Season 25 Week 9 processing...

Welcome to week 9 of the season...we're now at the stage of the season when the title contenders are established and the race truely hots up, so good luck to everybody this week.

Chelsea v Man City
 
The flamboyant Citizens attack visits Stamford Bridge this week. With powerful front men Dzeko and Carroll ripping opposing teams apart the Leagues top scorers will be confident of another win on the road. The hosts while steady in defence seem toothless in attack and with no pressure on the City back line it will be a long 90 minutes for Jose Mourinho’s men. Even with the Special One’s tactical genius I can’t look beyond Geoff’s Sky Blues. It’ll only be a case of how many.
 
Man Utd v Birmingham
 
LVG’s exciting United team are playing well at Old Trafford with all their goals going at home this season so far. A real clash of styles as the with the Oranje inspired total football of United taking on the pragmatic van Persie inspired FAS tactic of Birmingham. Both teams are capable in attack and that can leave them open at the back. An open game and certainly one that could go either way. Rich’s Brum to nick it in a 5 goal thriller and inflict LVG’s first home defeat of the season.
 
Blackburn v Liverpool
 
The League’s basement clubs battling it out for what is already a huge 6 pointer. If Blackburn win they could jump out of the relegation zone and leave Liverpool at least 7 points adrift in 12^th place. Neither team is prolific but Blackburn have an ace in Roque Santa Cruz. The veteran front man who was once described as ‘Peter Crouch with a better hair cut’, has scored all of Blackburn’s goals this season and could be the man to keep them up. Liverpool with no wins and only 3 goals look like being the Swindon of this year’s Premier division. A home win and Santa Cruz to grab a double is the only outcome for this one.
 
Charlton v Plymouth GAME OF THE WEEK
 
Every week seems to bring another huge game for the Pilgrims. Another trip to London takes Ben’s team to The Valley and Tom’s Addicks. Both teams need more goals in order to challenge at the top of the table. Will it be Ozil and Aguero or Sturride and Sterling to deliver for their respective boss?  A great game for the neutral and a must win for both teams if they want to keep up with Watford at the top of the table. This one could go either way and a high scoring draw isn’t out of the question.
 
Spurs v Fulham
 
A fascinating London derby between 2 teams hovering just above the relegation zone. With Spurs playing better at home and Fulham stronger away this will be an interesting match up. Fulham have a star studded attack and it is surely only a matter of time before they click into action. The threat of slipping into the relegation zone will be in both teams minds and will add pressure to an already tense affair. With Blackburn favourites to win both teams will need to go for the win in order to stay above the dreaded dotted line. Too close to call.
 
Everton v Watford
 

The Hornets visit Goodison averaging more than 2 goals a game away from home so far this season. With The Toffees already having conceded 17 in the League this could be a dark day on Merseyside. The power of Spanish front men Negredo and Costa supplied with granny’s favourite Wayne Rooney should have a field day. It’s very hard to look beyond Watford maintaining their 100% away record and adding to their impressive goal difference at the same time.

Villa v Coventry
 

With a lack of goals that can only be described as ‘Paul Lambert-esque’ Villa need loan signings Schurrle and Benteke to help out as soon as possible. The return of key playmaker Yohan Cabaye should also help create more chances.  Coventry sit only 2 points behind Villa and both teams are competing for a payoff place at the end of the season. With both teams solid in defence and lacking a true cutting edge a low scoring draw is probably on the cards at Villa Park. Might not make great viewing ……

Roma v Ancona
 
Two teams fighting it out at the top of Serie A.  It’s a case of the flamboyant entertainers of Ancona using their devastating attacking talent – Bale, Alexis Sanchez, Immobile and Giovinco to take on the rock that is the Roma defence with only 2 goals conceded in Serie A. Roma do have a sting in the tail to add to their solid back line with Hulk and Pepe capable of striking on the break. An excellent game to watch for the neutral and too hard to call.
 
Inter v Cagliari
 

Cagliari are Serie A’s draw specialists and are notoriously difficult to beat with only 2 defeats this season.  Inter are playing much more fluidly with the addition of David Silva and are another of Serie A’s entertainers with 21 league goals so far this season. This should be an interesting game with an irresistible force coming up against an immovable object.  Very hard to call.

Excellent previews there from Rob, thanks for that, we'll find out how accurate his predictions are wednesday morning, matches kickoff at 1000 hours. ( unless snow stops play at the last moment ).

Apologies to all the Italian and Dutch team managers cos I forgot to activate the new round two cup games for both leagues back when I made the round two draw in week 4. But the round two games for both Italy and Holland will be played tomorrow, alongside the other round two games.

The players are out for their warmup...

Quote :

Charlton v Plymouth GAME OF THE WEEK
 
Every week seems to bring another huge game for the Pilgrims. Another trip to London takes Ben’s team to The Valley and Tom’s Addicks. Both teams need more goals in order to challenge at the top of the table. Will it be Ozil and Aguero or Sturride and Sterling to deliver for their respective boss?  A great game for the neutral and a must win for both teams if they want to keep up with Watford at the top of the table. This one could go either way and a high scoring draw isn’t out of the question.
 

And I thought I was playing at home. Going to be an interesting one...

Ben@Plymouth wrote:

Quote :

Charlton v Plymouth GAME OF THE WEEK
 
Every week seems to bring another huge game for the Pilgrims. Another trip to London takes Ben’s team to The Valley and Tom’s Addicks. Both teams need more goals in order to challenge at the top of the table. Will it be Ozil and Aguero or Sturride and Sterling to deliver for their respective boss?  A great game for the neutral and a must win for both teams if they want to keep up with Watford at the top of the table. This one could go either way and a high scoring draw isn’t out of the question.
 

And I thought I was playing at home. Going to be an interesting one...

I thought I was away!! Done a Chelsea and parked the bus, gutted.

The players line up and we're off...

Gremio 1 Mineiro 0 Konoplyanka on 2 minutes scores the first goal of the day...

Villa 1 Coventry 0 Mirallas on 2 minutes.
Gornik 0 Warsaw 1 Burkhardt freekick.

Tom@Charlton wrote:

Ben@Plymouth wrote:

Quote :

Charlton v Plymouth GAME OF THE WEEK
 
Every week seems to bring another huge game for the Pilgrims. Another trip to London takes Ben’s team to The Valley and Tom’s Addicks. Both teams need more goals in order to challenge at the top of the table. Will it be Ozil and Aguero or Sturride and Sterling to deliver for their respective boss?  A great game for the neutral and a must win for both teams if they want to keep up with Watford at the top of the table. This one could go either way and a high scoring draw isn’t out of the question.
 

And I thought I was playing at home. Going to be an interesting one...

I thought I was away!! Done a Chelsea and parked the bus, gutted.

Lol its gonna be a strange game I think then...

Man United 0 Birmingham 1 Welbeck header on 3 minutes.

Santos 0 Sao Paulo 1 Rafael header on 4 minutes.
Everton 0 Watford 1 Rooney.

Ben@Plymouth wrote:

Tom@Charlton wrote:

Ben@Plymouth wrote:

Quote :

Charlton v Plymouth GAME OF THE WEEK
 
Every week seems to bring another huge game for the Pilgrims. Another trip to London takes Ben’s team to The Valley and Tom’s Addicks. Both teams need more goals in order to challenge at the top of the table. Will it be Ozil and Aguero or Sturride and Sterling to deliver for their respective boss?  A great game for the neutral and a must win for both teams if they want to keep up with Watford at the top of the table. This one could go either way and a high scoring draw isn’t out of the question.
 

And I thought I was playing at home. Going to be an interesting one...

I thought I was away!! Done a Chelsea and parked the bus, gutted.

Lol its gonna be a strange game I think then...

Definitely, not sure which way it will go.

Everton 0 Watford 2 Kompany header on 7 minutes, it could be a very tough day for the Toffees if this keeps up, great start for the league leaders though.

Hoffenheim 0 Schalke 1 Schweinsteiger.

Celta 0 Barcelona 1 Toure on 11 minutes.

Everton 0 Watford 3 Rooney with his second on 12 minutes.

Santos 1 Sao Paulo 1 Casemiro freekick on 13 minutes.
Newcastle 0 Soton 1 Rodriguez gives the Saints an early lead in the big game there in the Championship

Inter 1 Cagliari 0 Higuain on 14 minutes.

Paris 0 Nantes 1 Kaka freekick on 15 minutes, Paris need all three points here.

Paul Hemmings wrote:

Paris 0 Nantes 1 Kaka freekick on 15 minutes, Paris need all three points here.

Massive goal that, need to hang on there, would be a great result.

Flamengo 1 Paysandu 0 Maicon header on 16 minutes.
Everton 0 Watford 4 Pogba as the league leaders move into top gear at this vital stage of the season.

Seville 1 Osasuna 0 Abner on 18 minutes, the home side continue their resurgence since the return of Mark to fulltime management.

Santos 2 Sao Paulo 1 Rever header on 20 minutes.
Villa 2 Coventry 0 Schurrle penalty, good start this week for the rebuilding Villa side.
Chicago 0 Cosmos 1 Farfan.