Painful Blogging

I’m back! It’s time for the mid-week games and of course, our favourite part, predictions. My predictions for the weekends games were well off the mark. I only got 3 correct match results which sucked but I’ve got the mid-week games to showcase my brilliance at guessing. So here goes…

Tuesday

Brighton & Hove Albion v AFC Bournemouth

Brighton are in good form having picked up 12 points from a possible 18. The Seagulls are scoring for fun at the moment with 7 goals in their last 2 games. The win against Southampton means that for the first time this season Brighton have kept back-to-back clean sheets. If Brighton can win big they can leapfrog Bournemouth.

Bournemouth will be looking to bounce back after their shock defeat at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers. But they face a difficult game against Brighton. They’ve lost 2 of their last 6 and one might be starting to wonder, are they starting to go through a blip. If Bournemouth can beat Brighton, I think it will end any aspirations The Seagulls may have had about playing Champions League football next season.

Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 1 – 1 AFC Bournemouth

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa

After their 2 – 0 win at Craven Cottage on the weekend. Crystal Palace host Aston Villa. Palace have been ticking over nicely with 4 wins from their last 6 league games. The Eagles have scored in each of their last 8 league games so they’ll be confident that they can breach the Villa defence.

Aston Villa have taken just 7 points from their last 6 league games. Not a great stat if you’re trying to get into the Champions League. Despite the alarming stat, Villa have scored in 5 of their last 6 league games. If Villa are to keep their Champions League dream alive, they’ll need to beat a Palace defence that don’t concede goals often.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1 – 0 Aston Villa

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham

Wolves will be looking for back-to-back wins in the league for the third time this season when they host Fulham. When the two sides met at Craven Cottage earlier this season, Wolves won 4 – 1. They’ll be hoping for a repeat performance to help widen the gap between them and the bottom three.

Fulham may have an eye on their FA Cup tie with Man Utd believing that there’s a real possibility of going far in the competition. But before that, they have the small matter of Wolves. Fulham have won only once in their last 9 meetings between the two sides. If Fulham are to contest the european places, this is a game they must win.

Prediction: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 – 1 Fulham

Chelsea v Southampton

Chelsea’s push for the Champions League has stuttered recently with only 2 wins in their last 6 league games. The poor run of form has seen the Blues slip from the Champions League places to 7th. Chelsea have been losing the big games against their rivals for the european places and some fans are starting to bring the managers future into question. Chelsea have winnable fixtures until the Arsenal game in mid-March. So the manager is not going to be going anywhere for a while.

Southampton, oh Southampton… The Saints have struggled for results all season but could they pull off an upset at Stamford Bridge. My brain says no but, Chelsea are in a problematic slump. Southampton need to be bold and go for it, Chelsea in their current state are vulnerable. Although not impressive, Southampton have scored 7 goals in their last 6 league games. And on their last trip to Stamford Bridge, they won.

Prediction: Chelsea 3 – 1 Southampton

Wednesday

Brentford v Everton

Brentford won’t be on too much of a high after crushing a poor Leicester side. The Bees will be expecting a significant test in the form of Everton. Brentford know the Toffees have it in them to concede goals after they let a 2 goal lead slip on the weekend. Brentford will be hoping that their attacking front 4 with a combined 36 league goals and 18 assists between them, will be able to break through a solid Everton defence.

After dropping 2 points on the weekend, Everton will be feeling confident that they can put a bad result behind them quickly. They haven’t lost at Brentford since November 2021. Despite being 14 place, The Toffees have the 5th best defensive record in the league. Something they will be working hard to preserve.

I don’t see goals in this game despite Brentford’s impressive goal scoring record.

Prediction: Brentford 0 – 0 Everton

Manchester United v Ipswich Town

United managed to salvage a draw at Goodison Park on Saturday when they should have been beaten. Let’s be real, this Man Utd team is so poor that relegation is in this clubs future. They won’t get relegated this season but next season, all bets are on. It’s hard to believe that this team won the FA Cup last season and finished 8 points behind 4th place. In their last 6 league games, United have picked up 7 points from a possible 18. If we look at United’s form over the last 10 games in all competitions. It’s actually decent, 6 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses. Some fans are starting to say the manager needs to go. I don’t think united are at that stage where a managerial change is necessary. But, if they don’t deliver a trophy or improve the league position, I suspect the manager will be gone by November.

After getting stuffed 4 – 1 by a poor Spurs team, Ipswich Town travel to Manchester United. Ipswich haven’t picked up a point at Old Trafford since 1993. The sides have met at Old Trafford only 4 times since then with United winning all four games. But this is a different Manchester United, this team will give you chances to end horrible runs of form. The Tractor Boys are desperate for a win having not won in the league since December. And they’re probably playing the right team besides Southampton and Leicester if they want to end a bad run. If they can’t beat this current United team, they only have themselves to blame.

Prediction: Manchester United 1 – 1 Ipswich Town

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal

Are the wheels falling off the Nottingham Forest wagon or do they really have a chance of finishing in the top 4. I’d say yes, the wheels are starting to come off. Forest need a positive result against Arsenal or they’ll be in danger of dropping out the top 4 after the Man City game. With 3 loses in their last 4 league games and against teams that have ambitions of playing in Europe next season. Forest are showing that when it really matters they don’t have the quality to maintain their position amongst their rivals. I believe we are watching the beginning of a drop in form for Forest. I still think they’ll finish in the top 8 but it won’t be in the Champions League places.

Arsenal’s title bid looks dead after their 1 – 0 defeat against West Ham. 20 shots and only 2 on target. You can’t win league titles when you produce stats like that. But they can strengthen their hold on 2nd place with a win at the City Ground. Despite last weekends result against West Ham, the Gunners are still in great form. But being in great form might not mean anything considering Arsenal’s recent record at the City Ground. Arsenal have lost 3 of their last 5 games at the City Ground, the latest defeat coming in May 2023.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1 – 2 Arsenal

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City

Tottenham are on the run of their lives as far as premier league form is concerned. 3 wins in a row, and they have a realistic chance of making it 4 when Man City come to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs will be feeling confident about getting a positive result considering they have already beaten City twice this season.

The Sky Blues are starting to go through what could be described as another poor spell of form. Man City’s away record this season has been poor. They haven’t beat anyone of significance since Chelsea back in August. They have won games away from home but they’ve only been against teams that currently occupy most of the bottom 5 places, West Ham, Wolves, Ipswich, and Leicester. What do these teams have in common? They’re Championship level teams. Against a half-decent side, it doesn’t look good. 2 defeats in their last 6 league games could be 5 defeats in their last 6 by the international break.

Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2 – 1 Manchester City

Liverpool v Newcastle United

Liverpool will be coming into this game confident of picking up another 3 points. The Reds are unbeaten at home since the defeat to Nottingham Forest back in September. Liverpool’s last 6 games have seen them pick up 14 points from a possible 18. They have an excellent record against Newcastle having not lost to them in the league at Anfield since 1994.

Newcastle are in decent form after their win against Nottingham Forest. 3 wins in their last 6 league games has seen them move into 5th place. Looking at the head to head stats between these two sides, the Magpies don’t have a good record. The last time Newcastle came to Anfield and avoided defeat was April 2021. Newcastle will get into Europe this season but they won’t be getting anything at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 – 0 Newcastle United

Thursday

West Ham United v Leicester City

High up on cloud 9 after their victory at the Emirates. West Ham must be feeling they’ve done enough to stay up this season. And the reality is, they probably have. It’s hard to see any of the bottom 3 teams picking up 30 points this season. But, there is a possibility of losing against Leicester. They haven’t beaten the Foxes since August 2021 having lost 3 of their last 4 meetings. The Hammers have nothing to play for, they won’t get relegated and they’re not good enough to finish top 14. With Leicester in their current form it should be an easy 3 points.

Leicester City travel to West Ham knowing that they have to win if they’re to have any realistic hope of staying up. In their last 3 league games, The Foxes have conceded 10 goals and scored a jaw dropping 0. Even if they’re in the drop zone, you’d still expect some kind of fight from them. As bad as Southampton are, they’re still scoring goals, 5 in their last 3 games. Ipswich, 3 goals in 3 games. Wolves, 4 in 3. The teams in the relegation battle are still fighting to stay up despite not being good enough to be in the league. But Leicester, it feels like they’re throwing in the towel. The only things Leicester have going for them is that they’re playing a mediocre West Ham team and the possibility of an out of form Chelsea after. Other than that, I can’t see anything positive for this team.

Prediction: West Ham United 2 – 0 Leicester City

And that’s my mid-week predictions, I wonder how many I get right this week.