Football / Statbunker News

GREENER’S BLOG

by

ANDY GREENUP

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE

  SATURDAY 9 MAY 2009

Those of you who kept faith following our recent poor run were well rewarded last weekend with five winners from the six selections given and a great profit of 55.00 points.  The overall verdicts have now produced 35 wins from 70 selections, a strike rate of 50% and the profit now stands at 73.50 points.

NO CHANGE AT THE BOTTOM

Following their 2-0 victory at Middlesbrough last week, Manchester Utd now require just seven points from their last four games to successfully defend their title.  The quest for those points begins on Sunday with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford.  Liverpool will be hoping that the Champions could still slip up and therefore must keep the pressure on by winning at West Ham.  The big game of the weekend sees Arsenal entertain Chelsea at the Emirates where the Gunners will be attempting to do the double and keep their chances of taking that valued third place from their rivals.  As you will already be aware a third place finish is very important as it means qualification straight into the Group stages of next season’s Champions League.  I mentioned last week that the relegation battle is between the bottom five sides, well following last week’s results nothing has changed as all five were beaten.   After this weekend’s games, things should become much clearer.  West Brom host Wigan and nothing other than a win will do if they are to keep their faint hopes of survival alive.  The most important game isn’t until Monday evening when Middlesbrough travel to Newcastle.  It’s one of those games where the winner will give themselves every chance of staying up while the loser will probably have to accept they will be playing Championship football next season.  However if it finishes in a draw then that would do neither side any favours.  The other two sides in the battle both have games they will feel they can win and if they could manage victories that would certainly make a difference to the atmosphere at St James’ Park 48 hours later.  Hull City play host to Stoke while Sunderland travel west to take on Bolton.  The first game I’m looking at is the one between the two sides just above the bottom five, Blackburn and Portsmouth who meet at Ewood Park.   Blackburn have lost just one of the their nine home games and it’s that home form which I expect them to continue here and will assure them of their Premier League status for another season.  As for the opposition, Portsmouth haven’t won any of their last 11 away games, they have only scored nine times in their 15 and have failed to find the net in their last three.  GREENER’S VERDICT - MATCH RESULT - BLACKBURN (10 PTS) @ 2.12

The other game I like the look of is at Craven Cottage where Fulham play Aston Villa.  Fulham may have lost three of their last five home games but they have lost only four of their 17 home games this season.  They have beaten Manchester Utd and Arsenal, drawn with Chelsea and but for a stoppage time goal from Yossi Benayoun would have held Liverpool as well.  Until recently Aston Villa had one of the best away records in the league which included a run of seven straight wins, but they are winless in their last four losing three of them.  Villa’s win against Hull on Monday was their first in 10 games.  I think this will be a tight game but feel the home side will just sneak it at an excellent price.  GREENER’S VERDICT - MATCH RESULT - FULHAM (10 PTS) @ 2.78