Premer League tips

Last weekend: Loss of £20.41
Overall: Loss of £8.09

All odds are given by either Paddy Power or Skybet unless stated.

Weekend accumulators:

To win - Norwich, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Brom and Manchester United. Five pounds returns £100.84

Goals galore - Manchester United, Fulham, QPR, Swansea and West Brom. Five pounds returns £56.95

Manchester United vs Arsenal
It's safe to say there won't be a repeat scoreline from last year, but in a week where both clubs were involved in high scoring Capital One games, expect there to be goals at Old Trafford come Saturday lunchtime.

More fuel has been added to the United Arsenal fire with the summer move of Robin Van Persie! The Dutchman was the league's top goal scorer last campaign, and has started in fantastic form for the Red Devils, and I'm sure there will be many bets on him to score!

Manchester United haven't reached top gear yet but find themselves just a point off the leaders Chelsea, whilst Arsenal at times have been brilliant, but their points return isn't as high as they had hoped for.

Teams have beaten Arsenal when they've kept Santi Cazorla quiet, and if Manchester United can do so here, expect them to win!

Manchester United 3 Arsenal 2 - 22/1 - Lose £2.50

Manchester United to win - 8/11 - Returns of £4.31

Other Tips:
Robin Van Persie anytime goalscorer - 10/11 - Returns of £9.55
Both teams to score - 8/13 - Returns of £8.07
Over 2.5 goals - 4/6 - Returns of £8.33

Match returns - Profit of £10.26

Fulham vs Everton
Both sides came from early set backs to earn draws on last time out, however Everton will be the happier with their point considering Fulham had turned the game on its head against Reading to lead.

Martin Jol and David Moyes can both be pleased with how their sides have started the season, and if Fulham hadn't conceded late away to two of the three promoted sides then Fulham would be higher in the league.

Everton won at Craven Cottage 3-1 last year, but I can't separate them this time around.

Fulham 1 Everton 1 - 11/2 - Lose £2.50

Draw - 12/5 - Returns £8.50

Other Tips:
Nikica Jelavic anytime goalscorer - 7/4 - Lose a fiver
Both teams to score - 4/7 - Returns of £7.85
Everton first team yellow card - 10/11 with Bet365 - Lose a fiver

Match returns - Loss of £3.65

Norwich vs Stoke
Their 1-0 win over Arsenal appears to be a turning point in Norwich's season, as, including the win over the Gunners, they've won two from three in all competitions and rescued a point away to Aston Villa last week.

Leon Barnett was dismissed when these two met at Carrow Road last year

Stoke have started the season with too many draws, six from nine games to be precise, and at the moment they lack at cutting edge. With Michael Owen getting more minutes under his belt, I'm sure he'll start to score goals and help the Potters win more games.

Norwich need to win these sort of matches, and I fancy them to just edge it.

Norwich 2 Stoke 1 - 17/2 - Lose £2.50

Norwich to win - 8/5 - Returns of £6.50

Other tips:
Stoke first team yellow card - 4/6 with bet365 - Returns of £8.33
A headed goal to be scored - 22/10 with 188bet - Returns of £16
Draw HT/ Norwich FT - 5/1 - Lose a fiver

Match returns - £10.83

Sunderland vs Aston Villa
Both sides are in horrible form ahead of the game at the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland winning just one league game in 16, with Villa's form even worse, with just the solitary victory from their last 19 games!

Stephen Fletcher aside, Sunderland have struggled to find the net this year, whilst Aston Villa have continuously left their best out and out goalscorer on the bench, with Darren Bent failing to start any of their last three league matches.

I fancy the draw between these two out of sorts sides!

Sunderland 1 Aston Villa 1 - 5/1 - Lose £2.50

Draw - 12/5 - Lose £2.50

Other tips:
Christian Benteke to score anytime - 11/4 - Lose a fiver
Under 2.5 goals - 8/13 - Returns of £8.07
Half with most goals, Tie - 21/10 - Lose a fiver

Match returns - Loss of £11.93

Swansea vs Chelsea
Both sides bounced back from narrow Premier League defeats to win impressively in the Capital One cup. For long periods Swansea competed well with Manchester City, and only a Carlos Tevez wonder goal was the difference. Chelsea came back well from 2-0 down against the other Manchester side, but being reduced to nine men meant a late winner was inevitable.

Chelsea needed a late own goal to rescue a point last year, and Paddy Power are offering 7's on an own goal.

Back Chelsea to continue their fine league start with a win at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea 1 Chelsea 3 - 12/1 - Lose £2.50

Chelsea to win - 4/5 - Lose £2.50

Other tips:
Both teams to score - 8/13 - Returns £8.07
Juan Mata to score anytime - 11/8 - Void as player didn't play
Chelsea to score in both halves - 7/5 - Lose a fiver

Match returns - Loss of £6.93

Tottenham vs Wigan
Tottenham put their defeat to Chelsea well and truly behind them with an impressive away win against Southampton, whilst Wigan won for only the second time in their 2-1 home victory against West Ham.

This fixture has seen all manner of results. Tottenham thrashed Wigan 9-1 in 2009, but the following year Wigan stunned White Hart Lane with a 1-0 smash and grab.

Last year Spurs won 3-1, and back the same result here.

Tottenham 3 Wigan 1 - 10/1 - Lose £2.50

Tottenham to win - 4/9 - Lose £2.50

Other tips:
Over 2.5 goals - 4/7 - Lose a fiver
Tottenham to score three or more goals - 6/4 - Lose a fiver
Jermaine Defoe and Clint Dempsey to score - 7/2 - Lose a fiver

Match returns - Loss of £20

West Ham vs Manchester City
West Ham got what they deserved as they lost to Wigan for a third consecutive time! Roberto Mancini's side are starting to do what their city rivals have done for donkey's year, win when playing poor, and that was on show in their 1-0 win over Swansea last Saturday.

Manchester City have conceded first in all of their four away matches, but have recovered to at least gain a point in all of them, and considering West Ham took the lead against Arsenal and lost, a bet on the Hammers to score first and fail to win is a good one!

Upton Park is never the easiest of places to go to, with West Ham losing just one league home game this year! Manchester City are now the only unbeaten Premier League side left and I fancy them to edge it!

West Ham 1 Manchester City 2 - 7/1 - Lose £2.50

Manchester City to win - 4/6 - Lose £2.50

Other tips:
Both teams to score - 4/6 - Lose a fiver
West Ham to score first - 13/8 - Lose a fiver
Edin Dzeko last goalscorer - 11/2 - Lose a fiver

Match returns - Loss of £20

Day returns - Loss of £41.42

QPR vs Reading
The only two sides still without a Barclays Premier League go head to head at Loftus Road on Sunday, and it's fair to say, the loser will be in a lot of trouble!

Pogrebnyak got the winner when these two sides met earlier this year in the Capital One Cup

Indiscipline cost Queens Park Rangers once more as they conceded a late winner away to Arsenal last week following Stephan M'Bia's stupid dismissal. Reading have shipped in 10 goals in their last two games, culminating in an incredible Captial One match midweek against Arsenal where they let a 4-0 lead slip.

I think it's safe to say there will be goals, and I fancy QPR to just edge it!

QPR 3 Reading 2 - 25/1

QPR to win - 5/6

Other tips:
Over 3.5 goals - 7/4 
Both teams to score - 8/13
Bobby Zamora and Pavel Pogrebnyak to score - 8/1

Liverpool vs Newcastle
Liverpool's week started brilliantly as they raced into a two goal lead in the Merseyside derby; however they failed to hold onto that lead and were eliminated from the Capital One Cup by Brendan Rodgers' old club 3-1 at Anfield.

Newcastle were fortunate to beat West Brom last weekend, with a Sammy Ameobi shot deflecting in off Papiss Cisse for a much needed victory!

Newcastle will fancy their chances at Anfield, but I think Liverpool will edge it in a  low scoring affair.

Liverpool 1 Newcastle 0 - 6/1

Liverpool to win - 4/7

Other tips:
Liverpool to win to nil - 6/4
Luis Suarez first goalscorer - 9/2
Under 2.5 goals - 11/10

West Brom vs Southampton
Back to back last minute 2-1 defeats for West Brom means for the first time questions are being asked of Steve Clarke's side, and Southampton at home is arguably their biggest game of the season so far, as a win will get them back on track!

Southampton were very poor in the first half against Tottenham last weekend, and that was only worsened by a rubbish 90 minutes against Leeds in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday! Manager Nigel Adkins apparently has a fight on to keep his job, and an away points are vital if he is to do so!

I don't think West Brom will walk it, but I fancy them to win, especially given their impressive form at the Hawthorns.

West Brom 2 Southampton 1 - 7/1

West Brom to win - 8/11

Other tips:
Both teams to score - 8/13
Over 2.5 goals - 8/13
Romelu Lukaku to score anytime - 11/8

Santi Cazorla or Jordan Henderson? Toughie!

If transfer fee’s where the judge of a player then Matthew Jarvis would be twice the player Pablo Hernandez is, then Jordan Rhodes is as good as Papiss Cisse, then Jordan Henderson is marginally better then Santi Cazorla! These are just three humorous examples of how ridiculously valued British footballers are.

£16million well spent

It’s not just the lower regions of the Barclays Premier League that have fallen into the trap of overpaying for young British ‘talent’, the very best have from Manchester United to Arsenal and from Chelsea to Liverpool!

I’ve nothing against Jordan Rhodes, but for a player with little experience in the second tier, that’s right the second tier, he’s yet to play a Premier League match, how he can cost £8million? It’s not his fault granted, and the fact he is British is the reason he costs that much. Hull City signed a forward called Nick Proschwitz who was the top goalscorer in Germany’s second tier last year for £2.6million, £6.4million cheaper then Rhodes.

Can Rhodes really be worth £8million?

Why is this? You can only presume that bringing a home-grown British player through your academy is a rarity in today’s football world, so to release them, the clubs are going to want a hell of a fee! The likes of Jarvis and Rhodes didn’t even come through their club’s academy yet still fetched for stupid prices; however the same theory still applies, you want to see a British player in your shirt more than any other, so if they’re successful then to let them go will cost a hell of a lot.

It’s quite the mystery isn’t it why clubs tend to buy foreign players! It’s quite the mystery why 64% of the Barclays Premier League’s players are foreign (Only two leagues in world football have a higher foreigner percentage in the form of Canada and Cyprus)!

I’ll leave this piece with a favourite comparison of mine, Shaun Wright Phillips cost £3million less then Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira combined. I wonder who got the better deal. 

Arsenal for third

Following the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas last Summer transfer window, the news that club captain Robin Van Persie wasn’t going to extend his current contract came as no real surprise to most Gunners. However this season Arsene Wenger has dived into the market impressively, and more importantly early, with the additions of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, before pulling off arguably the biggest transfer coup of the summer with the arrival of the classy Santi Cazorla from troubled Malaga.

Can Cazorla guide Arsenal to the top of the league?

Twice Arsenal turned their season around impressively (Losing four of their opening seven as well as a poor run in January) and only a minor hiccup towards the end of the season meant they needed victory on the final day of the season to secure the all important third spot, which they duly did away to West Brom. Wenger's current squad seems to have more mental strength about it, after previously bottling it in either a title race or in a cup final, and instead of being caught, found themselves successfully hunting down their target last season as they ended the season well to overhaul Spurs.

Their starting XI is as good as any in the Barclays Premier League, however following injuries to first choice full-backs Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs last season, their full back alternatives are incredibly weak. The same goes for the centre half position as in reality neither Per Mertesacker nor Johan Djourou are good enough.

Should the worst / predictable happen and Van Persie leaves the Emirates then the burden shall fall heavily on their £13million addition in Giroud. He and his former club Montpellier stunned Ligue 1 last season; however the Premier League is of a much stronger standard, so Gunners fans will be hoping he has more of the Thierry Henry about him then the Park Chu-Young. 

Key player(s) – Arsenal have always been brilliant going forward, but for me keeping their centre half duo of Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen fit is a real must. Together they form a brilliant partnership, with the latter’s goal threat a brilliant bonus.

Verdict – 3^rd Whether they’ll have the strength in depth to challenge for the title is another thing; however I do expect them to finish ahead of their London rivals in claiming another Champions League spot.

View from a fan – Culann Davies   @CulannWDavies

What would be an ideal season?
Ending the long trophy drought whilst finishing third in the league again

What would be an awful season?
Finishing outside the top four as well as trophy less

Have you got the right manager?
Definitely. What Arsene's done on such a smaller budget in comparison to the rest of the league is unbelievable. Finally he’s allowed some money this summer and it's told with brilliant additions.

Which other Premier League player would you like to sign?

Probably Vincent Kompany. Koscielny is class whilst Vermaelen has struggled for form and fitness since his debut season.

Is Robin Van Persie replaceable?

He is, but we need more than one player to do so!

Who should we keep an eye out for this season?

Laurent Koscielny. He was our second best player last season but largely unnoticed outside Arsenal, worth keeping an eye on.

La Liga round up

After looking at the first week of the 2011-12 Serie A season, here is a little piece on the second week of La Liga.

Real Sociedad fought back brilliantly, with two quick fire second half goals, to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw against the La Liga and European Champions Barcelona.

Barcelona started fantastically and were two up inside the first 11 minutes with goals from midfielders Xavi and Cesc Fabregas. However the Catalan giants failed to extend their lead through a combination of missed chances and good goalkeeping from Claudio Bravo and they were made to pay as Sociedad levelled the game through two headed goals from Imanol Agirretxe and Antoine Griezmann.

Malaga won their first game of the season as they comprehensively overcame a poor Granada side. Santi Cazorla and Joaquin both scored twice in a 4-0 victory.

Cazorla opened the scoring when Grenada were slow to realise a slow corner. The former Villarreal man recieved the ball on the edge of the box and his left footed effort wasn't the strongest of shots, however it had enough to beat Roberto in the Granada goal.

A second goal wasn't long in coming and a Joaquin header doubled their lead in the 25th minute. Cazorla gave the ball to an on rushing Jesus Gamez whose beautiful cross was headed in superbly by Joaquin, with a header his goalscoring centre forward team mate Ruud Van Nistelrooy would've been proud of.

Cazorla scored a beautiful free kick last week in defeat to Sevilla and the Euro 2008 winner scored his second set piece of the season to make it 3-0. Cazorla opted to place his free kick under the jumping Granada wall, and despite it not being the cleanest of strikes, the goalkeeper was beaten.

Cazorla was in superb form and he assisted Joaquin for their final goal with a chipped past through for the former Valencia player, who volleyed home to complete a comfortable victory for the newly financed club.

Cazorla was in fantastic form in Malaga's 4-0 victory

Valencia overcome Atheltico Madrid 1-0 thanks to a Roberto Soldado winner early in the second half. Athletico have struggled to adapt to life without Sergio Aguero and Diego Forlan and haven't scored in either of their opening games. Falcao, their summer signing from Porto, has struggled to adapt to life in Spain so far, however the Colombian will come good.  Valencia however have started the season well again with back to back victories, with Soldado in goalscoring form.

Real Madrid continued their 100% winning start to the season with Karim Benezema scoring twice in their 4-2 win over Getafe. The Frenchman opened the scoring in the first half, finishing off a lovely team goal with a superb finish after Mesut Ozil's slided pass. Miku beat the Real Madrid offside trap to level the game with a smart finish past Iker Cassilas to ensure the underdogs went in at half time level. A Cristiano Ronaldo penalty put Real back in front before Benzema extended Madrid's lead. Miku scored his second of the game to keep them in game. However Gonzalo Higuain ensured Real wouldn't be caught with a smart finish late on.

Elsewhere in Spain Sevilla scored late on to rescue a point against the 10 men of Villarreal who nearly pulled of a shock win as Diego Lopez, the Villarreal keeper was sent off after 21 minutes. Alvaro Negredo missed the resulting penalty, however the striker tapped in the rebound. Guissepi Rossi levelled the scores with a well taken penalty. Marco Ruben ensured Villarreal came from behind to take the lead with a great finish from a tight angel, however they couldnt hold on as an Alexis header crept past the former Spurs keeper Cesar.