This week, along with the usual stuff on the English Premier league, we will also look into the La Liga BBVA, it is going to be a regular feature from now on, as some of the world’s best flair players do their thing. We will simply take a look at Serie A this week because of the derby. Enjoy.
Arsenal vs. Stoke City: After a run of three domestic defeats without scoring a goal, they’d be looking to finally score a goal and end the bad run. They do have the ammunition to do it, but do they have the mental fortitude?
Stoke aren’t exactly easy meat, they do give the bigger sides a run for their money; just ask Spurs and Chelsea to a lesser extent.
I fancy there’ll be a couple of goals in this.
...Home win.
Blackburn Rovers vs. Liverpool: After their Carling cup exploits- for those who don’t know, they took out Chelsea- they’d be on a high and will look to claim another major scalp in a league. They have one of the best home records in the league and in David Dunn, they have a man bang on form.
Liverpool though will be coming from their victory, albeit an undeserved one, in the Scouse derby. With a few of their injury issues resolving, they could have good game.
...Draw.
West Ham United vs. Manchester United: Losing Carlton Cole is bad enough, and then having Rob Green out will be a huge blow. As some clubs go about blaming injuries for on-field problems, West Ham just get on with things. And now, they have Carlton Cole out for the rest of the year. The likes of Zavon Hines can fill in though.
After beating Spurs in the Carling cup, they will be fielding a changed side for this game. With Wayne Rooney hitting goal scoring patch, nothing says he won’t hit the back of the net here. But they’d need others to chip in with their share of the goods, and they’ve got Dimitar Berbatov back.
...Away win.
Manchester City vs. Chelsea: City have finally registered a win! When last did they win? I can’t remember... Alright, to the game we go then. This tie last season saw Robinho make his debut against the side that had chased him all summer. Now, what’s riding on this? A lot. But for a start, all Mancunians whether of Red or Blue persuasion will want city to triumph, for obvious reasons.
Chelsea have been blistering this season, although they have gotten the some things their way against their direct rivals. Didier Drogba is the hottest striker in the league right now and I’d be foolish to bet against him having a say in this game- a goal or an assist.
...Draw
Away from the Blighty we go.
In Spain, Sevilla will be looking to close the gap on leaders Barcelona- albeit temporarily- as they take on Valladolid (for whom Manucho promised to score forty goals this season). They were looking to take advantage of the el classico by beating Malaga, and boy did they come unstuck. They should take victory in this game though.
Over at Madrid, they will try and get over THAT defeat by thrashing Almeria to close the gap on Barcelona (the Camp Nou club have played a game more). Having got Ronaldo back, they could well achieve it – the thrashing, I mean- or they could just win an uninspiring game. Simply put, Almeria can only take to pictures of hot girls wearing the new Madrid undies back home.
To La Coruňa we head where Deportivo will try and produce a snooze feast to bore the Barça players then go on to win when they are asleep. Pep’s dream team may not fall for that though. But Depor with no striker-Riki is no striker- will look to defend and then snatch a victory from somewhere. I don’t expect either side to be beaten after this game.
In Bilbao, they local do not care if a bill has been passed to allow the Spanish team play in Basque land or Catalonia, they just won’t welcome the team to the Basque region. This place is a difficult venue to play in and so it will prove for Valencia who conceded a late equaliser at home to throw two points away last week. Something tells me that the terrific Juan Mata and David Villa (who’s the best striker in the world, in my opinion) will run riot, but knowing Athletic, they’ll simply pump the balls over to Llorente. And that approach is not really appreciated in Spain. I can’t run away from this game ending in a draw.
Just a look at Serie A where the ‘Derby of Italy’ is taking place between Juventus and Internazionale. My only advice to football fans who watch that game is that they should do so with as big a bowl of cakes as Maniche probably takes because it is going to be an uninspiring and ‘tactical’ game that will inevitably end in an Inter victory.
