Premier League tips

Last week returns: Down £1.83

Overall returns: Down £1.83

Saturday 29^th September

Arsenal vs. Chelsea
Both scored late goals on the weekend to steal a draw and victory respectively, meaning both London clubs are unbeaten before they meet at the Emirates on Saturday.

Arsenal have looked fantastic over the last few weeks whilst Chelsea haven’t been at their best, despite topping the table! This is Roberto Di Matteo’s first real big game of the Premier League season and they’ll need to be better then they were vs. Stoke last week if they are to get anything.

Arsenal 1 Chelsea 0 – 8/1 with Bet Victor - Lose a fiver

Other tips:
Under 2.5 goals 68/67 with 188bet - Lose a fiver
Arsenal to win 5/4 with Coral - Lose a fiver
Highest scoring half Second 15/13 with bwin - Lose a fiver

Match Returns - Down £20

Everton vs. Southampton
Both sides were brilliant last week as they recorded three goal margin wins. Everton’s first game against a promoted side last year saw them lose at home to QPR; however they are in much better form now whilst Southampton are yet to get anything on their travels so far this season, granted they’ve faced both Manchester City and Arsenal away from home so far!

A little bit of me can see Southampton getting something here, but David Moyes’ side are on a roll and I fancy them to win here.

Everton 3 Southampton 1 – 11/1 with StanJames - Returns of £60

Other tips:
Both teams to score YES – 5/6 with 32Red - Returns of £9.16
Over 2.5 goals - 8/13 with Ladbrokes - Returns of £8.07
Kevin Mirallas anytime goalscorer – 15/8 with StanJames - Lose a fiver

Match returns of £57.23

Fulham vs. Manchester City
Fulham start this game on level points with Manchester City and given their form at Craven Cottage I expect that to be true come the end of the match.

Roberto Mancini’s men have conceded far too many goals so far this season, and Dimitar Berbatov has started the season in brilliant form for his new club. Manchester City have drawn both games on their travels so far this year and I expect Fulham to get a point.

Fulham 1 Manchester City 1 – 13/2 with StanJames - Lose a fiver

Other tips:
Draw – 11/4 with BetFred - Lose a fiver
Dimitar Berbatov anytime goalscorer – 3/1 with StanJames - Bet void as Berbatov didn't play.
Both teams to score YES – 8/11 with BoyleSports - Returns of £8.63

Match returns - Loss of £6.37

Two goals in two starts for Fulham's new main man

Norwich vs. Liverpool
Both sides have the same problem, putting the ball in the net! Norwich and Liverpool both deserved something from their defeats on the weekend; however missed chances cost them, and both are without a win so far this season.

Midweek Capital One wins with weakened/youth sides will boost morale, but, especially Norwich, they need to start picking up wins in the Barclays Premier League.

Last season Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick in this game as Liverpool won, and I expect Brendan Rodgers to record his first league win on the weekend.

Norwich 0 Liverpool 2 – 17/2 with Betfair - Lose a fiver

Other tips
Both teams to score NO -11/10 with Paddy Power - Lose a fiver
Luis Suarez first goal scorer – 5/1 with Coral - Returns of £30
Liverpool HT/ Liverpool FT – 2/1 with Blue Square - Returns of £15

Match Returns of £25

Reading vs. Newcastle
Reading are still searching for that illusive first win back in the Premier League whilst Newcastle have improved over the last few games and got a solid win against Norwich last weekend.

Brian McDermott’s side need to pick up points and victories at the Madjeski and will see Newcastle as a winnable match. Alan Pardew, who recently signed an eight year deal with the club, believes Newcastle can fight for a Champions League birth this year so they also need to win games like this!

Reading 1 Newcastle 1 – 6/1 with Blue Square - Lose a fiver

Other tips
Both teams to score YES – 4/5 with Bet 365 - Returns of £9
Draw – 41/17 with Pinnacle - Returns of £17.05
Papiss Cisse anytime goal scorer - 17/10 with Bet365 - Lose a fiver

Match returns of £6.05

Stoke vs. Swansea
Stoke were unlucky not to get a point away to Chelsea last week and were only denied by a late Ashley Cole strike, whilst Swansea themselves were lucky, lucky in the sense that they didn’t get beat by more then the three goals they did against Everton.

Stoke have made a solid if not spectacular start to the season, drawing four from five, whilst Swansea started brilliantly, but have only gained one point from a possible nine. Stoke at the Britannia should be too strong here.

Stoke 2 Swansea 1 – 8/1 with Betfair - Lose a fiver

Other tips
Peter Crouch first goalscorer – 9/2 with Paddy Power - Returns of £27.50
Stoke to win – 19/20 with William Hill - Returns of £9.75
Stoke first team booking – 6/5 with Bet 365 - Lose a fiver

Match returns of £17.25

Crouch has two goal so far this season

Sunderland vs. Wigan
Both sides have four points so far this season, though Sunderland have a game in hand following their cancelled match with Reading. Last season Wigan beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, and defeat brought an end to Steve Bruce’s reign in charge with the Black Cats.

Wigan thrashed West Ham mid-week in the Capital One cup and I expect them to get something from the match and will dominate possession, but creating and converting chances is still their Achilles heel. Only Steven Fletcher has scored so far for Sunderland and others need to help get the goals otherwise Sunderland will struggle.

Sunderland 1 Wigan 1 – 63/10 with Betfair - Lose a fiver

Other tips
Both teams to score – 10/11 with Boyle Sports - Lose a fiver
First goalscorer Steven Fletcher – 9/2 with Stan James - Returns £27.50
Sunderland HT/ Draw FT – 18/1 with bodog - Lose a fiver

Match returns of £7.50

Manchester United vs. Tottenham
Despite playing poorly both sides came from behind to win 2-1 last week and both are unbeaten since the first game of the season.

Manchester United usually overcome Tottenham at Old Trafford and back the same to happen here as Spurs will take time to become a real top force under Andre Villas-Boas.

Manchester United 2 Tottenham 1 – 15/2 with Bet Victor - Lose a fiver

Other tips
Both teams to score YES – 8/11 with Ladbrokes - Returns of £8.63
Robin Van Persie anytime goalscorer - Lose a fiver
Draw HT/ Manchester United FT – 15/4 with Bet Victor - Lose a fiver

Match returns of - Down £11.37

Day returns - Profit £75.39

Sunday 30^th September

Aston Villa vs. West Brom
Aston Villa’s second half showing against Southampton was poor last week as they let a one goal lead slip to lose 4-1, whilst West Brom won for a third successive time at the Hawthorns as they overcame Reading 1-0.

Villa need the win to move further away from the drop zone and their 4-2 midweek extra time win over Manchester City in the Capital One cup can only boost morale. I reckon Paul Lambert’s side will win here!

Aston Villa 2 West Brom 0 – 12/1 with Stan James - Lose a fiver

Other tips
Aston Villa to win – 6/4 with Skybet - Lose a fiver
Aston Villa HT/ Aston Villa FT – 7/2 with Coral - Lose a fiver
Darren Bent first goalscorer – 6/1 with Stan James - Lose a fiver

Bent got his first league goal of the season last week, back him to get his second vs. WBA

Match returns - Down £20
Day returns - Down £20

Monday 1^st October

QPR vs. West Ham
QPR have had a horrible run of fixtures; however that run is over now and at home to West Ham they’ll be looking to pick up their first three points of the season. West Ham are yet to win on their travels, but they did pick up a solid point away to Norwich in their last away game.

Both sides will be disappointed by their mid-week Capital One cup performance as they exited the competition; however QPR will be the one’s to bounce back the stronger with a win here.

QPR 2 West Ham 1 – 17/2 with Stan James - Lose a fiver

Other tips
QPR to win - 23/20 with Paddy Power - Lose a fiver
Bobby Zamora anytime goalscorer – 2/1 with Stan James - Lose a fiver
Both teams to score - 4/5 with Bet365 - Returns of £9

Match returns - Down £11
Day returns - Down £11

Weekend returns - Profit £44.39
Overall returns - Profit £42.56

The Premier League sack race

Even though the Premier League season is just four games old, you won’t be surprised to hear that the odds for the first managerialcausality are already out!

Despite back to back promotions Southampton’s Nigel Adkins is the 7/4 favourite to be out of a job before anyone else! Incredibly harsh, yes; however the relatively new chairman Nicola Cortese isn’t the most popular with the St Mary’s faithful and dismissing the likeable Adkins would go someway to ensure that popularity nosedives further!

Successive promotions won't save you from the sack!

Andre Villas-Boas has only been at the club five minutes; however he is joint second favourite in the sack race following an indifferent start to Tottenham’s Premier League campaign. It won’t happen overnight and hopefully Daniel Levy will give the former Chelsea manager time, and despite picking up just five points from four games, the players appear to be on side and have frequently defended Villas-Boas.

Along with Villas-Boas at 7/1 is QPR’s Mark Hughes. A very good transfer window for the club has ensured that expectations at Loftus Road will be high; however a start that has included the away trips to Manchester City and Spurs, as well as the recent visit from the European Champions, is far from ideal, and come the half-way stage QPR will be in and around the middle of the Barclays Premier League, and Hughes will still be a job.

Both Brendan Rodgers and Sam Allardyce are at 10’s and for me neither will be the first out of a job as one is there for the long-term whilst the other will keep his side away from trouble!

For me the two who I’ve yet to mention who are at long odds but are very much in the ‘sack-race’ are Roberto Di Matteo and Alan Pardew who are 25/1 and 33/1 respectively. Two words sum up why these two are even considered and they are ‘Crazy Owners'! Both Roman Abramovich and Mike Ashley have previous when it comes to dismissing managers, and as crazy as it sounds, if either Di Matteo or Pardew were sacked, it wouldn’t surprise me. Very little in football does nowadays.

Ashley stunned the football world when he sacked Chris Hughton in 2010

Chelsea to finish outside the top four, again!

The appointment of Roberto Di Matteo came as no real shock given the Italian's incredible end to the 2011-12 season, winning the F.A Cup as well as defying the odds to win the Champions League for the first time in the clubs history. It's fair to say Chelsea have gone down the young attacking flair route in their transfer purchases this summer, with the additions of Edin Hazard, Oscar and Marko Marin the three stand out buys.

Their previous season was very much a tale of two halves and two managers. Under Andre Vilas-Boas the club struggled in the league and were on the verge of FA Cup and Champions League exit's until his sacking following a 1-0 defeat away to West Brom. The Portuguese's departure saw Chelsea appoint, their then assistant manager, Di Matteo on a deal till the end of the season; however after completing the most unlikely of double's, the former Chelsea player was offered a two year contract.

Despite the loss of the mercurial Didier Drogba and the versatile Salomon Kalou, Chelsea will be incredibly strong as an attacking threat. Towards the end of the season, culminating in winning the Golden Shoe at the European Championship for his country, their £50million man Fernando Torres was starting to re-discover the form that made him the best striker in the world. Much will really on the form of the Spaniard as their only other forward options fall very much into the young and untested category, with Di Matteo unlikely to use Daniel Sturridge through the middle.

Chelsea need goals from their main man next season.

Key Player - Ramires. With all the attacking flair in the squad, getting the right balance in the midfield is integral if Chelsea are going to be successful next season. The Brazilian improved dramatically under Di Matteo and was superb in the Nou Camp as the club secured their place in the Champions League final. Ramires will probably play as one of two holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 (with the other likely to be John Obi Mikel or Frank Lampard as the Englishmen moves further down the field given his age).

Prediction - 5th. I worry for Chelsea defensively next season as their brilliant old guard, in the form of John Terry and Ashley Cole, age just that one year more. At times they were woeful at the back and conceded far too many goals, and with their main additions more offensively minded, they are likely to be set up more attacking then we saw in the Nou Camp and the Allianz Arena. With many young, yet highly talented additions the club will be a huge threat, I just don't think they're ready to challenge for the title this season, as this year will be about jelling and building for the future.

View from a fan - Fraser Stradling @Fraserstradling

What would be an ideal season?
The dream season would be to win back the Premier League whilst retaining the Champions League. Realistically though i'd be very happy with the Premier League title and am optimistic that might happen if Torres carries on his European Championship scoring form and Hazard settles in along with the other new signings.

What would be a nightmare season?
The nightmare year would be to not qualify for the Champions League as well as finishing the season trophy less.

Do you have the right manager?
After the dramatic turn around at the end of last season, I am more than willing to give him a trial run.  hope he is but it's always difficult to be the 'right' Chelsea manager with all the expectation. I have faith though, he's captured excellent youngsters and has shown he can get the best from the team when it matters the most.

Which Premier League player would you sign given the chance?
Kyle Walker. The boy has potential and Chelsea have looked a bit shakey and leaked too many goals in pre season. I think he'd be a good replacement for Branislav Ivanovic who I don't think will be happy to keep playing as a right back for much more then another season.

Is this the season we see the real Fernando Torres?
Again I'm optimistic. If we add a winger I think he stands a better chance and have more confidence. We've added players with pace in this window and hopefully that'll help him find his feet.

Would you prefer to win back the Premier League or regain the Champions League?
To make history and retain the Champions League! It's better to be the best in Europe rather then the best in England.

Blues revival means nothing yet, as comparisons between Chelsea and Inter mount up.

Since the sacking of Andre Vilas-Boas, Chelsea have won all four of their games, including an impressive 4-1 home win over Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League; however the Blues need look no further then Inter Milan to show that a caretaker manager and a half decent run of results, can’t paper over the huge amount of cracks at the football club.

Since Jose Mourinho (with the exception of Carlo Ancelotti) the club has struggled to repeat the ‘Special One’s’ heights, something identical in Inter Milan. Chelsea have coped with the loss of Mourinho; however Inter are still mourning. In the summer of 2010 Inter Milan completed the treble; yet four managers and 20 months later the club find themselves 20 points behind their city rivals AC and out of both cup competitions. The month of February saw the Italian giants reach a new low as the club went on a run of six games without a win (which included five successive goalless defeats), which all but extinguished their top three aspirations.

The shadow of Mourinho still lurks over Chelsea and Inter Milan 

Roberto Di Matteo doesn’t have a managerial record to match his caretaker counterpart Claudio Ranieri, and despite being a club legend, many didn’t expect Chelsea to get the better of Napoli under his guidance, much in the same way not many were predicting an Inter Milan win away to their city rivals AC in the biggest match in Italian football. That win for Inter was in the middle of their best form of the season, as the club peaked at seven wins on the trot; however defeat to Leece and an incredible 4-4 draw with Palermo saw the clubs form nosedive (which is stated above).

Chelsea have to avoid falling into the same trap as Inter and if the club have a similar off the field pattern as Inter Milan, then their squad is also in a similar shape: Big centre forwards transfers have flopped as neither Fernando Torres nor Diego Forlan have gone close to justifying their moves; both squads have had their doubters over the amount of genuine quality in the side; both have a high amount of players reaching the end of their careers; both have spent big an attempt to regain domestic control.

I’m not saying Chelsea will fall so heavily from grace like Inter have; however if Chelsea hadn’t overcome Napoli (saying that I expect Benfica to edge out Chelsea in the quarter finals) then their seasons wouldn’t be too dissimilar. Chelsea, unlike Inter Milan, for a surprise change in this piece, were fortunate in the sense they got a favourable domestic cup draw meaning an FA Cup run has just covered over how far the Blues are behind both the Manchester clubs. The Chelsea dressing room is easily the hardest to control, with a number of huge egos at the club; and if Chelsea slip up soon I wouldn’t be surprised to see the wheels really fall of the Di Matteo bandwagon.