2011 - Week 1/ 38

Two days before kick-off. Still a bit early to make "informed" predictions seeing how the transfer window is still open, the final team sheet is still a while away and in the case of Aston Villa - you are manager less.

Never one to back down from obvious foolhardiness, I don't see how waiting a couple more days will make my predictions any more accurate. So without further ado, I bring to you the Plastic Armchairs tips for the season and then the week.

1. Aston Villa v/s West Ham
So were 3 seasons of 6th place finishes the extent of "the best American owner"'s ambition. By sacking M'oN, Randy Lerner has not-so-tacitly admitted to throwing his hands in the air. With no big signings (imminent or otherwise), no manager and no rosy future, it all seems to be going a bit tits up for the Fourth Most successful club (historically) in England. Aston Villa will slide down the table for sure. The only question is till where. Too good to go down surely, but not good enough for a Europa League spot.

But what abt their opponents for the opening week. Owned by two people who are in many ways the polar opposites of Randy *

* I love the name Randy. Reminds me of a joke in the inscrutable Americans.
American boy - Hi I'm Randy
Desi FOB - Why ??

Getting back to the footy, the David's are everything that Lerner is not. An by they are noisy, brash media whores. Should have been called Dick's actually. But you know what the funny thing is. They seem to on the whole not be bad owners. They have not really signed Leo Messi for WHU, but they have not let any big(ish) name go. There was talk in the papers of how they are going to sell everyone on the team save Scotty Parker, but there has been little if any speculation for any player (bar Parker obviously :)

In Avram Grant they have a manager who I personally rate. At Chelsea he was hard done by cause of that cunt John Terry. However, one surprising statistic is that at Pompey he would have managed to have his team relegated even without the points deduction. WH are one of the limbo clubs for me this season. Not really gonna make it to Europe, nor should they face a long-term relegation battle.

Predictions

This match - Villa to win
Aston Villa End Season - Range (8th - 11th) 10th
West Ham United - Range (12th - 16th) 16th

OK need to get a move on - will only be putting in predictions. Will put in the gyan later if I get time


2. Blackburn v/s Everton

So two blood an guts Engurlish teams. Although Everton try an play the prettier football of the two, their style is closer to that of their hosts than say Arsenal. However, both these clubs had a nice steady climb in the table in the second half of last season. so they are in a way "form teams" for the starting of this year.

True funny story - there was a time not so many years ago, 05 I think, that Everton actually broke the vice like grip of the big four, at the expense of their bitter rivals Liverpool. But bad fortune, in the form of meeting Villareal, and the fact that Everton are perennial slow starters (they were thumped 6-1 at home last season) meant that they never got to play even a single match in the Champions League proper.

Trues Funnier Story - Balackburn are the only team apart from ManU, chelski an Arsenal to have won the Premiership. They were the cash money team in the mid-90's when they bought a complete team with the hottest manager - Kenny Dalgish. How times change. Now there is a host of sugar daddies.

Predictions

This match - Draw
Blackburn End Season - Range (9th - 12th) 9th
Everton - Range (6th - 10th) 7th



3. Bolton v/s Fulham

Predictions

This match - Home Win
Bolton End Season - Range (10th - 14th) 12th
Fulham End Season - Range (8th - 12th) 8th



3. Bolton v/s Fulham

Predictions

This match - Home Win
Bolton End Season - Range (10th - 14th) 12th
Fulham End Season - Range (8th - 12th) 8th


4. Chealski v/s West Brom

Predictions

This match - Home Win
Chelski End Season - Range (1st - 4th) 2nd
West Brom End Season - Range (15th - 19th) 19th


5. Sunderland v/s Birmingham

Predictions

This match - Home Win
Sunderland End Season - Range (11th - 15th) 14th
Birmingham End Season - Range (10th - 14th) 13th


6. Tottenham v/s Man City

This match - Draw
Tottenham End Season - Range (4th - 8th) 6th
Man City End Season - Range (2nd - 7th) 3rd



8. Wigan v/s Blackpool

This match - Home Win
Wigan End Season - Range (14th - 18th) 17th
Blackpool End Season - Range (16th - 20th) 20th



9. Liverpool v/s Arsenal

This match - Home Win
Liverpool End Season - Range (3rd - 8th) 5th
Arsenal End Season - Range (2nd - 6th) 4th




10. ManU v/s Newcastle

This match - Home Win
ManU End Season - Range (1st - 5th) 1st
Newcastle End Season - Range (14th - 18th) 15th

Guess who's back

6 posts, 3 weeks, 1 month - thats how long my first innings as a blogger lasted. Been nearly 2 years since I started this blog, and I have had a grand total of 8 people on the site. So much for my dreams of becoming the next Perez Hilton. Anyhow, today is the first day for the rest of my life (I'm full of these lovely cliches stolen from movies) and I can do anything that I set my mind to (also full of not-so-lovely cliches stolen from folklore).

So in addition to getting a perfect body to complement my perfect soul, I have set my mind to being regular with this blog. I think the format will remain the same. Preview an review the weekly fixtures of mainly the English League (and maybe a smattering of La Liga) with the help of predictions. Might even get an octopus to help me out this time.

And who knows, if I actually get more than my usual 3/10 predictions right, I might even start putting my money where my mouth is.

So buckle up an get ready for the ride of your life. Actually scratch that, the ride of your life will hopefully be in a darkened bedroom with a chick rather than alone in your office cubicle while reading a blog. Lets try again. So simply adjust your chair so that you are comfortable and get ready to read some mildly non-conservative predictions.

Its Plastic Armchair Blogging time (sing to this tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3ZAGBL6UBA)