down would be a surprise. With that in mind, and with the performances on the opening weekend, all three promoted clubs will still have a real belief in what they are trying to achieve this season.


Wigan and the two relegated clubs won't have an easy ride in the Championship: When all three relegated clubs from the Premier League made winning starts in their opening game in the Championship, the general feeling was that all three would have a strong shout for promotion.

The one that most were excited about were Wigan after they won 0-4 at Barnsley, but one point from their next two games shows how tough the Championship is- I wasn't convinced by the appointment of Owen Coyle who had to be sacked by Bolton Wanderers last season as he struggled to make the adjustment to the Championship.

All 3 of the relegated sides are no longer the 'underdog', but a team with a target on their back as others will raise their game against opponents that were Premier League clubs up until May. Wigan have the additional pressure of playing in Europe and being the FA Cup holders which makes them a bigger scalp, although Queens Park Rangers financial clout puts a huge target on them too.

Being immediately promoted following relegation is not an easy task in a competitive Division like this one and all three will have a long, tough season ahead with a lots of ups and downs to reach their goal.


Spurs without Bale could still be a top four club: I have been impressed with the way Tottenham Hotspur have invested in the squad with the imminent departure of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid- they are getting a lot of money for their Welsh winger, but there does seem to be more of a feel of a team being put together and a good one at that.

The latest news that Willian may not be moving to White Hart Lane is a blow to what had looked a very strong summer of business, but I like the signings they have made and there is every chance they could be a top four club even in the absence of his talisman.

The big question may be who Arsenal sign to strengthen their squad to decide which of the North London teams finish in the final coveted Champions League place, but at the moment, players like Roberto Soldado and Paulinho can make a difference for Spurs.

Spurs do look a little short in defensive areas, so staying healthy will be key to their chances of negotiating what is a tough nine months of football, but there are some really positive signs. Andre Villas-Boas has to find the right blend at White Hart Lane where Spurs dropped too many points against teams they would be expecting to beat as they certainly look capable of picking up plenty on their travels and I like the business being done in this part of North London.

Weekend Football Picks (May 4-6)

The football season enters it's final month in most of the top European Leagues and this weekend is critical for teams fighting for Champions League places, those looking to avoid the drop and also promotion places for the Premier League up for grabs.

It can be a tense time of the season for some of the teams involved, but others may already be looking forward to their Summer holidays and getting ready for next season so it is good to be careful at this time of the season when making any picks.


Fulham v Reading Pick: Fulham have been one of those teams that have perhaps being playing out the string a little too much over the last couple of weeks and that has seen them struggle to score goals and subsequently win games.

However, they get a good chance for some feel good factor at Craven Cottage as they host already relegated Reading on Saturday. There is no doubt that Reading will give a lot of effort in the game, but they don't have a lot of quality in the side and that has seen them struggle this season.

Nigel Adkins would certainly like to grab his first win as manager before the Championship season begins in April, but this looks a tough test for them against a Fulham team that will want to end their season at home on a high. The lack of goals for Fulham has to be a concern, especially at odds on, but I do think they still want to finish in the top half of the table and I do think they will win this game.


Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton Pick: Hugo Lloris has made it clear that Tottenham Hotspur have to win this game if they really want to make the Champions League, especially after dropping two points against Wigan Athletic last weekend. At the start of the weekend, Spurs are only 2 points off a top four place with an extra game to play compared with their rivals Arsenal, but dropping points in this fixture will put a lot of pressure on them to grab a win from the visit to Chelsea during the week.

Spurs can at least point to the fact that they all of their attacking weapons back in the squad for selection and I think they could be playing Southampton at the right time. While they are not mathematically safe, there is a feeling that 39 points will likely be enough for Southampton unless Wigan Athletic and the teams below them all have brilliant runs.

With that in mind, it will be easy for Southampton to perhaps exhale, as they did in their 0-3 loss to West Brom at home last weekend, and that could give Tottenham the impetus to beat them here. I do think Spurs will win and likely by at least a couple of goals to move into fourth spot, even for a couple of hours.


West Brom v Wigan Athletic Pick: Only Roberto Martinez could have been happy in the Wigan Athletic camp when they saw Aston Villa thumping Sunderland 6-1 on Monday night and it is beginning to look like that their time in the Premier League is coming to a close. Wigan are 5 points off the safety positions and although they one extra game to play, they are beginning to get desperate to grab the three points in this one.

It does actually look a decent chance for Wigan to do just that as they have won on 2 of their last 4 visits to the Hawthornes, including last season, and they have created enough chances to have a lot more than the 1 point they earned from their last 3 Premier League games.

With West Brom looking in a strong position to finish in the top half of the table, there is a chance that Wigan could grab the three points here as they will be the more motivated of the teams. Before their 0-3 win at Southampton last weekend, West Brom had failed to win any of 4 Premier League games and had lost 2 of those games, while they have only won 2 of their last 8 at home in all competitions.

If Wigan can take their chances, they have every chance of stealing the three points here and putting some real pressure on the likes of Aston Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle United.


West Ham United v Newcastle United Pick: Newcastle United were awful in their 0-6 home loss to Liverpool last weekend and I am expecting them to put together a much more solid performance this weekend. However, there seems to be some disruption in the locker room and Alan Pardew is certainly feeling the pressure as he takes charge against one of his former clubs.

You also can't underestimate the motivation that Sam Allardyce and Kevin Nolan will have against their former club for West Ham United, while Andy Carroll can show Newcastle United fans what they have been missing since he left the club around eighteen months ago.

West Ham have also been a lot more comfortable at Upton Park throughout the season and have made it very difficult for any side that has visited here regardless of the result. With Newcastle United struggling away from home for most of the season themselves, a small interest in the home team to win this one looks the call.


Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal Pick: Some of the players were laughing and joking as they exited the Majedski Stadium following a draw that consigned Queens Park Rangers to life back in the Championship and it is that attitude that would have irritated the management and the fans of the club. They should be motivated to play Arsenal at home this weekend, but I do think there is a lack of quality in this squad that should be exposed by the Gunners.

Arsenal have won 4 straight away games in all competitions including a 0-2 win at Bayern Munich, and with Queens Park Rangers struggling for goals at home, you have to think Arsenal can win this one with room to spare.

Of course, there is no way of telling how QPR react to being able to play with the freedom that comes with having no pressure on their shoulders, but too many of the players don't have the same love for the club as the fans and may already be thinking about their next club. If Arsenal score early, there is every chance this could be a terrible day in the office for the Rangers fans, and I do think the away side will win with room to spare.


Brighton v Wolves Pick: Brighton don't have to win this game as they are pretty much locked in as the team to finish 4th in the Championship, while Wolves need to win this game to give themselves any chance of avoiding relegation to League One.

However, I think Wolves are resigned to their fate now and I am sure Gus Poyet will not want his Brighton team to lose any momentum going into the Play Offs and I think they will be able to put the final nail in the Wolves' coffin.

Brighton have won plenty of games at the Amex Stadium in recent weeks and I think they will set their tone for the Play Offs with another one here. An early goal for Brighton or either Barnsley or Peterborough United could demoralise the Wolves players and they may just drop their heads enough to give the home team the opportunity to take home the three points.


Hull City v Cardiff City Pick: There is no doubt that Hull City have been choking their promotion chances away in the last couple of weeks and I have a feeling there could yet be more pressure on them by the time this one is completed. Steve Bruce knows his side will be promoted to the Premier League with a win over Champions Cardiff City, but anything less will give Watford the chance to overtake the Tigers on the final day.

Hull do look remarkably short to win this game considering the recent results and performances they have put in, including a disappointing 2-0 loss at Barnsley last weekend. The pressure is all on them to win this game and while Cardiff have nothing to play for, they won't roll over for Hull in this one and certainly have the quality to get a result.

This is going to be a tense day at the KC Stadium and an early goal for Watford in their home game against Leeds United will only increase that tension. I just have a feeling that Hull have already cracked and I think Cardiff will do enough to avoid defeat and leave the home fans with their heads glued to the radio to hear the score at Vicarage Road.


MY PICKS: Fulham @ 1.80 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.35 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Wigan Athletic @ 3.10 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
West Ham United @ 2.30 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.33 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Brighton @ 1.95 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Cardiff City + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)



April Final: 10-21, - 9.15 Units (45 Units Staked, - 20.33% Yield)
March Final: 16-20, + 7.43 Units (55 Units Staked, + 13.51% Yield)
February Final: 14-23, - 2.81 Units (48 Units Staked, - 5.85% Yield)
January Final: 10-22, - 10.89 Units (45 Units Staked, - 24.2% Yield)
December Final: 17-24-1, - 0.83 Units (53 Units Staked, - 0.02 % Yield)
November Final: 8-21, - 8.25 Units (37 Units Staked, - 22.3% Yield)
October Final: 9-9, + 5.44 Units (27 Units Staked, 20.1% Yield)
September Final: 17-11, + 21.19 Units (46 Units Staked, 46.1% Yield)
August Final: 12-13, + 1.29 Units (40 Units Staked, 3.22% Yield)

Season 2012/13: + 3.42 Units (396 Units Staked, + 1.63% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks (October 6-7)

I have had the most ridiculously busy week at work so this thread is coming out much later than usual.

Last month was a very good month for the picks, but the start of October has been tough as the Champions League brought a lot of surprise results to the fore.

You can also read my latest United Corner piece here

The picks will hopefully be a lot better this weekend as I will look to put them over the next couple of days for the Saturday and Sunday games.


Manchester City v Sunderland Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15557-Manchester-City-v-Sunderland.htm)

West Ham United v Arsenal Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15560-West-Ham-United-v-Arsenal.htm)

Blackpool v Charlton Athletic Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15589-Blackpool-v-Charlton-Athletic.htm)

Leeds United v Barnsley Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15591-Leeds-United-v-Barnsley.htm)

Southampton v Fulham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15561-Southampton-v-Fulham.htm)

Newcastle United v Manchester United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15588-Newcastle-United-v-Manchester-United.htm)


MY PICKS: Manchester City Win and 3/4 Goals Scored @ 2.80 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
West Ham United-Arsenal Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Coral (3 Units)
Blackpool Win and at Least 3 Goals Scored @ 2.63 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Leeds United Win and at Least 3 Goals Scored @ 2.63 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Southampton Win/Draw and at Least 3 Goals Scored @ 3.20 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Newcastle United-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Coral (2 Units)

October Update: 2-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Stakes, - 16.6% Yield)



September Final: 17-11, + 21.19 Units (46 Units Staked, 46.1% Yield)
August Final: 12-13, + 1.29 Units (40 Units Staked, 3.22% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks (October 2-4)

September came to a close in pretty solid fashion and we now get to the second round of the Champions League and Europa League Group Stage.

Hopefully October will be as successful as last month and we can have another profitable month following the first two of this new football season.

You can read my thoughts on Manchester United's poor loss on Saturday here


Cluj v Manchester United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15476-Cluj-v-Manchester-United.htm)

Nordsjaelland v Chelsea Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15478-Nordsjaelland-v-Chelsea.htm)

BATE Borisov v Bayern Munich Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15491-BATE-Borisov-v-Bayern-Munich.htm)

Bolton Wanderers v Leeds United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15495-Bolton-Wanderers-v-Leeds-United.htm)

Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15520-Manchester-City-v-Borussia-Dortmund.htm)

Ajax v Real Madrid Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15524-Ajax-v-Real-Madrid.htm)


MY PICKS: Manchester United Win to Nil @ 2.88 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
Chelsea Win to Nil @ 2.25 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Bayern Munich Win to Nil @ 2.63 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Bolton Wanderers-Leeds United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Manchester City Win and at least 3 Goals Scored @ 2.75 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Real Madrid Win to Nil @ 2.75 Coral (1 Unit)


September Final: 17-11, + 21.19 Units (46 Units Staked, 46.1% Yield)
August Final: 12-13, + 1.29 Units (40 Units Staked, 3.22% Yield)

Weekend Football (September 29-30)

This is the thread for my football picks from the weekend as I look to end September with the profit intact and hopefully adding to it.

You can read my views about all things Manchester United here

You can also read my views from last weekends football here

I wrote my thoughts about the situation at Blackburn Rovers earlier in the week and of course Steve Kean has since been sacked by the club- most of my points still rang true for the most part though.


Fulham v Manchester City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15379-Fulham-v-Manchester-City.htm)

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15382-Manchester-United-v-Tottenham-Hotspur.htm)

Arsenal v Chelsea Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15375-Arsenal-v-Chelsea.htm)

Bristol City v Leeds United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15386-Bristol-City-v-Leeds-United.htm)

Everton v Southampton Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15380-Everton-v-Southampton.htm)

Middlesbrough v Leicester City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15389-Middlesbrough-v-Leicester-City.htm)


MY PICKS: Manchester City Win and at least 3 goals scored @ 2.87 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Manchester United Win and 3/4 goals scored @ 3.40 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Arsenal-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.92 188Bet (2 Units)
Bristol City-Leeds United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Everton Win and at least 3 goals scored @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Middlesbrough-Leicester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.92 Pinnacle (1 Unit)



September Update: 12-10, + 13.96 Units (37 Units Staked, 37.7% Yield)

August Final: 12-13, + 1.29 Units (40 Units Staked, 3.22% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks (September 22-23)

Once the Champions League and Europa League competitions begin, it seems the weekend games come around that much quicker.

My Final Thoughts from last weekend can be read here

You can also see what I thought about the upcoming week for Manchester United in my last United Corner here

I'll have my next 'United Corner' out on Monday as I know I won't be in any fit state to sit down and write on Sunday evening after the big game earlier in the day.

Below are my picks from the weekend football:

Chelsea v Stoke City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15216-Chelsea-v-Stoke-City.htm)

Southampton v Aston Villa Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15215-Southampton-v-Aston-Villa.htm)

West Brom v Reading Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15218-West-Brom-v-Reading.htm)

Wigan Athletic v Fulham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15217-Wigan-Athletic-v-Fulham.htm)

Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton Wanderers Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15241-Sheffield-Wednesday-v-Bolton-Wanderers.htm)

Newcastle United v Norwich City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15237-Newcastle-United-v-Norwich-City.htm)

Tottenham Hotspur v Queens Park Rangers Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15239-Tottenham-Hotspur-v-Queens-Park-Rangers.htm)

Manchester City v Arsenal Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15223-Manchester-City-v-Arsenal.htm)


MY PICKS: Chelsea Win to Nil @ 2.38 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Southampton-Aston Villa Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
West Brom-Reading Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Wigan Athletic-Fulham Draw @ 3.40 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Sheffield Wednesday-Bolton Wanderers Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.86 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Newcastle United - 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.87 Pinnacle (3 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Bet Victor (4 Units)
Manchester City Win and 3/4 Goals Scored @ 3.75 Paddy Power (1 Unit)


September Update: 8-6, + 10.87 Units (20 Units Staked, 54.5% Yield)

August Final: 12-13, + 1.29 Units (40 Units Staked, 3.22% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks (September 18-20)

Below you will find my picks from the Midweek Football that is taking place between Tuesday and Thursday.

You can also read my thoughts in the latest United Corner about all the latest goings on at Manchester United here

My Final Thoughts from last weekend's football can be found here


Montpellier v Arsenal Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15148-Montpellier-v-Arsenal.htm)

Real Madrid v Manchester City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15149-Real-Madrid-v-Manchester-City.htm)

Borussia Dortmund v Ajax Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15155-Borussia-Dortmund-v-Ajax.htm)

Paris St Germain v Dynamo Kiev Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15154-Paris-St-Germain-v-Dynamo-Kiev.htm)

Olympiacos v Schalke Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15156-Olympiacos-v-Schalke.htm)

Manchester United v Galatasaray Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15179-Manchester-United-v-Galatasaray.htm)

Chelsea v Juventus Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15175-Chelsea-v-Juventus.htm)

Bayern Munich v Valencia Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-15194-Bayern-Munich-v-Valencia.htm)


MY PICKS: Arsenal @ 2.25 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Real Madrid Win and 3/4 Goals Scored @ 3.50 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Borussia Dortmund-Ajax Both to Score @ 1.95 William Hill (1 Unit)
Paris St Germain Win and at least 3 Goals Scored @ 2.87 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Olympiacos @ 2.90 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Manchester United - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Chelsea @ 2.25 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Bayern Munich to win by 1 Goal (English Handicap Draw) @ 4.00 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

September Update: 5-1, + 10.75 Units (11 Units Staked, + 97.7% Yield)

August Final: 12-13, + 1.29 Units (40 Units Staked, + 3.22% Yield)

Final Thoughts on Weekend Football (August 25-26)

This is I write my final thoughts from the football that took place over the last weekend.

You can read my take on a week at Manchester United here

You can see my Midweek Football Picks here


Will Arsenal be able to replace Robin Van Persie's goals?: Arsenal have failed to score in their first two Premier League games this season, but that is not the reason for the fans to be concerned. The performances of the replacements for the Dutchman may be more cause for worry.

Arsenal actually started last season by failing to score in their first two League games and they actually only had 1 point from those two games compared to 2 points this season. At least they could point to some of the uncertainty surrounding Samir Nasri's future and the late sale of Cesc Fabregas while they hadn't brought in any players as replacements by that stage.

This Summer was different as Arsene Wenger signed Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, pre-empting Van Persie's exit, but he is still not happy with the squad and his anger at some of his forwards has been evident in their first two games.

There just seems to be lacking in the Arsenal side, while Van Persie's ability to score goals out of  tough situations was evident again at Old Trafford with his first for his new club and that is something that can be impossible to replace.

I believe Arsenal create enough chances to get by without RVP, but the front players are going to be feeling more and more pressure until they get off the mark.


Maybe it wasn't wise to write off Swansea so quickly: I hate making judgements on a couple of games as things change awfully quickly in football, but Swansea have looked so far from the side that I expected would be in a relegation fight this season.

They hammered Queens Park Rangers on the opening day and then backed that up with an impressive, and very easy, win over West Ham United at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

The football has been of the same style that Roberto Martinez, Paulo Sousa and Brendan Rodgers advocated before Michael Laudrup was given the reigns, but there has definitely been a more distinct cutting edge to their play.

For all the possession Swansea played last season, sometimes it did seem a little meaningless and the players didn't know how best to make it productive possession, keeping it going back and sideways rather than penetrating defences. The first two games this season have been different and the passing game is being rewarded with shots on goal at the end of the possession and that does bode well for them.

That has been the impressive aspect of their performances so far and 8 goals in 2 games tells its own tale. Now the question is how long they can keep it up and whether they can virtually assure themselves a place in the top flight before the bubble bursts, if indeed it does burst.


Andre Villa-Boas needs time at Tottenham Hotspur, but only has one week to shape his squad: Anyone who has read my thoughts over the last year will know that I wasn't the biggest Harry Redknapp fan, but Andre Villa-Boas' early results at Tottenham Hotspur are making 'Dead Crap' look a genius.

The Luka Modric saga hasn't helped the former Chelsea boss, but he now has a big week ahead of him before the close of the transfer window as he looks to shape the squad to something of his liking.

On the way back from Old Trafford, you already had the fans phoning in to the radio shows and turning on AVB- he has to get a result and at least keep Spurs in contention for a top four finish, but that isn't looking easy with Chelsea playing as they are early this season and the two Manchester clubs expected to take the top three places.

Villa-Boas still has some top players at his disposal and if he can spend the fee gained from the Modric deal, he may have a chance to get the fans back on board or it will be a long Winter at White Hart Lane.


(On another note, what was the point of Tottenham demanding a 'working relationship' with Real Madrid? It seems strange that it was Spurs wanting this kind of link-up and I am not entirely sure what they will be gaining... At least Gareth Bale will be happy after long being linked with a move to Real previously).


Has the Championship become the most attacking League in England?: I don't know whether I am just imagining things, but there seems to have been a load of high-scoring games in the Championship so far this season as teams play attacking formations looking to outscore their opponents.

15 of the last 24 games in the League has seen at least 3 goals scored and I am not sure if that is because the defences are getting tired towards the end of the games after the Summer break and thus struggling to contain the opposition attack.

Whether this is just early season stats or whether teams are going to continue to be involved in high-scoring games is something interesting to keep an eye on.

Weekend Football Picks (August 25-26)

The first week of the new season has been pretty successful so far, but things can change quickly in the football world and I just have to keep my fingers crossed that I can keep picking the right games.

This weekend we have a full slate of games from England, Scotland and Spain and I will be posting picks in the coming days. As always, I will post a link to the thread whenever I have added new picks.

You can read my thoughts from the first weekend here.


Manchester United v Fulham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14723-Manchester-United-v-Fulham.htm)

Sunderland v Reading Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14726-Sunderland-v-Reading.htm)

Tottenham Hotspur v West Brom Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14733-Tottenham-Hotspur-v-West-Brom.htm)

Aston Villa v Everton Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14727-Aston-Villa-v-Everton.htm)

Sheffield Wednesday v Millwall Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14735-Sheffield-Wednesday-v-Millwall.htm)

Middlesbrough v Crystal Palace Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14744-Middlesbrough-v-Crystal-Palace.htm)

Stoke City v Arsenal Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14759-Stoke-City-v-Arsenal.htm)

Liverpool v Manchester City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14763-Liverpool-v-Manchester-City.htm)


MY PICKS: Manchester United - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Pinnacle (4 Units)
Reading + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Aston Villa-Everton Draw @ 3.40 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
Sheffield Wednesday-Millwall Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Middlesbrough-Crystal Palace Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Stoke City @ 3.50 Coral (1 Unit)
Liverpool-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.05 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

August Update: 9-5, + 7.79 Units (23 Units Staked)

Final Thoughts on Weekend Football (August 18-20)

This was a regular piece I put together last season where I would look back at the weekend's football and put down my 'final thoughts' on some of the issues we see transpired.

I will usually put it together on a Monday night, but I didn't much feel like writing after the disappointing start to the season made by Manchester United at Everton.

These are my final thoughts on the opening weekend of the season:

Don't be too quick to make rash judgements: I don't know if it is down to people missing football, but there seemed to be a lot of 'fans' deciding how the next nine months were going to go after watching their opening games of the season.

Eden Hazard will be the Player of the Year, Andre Villa-Boas is a poor manager that won't be in charge on Christmas Day, Swansea will be safe from the drop (even though they were tipped heavily for relegation before the season began) and some even suggested Robin Van Persie was a poor signing after his 20 minute cameo.

The same time last year there wouldn't have been too many calling Bolton Wanderers for relegation after they beat Queens Park Rangers 0-4 at Loftus Road, and that is a prime example of making a rash judgement on one game.

Sean O'Driscoll of Nottingham Forest said a 'good start is ten games' and that is when we will begin to see how the season will take shape. There were some real positive performances for some of the teams and individuals, but it would be foolish to take those as the norms rather than it just being one game and a long way to go this season.


Can Everton gate-crash the top four: I think the two Manchester clubs are going to finish in the top two places this season and I also believe Chelsea are going to be good enough to move into the top four after finishing 6th last season.

With some of the doubts surrounding the Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur teams, I think there is an open space in the Champions League places that could be filled by a surprise candidate like Everton.

The obvious 'dark horse' pick is Newcastle United who came so close last season, but I wrote in my season preview that Everton could move up from their finish of 7th last season as long as they can steer clear of injuries and their performance on Monday night suggests that could be the case.

David Moyes still has a bit of cash left over from the Jack Rodwell sale and he has worked some miracles in the transfer market over the last few seasons at Goodison Park and he does seem to have a solid 14-15 players that can do a job for him.

They will need some luck, but I wouldn't want to rule Moyes out from achieving this and really padding his CV and perhaps getting an opportunity to manage a 'bigger club' sooner rather than later.


Southampton could be the big surprises in the Premier League: I said that it would be silly to make a rash judgement, but here I am making a rash judgement.

I was very impressed with the Southampton counter-attack on Sunday at Manchester City and they have players that are going to be capable at this level. Nigel Adkins clearly can inspire his players and they have the same philosophy that served Blackpool so well the year before last.

The one question is whether they can perform when there is a little more expectation on them- at City no one expected them to win, but they next meet Wigan at home, a game they would have targeted for three points if they are to survive in the Premier League.

Still, I was very impressed with their composure in front of goal and confidence is clearly still high in the squad after back to back promotions and they may just confound all those that tipped them for relegation this season.


The Championship is not for the faint-hearted or for those relegated from the Premier League: Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers and Wolves gained 1 point from their 3 separate games last weekend (although Bolton and Wolves have since won their first home games in the next set of League fixtures during the week) and I think they have all learned how tough it is to get out of a competitive Championship Division.

Only 6 of the last 24 teams to be relegated from the Premier League have found their way back into the top flight at the first time of asking which shows there is every chance that none of the aforementioned teams will earn their way back into the Premier League this season.

Last season West Ham United did make their way back to the top flight, and the other two relegated sides were both Play Off teams, but it is such a competitive League.

I was going to say that Bolton and especially Wolves need a win soon to bring back some confidence in the side, but both managed that on Tuesday night. It's a tough long season for these sides so getting a win on board early is important so that will give Bolton and Wolves a boost, but there are so many sides that can beat others on their day and that makes it difficult for those relegated.

I don't think there is a massive difference between those relegated and those that have been in the Division for more than one season, especially as the relegated teams rarely get to keep hold of their big names.

Right now, I would still pick Blackburn Rovers as being the most likely to return to the top flight at the first attempt, but history points out that it is not going to be easy for any of these sides and the early results have backed that up.

Midweek Football Picks (August 21-23)

The first weekend of the new season is already in the history books, but it is a fast start as we get into the European qualifying games, another full set of fixtures from the lower Leagues in England ahead of the next weekend of a full schedule.

My 'Final Thoughts' from the first weekend of the season can be found here

Picks from the midweek schedule can be found below:


Spartak Moscow v Fenerbache Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14701-Spartak-Moscow-v-Fenerbache.htm)

Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14698-Sheffield-Wednesday-v-Birmingham-City.htm)

Middlesbrough v Burnley Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14696-Middlesbrough-v-Burnley.htm)

BATE Borisov v Ironi Kiryat Shmona Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14708-BATE-Borisov-v-Ironi-Kiryat-Shmona.htm)

Blackburn Rovers v Hull City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14706-Blackburn-Rovers-v-Hull-City.htm)

Hearts v Liverpool Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14713-Hearts-v-Liverpool.htm)

Atromitos Athens v Newcastle United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14715-Atromitos-Athens-v-Newcastle-United.htm)


MY PICKS: Spartak Moscow @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Sheffield Wednesday-Birmingham City Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Burnley + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
BATE Borisov @ 2.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Blackburn Rovers @ 2.00 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Liverpool Win to Nil @ 2.25 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
Atromitos Athens-Newcastle United Draw @ 3.30 Pinnacle (1 Unit)

August Update: 3-4, + 0.34 Units (15 Units Staked)

English Play Off Finals

I am going to use this one post for my English Play Off Finals that are to take place over the next 8 days starting with the Championship game on May 19th.


Blackpool v West Ham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14301-Blackpool-v-West-Ham.htm)

Huddersfield v Sheffield United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14344-Huddersfield-v-Sheffield-United.htm)


MY PICKS: West Ham to win and at least 3 goals to be scored (Quatro) @ 3.25 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Huddersfield-Sheffield United Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (April 28-May 2)

Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United: Where else can I possibly start this week than with the Manchester Derby which has given Manchester City the edge in the title race with two games left to play.


It wasn't a classic match, but City were the deserving winners in the way the game developed and now know they will be the winners of the Premier League if they win their final two games.


Personally I think the whole destiny of the title will rest on the game at St James' Park this week when City travel to face Newcastle United- if they win there, I can't see them slipping up nor United winning their last two games 10-0 apiece...




Now, rant time: Why were there so many people criticising Sir Alex Ferguson's tactics after the game and claiming that was the reason United lost? I was surprised with the personnel he used, but not the general game plan of soaking up the City attacks and making it difficult for the home team to actually create anything.


Watch the first 45 minutes of that game and you can count on one hand the couple of real chances City created until they scored- to be honest, they didn't create a lot in the second half until United were forced forward and they may have added to their total through Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy as the game was winding down.


The idea of picking Chris Smalling was to aid with the size and it was one mistake that cost United the game with his marking of Vincent Kompany that led to the goal.




The second part of my rant is regarding the Glazer family's ownership of United and the lack of funds they have provided which has left United in their current guise- a central midfielder has been needed for a number of seasons now and it is telling that they have not purchased one since signing Anderson in 2007.


I know there are plenty out there that seem to like Michael Carrick, but he is one player that I believe is only at the club because they cannot afford to buy a direct replacement that they need in the central area of the pitch.


Why do I not rate Carrick as a player? The reason is I have never seen a centre midfielder (not a good one at any rate) that shrinks under pressure and is so quick to 'pass the buck' to another player when the going gets tough.


It is the easiest thing in the World to demand the ball when your team is winning by a couple of goals, but where does Carrick go when the team needs impetus? Too many times I have seen him disappear in games where United need to get the ball moving (watch the Everton game after it gets back to 4-4 as a prime example of this recently), and too many times he moves into positions where he doesn't demand the ball.


I saw Toni Kroos playing for Bayern Munich at Real Madrid in the second leg of their Semi Final and he was demanding the ball well into extra time- Kroos is a 22 year old and he has shown more bottle in that one game than Carrick has, well, EVER.


I also think Carrick's best seasons at United came when he could get away with his habit of quickly 'passing the buck'- that was when Cristiano Ronaldo was still at the club.


I believe my concerns could easily have been in Sir Alex's thoughts when he brought Paul Scholes back from retirement as he is another player that isn't 'fearful' of having the ball when the team really needs him to do something with it.


Other players that can thank the Glazer regime and do not deserve to be at the club are Ji-Sung Park, Anderson and Michael Owen, while I think the likes of Ryan Giggs and Scholes, while absolute legends, would surely not have such key roles if money was available to strengthen the squad.




Where do Sky get their commentators from?: Anyone else have the misfortune of listening to Niall Quinn on Monday night?


Now I know he is a former City player and Sky seem to be in love with the beanpole, but some of his biased commentary was going a little too far.


A couple of great suggestions from the twat- Aguero kicks the ball off for a goal kick, and Quinn suggests 'some refs would have given a corner'... Last time I checked, giving a corner was objective, not a subjective decision like a penalty.


There was an occasion that Joe Hart clearly tipped a ball out for a corner and made the point of laughing about it with the referee when he tried to claim he hadn't- Quinn needs a second replay of the incident and even then cannot just say, 'yes, it is a corner', arguing that is 'may have been touched out'.


I know not everyone liked Andy Gray, but the Sky coverage has really struggled to replace his clear enthusiasm for the game and so far the likes of 'monotone' Alan Smith and Quinn have failed to come close, while the new Scottish fella they have talks more nonsense (Modric scored from almost 50 yards out according to him yesterday) than anything else.




Newcastle's win over Chelsea good for Manchester United: The Champions League places look set to be going to Manchester United, Manchester City and then two of either Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.


The last three teams are separated by just one point as we reach the final two games of the season, although the edge has to go to the two North London clubs who have the easier fixtures on paper.


Sir Alex Ferguson must have been very pleased to have seen Newcastle win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night as any other result would likely have left the Magpies out of chances to get onto the top table of European football and they may just have put in a demoralised performance against Manchester City on Sunday.


Now this takes on a different feel as Newcastle have plenty to play for themselves and know that any kind of result will give them some chance of getting into the Champions League, although Tottenham's win at Bolton yesterday means they are likely going to need the three points from this one.


Whatever, that bodes well for United fans that they will get a real effort from the home side and may a reignition of their Premier League title chase.




Looks like Bolton Wanderers v QPR for the final relegation place: Results over the past week makes me believe that there is only one place in the relegation zone that needs to be sorted out and that is going to come down to these two teams as to who fills it.


Blackburn Rovers' timid defeat at White Hart Lane leaves them 3 points from safety, with a vastly inferior goal difference, and now with just 6 points left. They play Wigan Athletic on Monday night and it is conceivable that they are all but relegated by then with Bolton hosting West Brom and QPR hosting Stoke City.


I think Wigan need one more point to ensure they are OK, and with Wolves at home and Blackburn away on slate, I think they get it, which leaves Bolton and QPR.


Bolton definitely have the better fixtures on paper, but they will need to be a lot more solid defensively than they were against Tottenham- however with West Brom at home and Stoke away to play, Bolton will feel 4 points should be enough to see them through.


That is all because QPR have to go to Manchester City on the last day of the season and I don't have much hope for them there as City will need the win no matter what happens this weekend. Right now, I would rather be in Bolton's shoes, but they can't afford a loss to West Brom this weekend.




Congratulations to Reading and Southampton: As I said, I feel two sides are already pretty much relegated in the Premier League and their two replacements can enjoy a Summer off after a hard 46 game season in the Championship.


I have seen a fair bit of both of these sides and I think they will be a welcome addition to the top flight, both being former Premier League clubs anyway.


Both teams work hard and play some good football and I think both will feel they can compete in the Premier League.


The hard work will begin for Brian McDermott and Nigel Adkins now, so I hope they find time to enjoy the successful seasons they negotiated.

English Football Midweek Picks (May 1-4)

This is the post I will use where the previews of the games in the Premier League as well as the First Leg of the Championship Play Off games will be posted.

Any time I add new previews, I will post a link to it as normal.

Hopefully later on Tuesday, or perhaps Wednesday, I will post up a few thoughts on the last weekend in the Premier League as well as my thoughts on Manchester United and the title race.


Liverpool v Fulham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14039-Liverpool-v-Fulham.htm)

Stoke City v Everton Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14040-Stoke-City-v-Everton.htm)

Chelsea v Newcastle United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14067-Chelsea-v-Newcastle-United.htm)

Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14064-Bolton-Wanderers-v-Tottenham-Hotspur.htm)

Cardiff City v West Ham United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14087-Cardiff-City-v-West-Ham.htm)

Blackpool v Birmingham City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-14088-Blackpool-v-Birmingham-City.htm)


MY PICKS: Liverpool-Fulham Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.05 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Stoke City Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 3.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Newcastle United + 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 188Bet (2 Units)
Bolton Wanderers-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Panbet (2 Units)
West Ham United @ 2.70 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Blackpool-Birmingham City Score Draw @ 7.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

English Football Weekend Picks (April 21-22)

The weekend is almost here so I have begun making my picks from the slate of games on offer. As always, I will put up the picks on this post as they come up and I will provide a link to this page on my Twitter feed.


Arsenal v Chelsea Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13885-Arsenal-v-Chelsea.htm)

QPR v Tottenham Hotspur Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13886-QPR-v-Tottenham-Hotspur.htm)

Newcastle United v Stoke City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13887-Newcastle-United-v-Stoke-City.htm)

Fulham v Wigan Athletic Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13915-Fulham-v-Wigan-Athletic.htm)

Blackburn Rovers v Norwich City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13916-Blackburn-Rovers-v-Norwich-City.htm)

Bolton Wanderers v Swansea Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13917-Bolton-Wanderers-v-Swansea.htm)

Brighton v Birmingham City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13918-Brighton-v-Birmingham-City.htm)

Middlesbrough v Southampton Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13919-Middlesbrough-v-Southampton.htm)


MY PICKS: Arsenal-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 Panbet (2 Units)
QPR-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 188Bet (2 Units)
Papiss Cisse First Goalscorer @ 5.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Wigan Athletic Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 3.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Norwich City Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 3.00 Stan James (1 Unit)
Bolton Wanderers @ 2.30 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Brighton Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 2.70 Betsson (1 Unit)
Southampton Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 2.38 Betsson (1 Unit)

English and European Midweek Picks (April 9-11)

It's the second set of fixtures during this quick Easter weekend turnaround in what was a big weekend for Manchester United as they gained a vice-like grip on the Premier League title.

I will put my thoughts from this weekend's games down either on Monday evening or Tuesday morning, before getting a few thoughts together for the second set of games on Thursday.

As always, I will put up my picks in staggered periods over the next couple of days and will update the Twitter account whenever new picks are made.



Newcastle United v Bolton Wanderers Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13703-Newcastle-United-v-Bolton-Wanderers.htm)

Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13704-Tottenham-Hotspur-v-Norwich-City.htm)

Blackpool v Barnsley Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13694-Blackpool-v-Barnsley.htm)

West Ham United v Birmingham City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13695-West-Ham-v-Birmingham-City.htm)

Cardiff City v Watford Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13696-Cardiff-City-v-Watford.htm)

Fulham v Chelsea Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13710-Fulham-v-Chelsea.htm)

Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13727-Blackburn-Rovers-v-Liverpool.htm)

Brighton v Reading Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13728-Brighton-v-Reading.htm)

Portsmouth v Millwall Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13729-Portsmouth-v-Millwall.htm)

Manchester City v West Brom Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13736-Manchester-City-v-West-Brom.htm)

Wigan Athletic v Manchester United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13737-Wigan-Athletic-v-Manchester-United.htm)

Wolves v Arsenal Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13738-Wolves-v-Arsenal.htm)

QPR v Swansea Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13739-QPR-v-Swansea.htm)


MY PICKS: Newcastle United win to nil @ 2.88 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Blackpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)
West Ham United-Birmingham City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Cardiff City-Watford Draw @ 3.80 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Fulham-Chelsea Draw @ 3.50 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Blackburn Rovers Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 3.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Brighton-Reading Draw @ 3.50 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Portsmouth-Millwall Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Manchester City - 1.75 Asian Handicap @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Wayne Rooney to score first @ 4.50 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
Arsenal Over 2.5 Team Goals @ 2.60 Coral (1 Unit)
QPR-Swansea Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.05 Panbet (2 Units)

English Football Weekend Picks (April 6-8)

It is going to be a busy weekend from the football as always with the Easter weekend, so the picks will be coming out in staggered periods...

I will also break up the picks for the weekend games up until Sunday, and then create a new post for the games that will take place on Easter Monday and go through to Wednesday.

As always, I will update the Twitter page for whenever new picks are made and will hopefully have a recap of the weekend's games ready to go for Monday afternoon/Tuesday morning and the second recap by Thursday evening.


Swansea v Newcastle United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13656-Swansea-v-Newcastle-United.htm)

Watford v Blackpool Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13660-Watford-v-Blackpool.htm)

Barnsley v West Ham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13661-Barnsley-v-West-Ham.htm)

Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13662-Sunderland-v-Tottenham-Hotspur.htm)

West Brom v Blackburn Rovers Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13663-West-Brom-v-Blackburn-Rovers.htm)

Stoke City v Wolves Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13667-Stoke-City-v-Wolves.htm)

Liverpool v Aston Villa Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13668-Liverpool-v-Aston-Villa.htm)

Bolton Wanderers v Fulham Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13669-Bolton-Wanderers-v-Fulham.htm)

Southampton v Blackpool Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13673-Southampton-v-Portsmouth.htm)

Coventry City v Peterborough United Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13676-Coventry-City-v-Peterborough-United.htm)

Manchester United v QPR Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13677-Manchester-United-v-QPR.htm)

Arsenal v Manchester City Preview (http://goonersguide.com/football-pick-13678-Arsenal-v-Manchester-City.htm)


MY PICKS: Newcastle United Over 1.5 Team Goals @ 3.00 Stan James (1 Unit)
Watford-Blackpool Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.75 Panbet (1 Unit)
West Ham to win and at least 3 goals scored @ 3.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Sunderland-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
West Brom-Blackburn Rovers Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Panbet (2 Units)
Stoke City Over 2.5 Team Goals @ 3.25 Coral (1 Unit)
Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.30 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Bolton Wanderers @ 2.63 Pinnacle (2 Units)
Southampton Win to Nil @ 2.40 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Coventry City @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Manchester United win and 3/4 Total Goals @ 2.60 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Manchester City @ 3.00 Pinnacle (1 Unit)

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (March 31-April 2)

Fans leaving games early: Now this is a little bit of rant, but why do fans leave early from football matches?


I don't even really understand it when your team is losing by a couple of goals as you should really support your team to the bitter end.


However, I really don't understand fans that leave with ten minutes left to play when their team is clearly the one going in search of goals- that was the case at Manchester City this weekend as the team trailed 1-3 to Sunderland.


Now surely those fans don't get home that much quicker than someone who stayed until the end that it makes it worth leaving early? And I really don't understand how foolish they must feel when they get to the car, turn on the radio and hear that the side have got back to 3-3.


I have noticed it a few times at Old Trafford in the past, most notably in the 4-3 win over Manchester City when a number of fans got up after Bellamy had made it 3-3 and decided to leave the ground. How many times do United need to score game changing late goals before people realise it is best to sit (or stand) and support the team until the final whistle before they decide not to leave early?


And like I say, I don't think they manage to get that much closer to home if they wait ten minutes and watch the end of the game... I just don't understand why people do it and I don't think I ever will if I am honest with you.




Players fighting with their team mates: What was in the water on Saturday afternoon that saw three different teams have players that got into their team mates faces while still on the pitch?

At the Etihad Stadium, we had Mario Balotelli and Alexander Korolov arguing over who should take a free-kick, having to be separated by Vincent Kompany, while manager Roberto Mancini looked on and just shook his head.


Mancini had already spoken about not trusting Balotelli and the team need to get their unity back as soon as possible if the are going to keep the title race going.


That wasn't the only issue this weekend, we also had Roger Johnson and Wayne Hennessy getting in each others faces at Molineux and Ben Foster and Peter Odemwingie at Goodison Park.


The Johnson-Hennessy issue just shows that the Wolves' squad harmony is fractured and they will do well to survive in the Premier League now (more on that below), while the Odemwingie-Foster coming together seemed to come out of nowhere really.


You barely see events like this, in public, in the course of a season, so for it to happen three times on the same day was bizarre to say the least.




The relegation battle just got a lost tastier: Who would have thunk that Wigan would beat Stoke City, Bolton would win at Wolves and QPR would beat Arsenal to really tighten up the relegation dogfight.


I think the Wolves loss to Bolton at home has all but consigned them life in the Championship next season as they have a really poor goal difference too so are essentially 7 points from safety with just 7 games left to play this season.


I am going to make my prediction below as to how I think each team will do in their remaining games, and I will include Aston Villa in that, and see which three teams I think will go down;


Wolves: Stoke (a) 0 points, Arsenal (h) 0 points, Sunderland (a) 1 point, Manchester City (h) 0 points, Swansea (a) 0 points, Everton (h) 3 points and Wigan (a) 0 points; Total Points, 26 points


Wigan Athletic: Chelsea (a) 0 points, Manchester United (h) 0 points, Arsenal (a) 0 points, Fulham (a) 0 points, Newcastle United (h) 1 point, Blackburn Rovers (a) 1 point and Wolves (h) 3 points; Total Points, 33 points


QPR: Manchester United (a) 0 points, Swansea (h) 1 point, West Brom (a) 1 point, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points, Chelsea (a) 0 points, Stoke City (h) 3 points and Manchester City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 33 points


Blackburn Rovers: West Brom (a) 1 point, Liverpool (h) 3 points, Swansea (a) 0 points, Norwich City (h) 3 points, Tottenham Hotspur (a) 0 points, Wigan Athletic (h) 1 point and Chelsea (a) 0 points; Total Points, 36 points


Bolton Wanderers: Fulham (h) 3 points, Newcastle United (a) 0 points, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points, Swansea (h) 1 point, Aston Villa (a) 1 point, Sunderland (a) 1 point, West Brom (h) 3 points and Stoke City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 38 points


Aston Villa: Liverpool (a) 0 points, Stoke City (h) 1 point, Manchester United (a) 0 points, Sunderland (h) 1 point, Bolton Wanderers (h) 1 point, West Brom (a) 0 points, Tottenham Hotspur (h) 0 points and Norwich City (a) 0 points; Total Points, 36 points




From the remaining games to be played this season, I just think the three relegated teams will come from the bottom four clubs unless the pick up some surprise results if they are escape relegation. I think Wolves are gone because they seem to have lost their belief and they are conceding far too many goals. They couldn't afford to lose to Bolton at home over the weekend (I even thought a draw was not going to be good enough) and they look doomed with some really tough games in front of them.


Both QPR and Wigan Athletic have given themselves opportunities, but they will have to find a big win somewhere. I think Wigan have done really well to get to this position, but their next three games are brutal and they will need a surprise result from one of those to give themselves an opportunity to survive, while they could get something from a Fulham side that may have nothing significant to play for (although I would predict a home win in that one right now).


QPR have at least three games where I think they can get more than I have given them, against Swansea, at West Brom and against Spurs at home, and that is where their survival could be built.


Whatever happens, it is going to be fascinating viewing.




The Premier League title race: Monday night could be the absolute pivotal moment of the season as Manchester United opened up a 5 point lead over Manchester City with just 21 points left to play for.


It was a big result at Blackburn Rovers, the game that looked the most difficult on paper from the ones left before the trip the Etihad Stadium for the Manchester Derby, but United did enough to secure the points. Now they have the opportunity to move 8 points clear in the table before City play again at Arsenal.


The pressure is really beginning to tell on City and the players are in-fighting and disharmony is reigning supreme and it does look like United's title to lose now.


Also, anyone know whether Roberto Mancini will be paying out to the journalists he offered a bet that United would draw at Ewood Park tonight?




Champions League positions: Arsenal looked like they had picked up the momentum for a top 4 finish at just the right time, but the defeat at QPR on Saturday will have been a huge shock to the system.


It is tight in the race for the top 4, with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur on 58 points and being tracked by Chelsea and Newcastle United on 53 points. I did start thinking that Arsenal were going to finish in these positions, but their home games against Manchester City and an improving Chelsea side will be key to their success.


Tottenham will have felt better by winning on Sunday and I think they may just have turned a corner after a terrible set of results, and that could see Harry Redknapp succeed in his aims to finish in the Champions League berths.


We have two games coming up in a stretch of 5 days for each of these sides, and results in those games will make things a little clearer in what could be a tight race to the end of the season for these 4 sides.




Things are going to get a little darker at Upton Park: Sam Allardyce and the West Ham fans have not been seeing eye to eye in recent weeks, and the 2-4 home loss to Reading on Saturday may just be the final straw if promotion is not achieved this season.


There are only 6 games left this season and they find themselves 4 points behind Reading in the final automatic promotion spot with too many draws ruining their chances. The fans are unhappy that the team seem to play a more direct approach under Allardyce and the lack of results is increasing the tension.


Easter weekend is always a big time for the different Leagues in England and this year will prove no different in the Championship. All of the clubs will be playing twice in the space of 4 days as the race for promotion to the Premier League hots up.


West Ham need to stick together if they are to achieve their aims, but things are fast loosening at the seams as their season unravels, and it could already be too late for them if the top 2 don't falter now.