Season 25 Week 04 processing...

Welcome to week 4 of the season, there are yet more six pointers this week, so good luck to everyone.

No orders this week from Leicester ( indebt ) & Real Madrid.
Late orders from Birmingham, will process what I can.

Watford v Man City

Undoubtedly the biggest fixture of the week, one of the biggest of the season.  Two heavyweights clash, both having started the season very well.  Watford will need to perform well here to carry on their perfect start to the season, 3 wins from 3. Whereas City have all-on here to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.  Something will have to give! Both teams come off the back of convincing wins last week, Watford having arguably the harder fixture away to Birmingham.  A win for the London side here would put a five point gap between the sides and although it is early in the season, it would seriously put a marker down to the rest of the league.


Everton v Birmingham

Both teams here come off disappiinting results last week, although Rich's Birmingham side did suffer an early loss in the game against Jamie when Nani went off injured and that certainly wouldn't have helped the gameplan.  The side from St Andrews certainly has the talent to challenge this year
and despite last weeks result, currently sit only 3 points off second place at the minute.  Everton had a disappointing reverse at Man Utd last week.  The Toffees started the season on fire winning their first two games but the concern was always whether they would be able to maintain it throughout the season.  This game would be a great one to win for their fans, but it is a tough ask.


Plymouth v Liverpool

After last seasons heroics, Liverpool are seriously lacking confidence at the minute.  Kenny Dalglish stepped down last year after guiding them to safety and since Brendan Rodgers has taken over the team seems to have lost all confidence. Currently sitting bottom of the table with nil points, coming off the back of a home defeat by Charlton.  Something needs to change for this squad and quickly otherwise they could find themselves adrift at the bottom for a large part of the season.  Plymouth on the other hand have had a good start to the season, despite bringing in a few new faces over the summer.  Will be interesting to see how the manager will keep all his players happy at Home Park, and managing all that talent is gonna be a difficult job this year.  So far, the manager is doing a sterling job and the results have proved as such.  This Plymouth side have nopt hit top form yet, when the likes of Di Maria settle in properly, this side will be very difficult to stop.  That should serve as a warning to the rest of the league as they currently sit equal second in the table without firing on all cylinders. Easiest game to call this week?  Should be, but you never know.  Liverpool aren't helped by another injury to their AM Abou Diaby, who is far too familiar to the treatment room.


Fulham v Blackburn

After a disastrous start to the season, Fulham are slowly starting to find their feet.  A lot of personnel changes over the summer mean that this side will take some time gelling together, but when they do, they will certainly cause some problems for visiting teams.  Still boasting a front pairing of Balotelli and Suarez, they certainly will cause a few defenders headaches this season.  Balotelli grabbing a brace
last week in his new TM position seems to have sparked him into form, could that be the trigger the team has been desperate for?  Last weeks win away to Jose Mourinho's Chelsea was a sensational result and they should follow it up this week with a win at home to a struggling Blackburn side, who despite a spirited performance last week against Plymouth currently sit bottom with no points.  It looks like a long season ahead for the Lancashire side.


Spurs v Chelsea

After last weeks reverse against Fulham, Jose Mourinho was rumoured to be furious with his team and kept them in the dressing room for over an hour after the final whistle laying into the stars who didn't seem to turn up last week.  The loss to Oscar to injury during the game didn't help but there should have been more than enough about the rest of the team to cause Fulham more of a problem than they did, especially in front of their home fans.  Although Jose has a top reputation in the game, he finds his star studded team in the bottom three.  Spurs sit just above the dotted line at the minute with two draws so far this season.  Will the draw specialists have enough to stay up this year?  Some journalists are calling this London derby a six pointer already.  A tag that will certainly not go down too well in the Mourinho household.


Newcastle v West Ham

Good solid win last week for the Geordies away to Middlesboro means they currently sit third in the table two points off the leaders.  A change in formation from Mark this season, means the team will take time to get used to it, but they seem to be doing ok so far.  The objective seems to be to attack the weaker teams in the division with all the attacking talent Mark has available.  FLY certainly will entertain the Toon army this year and there will be guaranteed goals at St James' Park.  Personally I think it is a good choice of formation for the Championship as they will certainly bury some teams this season.  This week should see another win against a West Ham side who sit level with Newcastle in the table but surely don't have similar qualities throughout their side.  Quality should tell in this one and although I seem to say it every week, Lukaku could be the difference once again.


Leicester v Ipswich


League leaders at home against a struggling Ipswich side stuck in the bottom three with a solitary point to their name?  Not gonna be a coupon buster this one, surely.  Leicester, similar to Newcastle, have too much quality for this league and more than a few teams will get blown away this year.  Nasri seems to have strarted the season on fire and he will be key to their title challenge this year.  Will Siem De Jong make his debut this week?  Will the manager risk throwing him in?  Whenever he comes in, he will certainly improve the team and possibly bring something they may have been missing last season, a goalscoring midfielder.  Either way, Leicester should prove too strong for Ipswich and will hope they can extend their lead at the top of the table.


Villa v Oldham


Many pundits predicted a slow start to the season for this new look Villa side as so many changes have taken place from the team that nearly got into the playoffs last season.  Not many remain and it was touted that things might get worse before they get better at Villa Park.  They should have known better with the world-renowned Rob Wilson taking charge.  Although the signings have been plentiful over the summer, the manager has been very smart in attracting talent that already knows the english game, so hopefully they would settle quickly.  Things seem to have started off very well as the team sit third with 7 points from a possible 9, whilst being far from hitting top form.  Ominous signs for the rest of the league? The manager still maintains in press conferences that the playoffs is the aim this season, and he is right to say that to calm down the expectations of the fans.  If all the players come together then this Villa side will be a very strong one the further the season goes on.  Yohan Cabaye is being hailed as the signing of the season so far, hitting two crucial late winners for the Villa fans.  His contribution looks like it will be a very important one this season, but he has already won a place in Villa fans hearts for his contribution so far!


Courtesy of Rob.....


Charlton v Man Utd

Louis van Gaal makes his first trip to The Valley. With the Dutch master trying to get the best out of the ageing but talented D'Alessandro, Berbatov and Pavlyuchenko. Supporting those 3 Ruiz and Rodallega will be looking to add to the mix by causing trouble out wide. Is total football too ambitious away from home? This commentator thinks so. ALouis says it'll take 3 months/years for the team to settle properly so who knows? Welcoming him to  London with a nice bottle of red (Ribena) Tom's Addicks currently sit in third and undefeated. With Coutinho pulling the strings and surrounded by more Scousers than The Beatles first gig I can't see anything other than a home win. Tom's midfield of Gerrard and Henderson will dominate, Coutinho will orchestrate and Sturridge will finish United off. I predict a 3-0 home banker and I'm off to William Hill with Merton and Le Tissier to put £50 on it. 

Brilliant, thanks mate.

Games will kickoff Wednesday 1000 hours.

Enjoyed the prematch reviews guys, very entertaining, so thanks for that.

Gents, unfortunately I think the time has come to acknowledge that I just no longer have the time to focus on this wonderful game. On the turns that I have returned recently I've completed one dealing. I'm not doing justice to the game as the days of the week just slip by with the turnsheet just staring at me. 
As much as it guts me to say this, I must resign my hotseat at Leicester and Betis with immediate effect. Hopefully this announcement won't upset the players too much, who've hardly seen me on the training ground in recent weeks. 

Guys, I'd like to say what an absolute pleasure it has been over the years, and hope to stay in contact with you all. I've met some great people who I'd have never have met without this game, Rob, Ben, Phil and Rich especially, lets make sure the random Nottingham and London drinks evenings don't stop. 

A little tear forms in my eye, as I run into yet another client meeting, wishing my charges the best as they run out to do me proud one last time. 

Paul, thank you so much for the effort you've put in over the years, I hope the door will always be open for a return as and when things settle down. If you can let me know my outstanding balance after this weeks games, I'll square that up with you this week. 

Good luck guys!

The players are out and the ref looks at his watch...

And we're off...

and the first goal of the day goes to Sergio Aguero after his penalty makes the score

Plymouth 1 Liverpool 0 after 2 minutes.

Marseille 0 Lyon 1 Pepe header on 3 minutes.

10 minutes gone...

Santos 1 Cristovao 0 Rivaldo freekick on 11 minutes.
Nantes 0 Etienne 1 Roux.

Rich@Leicester wrote:

I hope the door will always be open for a return as and when things settle down. 

Sorry to see you leave Rich, but thanks for the support and enthusiasm. You're always more than welcome back.

Charlton 1 Man United 0 Sturridge on 13 minutes.

Orient 0 Banstead 1 Ball header on 15 minutes.

Flamengo 1 Fluminense 0 Maicon on 18 minutes.
Real Madrid 1 Real Sociedad 0 Falcao.

Sevilla 0 Atletico Madrid 1 Choupo-Moting on 23 minutes.

Santos 2 Cristovao 0 Casemiro header 26 minutes.

Flamengo 2 Fluminense 0 Lewandowski penalty on 31 minutes.
Watford 0 Man City 1 Paulinho.

Inter 1 Lazio 0 Chiellini header on 32 minutes.

Villa 1 Oldham 0 Cabaye freekick on 36 minutes.

Newcastle 0 Westham 1 Moncur on 38 minutes.

Real 2 Sociedad 0 Benzema on 40 minutes.

Santos 3 Elivelton on 41 minutes.

Real 2 Sociedad 1 Pazienza header on 42 minutes.

Santos 4 Cristovao 0 Possebon on 43 minutes.

the halftime whistle blows...